According to the latest data from the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN), 13% of the Spanish population suffers from migraine and 2% suffer from it chronically. In other words, almost one million people have migraine attacks more than 15 days a month.
It is more frequent in the female sex, in fact up to 18% of women suffer from this disease and 5% chronically. Among the main triggers of migraine are stress, in 60% of cases, and the menstrual cycle in 51% of women. Changes in sleeping hours and prolonged fasting are also among the most common.
What is migraine
It is a very intense, throbbing headache that usually affects only one side of the head. Migraine attacks begin suddenly and may be accompanied by sensitivity to light, nausea and vomiting.
It can appear at any age, although it usually starts between 10 and 30 years of age. Crises are more frequent and intense with menstruation and the use of oral contraceptives. And, in many cases, it disappears with the onset of menopause.
Migraine symptoms
Migraine, besides being an intense headache, presents other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and hypersensitivity to light. The alterations in the vision (aura) affect both eyes and can generate blurred vision, ocular pain or a point of temporary blindness.
No research has confirmed this, but numerous people have reported certain warning signs that a future migraine attack is about to appear. Yawning, difficulty concentrating and blurred vision appear before the throbbing headache. It may also be preceded by dizziness, lightheadedness and irritability.
As the headache pain increases, more symptoms such as chills, sweating, fatigue and tingling or numbness appear.
Causes of migraine
The exact chain that produces these attacks is still unknown, but there are numerous factors that have been shown to cause them. Most migraine attacks are caused by stress, anxiety, certain smells, lights or loud noises, as well as alcohol and smoking. And there are many patients who report having had migraine with sudden changes in temperature, computer screens, and from sleeping too few hours.
In the cases of people who drink coffee daily, abstaining from caffeine one day can generate a crisis. And there are several foods that can also trigger migraine, such as dairy products, red wine, smoked fish, nuts and aged cheese.
However, the exact triggering causes have not yet been identified because they are different for each person. Each individual reacts differently. Therefore, specialists recommend that each migraine sufferer should avoid what he or she has identified as a trigger.