Migraine Headaches Megan Angevine March 6th, rd Period

Scientific Name- The scientific name for migraine headaches is simply: Migraine. It means recurring head pain that occurs with many symptoms. It is taken from the latin word "hemicrania" which means unilateral head pain.

Causes of Migraines- Migraines are caused by a combination of blood vessel enlargement and the release of chemicals from nerve fibers that coil around blood vessels. The headache part comes from an enlarged artery just under the temple. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) responds to this with nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Triggers- o allergies o bright lights o certain smells o stress o dehydration o smoking/exposure to smoke o skipping meals o irregular sleep patterns o alcohol o certain food Migraines aren't transmittable but studies show they might be genetic.

Target Population- Migraines affect about 15% of the world, and 29.5 million Americans. Women are way more at risk for migraines than men. About 3 out of 4 people that get migraines are women. Most women affected by migraines are in between the ages of 20 and out of every 10 Americans suffer from migraines, and 1 out of every 6 women.

Central Nervous System- Migraines are a CNS, or Central Nervous System, disorder. They are caused by nerves branching off of the brainstem. The nerves get stimulated and lead to the dilation of blood vessels.

Migraine Symptoms- Before Headache: temporary blind spot blurry vision eye pain tunnel vision During Headache: throbbing/pounding head worse on one side gets worse as time goes on lasts for days chills increased urination fatigue loss of appetite nausea and vomiting fainting numbness, tingling or weakness problems concentrating trouble speaking light sensitivity sweating After Headache: neck pain fatigue/need for sleep mentally dull/inability to concentrate

Prognosis- For many people, migraines go away with age and can even disappear completely over time. However the prognosis for migraines isn't studied very much because it greatly differs in people. For some, migraines get chronically worse, for some they remain the same throughout their lives and they must seek treatment, and for others the migraines disappear as they mature.

Cure/Treatments- Some migraines are cured on their own. While there isn't any 100% effective way to cure migraines, there are many remedies and treatments that people use to lessen their migraines. Over-The-Counter Drugs Ibuprofen Aspirin Acetaminophen Prescription Drugs Triptan Inderal Blocadren Home Remedies: A low-fat diet Vitamin B supplements Acupuncture Less painkillers

Famous Cases- Migraines have affected people since the beginning of time, and still affect many people today. In History: Julius Caesar Napoleon Bonaparte Thomas Jefferson Sigmund Freud Claude Monet Vincent Van Gogh Elvis Presley Today: Janet Jackson Serena Williams Lisa Kudrow Kareem Abdul- Jabbar

Citations- Clinic, M. (2011, June 04). Migraines. Retrieved from Goadbsy, P. (2008, May 01). Migraine fact sheet. Retrieved from What is migraine? what causes migraines?. (2009, April 30). Retrieved from