A bottle of marjoram essential oil with fresh marjoram twigs

Migraines are somewhat less common than tension-type headaches but represent a much bigger health issue. About 1 in 5 females and 1 in 15 men suffer migraine attacks of varying frequency and severity. The problem is considered to be chronic if migraines are advocated for 15 days or more a month. Intense head pain is the hallmark of migraines but they’re a great deal more than this.

The migraine

There are five phases to a migraine attack. Victims of migraine may not experience every stage but will tend to go through the very same phases every time.

The prodrome phase affects over half of all migraine sufferers and simplifies the aggravation phase by several hours or even days. Symptoms may include a dramatic change in mood, an increased sensitivity to light, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle pain, nausea, diarrhea or some other significant change from ordinary well being. Every migraine sufferer, or migraineur as they’re known, will experience their own specific symptoms. Recognizing the prodrome symptoms provides an opportunity for early abortive therapy.

Symptoms

The air phase affects about 20 percent of migraineurs. The symptoms are neurological and can be very frightening. They grow gradually over 5 to 20 minutes and usually last less than one hour. The aura stage is named after the most frequent type of symptom that’s a disturbance of vision. This may involve flashing lights, dazzling zigzag lines, blurred, cloudy or shimmering vision, tunnel vision or even a zone of visual loss. Other symptoms include a tingling sensation moving out of 1 hand up the arm and into one side of their face, auditory or olfactory hallucinations, vertigo, difficulty in communication and hypersensitivity to touch. Migraines having an aura are known as classic migraines and those with no aura are called common migraines.

The pain or headache phase usually begins in an hour or so after the air phase has ended. Head ache with migraines is significantly more extreme than with tension-type headaches and in its worse can be nearly unbearable. It typically happens on one side of their mind and will be a throbbing sort of pain. Other common symptoms include nausea and vomiting and an abnormal, distressing sensitivity to light, sounds, smells and touch. Some victims may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, trembling, cold sweats or poor balance. The pain period generally lasts between 4 hours and 3 days. Migraines are often made worse by physical activity and for many, a migraine attack is so debilitating that they are bed ridden during the pain period.

The resolution phase occurs when the head pain gradually subsides over a period of several hours. The postdrome phase was known as the migraine hangover stage. It may last as little as a few hours or as much as many days. During this period the migraine sufferer will feel tired and irritable, might have a queasy, sick stomach, have difficulty concentrating and might have sore muscles. Eventually even these symptoms subside as the body completely recovers.

Causes

Although the specific cause of migraines hasn’t yet been demonstrated, the prevailing theory suggests that migraines are a genetically inherited neurological disease involving the brain stem, the trigeminal nerve and the blood vessels on the surface of the brain.

Before the onset of pain there’s a phenomenon call cortical spreading depression. CSD is a malfunction in the electrophysiology of the brain, where a gradually expanding wave of depolarization depresses neurological activity within an area of the cortex. At the top edge of the CSD there’s a brief period of stimulated neuronal activity and this is regarded as the reason for the strange symptoms which occur during the air.

At about the same time as the CSD happens; parts of the brain stem become highly activated. This abnormal neuronal activity goes from the brain stem through the trigeminal nerve toward the blood vessels on the surface of the brain. Serotonin levels drop triggering the trigeminal nerve to release chemicals called neuropeptides. These cause the blood vessels to dilate and become inflamed which leads to the intense pain.

This neurological disorder seems to be triggered by a number of environmental, dietary, and lifestyle conditions in addition to hormonal changes and drugs. Some triggers are quite common but they can vary considerably between individuals. A change in estrogen level in the body is known to trigger a migraine which explains why more women suffer from migraines than men and why their migraines are often tied to their menstrual cycles.

Treatment and prevention

Migraines can’t be cured and no medicine exists now that’s totally effective in relieving the symptoms. Living with migraines requires treatment to reduce symptoms during an assault and prevention to decrease the frequency of strikes. Some experimentation is necessary to discover what works best for you.

Your first priority ought to be prevention. It’s easy to react to a splitting headache but working to prevent another headache takes a little dedication. Keep a diary and attempt to identify your headache triggers. Begin by researching and assessing common triggers. Eliminating known triggers may be the most productive approach to decrease the frequency and severity of attacks. Be conscious of your wellbeing. Strive to keep normal patterns for sleeping and eating and keep a regimen of moderate exercise.

Aromatherapy

Few migraine sufferers are contented with results delivered by migraine medication alone and try different therapies to alleviate their distress. Aromatherapy is a fantastic option for a safe complementary treatment. Although some migraineurs with acute sensitivity to scents and touch cannot use Aromatherapy, many have found that it delivers substantial improvement in nausea and pain relief.

Several essential oils are effective in reducing headache pain but peppermint oil (menthe piperita) is your first option. Studies have revealed that its analgesic effect is similar to acetaminophen. Additionally, it will help alleviate the nausea and may be utilised in conjunction with prescribed drugs. Dilute a few drops of peppermint oil with carrier oil like Jojoba or Almond and rub on the mix into your temples, on your forehead, or on the back of your neck at the hairline. Alternately you may inhale the peppermint using a diffuser or a private inhaler or simply by placing a few drops onto a tissue.

Other essential oils worthy of consideration are Lavender, Rosemary, Roman Chamomile and Marjoram.

Ginger essential oil was shown to be quite helpful in reducing nausea and several find it to be very helpful during a migraine attack.

Conclusion

Migraines are a serious illness that may significantly disrupt your life. Always ask your doctor and look for the remedy that works best for you.