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Migraine

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Migraine is a neurological syndrome characterized by altered bodily perceptions, 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". The typical migraine headache is unilateral and pulsating, lasting from 4 to 72 hours; symptoms include nausea, vomiting, photophobia (increased sensitivity to bright light), and hyperacusis (increased sensitivity to sound); approximately one third of people who suffer migraine headache perceive an aura — unusual visual, olfactory, or other sensory experiences that are a sign that the migraine will soon occur.

Initial treatment is with analgesics for the head-ache, an anti-emetic for the nausea, and the avoidance of triggering conditions. The cause of migraine headache is idiopathic; the accepted theory is a disorder of the serotonergic control system, as PET scan has demonstrated the aura coincides with diffusion of cortical depression consequent to increased blood flow (up to 300% greater than baseline). There are migraine headache variants, some originate in the brainstem (featuring intercellular transport dysfunction of calcium and potassium ions) and some are genetically disposed. Studies of twins indicate a 60 to 65 percent genetic influence upon their propensity to develop migraine headache. Moreover, fluctuating hormone levels indicate a migraine relation: 75 percent of adult patients are women, although migraine affects approximately equal numbers of prepubescent boys and girls; propensity to migraine headache is known to disappear during pregnancy, although in some women migraines may become more frequent during pregnancy.[citation needed]

For more information about Migraine, read the full article at Wikipedia.
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News tagged with migraine

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Increased stroke risk from birth control pills

Medicine & Health / Medications

created Oct 26, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

She was only 30 years old, but she was experiencing the classic symptoms of a stroke. Her speech suddenly became slurred, and her left hand became clumsy while eating.


Migraine raises risk of most common form of stroke

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created Nov 16, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Pooling results from 21 studies, involving 622,381 men and women, researchers at Johns Hopkins have affirmed that migraine headaches are associated with more than twofold higher chances of the most common kind of stroke: ...


Link between migraines and reduced breast cancer risk confirmed in follow-up study

Medicine & Health / Cancer

created Jul 09, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

The relationship between migraine headaches in women and a significant reduction in breast cancer risk has been confirmed in a follow-on study to landmark research published last year and conducted by scientists at Fred Hutchinson ...


Migraines increase stroke risk during pregnancy

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created Mar 10, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Women who suffer migraines are at an increased risk of stroke during pregnancy as well as other vascular conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and blood clots, concludes a study published on bmj.com today.


Migraine sufferers more prone to hangover headache

Medicine & Health / Neuroscience

created Oct 19, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Migraine sufferers, beware. You may be more prone to an alcohol-induced headache after a night of drinking, according to researchers from the Jefferson Headache Center. The research will be presented at Neuroscience 2009, ...


Research: Migraine increases stroke risk

Medicine & Health / Research

created Oct 28, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Migraine with aura (temporary visual or sensory disturbances before or during a migraine headache) is associated with a twofold increased risk of stroke, finds a study published in the British Medical Journal today. Further ...


Probing question: What causes migraine?

Medicine & Health / Health

created Mar 19, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 1

Imagine you are talking to a coworker when your vision blurs, and spots of light appear on the periphery. Feeling nauseated, you try to continue the conversation, but you’re having trouble remembering the words for things. ...


Smoking more than 5 cigarettes a day provokes migraine attacks

Smoking more than 5 cigarettes a day provokes migraine attacks

Medicine & Health / Health

created Jun 24, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 1

Tobacco acts as a precipitating factor for headaches, specifically migraines. This is indicated in a study which shows that smokers have more migraine attacks and that smoking more than five cigarettes a day ...


Researchers look at effects of weather, air pollution on headaches

Medicine & Health / Neuroscience

created Mar 09, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Although large numbers of headache sufferers, particularly individuals who struggle with migraines, attribute their pain to the weather, there has been little scientific evidence to back up their assertions. Now, a study ...


Non-drug treatment for migraine based on magnetic stimulation

Medicine & Health / Research

created Apr 30, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

A new UCSF study examining the mechanism of a novel therapy that uses magnetic pulses to treat chronic migraine sufferers showed the treatment to be a promising alternative to medication.


Have migraine? Bigger waistline may be linked

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created Feb 12, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Overweight people who are between the ages of 20 and 55 may have a higher risk of experiencing migraine headaches, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 61st Annual ...


Does gene show link between migraine and stroke or heart attacks?

Medicine & Health / Research

created Feb 16, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 0

New research looks at whether a gene variant may affect the link between migraine and stroke or heart attacks. The study is published in the February 17, 2009, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academ ...


Surgery potentially best option for severe migraine headaches

Medicine & Health / Other

created Oct 26, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

The disability from migraine headaches is an enormous health burden affecting over 30 million Americans.


Got migraines? New study proves forehead lifts can erase years and headaches

Medicine & Health / Other

created Jul 31, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Migraine headaches are a drain — not only on the estimated 30 million Americans who suffer from them, but on the economy, too. Because pain and other symptoms caused by migraine headaches can be quite severe, it is projected ...


Can children outgrow chronic daily headache?

Medicine & Health / Neuroscience

created Jul 15, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Most children who suffer from chronic daily headache may outgrow the disabling condition, according to research published in the July 15, 2009, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neu ...