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Archive for the ‘Migraine’ Category

Diagnosis of migraine

The symptoms and clinical course of the patient allows the doctor make the diagnosis of migraine. The following help diagnose:

- Repeated episodes of headache.

- Variable duration between 4 and 72 hours.

The attacks have at least two of the following characteristics: – The pain occurs in half of the head.

- It’s kind of throbbing.

- The pain is moderate to severe pain.

- The movement makes the pain worse.

Approximately 15% of patients have visual problems, nausea, irritability and poor appetite before the attack (called an aura or prodrome period). Also during the episode may have trouble speaking, numbness of the hands, arms or legs. Besides the interview, the physician should always perform a thorough physical examination. If there is doubt in diagnosis, should refer the patient to a brain disease expert, neurologist. Read the rest of this entry »

What is migraine?

It is a severe headache, throbbing type (like a heartbeat), which usually affects the middle of the head. It can affect any age group, being more common in women than in men. The cause of migraine is unknown.

During an attack, cerebral vessels dilate simultaneously with the stimulation of nerve endings around the affected vessels. These blood vessel changes are probably responsible for the pain.

Is it hereditary migraine?

Family is between a predisposition to suffer from migraine, but is not yet known how far it can be hereditary. Read the rest of this entry »