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Migraine, could be more than just a headache

By Alero Binitie
24 July 2016   |   7:25 am
Elizabeth, a beautician and mother of three, who lives in Pedro, Lagos, had her first migraine episode in 2013. She went to the hospital, and was told it was a tension headache.
PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY

PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY

Elizabeth, a beautician and mother of three, who lives in Pedro, Lagos, had her first migraine episode in 2013. She went to the hospital, and was told it was a tension headache. She was given some drugs, but the headache continued off and on.

In 2016, her doctor asked her to go for a scan and from the result, nothing was found. Elizabeth was later referred to a neurologist, who prescribed a drug containing amitriptyline, however, when the drug’s effect wears off the headache will reoccur.

The beautician said, “I was so much disturbed because I was no longer comfortable with it.’’

Some signs she experienced were stiff neck, watery eyes, weakness and constant headache and had to go to an orthopedic hospital that conducted a scan, but yet her result revealed nothing.

“My life was on hold, because I could not do anything. It was so traumatic I had to cut my hair thinking that keeping the hair had some thing to do with it. Finally, I had to travel to Germany, to see another neurologist and was asked to take a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test, but still result showed nothing. The general practitioner also gave a drug containing triptyline and another drug called zentiva. I was advised that migraine has no cure but the drugs I was been giving will help calm me and help me sleep,” she said.

Elizabeth added, “a friend of the family introduced me to almond nuts and advised that I chew it daily and take my medication as well. I have been doing just that. For people who suffer headache regularly, I understand now. Before, I just thought, oh, you just have a headache. But this is not just a headache.’’

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), migraine is the third most common disease in the world (behind dental caries and tension-type headache), with an estimated global prevalence of 14.7 per cent (that’s around one in seven people). It affects three-times as many women as men, with this higher rate being most likely hormonally driven.

WHO report reveals that migraine is ranked globally as the seventh most disabling disease among all diseases (responsible for 2.9 per cent of all years of life lost to disability/YLDs) and the leading cause of disability among all neurological disorders.

The acting dean associate professor of Neurosurgery, Lagos State University College of medicine and teaching hospital Ikeja, Lagos, Dr. Idowu Olufemi, explained migraine as a form of headache. “There are different types of headaches, but the most common type is the tension headache, which virtually everyone has had to go through some time in their life.’’

Migraine headaches are usually unilateral, that is, it happens on one-side of the head and very rarely do you have them on both sides and they always reoccur.

According to Olufemi, migraine can be moderate to severe and can be associated with other issues. He further listed the potential phases of a migraine attack as prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome.

“When a person is going to have the headache, he or she will have known for a few days, this is known as prodrome, while aura is the collective name given to the many types of neurological symptoms that may occur just before or during a migraine headache,” the medical practitioner said. “Migraine does not kill, but it can be a nuisance; it can last from a few hours to three days. If the headache does not fall in what has been described then the patient needs to see a doctor.’’

So, why do we have migraines?

The neurosurgeon told The Guardian, “the brain itself does not cause headaches, and it has no feeling. It is the nerves, blood vessels and the blanket of the brain that lead to headaches. Migraines may be caused by changes in the brainstem and its interactions with the trigeminal nerve, a major pain pathway.

“The pathophysiology is still not well understood. If we understand properly the pathophysiology of a particular disease it is easier for us to treat. It is difficult to explain why we have these migraines, we can treat it to some extent, but most times, the headaches come back. What happens is that we have the blood vessels that go to supply part of the brain they dilate, meaning the nerves that supply blood are stretched then the patients have headaches. Other theory is that the nerves are compressed and when this happens the patients have headaches.”

Migraine causes aren’t understood; genetics and environmental factors appear to play a role. He pointed out that in women, hormonal changes fluctuations in estrogen, seem to trigger headaches. Food seasoning, stress, meal types, changes in sleep pattern, changes in the environment and sensory stimuli like bright lights and sun glare can induce migraines.

The headache phase is generally the most debilitating part of a migraine attack. Its effects are not limited to the head only, but affect the entire body. The pain of the headache can range from mild to severe. It can be so intense that it is difficult to comprehend by those who have not experienced it

Olufemi mentioned some signs of migraine, such as, severe headaches, vomiting, nausea, weakness, walking becomes worse, one-sided headaches.

He continued, ‘‘if some one has a headache and there are more signs than I have mentioned, he should go and see a doctor because there is what we call worse headache of my life, which most likely results from a ruptured brain aneurysm and it is deadly.’’

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