Headaches are a common byproduct of our stressful, fast-paced lifestyle, but migraine headaches take pain in the head to the next level. Migraines are a debilitating condition that cause many people to miss work and other activities – sometimes on a regular basis. These headaches are accompanied by numerous symptoms that can significantly affect your quality of life. The good news is that by identifying your headaches as migraines, you can seek effective treatment to permanently alleviate their painful symptoms.
Identifying Migraines
Migraines are intensely painful headaches that are frequently accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Pulsing, throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sensitivity to sound or light
- Blurry vision
- Lightheadedness and possible fainting
Migraines may be preceded by a vision disturbance known as an aura. The aura might be a flashing light, shapes or lines that interfere with your line of vision. Auras might also entail physical sensations like a prickly feeling on the skin or speech difficulties. Auras usually appear prior to the onset of a migraine and may last several minutes to an hour.
Possible Causes
The precise cause of migraines is not known. However, there are factors that might increase your risk factor for these headaches. For example, you might be more inclined to suffer migraines if you are female and have a family history of the headaches. The typical age for the onset of migraines is during adolescence, although they can occur at any time. It is very unusual to experience a first migraine after the age of 40.
Migraine Triggers
Numerous environmental or physical factors can trigger migraines. By identifying the triggers, some migraine sufferers are able to manage their condition fairly effectively, preventing migraines before they begin. Common migraine triggers include:
- Emotional stress
- Loud noises or bright lights
- Some types of medications
- Certain foods, drinks or food additives
- Disruptions to sleep patterns
- Changes in weather conditions
- Physical exertion
- Hormonal fluctuations during menstrual cycle
Migraine Treatment Options
If you suffer from migraine symptoms at least 15 days out of each month, you have what is known as chronic migraines or CMs. This condition is extremely disruptive to your daily life and can be difficult to manage by simply identifying migraine triggers or taking medication. If you are diagnosed with chronic migraines, there are additional treatment options that might help you manage your condition and enjoy a much higher quality of life.
At New York Group for Plastic Surgery, we offer both temporary and permanent migraine relief. The first step in migraine treatment is to identify the area where your migraines originate, known as the trigger point. Once that point has been identified, we can use Botox injections to temporarily relax the trigger point and reduce the number and severity of your headaches.
Surgical solutions to deactivate migraine trigger points can also bring significant permanent relief to migraine sufferers.
If you suffer from migraines multiple days a month, help is available. To learn more about your options in migraine treatment, contact the New York Group for Plastic Surgery at 888-591-4845 (New York City) or 914-366-6139 (Tarrytown).
