Do You Have Migraines?
June 7, 2009 by Peggy Rowland
Filed under Women's Health
National Headache Awareness Week starts today, but don’t stress about it too much…
According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), more than 29.5 million Americans suffer from migraines, and women experience migraines three times more often than men.
But what do migraines feel like?
The NHF lists migraine characteristics:
• Pain typically on one side of the head
• Pain has a pulsating or throbbing quality
• Moderate to intense pain affecting daily activities
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light or sound
• Attacks last four to 72 hours, sometimes longer
• Visual disturbances or aura
• Exertion such as climbing stairs makes headache worse
If you suspect you suffer from migraines, resist the urge to self-diagnose. See your doctor for tests like a CT scan or MRI to rule out other potential problems.
FDA-approved over-the-counter drugs to treat migraines include: Excedrin Migraine, Advil Migraine and Motrin Migraine Pain.
Do you know the difference between a migraine headache and a tension headache?
The two-minute video below from FYI Now compares the two headache types.
(Image via stock.xchng)
