Horrible headache

Your head throbs, your vision is blurred, and you feel like throwing up. Familiar sensations for anyone who has ever experienced an acute...

Your head throbs, your vision is blurred, and you feel like throwing up. Familiar sensations for anyone who has ever experienced an acute migraine.

The problem gets worse in summer, says Dr Vivek Lal, neurosurgeon at PGI, 8220;because of the oppressive heat and humidity in the tropics.8221; Hot winds change the ionisation of the air and that8217;s why the incidence of migraines rockets by about 20 times in summer. 8220;In winter we see two or three patients a week,8221; he says. 8220;In summer, we see 20 a week.8221;

A migraine is, typically, a throbbing pain in one side of the head. Some people may also experience nausea and visual disturbances. 8220;An attack usually lasts for one or two hours,8221; says Dr S. Prabhakar, Head of the Department of Neurosurgery, PGI. But sometimes it may be as long as a day or more. If it is an acute attack, then emergency treatment may be required. 8220;Almost anything can be a trigger factor8230;8221; says Dr Lal. Stress sets off about 50 per cent of all migraines. But while some people suffer an attack before or during a stressful event, like exams or a job interview, others may have a 8220;let-down headache8221; afterwards.

Certain foods set off migraines in people who are prone to them. So, before you reach for that Dairy Milk or Toblerone, try to remember whether you gorged on chocolates the last time you had that splitting headache. Chocolates, along with other milk products and seafood, trigger migraines. So do alcohol and Mono Sodium Glutamate better known as the notorious MSG which is used in most Chinese food. And that8217;s not all. Missing a meal, or watching TV or any other screen for long hours are sure-fire ways to make your head throb.

8220;There is a definite genetic component in migraines,8221; says Dr Lal. 8220;There is a family history in about 40 per cent of the cases.

For women, there8217;s bad news. They are more than twice as prone to migraines, and mothers are more likely to pass it on to their children than fathers. Chances of having a migraine increase with the onset of menstruation and during menopause.

Migraines vary so much in intensity and frequency that they are often misdiagnosed or underrated, Dr Lal explains. For example, that feeling of light-headedness that some people experience while travelling is a variant of a migraine, as is the dull pain when one hasn8217;t had a good night8217;s sleep.

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8220;If there are recurrent attacks, medication is a must,8221; says Dr Prabhakar. There are two types of treatment: One, to abort a current attack and two, to prevent it from recurring. An attack can be aborted by painkillers like Disprin or Brufen, which are 8220;more effective when an attack is brewing8221; rather than once it is underway. And medicines like Propanolol reduce the likelihood of more attacks in the future.

8220;Usually, one comes to know of the precipitating factors. Then you can avoid them,8221; says Dr Prabhakar. For instance, 8220;if the migraine is caused by tension, then yoga will help.8221; If it is sparked off by heat, then try and avoid going out in the sun. And if it is triggered by a particular food, then you8217;ve just got to stop eating it, no matter how tempting that box of cheese spread looks.