June is National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month. The goal is to build awareness, educate the public and reduce the profound stigma associated with migraines, cluster headaches and other headache disorders.
Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is about more than just alleviating pain. Things such as headache disorders result in a loss of productivity and even a lower quality of life. Children can even be affected by headache disorders, resulting in low self-esteem, depression, and social anxiety.
Headaches come in 4 primary types: migraine, tension-type headache (TTH), cluster headache (CH), and medication overuse headache (MOH). Each of these can range in severity and occurrence from mild and infrequent, lasting only a few hours, to severe and frequent, lasting several days and accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
Though everyone gets the occasional headache, it is estimated that about 12 percent of Americans, about 30 million people, suffer from migraine headaches. Migraines are a neurological disorder in which a person suffers recurrent moderate to severe headaches that worsen during routine physical activity and can last from four hours to three or more days when left untreated. Though anyone can suffer from migraines, they are most common between the ages of 30 and 60, and women are three times as likely to get them as men. Often, migraines will present on one side of the head and may be exacerbated by light, sound, or strong scents, leading to nausea. Those who suffer migraines are also more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disorders, and other pain disorders.
Migraine headaches are a heavy burden. They are estimated to cost Americans more than $20 billion annually in medical costs and missed work and productivity, causing the World Health Organization to declare them one of the 20 most disabling illnesses.
What causes migraines? Exact causes of migraines are not currently known, but research has shown that they are affected by changes in serotonin levels in the brain and that they are largely hereditary. Most people who suffer from migraines have a family history of the disorder. If one parent suffers from migraines, his or her child has a 50 percent chance of developing them as well; if both parents suffer from migraines, the child’s risk is bumped to 75 percent.
What triggers a migraine? Though there is not always a clear trigger for migraines, emotional stress, hormonal fluctuations, changes in weather, menstruation, sensitivity to chemicals and food preservatives, poor sleep, medication, alcohol, and excessive caffeine consumption or withdrawal are all common triggers. A small number of people who suffer from migraines experience auras, sensory changes that occur before, during, or after a migraine. Most auras are visual, and include blurred vision, flashing lights, and blind spots, but can also be accompanied by motor or verbal disturbances.
A variety of treatments are available to help you fight off your headache or migraine and regain your life. Below are some common treatments that your doctor may recommend.
■ Medication
■ Therapy
■ Diet
■ Relaxation Techniques
■ Exercise
■ Biofeedback
Working closely with your doctor can help you start the battle against migraines and headaches. Talk with your doctor to create a health and wellness plan that works for you. For more information about Neurology and treating your headaches or migraines, call the Decatur County Memorial Hospital’s Outpatient Clinic at 812-663-131l or click here to view their webpage.