omg, i get migraines all the time. its horrible. but there are a lot of normal causes for them, most arent that serious:

~hormonal changes (mostly applies to women i'd assume lol)
~certain foods trigger really bad headaches in some people
~stress
~your 5 senses (bright lights, loud noises, and strong smells [strong perf...

omg, i get migraines all the time. its horrible. but there are a lot of normal causes for them, most arent that serious:

~hormonal changes (mostly applies to women i'd assume lol)
~certain foods trigger really bad headaches in some people
~stress
~your 5 senses (bright lights, loud noises, and strong smells [strong perfumes kill me], etc)
~changes in your sleep patterns
~physical factors
~environmental changes
~medications

im sure there are more, but that seems to be what bothers me

Migraine is a neurological syndrome characterized by altered bodily experiences, painful headaches, and nausea. It is a common condition which affects women more frequently than it does men.
Although the exact cause of migraine remains unknown, the most widespread theory is that it is a disorder of the serotonergic control system. Recently, PET scans have demonstrated the aura to coincide with spreading cortical depression after an episode of greatly increased blood flow (up to 300% hi...

Migraine is a neurological syndrome characterized by altered bodily experiences, painful headaches, and nausea. It is a common condition which affects women more frequently than it does men.
Although the exact cause of migraine remains unknown, the most widespread theory is that it is a disorder of the serotonergic control system. Recently, PET scans have demonstrated the aura to coincide with spreading cortical depression after an episode of greatly increased blood flow (up to 300% higher than baseline). There also appear to be migraine variants that originate in the brainstem and involve dysfunction in calcium and potassium ion transport between cell membranes. Genetic factors may also contribute.[6] Studies on twins show that genes have a 60 to 65% influence on the development of migraine . Fluctuating hormone levels show a relation to migraine in several ways: three quarters of adult migraine patients are female while migraine affects approximately equal numbers of boys and girls before puberty,[citation needed] and migraine is known to disappear during pregnancy in a substantial number of sufferers.
Migraines were once thought to be initiated exclusively by problems with blood vessels. The vascular theory of migraines is now considered secondary to brain dysfunction and claimed to have been discredited by others. Migraines can begin when blood vessels in the brain contract and expand inappropriately. This may start in the occipital lobe, in the back of the brain, as arteries spasm. The reduced flow of blood from the occipital lobe triggers the aura that some individuals who have migraines experience because the visual cortex is in the occipital area.

When the constriction stops and the blood vessels dilate, they become too wide. The once solid walls of the blood vessels become permeable and some fluid leaks out. This leakage is recognized by pain receptors in the blood vessels of surrounding tissue. In response, the body supplies the area with chemicals which cause inflammation. With each heart beat, blood passes through this sensitive area causing a throb of pain.
A phenomenon known as cortical spreading depression can cause migraines.[28] In cortical spreading depression, neurological activity is depressed over an area of the cortex of the brain. This situation results in the release of inflammatory mediators leading to irritation of cranial nerve roots, most particularly the trigeminal nerve, which conveys the sensory information for the face and much of the head.

Serotonin is a type of neurotransmitter, or "communication chemical" which passes messages between nerve cells. It helps to control mood, pain sensation, sexual behaviour, sleep, as well as dilation and constriction of the blood vessels among other things. Serotonin levels in the brain may lead to a process of constriction and dilation of the blood vessels which trigger a migraine.
When certain nerves or an area in the brain stem become irritated, a migraine begins. In response to the irritation, the body releases chemicals which cause inflammation of the blood vessels. These chemicals cause further irritation of the nerves and blood vessels and results in pain. Substance P is one of the substances released with first irritation. Pain then increases because substance P aids in sending pain signals to the brain.
A migraine trigger is any factor that, on exposure or withdrawal, leads to the development of an acute migraine headache. Triggers may be categorized as behavioral, environmental, infectious, dietary, chemical, or hormonal. In the medical literature, these factors are known as 'precipitants.'

I get quite a few migranes myself. One thing that I find prevent them are when I go to a massage therapist every 3 weeks. I find that my migranes are triggered by the stress that I carry in my shoulder and upper back muscles. I know that they are also triggered by my horomone changes before I mensturate and also if I don't get enough sleep. It's best to keep a journal of when during you cycle you get migranes, what is happening in you life and food you have eating. This way you might be able to figure out what triggers ...

I get quite a few migranes myself. One thing that I find prevent them are when I go to a massage therapist every 3 weeks. I find that my migranes are triggered by the stress that I carry in my shoulder and upper back muscles. I know that they are also triggered by my horomone changes before I mensturate and also if I don't get enough sleep. It's best to keep a journal of when during you cycle you get migranes, what is happening in you life and food you have eating. This way you might be able to figure out what triggers yours.

There are many causes to migranes, and it all depends on the person and their experiences, what they're living through, etc.

In fact, some medications can even give migranes. My aunt has had very painful migranes for the past few years, and after many visits to the doctors, they could not for the life of them figure out what was wrong. Then one day, she decided to stop taking birth control (she was on the pill I believe....

There are many causes to migranes, and it all depends on the person and their experiences, what they're living through, etc.

In fact, some medications can even give migranes. My aunt has had very painful migranes for the past few years, and after many visits to the doctors, they could not for the life of them figure out what was wrong. Then one day, she decided to stop taking birth control (she was on the pill I believe. Her and her husband wanted another child). It ended up that her migranes stopped altogether! So I know for a fact, and not just from my aunts experience, but from others as well that migranes can be caused by birth control, and that if yours is doing this to you, you should try switching types.

When you're stressed, especially for a long period of time, it can start to have physical effects on you. Sometimes you might get physically ill such as constant colds, flus, dizzyness etc. But you can also get migranes from this, being too stressed out! If you are too stressed out I would recommend talking to your doctor about it, he can possbily recommend you to a therapist who can help you find methods of coping with stress! If you want, you can also look online, there are tons of advice sites for ways to cope with stress.

And you asked about thinking a lot...I think if you always have everything on your mind at once, that can contribute to the stress. In which case, you just need to learn to relax and find ways to relax, which will reduce stress and the migranes.

Hopefully this helped, and I hope you get some answers!

Although scientists don't have definitive answers about why some headaches occur, migraines are often caused by triggers such as hormones, stress, food choices and environmental factors. Some experts speculate that migraines in some people may be linked to the weather.

Although much about headaches still isn't understood, some researchers think migraines may be caused by functional changes in the trigeminal nerve sy...

Although scientists don't have definitive answers about why some headaches occur, migraines are often caused by triggers such as hormones, stress, food choices and environmental factors. Some experts speculate that migraines in some people may be linked to the weather.

Although much about headaches still isn't understood, some researchers think migraines may be caused by functional changes in the trigeminal nerve system, a major pain pathway in your nervous system, and by imbalances in brain chemicals, including serotonin, which plays a regulatory role for pain messages going through this pathway.

During a headache, serotonin levels drop. Researchers believe this causes the trigeminal nerve to release substances called neuropeptides, which travel to your brain's outer covering (meninges). There they cause blood vessels to become dilated and inflamed. The result is headache pain.
http://www.revolutionhealth.co...

What Is a Migraine?For those who are diagnosed with migraines, you probably know it when you feel it—the throbbing pain that can last from hours to days. People close to you, unless they’ve experienced a migraine themselves, may not even be able to relate to the pain that you are feeling.

The pain of a migraine headache can be moderate to incapacitating, with attacks that typically last from 4 to 72 hours. Migraines are often mistaken for tension-type headaches or sinus headaches. Tension headaches are often caused by stress, fatigue, anxiety, or anger and characterized by dull, aching pain. Sinus headaches are usually brought on by infection or allergies and cause a deep, dull ache over the sinuses. Instead, migraine attacks typically have a pulsating quality affecting one side of the head and can be accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. In addition, migraines may include the presence of an "aura" or warning before the headache such as flashing lights or blind spots.
http://www.zomig.com/what/migr...

How can you tell if you have a migraine? Certain characteristics distinguish migraines from other types of headaches, including tension-type or sinus headaches. Of course, every person is different, so you may experience some of the following migraine symptoms and not others.

Moderate to severe pain, which typically lasts from 4 to 72 hours
Throbbing or pulsating pain
Pain on one side of the head (however, it can start on one side and move to the other or be on both sides)
Nausea or vomiting
Sensitivity to light, sound, or odors
Pain that becomes worse when you move
In addition, about 1 in 5 people experience an “aura” before the migraine begins. They might see flashing lights, wavy lines, or small blind spots, or they may feel numbness or tingling. This is the result of short-term changes in nerve cells in the brain as the migraine comes on.

Some migraine symptoms can mimic more serious problems, so it’s important to talk to a health care professional about what your symptoms mean and how to treat them
http://www.zomig.com/what/migr...

Treatment if the condition gets worse
If you continue to have migraines while receiving treatment, you and your doctor may want to change your abortive or preventive headache drugs or try a different type of migraine drug. If you have already tried several different types of migraine drugs, your doctor may seek additional testing (such as MRI or CT scan) to rule out other causes for your recurring headaches.

It is possible you have been misdiagnosed with migraines when you really have another type of headache. It can be difficult to distinguish migraines from other types of headaches such as sinus, tension, or cluster headaches, as symptoms can be similar or overlap. Different types of headaches require different treatment.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body.

In many cases, MRI gives different information about structures in the body than can be seen with an X-ray, ultrasound, or computed tomography (CT) scan. MRI also may show problems that cannot be seen with other imaging methods.

For an MRI test, the area of the body being studied is placed inside a special machine that has a strong magnet. In some cases, a dye (contrast material) may be used during the MRI to show pictures of organs or structures more clearly.

Photographs or films of certain views can also be made. Information from an MRI can be saved and stored on a computer for more study.

MRI can be used to look for problems such as bleeding, tumors, infection, blockage, or injury in the brain, organs and glands, blood vessels, and joints.
http://www.revolutionhealth.co...

What To Think About
Even with treatment, you may continue to have migraines. The goal of treatment is to reduce the frequency of attacks and relieve your symptoms as quickly as possible with the fewest drug side effects. For mild to moderate migraines, you may first want to try a nonprescription pain reliever that has fewer side effects and is less expensive than other drugs. However, if this treatment is not effective or if you have frequent or severe headaches, prescription drugs may be needed.

Finding an effective medicine may require some time and patience.

Overuse of abortive headache drugs or pain relievers can cause rebound headaches. Rebound headaches are different from migraine headaches. They are usually triggered after pain medicine has worn off, prompting you to take another dose. Eventually you get a headache whenever you stop taking the drug. Be sure to take your migraine medicine only as prescribed by your doctor.

If you think your recurring headaches could be associated with depression or anxiety, be sure to let your doctor know. You may be able to eliminate or reduce some headaches with proper treatment of these conditions.
http://www.revolutionhealth.co...

There are many steps you can take at home to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks and treat the symptoms, such as reducing stress, taking prescription drugs, and identifying and avoiding migraine triggers.

Find healthy ways to deal with stress. Migraine headaches seem to be more common during stressful times or right after you have "let down" after a stressful time.
Practice relaxation techniques to reduce muscle tension and stress.
Take preventive drugs as prescribed by your doctor.
To help identify triggers of your headaches and determine if your headaches are becoming more severe or more frequent, keep a headache diary(What is a PDF document?).
Seek help if you think that your migraines may be linked to depression or anxiety. Proper treatment of these conditions may reduce the frequency of your migraines.
http://www.revolutionhealth.co...

The best way to manage migraine headaches is to avoid them. By identifying and avoiding migraine triggers, you can help reduce the frequency and severity of attacks. While some triggers may be out of your control, others are easily avoidable. The following points can help you prevent a migraine:

Identify your migraine triggers in a headache diary.
Get regular sleep and activity.
Eat regularly, and do not eat foods that are likely to trigger a migraine.
Manage stress.
Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke.
http://www.revolutionhealth.co...

Migrains are really mysterious. Sometimes they are caused by food allergies. My grandmother got them after eating chocolate, which she loved unfortunately. A Russian (Siberia) psychologist has report successfully treating them with caning (corporal punishment). If you lived near San Francisco you could visit a dominatrix and get a good spanking with a paddle for $100 to $200 and see if that helps. Such services are generally available in the larger more depraved cities of the world....

Migrains are really mysterious. Sometimes they are caused by food allergies. My grandmother got them after eating chocolate, which she loved unfortunately. A Russian (Siberia) psychologist has report successfully treating them with caning (corporal punishment). If you lived near San Francisco you could visit a dominatrix and get a good spanking with a paddle for $100 to $200 and see if that helps. Such services are generally available in the larger more depraved cities of the world.

Although headaches might rarely be due to infections or diseases, most are probably the result of an inborn protective mechanism responding to an external environmental stress. Headaches can be divided into 2 broad categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are not caused by problems with a person's internal structure or organs or by bacteria, viruses, or other organisms. Migraine, cluster, tension, and rebound headaches are types of primary headache. Secondary headaches are those caused by...

Although headaches might rarely be due to infections or diseases, most are probably the result of an inborn protective mechanism responding to an external environmental stress. Headaches can be divided into 2 broad categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are not caused by problems with a person's internal structure or organs or by bacteria, viruses, or other organisms. Migraine, cluster, tension, and rebound headaches are types of primary headache. Secondary headaches are those caused by an underlying structural or organic disease.

Several observations support this idea. When exposed to very high or low temperatures, people sometimes develop a migrainelike headache. (Migraine headaches are sometimes called vascular headaches. Vascular means having to do with the blood vessels.) These headaches can also suddenly arise in some people when they do not get enough sleep or food.

Common triggers of migraine headaches include heat, stress, and lack of sleep or food. Not every headache sufferer is sensitive to these triggers, but virtually all persons with migraine headaches (called migraineurs) have some environmental trigger. About 70% of migraineurs have a first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister, or child) with a history of migraine. People with an inherited tendency for headaches may respond more easily than others to these external stress factors. Some experts have therefore thought that headache is an adaptive and developed response. Most primary headaches slowly develop over minutes to hours. The pain experienced in headache is transmitted by the slowest of all unmyelinated nerves. Unmyelinated nerves lack a myelin sheath, or covering, and send impulses slowly.


Various triggers are thought to initiate migraine headaches in people who are prone to developing them. Different people may have different triggers.

Smoking has been identified as a trigger for many people.


Certain foods, especially chocolate, cheese, nuts, alcohol, and monosodium glutamate (MSG), may trigger migraine headaches. (MSG is a flavor enhancer used in many foods, including Chinese dishes.)


Missing a meal or changing sleep patterns may bring on a headache.


Stress and tension are also risk factors. People often have migraines during times of increased emotional or physical stress.


Contraceptives (birth control pills) are a common trigger. Women may have migraines at the end of the pill cycle as the estrogen component of the pill is stopped. This is called an estrogen-withdrawal headache


Migraines may occur more frequently in persons with the following diseases:

Epilepsy


Familial dyslipoproteinemias (abnormal cholesterol levels)


Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia


Tourette syndrome


Hereditary essential tremor


Hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy


Ischemic stroke: Migraine with aura is a risk factor (odds ratio, 6:1).


Depression and anxiety


Migraine Headaches, Clinical features
Headache is seldom the only feature of migraine, and it is sometimes entirely absent. Some patients report a prodromal phase (an early phase before the start of a full-blown condition, usually accompanied by certain symptoms) 24 hours before the headache. Symptoms during this early phase may include irritability, depression, or hyperexcitability. Migraine with aura (classic migraine) usually has several early visual symptoms, including photopsia (flashes of light) and fortification spectra (wavy linear patterns in the visual fields), or migrating scotoma (patches of blurred or absent vision). The headache is usually described as throbbing or pulsing. Migraines are typically unilateral (affecting one side), but the side affected in each episode may change. Unilaterality is not a requirement for migraine diagnosis, however.

Nausea, vomiting, photophobia (sensitivity to light), phonophobia (sensitivity to sound), irritability, and malaise (general discomfort or uneasiness, an “out-of-sorts” feeling) are common. The headache usually lasts for 6-24 hours. Migraineurs generally prefer to lie quietly in a dark room.

Sometimes, a history of certain triggers can be identified. Common associations in migraine include head injury, physical exertion, fatigue, drugs (nitroglycerine [Nitrostat], histamine, reserpine [Serpasil], hydralazine [Apresoline], ranitidine [Zantac], estrogen), and stress.

If the headache is always on one side, the doctor must look for a structural lesion by using imaging studies like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Having a history of migraine attacks and determining what brings them on are important, because a secondary headache can mimic a migraine headache and thus mask a new medical problem.



Migraine Headaches, Treatment overview


Avoid factors that cause a migraine attack (for example, lack of sleep, fatigue, stress, certain foods, vasodilators).


Treat accompanying conditions (for example, anxiety, depression).


Oral birth control agents (contraceptives) may increase the frequency of headaches in females. Women may be advised to discontinue oral contraceptives (or to use a different form) for a trial period to see if they are a factor.



Combination drugs like butalbital-acetaminophen-caffeine (Fioricet), butalbital-aspirin-caffeine (Fiorinal), or acetaminophen with codeine (Tylenol With Codeine) are general painkillers in the narcotic class. They can help relieve any kind of pain to some degree, whereas the triptans, ergotamines, and Midrin are used specifically for headaches and do not help relieve arthritis, back pain, or menstrual cramps.
Treatment strategies are more successful if they are tailored to the individual patient and are initiated early in the headache.

Patients with severe nausea and vomiting at the onset of an attack may at first respond best to intravenous prochlorperazine. These patients may be dehydrated; adequate fluid intake is necessary


Migraine Headaches, Preventive treatment

Patients who have frequent acute migraine attacks and report that the attacks affect their quality of life should consider preventive therapy as a supplement to the specific headache-stopping drugs (abortive treatments) they use.

The goals of preventive therapy include decreasing the frequency and severity of acute attacks and improving quality of life.

Patients with complicated migraine headaches who have a history of neurological symptoms associated with their attacks are definite candidates for preventive therapy. For these patients, even a single previous complicated migraine episode qualifies them for long-term preventive therapy.

The choice of preventive medication should be tailored to the individual's profile, taking into account comorbidities (concurrent medical conditions) such as depression, weight gain issues, exercise tolerance, asthma, and pregnancy plans. All medications have side effects; therefore, selection must be individualized.

Preventive drugs include beta-blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, some anticonvulsants, calcium channel blockers, cyproheptadine (Periactin), and NSAIDs such as naproxen (Naprosyn). Unlike the specific headache-stopping drugs (abortive drugs), most of these were developed for other conditions and have been coincidentally found to have headache preventive effects

Migraines can be caused by many different things.
Foods, Temperature, Stress....

Try monitoring what you eat. Stay away from MSG (Chinese Food), certain fruits and veggies. I would google those to find out what cause it.

And yes, stress is a huge factor!...

Migraines can be caused by many different things.
Foods, Temperature, Stress....

Try monitoring what you eat. Stay away from MSG (Chinese Food), certain fruits and veggies. I would google those to find out what cause it.

And yes, stress is a huge factor!

A few recent medical studies suggest migraine is associated with transient ischemic attacks (temporary restriction of brain blood flow) and may lead to stroke; hence it may be fatal. However, more studies are needed to establish this as fact since conventional medical wisdom asserts that migraine has no proven connection with stroke, and is not lethal.