Migraine

Migraine: What it is? Types of Migraine

Migraine is a symptom complex of periodic headaches which are usually unilateral (one sided) and often associated with nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to noise and light. The attack of migraine is usually preceded by constriction (narrowing) of the cranial vessels (blood vessels supplying the brain and skull) and the headache commences with dilatation of these blood vessels. The attacks of migraine tend to be recurrent and the severity of attacks usually decreases as the patient ages.

There are two main types of migraine:

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  1. Migraine with Aura (Classic Migraine): This type of headache is characterized by neurological phenomenon (aura) that is experienced 10 to 30 minutes before the headache begins. Auras may be experienced as visual disturbances, hallucinations or even temporary loss of vision before the headache. . Some other common expressions of the aura may be in the form of giddiness, vertigo, tingling numbness in various parts of the body, weakness, difficulty in speech, etc. Auras are experienced due to the constriction of the cranial blood vessels prior to the commencement of the migraine.
  2. Migraine without Aura (Common Migraine): This is a common presentation and here the patient does not experience any aura (neurological phenomena) before the headache. Nausea and vomiting frequently accompany this kind of migraine. General fatigue and lethargy may be experienced before the headache begins.

There are some other types of Migraine which are not so common:

  • Basilar
  • Ophthalmic
  • Ophthalmoplegic
  • Retinal
  • Status migraine

Migraine Conventional Treatment

The following groups of drugs are commonly used to treat migraine:
Analgesics: Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen are the common drugs of choice to control the pain during the acute attack of migraine. These drugs must be taken at the onset of the pain. The patient has to be careful not to take excess of these drugs as they are not without any side effects.

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Serotonin receptors and Ergot preparations are some other group of drugs that are used to control the pain. Some other drugs which are used as prophylactics are:

  • Anti-seizure drugs
  • Beta-blockers
  • Calcium channel blockers
  • Tricyclic anti-depressants

These drugs help in reducing the frequency of attacks of migraine.
Certain auxilliary modes of treatment can be very helpful in bringing down the severity and frequency of the attacks. These could be in the form of:

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  • Homeopathy
  • Stress reduction techniques such as Yoga, meditation, exercise
  • Stress management by biofeedback and hypnosis
  • Accupressure

Prevention plays a very significant role in migraine management. It’s very important for the patient to monitor those factors which trigger off the headache such as certain foods, environmental changes, physical and emotional factors, etc. Avoidance of the triggers is essential for the long term control of migraine.

Migraine Causes

The exact cause of migraine is not understood in totality. It is caused by disturbance in the functioning of the nervous system which may be triggered by environmental factors or changes in the body itself. Migraine tends to run in families which shows that genetics have a role to play in the development of migraine.

In many women, migraine tends to recur at some point of their menstrual cycles regularly, either before, during or after the menses. This is known as menstrual migraine and it is related to the hormonal changes that occur in the body during the menstrual cycle. Menstrual migraines tend to disappear during pregnancy.

There are certain common factors which trigger the onset of migraine in many patients. These are as follows:

  • Weather changes
  • Hormonal changes before, during and after the menses in women
  • Alcohol
  • Birth control pills
  • Inadequate sleep
  • Physical or mental stress
  • Irregular meals or skipping a meal
  • Strong odors
  • Certain food articles
  • Environmental changes
  • Excess of noise or light

Migraine Symptoms

Migraine headache is usually described as a throbbing and pulsating pain that is usually felt on one side of the head. The pain is worsened by any strenuous activity, stooping, exertion and mental activity. The pain begins in one area of the head, usually on any one side and then spreads all over the head. The intensity of the pain builds up and attains peak in 1-2 hours. The duration of the migraine varies from a few hours to a couple of days in some cases. Normal routine is disrupted due the pain and the patient may find difficulty in falling asleep.

There may be few other symptoms which accompany the headache, common ones include nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and noise, irritability, etc. Strong odors may also worsen the pain in some patients.

Aura (neurological phenomenon)

It is experienced by many and these could be in the form of bright lights around objects, zig-zag lines and waves in front of the eyes, temporary loss of vision, visual hallucinations, etc. All patients do not experience aura and some have just transient mood changes and lethargy before the pain begins.

Basilar Artery Migraine

This type of migraine is characterized by disturbances in the basilar artery which leads to severe headache, giddiness, difficulty in speech, double vision, muscular problems, etc.

Ophthalmic Migraine

A type of migraine in which headache is accompanied by dimness of vision, sensation of a luminous appearance before the eyes, etc.

Ophthalmoplegic Migraine

A type of migraine in which headache is accompanied by paralysis of the muscles of the eyes.

Retinal Migraine

In this type of migraine the ocular symptoms are predominant due to constriction (narrowing) of one or more retinal arteries.

Status Migraine

Rare type of migraine in which intense pain lasts for more than 72 hours.

Migraine Diagnosis

Migraine is usually diagnosed based on the clinical history and after ruling out other conditions on a complete neurological examination. The following tests may be performed to rule out certain other conditions that may present in the form of headache.

CT scan (Computerized Tomography Scan)

This test is performed to rule out any abnormality in the brain when the same is suspected as a cause of the headache.

EEG (Electro-encephalography)

This test involves the monitoring of the activity of the brain by recording the electrical impulses generated in the brain. This test is done to detect any abnormality in the brain activity, such as epileptic activity.

Lumbar Puncture

Evaluation of the spinal fluid to check for any infection may be carried out when infection of the brain is suspected as the cause of headache.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance imaging)

This test gives a more clear picture of the brain and may be done to rule out any structural abnormality in the brain. MR Angiography is done to visualise the blood vessels of the brain and to detect any abnormality of these.

Treatment for Migraine

Migraine headache finds research proven and effective treatment using homeopathy. Dr Singhal Homeo’s clinical work has been well documented. Contrary to the the conventional treatment, which is governed by the use of painkillers, antispasmodics, more of symptomatic homeopathic treatment is targeted at the root level, which offers amazing results without side effects.

The Homeopathy Treatment for Migraine

The homeopathic treatment for Migraine is based on the individual case study of the patient’s disease, its causative factors, the genetic pattern, mindset, etc. The treatment plans thus designed is addressed towards correcting the psychosomatic pathways and genetic disposition, in turn treating migraine from within.

The duration of Treatment

The total length of treatment varies form case to case, depending of the following factors:

  • Duration of Migraine
  • Severity and frequency of attacks.
  • Drug dependency on conventional medicines.
  • General health and associated diseases.

Most patients receiving treatment observe improvement within eight weeks. The total length of medication may be between six months to one year or longer.

Why Homeopathy for Migraine?

The major benefits of homeopathy could be summarized as under:

  • It addresses psychosomatic pathways hence gives deep-level healing
  • It offers long-lasting cure instead of temporary relief.
  • is absolutely harmless, safe and non-toxic.

Best Homeopathic Doctor & Treatment for Migraine in India. Just call at +91 8264408264 and make an appointment. Get homeopathic treatment with Dr. Vikas Singhal. At Dr. Singhal Homeo, you can get an online video consultation in India, as well as in Lithuania, France, Spain, Italy, Macau, Thailand, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Scotland, Austria, Canada, and Singapore.