MIGRAINE HEADACHES

Overview

 Statitistic
 Classification and symptoms
 Etiology and Pathophysiology
 Treatment
Migraine and statistics

 Migraine is a neurovascular disease caused by

neurogenic inflammation and characterized
by severe, recurring headaches
 It usually characterized by the severe pain on
one side of the head as compare to the pain
in rest of the head.
 It occurs more often in Women than in men.
Classification of Migraine
headache.
1) Migraine without Aura or common migraine
Does not give any warning signs before the onset of
headache.
It occurs in about 70-80% of migraine patients
2) Migraine with Aura
Give some warning signs “ called aura” before the
actual headache begins. Approximate, 20-30%
migraine sufferers experience aura.
The most common aura is visual and may include both
positive and negative (visual field defects) features.
 Classification of Migraine
headache cont.
3) Retinal migraine
It involves attacks of monocular scotoma or
even blindness of one eye for less than an
hour and associated with headache.
4) Childhood periodic syndromes that involve
cyclical vomiting (occasional intense periods
of vomiting), abdominal migraine (abdominal
pain, usually accompanied by nausea), and
benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood
(occasional attacks of vertigo).
Classification of Migraine
headache cont.
 5) Complications of migraine describe
migraine headaches and/or auras that are
unusually long or unusually frequent, or
associated with a seizure or brain lesion.
Etiology and Pathophysiology

 The precise etiology and pathophysiology of

migraine is unknown.
 However, neuronal dysfunction theory is
most acknowledged theory.
 How bad migraine could be, can lead to lost
accent and brain damage.
Treatment

 Identification and elimination of factors.

For example, Tobacco smoke, loud noise, stress,
caffeine, emotions, contrasty light etc.
If they don’t work then move on to medicines
1) Prophylactic therapy
2) Abortive therapy
Prophylactic therapy

 Used in case of frequent migraines

 Used when abortive therapy has failed
 Medicines have to taken everyday to be
effective
 On the other hand, abortive medicine are
taken during actual migraine pain.
Medicines used in this therapy

 1) Medicines that block beta-adrenergic.

For example, Propranolol, timolol, sibellium,
and Tanakan
Reduce the frequency of attacks by 50% in 60 to
80% patients.
Side effects- fatigue, sleep disturbance,
depression, hypotension etc
Abortive therapy
 1) simple analgesics:-
For mild and infrequent migraine- Aspirin and
acetaminophen
 2) NSAIDs:-
 So may prevent inflammation in
trigeminovascular system and alleviate
migraine pain
 They are effective for reducing the frequency,
severity, and duration of migraine attacks.
e,g. Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen etc
Side Effects

 nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, and

vertigo.
 Not good for hypertensive patients at all.
References

 "Etymology of migraine". Online Etymological Dictionary.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=migraine. Retrieved
27 May 2009
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migraine

 Headache Classification Subcommittee of the International

Headache Society (2004). "The International Classification of
Headache Disorders: 2nd edition". Cephalalgia 24 Suppl 1: 9–160.
doi:10.1111/j.1468-2982.2004.00653.x. PMID 14979299.