by Leonard Konis

Created on: May 19, 2008   Last Updated: May 20, 2008

Migraine headache (neurological syndrome 2) is a severe recurrent throbbing and pounding pain involving one temple, located in the forehead and around the eye or back of the head. 1 The severity of the throbbing pain lasts from 4 to 72 hours, accompanied by gastrointestinal upsets. 2 The frequency of a migraine headache occurrence may happen several times a month, once a month or few times during the year. 3 In the United States twenty-eight million Americans suffer from migraine headaches and unfortunately only half of suffers are diagnosed by physicians. More women suffer from migraine headaches than men. 1 "Migraine typically begins in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood and may become less frequent and less intense as you grow older." Hereditary link to migraine is known to occur within families. 3 Significantly migraine headache is severe enough to cause missed work and loss of productivity, costing some $15 million annually according to a CNBC (Consumer News and Business Channel) report. 8

"Nevertheless, migraine still remains largely undertreated and underdiagnosed." The cause of migraine headache attributed to a combination of an enlargement of blood vessels (vasodilatation) and subsequent release of chemicals from nerve fibers that coil around the blood vessels. As a result of these factors attributed to migraine headache, the temporal artery enlarges lies outside the skull (under the skin of the temple). The release of chemicals, as a result of temporal artery stretching the nerves; coil around the artery cause pain and inflammation. As the enlargement of the artery increases, level of pain is magnified. Migraine attacks affect the sympathetic nervous system, which adversely affects the function of the intestines thus causing vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. Subsequently oral medications ineffectively fail to be absorbed by the small intestines. Also, the adverse affect on the sympathetic nervous systems leads to skin appearing pale, cold hands and feet, sensitivity to light and blurred vision. Secondary cause of migraine headache may be attributed to a brain tumor. 1

Preceding a migraine headache forty to sixty percent of suffers experience (symptoms): Irritability, sleepiness, and cravings for sweet and salty foods. 1

Common factors that trigger a migraine headache include: Certain type of foods, stress, hormonal changes, changes in sleep and wake patterns, physical factors, sensory stimuli, physical factors, changes in the environment and

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