If you suffer form very painful headaches and have done so since you were young, the chances are you may suffer from migraines which are often experienced by other members of a family group. Most suffers will go to bed as the headache (usually on one side) takes hold and which could last a matter of a few hours but if left without attention, could last for days. It is a debilitating condition that leaves its victims feeling weakened and exhausted even when the pain has subsided.

The frequency of attacks between sufferers is not consistent with some only having one episode a year. Certain symptoms are common for many sufferers including a problem with bright lights, sometimes even dull light, in addition to flu like chills and lightheadedness. What isn’t understood is why migraines can start at an age as early as ten but normally stop before someone reaches the age of forty; however, by the time someone reaches fifty, attacks almost never occur.

It is not uncommon for a number of family members to share a migraine headache problem and hereditary links are believed to exist; however, science has not yet proved that there is a genetic factor at work. There seems to be a common connection amongst sufferers where blood vessels and nerve endings near the brain, swell

Sufferers may acquire sensitivity to a medical condition that brings about inflammation in the blood vessels and nerves near the brain, resulting to pain. There are three women to each man that suffer with this condition; only one in twelve men will experience an attack in their lives.

Before the migraine attack, some people have a distinct warning called an aura which usually precedes the headache from anywhere between ten to thirty minutes. There are many indications this may happen which will vary between sufferers which can be one or more of the following:

Nausea

Enlarged blind spots

Reduction in the sensations of taste

Reduced sensation in sufferers extremities

Many other symptoms exist but these appear to common with most people. Migraine without aura however, is the most prevalent type and may take place only in one area of the head; this condition can escalate and is made worse by any movement, loud noises and bright lights which can cause the person to vomit.

The exact reason for having migraine is not clear and yet to be discovered but one assumption is that the blood vessels in areas of the brain become narrower which may be the explanation for the aura.

Some suggest that it is the rapid expansion after this narrowing that causes the awful headaches; those who are afflicted say the headache is often so intense that it impedes with regular routinely daily activity and may even keep them awake. The range of possible triggers that create an attack is huge; the most common are listed below:

Weather patterns

Certain foods

Symptoms of anxiety

Traveling in a plane

Specific kinds of drinks

Powerful bright lighting

Infrequent or irregular eating habits

Any form of stress – either work or home related

Only by carefully documenting everything that was going on prior to the attack can the victim hope to find out what starts the attacks off.

Visit Wendy’s anxiety symptoms site to discover real life tips on how to handle panic and panic attack symptoms, and offers some useful guidance on how best to deal with it.

Tags: anxiety, anxiety attack, anxiety attack sysmptoms, anxiety attacks, anxiety symptoms, Mental Health, panic, panic attack, panic attack sysmptoms, panic attacks, panic symptoms