Migraine Symptoms and Causes

Introduction

Migraines are a common condition that affect around one in seven people. They’re most commonly experienced by people who have them in their teens or early twenties and often affect more women than men. Migraines usually develop over time, so it can take some time to pinpoint the triggers for your migraines. Here we look at what causes migraines, how you can help prevent them and what symptoms to look out for if you think you might be suffering from one.

Migraine symptoms tend to last 4-48 hours, though you can have migraines for as little as 2 hours and as long as 72 hours.

You might think that 2 out of the 4 symptoms you experience during a migraine attack would be enough to convince yourself that you’re experiencing one, but it’s not always so simple. For example, you may feel only one or two symptoms at once—or perhaps even none at all—and still know beyond doubt that you’re experiencing a migraine (though this is rare). It’s also possible for people to experience more than one type of headache during the same attack.

A particularly confusing aspect of diagnosing migraines is their length: Most last anywhere from 4 to 48 hours, though some can last up to 72 hours or more.

There are many different types of migraines. A typical migraine headache can be distinguished from other types of headaches by symptoms including severe pain on one or both sides of the head, an upset stomach, and sensitivity to light and sound.

If you get a lot of headaches, it can help to know the different types. Migraines are often accompanied by nausea and vomiting, which can make them hard to distinguish from other types of headaches. The key difference is that migraines tend to be on one side or in both sides of the head—although some may experience pain in the back or top of their head as well.

Migraine symptoms and causes vary from person to person and even from time to time for any one person. And not all people with migraines experience all these signs:

Migraine attacks often develop over time.

Migraine attacks can develop over time. Migraines are often triggered by stress or hormonal changes and can be worsened by certain foods.

Migraine symptoms and triggers vary among people, so it’s important to understand your own experience.

Migraines can involve intermittent episodes of throbbing or pulsating head pain, usually on one side of the head.

Headache pain is usually on one side of the head.
The headache may be pulsating or throbbing.

Other symptoms that you may experience with your migraine include:

Nausea and vomiting (migraine with aura)
Sensitivity to light and sound (migraine without aura).

Many people experience warning signs before a migraine starts, known as an aura.

Aura is a change in your vision or other symptoms that happens before a migraine. It can be anything such as flashes of light, blind spots, seeing zigzag lines or wavy patterns, or an inability to read or speak clearly. Auras usually last for a few minutes up to several hours.

Some people experience at least two of three phases before, during and after a migraine attack, which are known as the prodome, aura, and postdrome phases.

The prodrome phase is often described as a prodromal phase and includes:

Sensitivity to light and sound (photophobia)
Tingling or numbness in the limbs (paresthesia)
Depression or mood swings (depersonalization)

Some triggers might not apply to everyone.

If you don’t know what triggers your migraines, it’s a good idea to keep a headache diary. This can help you identify triggers by keeping track of your headaches and the associated symptoms.

A headache diary is simply a record of all of your headaches, including what happened before and during each one. You should also note any specific factors that may have contributed to the onset or severity of the migraine (e.g., if there was any significant life event). By looking at this diary over time as well as for each individual attack, you might be able to detect patterns in order to identify which factors are contributing most strongly to your migraines.

Some people find that keeping such a headache diary helps them identify their personal migraine triggers so they can avoid or reduce exposure; others do not find this helpful at all and choose not to keep one after trying it out once or twice with no success

You could also consider keeping a headache diary to see if there are any patterns or triggers.

You could also consider keeping a headache diary to see if there are any patterns or triggers. To do this, write down your symptoms at the start of each day and when they occur. If you notice any connections between your headaches and certain activities, foods or situations, it could be useful information in helping you find out how to prevent future headaches. For example, if the only time you get a headache is after eating lunch at work, try changing what you eat at lunchtime or find somewhere else to eat that doesn’t trigger a migraine.

These could include stress, changes in weather, bright lights or loud noises, alcohol and caffeine, strong smells like perfume or paint fumes, hormonal changes in women and certain foods that contain nitrates or MSG (monosodium glutamate).

Stress.
Changes in weather, like a drop or rise in temperature or humidity.
Bright lights, especially if you’re sensitive to sunlight.
Loud noises, like fireworks or gunshots (although this isn’t as common).
Alcohol and caffeine. These can trigger migraines if you drink them daily, even if they don’t usually cause headaches for you otherwise! If you find that something causes your migraines most often when it’s consumed with alcohol or caffeine then avoid those two things together whenever possible — even if that means cutting out favorite foods altogether for now (which might be tough but is worth it).

At some stage in their lives around one in seven people experience migraines. They’re most commonly experienced by people who have them in their teens or early twenties and often affect more women than men.

You may be surprised to learn that migraines can affect people of any age, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic group.

Migraine symptoms and causes

At some stage in their lives around one in seven people experience migraines. They’re most commonly experienced by people who have them in their teens or early twenties and often affect more women than men.

Conclusion

We hope you’ve found this article helpful. If you want to learn more about migraines, visit our website for more information on the topic or check out some other articles we’ve written about the different types of headaches and how to manage them.