About 40% of people get headaches at some time, mostly due to stress, tension, or anxiety. But these ordinary headaches are quite different from migraines.
Migraine headaches are often described as throbbing headaches that get worse with activity.
Migraines can last for hours to days, sometimes making it difficult to function. The only escape for many sufferers may be bed rest and sleep.
Scientists have found that migraines are due to disturbances in the brain that may result from certain outside influences called triggers. This knowledge has led to the development of treatments and recommended lifestyle changes for preventing migraines or stopping them once they start.
Brain disturbances
The exact cause of migraines is not known, although there are many theories.
One cause of migraines is thought to be faulty functioning of certain brain cells called neurons. These cells carry electrical and chemical messages throughout the nervous system and control how a person thinks, feels, and acts.
Changes in the neurons act upon areas that control pain and the flow of blood in vessels of the head and neck. This can cause inflammation of certain nerves and make the blood vessels in the brain either tighten or swell. The result is headache pain and possibly symptoms like nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and other disturbances.
Brain disturbances start to increase before the actual headache begins. After the headache has passed, faulty brain activity slowly decreases. The person may experience different body changes and feelings at each phase of a migraine attack.
Triggers
People with migraines are usually sensitive to certain triggers, which can affect how often, how long, and how intense the attacks are. These triggers can include a number of factors related to a person's diet, medications, lifestyle, hormones, and the surroundings in which they live. Eliminating or controlling the trigger factors may help reduce the frequency and severity of attacks.
Each person with migraines needs to determine from experience just what seems to bring on an attack. For more information on living with migraines and avoiding common triggers, click here.
Depakote and Depakote ER are indicated for prophylaxis (prevention) of migraine headaches in adults.
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