Migraines are painful, sometimes disabling headaches that are often
accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, noise, and smell.
These throbbing headaches usually occur on only one side of the head, although
the pain can shift from one side of the head to the other, or can occur on both
sides at the same time.
Migraines involve changes in chemicals and blood vessels in the
brain, which trigger pain signals leading to headache and other
symptoms.
Migraine headaches tend to recur. A migraine headache typically
lasts 4 to 24 hours but in some cases can last up to 3 days. Some people have
symptoms, such as visual disturbances, that occur before a headache starts.
These symptoms are called a migraine aura.
Some people have several headaches per month; others have headaches
much less often. Treatment usually includes medications to prevent a migraine
from occurring or to stop a migraine once it begins. In some people, migraines
may be triggered by certain foods or smells. Eliminating exposure to these
triggers may stop the headaches.
