Migraine is a recurrent headache that commonly affects one side of the head. About 10% of all migraine patients suffer from classic migraine, characterized by a throbbing pain affecting one side of the head and accompanied by loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. Migraine attacks usually first begin between the ages of 10 and 30 and more women than men are affected.

Migraine Prone Individuals: Migraine sufferers are often described as compulsive, ambitious and perfectionist. Studies show that many migraine patients were not permitted to express anger as children and had to suppress their true feelings in order to win the approval of their loved ones. Migraine prone individuals are also more sensitive to a wide range of physical stimuli (bright or flickering lights, mild hypoglycemia, food containing nitrites or monosodium glutamate, changes in the weather) that do not affect most people.

Causes: The main cause of migraine is unknown, but it is believed that migraine attack is triggered by psychological stresses such as those associated with puberty, menstruation, leaving home, job hunting, marriage, or parenthood.

Types of Migraine.

• Basilar-artery migraine occurs most often in girls and young women and often is associated with menstruation. Symptoms includes; defective vision, disturbance of coordination, severe throbbing at the back of the head.

• Hemiplegic and ophthalmoplegic migraines are rare mild types that usually occur in young adults. Symptoms includes; temporary paralysis of one side of the body in the former and of certain eye muscles in the latter type.
• Cluster headache is a one-sided headache, it generally occurs in a series of attacks followed by sometimes long periods of remission. The headaches usually first appear when a person is about 30 to 50 years old. Attacks are sudden, intensely painful, and usually last 20 to 90 minutes. Symptoms includes; tearing of the eyes and nasal congestion.

Treatment and Prevention. There is no exact way to prevent migraine, but attacks can often be avoided by a combination of medicine, psychotherapy, and avoidance of those particular situations or substances that are known to trigger attacks. Acute migraine attacks and cluster headaches are treated by drugs that reduce the painful dilation of blood vessels in the head. The drug that has proven to provide relief includes analgesics and sedatives. If these don't help, ask your doctor about prescription medications, but it is important to know also that prescription medications for migraines narrow your blood vessels. Therefore, these drugs should not be used if you have heart disease, unless instructed by your doctor.

Other Preventions:

• Avoid Smoking and Alcohol consumption
• Exercise regularly
• Get enough rest and sleep
• Learn to handle stress, relax, do yoga and breathing exercises.

Things to do when migraine symptoms appear:

• Rest in a quiet, darkened room
• Drink 1 big glass of water with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
• Apply a lotion or ointment with eucalyptus in your forehead

Complications: Stroke is a rare complication from severe migraines. The risk is may be due to prolonged narrowing of the blood vessels, limiting blood flow to parts of the brain for extended period time.