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When your head is pounding, the first thing you probably ask yourself is: Could this be a migraine? "It's very common for people to think that a migraine is a tension, sinus, or allergy headache. A lot of people are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed," says Bradley Katz, MD, a neuro-ophthalmologist at the University of Utah's Moran Eye Center who specializes in treating migraine-related light sensitivity.
Migraines affect more than 36 million people in the United States, and those who are at higher risk include women, those in their 30s and 40s, and those with a family history. Migraines can be episodic (you get them sporadically) or chronic (you get them 15 or more days a month for more than three months).
Wade Cooper, DO, director of the University of Michigan's Headache and Neuropathic Pain Clinic in Ann Arbor, thinks of a migraine as a neurologic reflex. "During a migraine, the lining of the brain gets an inflammatory signal that irritates the pain nerves, and those send the signal deep into the brain. Then the brain activates a cascade of hypersensitivity to lights, sounds, and smells," he says. "Anything that irritates the nervous system can activate that reflex."
The following info can help you figure out what might be going on in your head. "The sooner you find out if you are having migraines, the sooner and better they can be treated before their frequency increases," says Santiago Mazuera Mejia, MD, a neurologist at the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain & Spine Institute at LifeBridge Health in Baltimore, Maryland.
What causes migraines?
It's not fully understood what, exactly, causes a migraine, though researchers believe some people are likely more vulnerable to migraines due to genetics. Scientists are also aware of many common triggers that can set off migraines in people who are already susceptible to them. Migraine triggers can include:
Many conditions are associated with migraines, including depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, childhood trauma/abuse, opioid abuse, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. It's not clear whether one condition might cause the other—all researchers know is that they are linked (the medical term is "co-morbidity"). In short, if you have one condition, you are more likely to have the other.
People with a history of migraines are also at higher risk of having a stroke or heart attack, so if you get migraines, it's especially important to keep an eye on your cardiovascular health, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly.
