The Dysfunction of Migraine Headache Essay

Migraine headaches are the third most prevalent illness in the world, and ranked as the sixth most disabling illness. Statistics show that only about fifty percent of people who suffer from chronic headaches know that they’re suffering from a migraine. 76% of people who suffer from migraines worry that they will suffer for the rest of their lives, and 37% of sufferers worried about their migraines between attacks. Studies found that approximately 12% of Americans suffer from migraines, and 40% of Americans could benefit from preventative therapies. Even though studies show that at least 40% of sufferers could benefit from preventative therapies, only one in five sufferers are currently using preventative therapies. Studies also show that over 25% of people who suffer from migraine attacks miss at least one working day over the past three months, and nine out of ten sufferers say that they cannot “function normally” during those days. At least 98 percent of migraine attack sufferers take medications for temporary headache relief, whether it be over the counter or prescription. Only 12% of sufferers take preventative medications as opposed to the 98% of sufferers taking medications for relief. Severe migraines are ranked in the highest of seven disability classes, along with psychosis, dementia, and quadriplegia, published by the World Health Organization. People who participated in a survey who admitted to a

Migraines contrary to old beliefs are not just bad headaches! Migraines are actually a neurological disease that affects 38 million people worldwide, according to the Migraine Research Foundation, 1 in 4 U.S households have at least one person who suffers from debilitating migraines living there. Although there is no cure for migraines, the vast majority of these victims use Excedrin Migraine or Advil Migraine to try to dull the sharp, throbbing pains they experience. These over the counter pain relievers may be very similar but they also have many differences.

Most migraines come in 4 stages, although not every migraine will follow those steps. The steps are prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. The prodrome stage can start one to two days before the actual headache and can include symptoms such as food cravings, irritability, uncontrollable yawning, hyperactivity, neck stiffness, constipation, and depression.

In summary, Miss A came to seek medical attention with the onset of a scale of 8/10 Migraine headache of 2 days. After careful examining her and taking a complete history, Miss A is diagnosed with Migraine headache without aura. The NP is able to establish a treatment plan with Miss A’s involvement. The treatment plan includes: acute Migraine management and prophylaxis management. The acute Migraine management is proven to be effective for her as the evidence of pain relief: her headache was a scale of 2/10 after taking Sumatriptan combined with Naproxen. She also reports the nausea was improved after taking Metochlopromide and was able to consume normal oral intake. The prophylaxis intervention includes therapeutic teaching on healthy diet, effective scheduling on school and work, ensure plenty rest period, and relaxation

Various studies have been performed to determine the efficacy of myofascial trigger point release on relieving tension type headache intensity, frequency and duration. These studies have relied on subjective pain measurement such as a visual analogue scale (VAS) or the McGill Pain Questionnaire to determine effectiveness of a treatment as biochemical evidence in the form of precise molecular identification remains unclear.

Migraines affect nearly 28 million people or 12% of the population in the United States. Migraines are typified by moderate to severe head pain. The head pain is often accompanied by one or more of the following; nausea, photophobia, phonophobia or vomiting. Migraines are considered a chronic neurological disorder. The incidence of migraine related nausea (MRN) is very high among migraneurs. Roughly 90% of patients experience MRN at one time or another. Roughly 50% of patients report experiencing MRN with high frequency (greater than half the time). MRN can hinder the efficacy of currently available migraine drugs in a number of ways. Many patients who experience MRN will delay or avoid taking oral or nasal migraine medication as it can further irritate their stomach. The GI upset associated with migraines can also affect absorption and thus limit systemic exposure to the drug. Researchers have been working diligently to find a solution to this problem.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), migraine is recognized and its impact categorized as causing the same level of disability as dementia, quadriplegia and acute psychosis. Additionally, the WHO characterized chronic migraine as equal to or more disabling than blindness, rheumatoid arthritis or paraplegia angina. (19)

Migraine: A severe recurring headache, usually affecting only one side of the head, that is characterized by sharp, throbbing pain and is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and visual disturbances (dictionary.com).

Migraines are extreme, long-lasting headaches filled with throbbing pain to one side of the head. Many times, it can result in a person feeling as though they want to throw up; light and sound can further aggravate the problem.

Each year over twenty-six million people nation wide are affected by migraines. Once thought to be a concentration of evil spirits in the brain, common cures consisted of everything from drilling holes in the skull, to inserting garlic cloves into the temples. Today however, scientists realize that this all too common occurrence is actually a neurological disorder, which can result in the disability of its victim for hours or even days. I myself have been a constant sufferer of migraines since the age of twelve. The following is the life of a migraine sufferer: myself.

Have you ever had a headache before? If so then you’re probably familiar with the pounding pain that wouldn’t go away. As I write this, the pounding sensation on the right side of my brain is undeniable. It has been there for almost two years and has remained twenty- four hours a day, seven days a week. Chronic migraines have an impact on every aspect of life.

The first theory is cortical spreading depression (6). A wave of decreased electrical activity of the nerves in a patient’s brain leads to a change in neural and vascular function (6). In response, an aura is present prior to a migraine. Furthermore, hyper excitability of trigeminal nerves activates the discharge of substance P, neurokinin, and Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide, all of which are neuropeptides associated with inflammatory processes (8). These substances cause the release of pro-inflammatory mediators in the brain and for vasoconstriction then vasodilation to occur, leading to a migraine (4).

According to Key Facts and Figures about Migraine (2014), migraines are the most common neurological condition in the developed world, even more prevalent than diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined. The statistics on migraines are very alarming because of the very little knowledge of the actual cause of the disease. The migraine trust compiled a list of different studies and concluded the following. “Severe migraine attacks are classified as among the most disabling illness, comparable to dementia, quadriplegia, and active psychosis. There are an estimated 190,000 migraine attacks every day. Depression is three times more likely in people with migraines, Migraines remains undiagnosed and undertreated in at least 50% of patients. Over half

Although similar in scope, these headaches have symptoms that differentiate themselves from one another. Chronic migraines are the most common type of headache. This type often occurs in people with a history of episodic migraines. The symptoms include a severe, throbbing pain that affects one or both sides of the head. Light sensitivity, feelings of nausea and possibly vomiting are associated with these symptoms.

Additionally, there is no specific cure for migraine headaches. In addition, the goal in treating migraines is to treat migraines symptoms. Also, migraines can be treated with amitriptyline or venlafaxine. Furthermore, a migraine can be treated with blood pressure medicines such as propanolol. Researchers have also proven that migraines can be treated with seizure medicines such as valproic acid. (http://www.sciencedaily.com/news). In addition, when I read that you can treat a migraine with seizure medications, I thought that research finding was interesting to be aware of. Also, researchers stated that you could treat a