What is a Migraine Headache? Causes, Symptoms and Prevention of Migraine Headache

Migraines are due to changes in the brain and surrounding blood vessels.

Migraine is a neurological syndrome characterized by altered bodily perceptions, severe headaches, and nausea. Physiologically, the migraine headache is a neurological condition more common to women than to men. The word migraine was borrowed from Old French migraigne (originally as "megrim", but respelled in 1777 on a contemporary French model). The French term derived from a vulgar pronunciation of the Late Latin word hemicrania, itself based on Greek hemikrania, from Greek roots for "half" and "skull".

Almost everyone gets headaches. A migraine is different. Doctors define it as a recurrent headache that has additional symptoms. The pain is often throbbing and on one or both sides of the head. People with migraines often feel dizzy or sick to their stomachs. They may be sensitive to light, noise, or smells. Migraines can be disabling, and teens with migraines often need to skip school, sports, work, or other activities until they feel better.

The cause of migraine headache is the enlargement of blood vessels. The enlargement of the blood vessels or the vasodilatation stretches the nerves around the blood vessels which in turn release some chemicals. These chemicals are responsible for pain, inflammation and enlargement of arteries of the brain.

Migraine attacks or migraine headaches are associated with sympathetic nervous system or the (ortho-) sympathetic nervous system (SNS). SNS is responsible for controlling stress, pain and inducing fight-or-flight response. Migraine headaches activate sympathetic nervous system and that increases sympathetic nervous activity, as a result it causes conditions such as vertigo, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

An intense migraine attack can last from about 4 to 72 hours and the frequency of migraine attacks is unpredictable.

The main cause of migraine headache is the enlargement of temporal artery found just under the skin of the temples. It causes nerves to stretch around the temporal artery that in turn triggers the release of chemicals causing inflammation, pain and even more dilation of the artery. 

With the common migraine, headache begins without warning.  Symptoms, if any, may vary from person to person and may range in severity.

The best way to prevent migraines is to learn what triggers your migraines and then try to avoid these triggers. Take a break from activities that provoke a migraine, such as using the computer for a long time. If you know that certain foods trigger your migraines, try to avoid them. Some people find that cutting back on caffeine intake or drinking a lot of water can help prevent migraines. In addition, eating well balanced diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, avoiding smoking and alcohol can be helpful in the prevention of migraine headache. One should also avoid foods that contain aspartame, monosodium glutamate, tyramine, nitrates and sulphites. Environmental factors such as air pollution, indoor pollution, tobacco smoke and cosmetic fragrances should also be avoided.

The most important step in the prevention of migraine headache is keeping a diary to help identify as many triggers as possible and taking precautions accordingly.