Migraine headaches affect a surprising number of people. In America 15 to 30 percent of women, 6 to 20 percent of men, and 11 percent of children suffer from migraine at some times during their lives. Women are more likely to be migrainors because of their susceptibility to hormonal shifts.

There are two categories of headaches:

The most common type, called Muscle Contraction or Tension Headache. It is often caused by kinked-up neck and scalp muscles. Tension Headaches are common to everyday life and are usually associated with a sensation of pressure or band-like tightness on either side of the head. Stress, poor posture, and hypoglycemia can trigger a tension headache.

The second type is Migraine Headache or Vascular Headache caused by the expansion or contraction of blood vessels in face, head, or neck. Migraine headache is extremely painful, unbearable, and sometimes disabling, with severe pain on one side of the head, nausea and/or vomiting, with/or without aura, disturbed vision, and intolerance to light.

Migraine Headaches do not occur on a daily basis and are characterized by intense discomfort starting with a slight throbbing sensation and rapid intensity that result in oppressive pounding in the head. The symptoms of migraine headaches may resemble other conditions or medical problems. It is advised to consult your physician for a diagnosis. Lots of contributions cause and trigger migraine headaches such as fluctuating hormone levels, stress, some foods/or substances found in foods, chemicals added during food processing, or even changes in weather are frequently to blame. A family history of any kind of allergy including migraine is another contributor.

Migraine headache is one of the most common diseases of the nervous system. It is caused by abnormal brain activity, which is triggered by any of the contributors shown above. However, it seems to involve various nerve pathways and chemicals in the brain. These changes affect the flow of blood in the brain and surrounding membranes.

Dizziness is very common in people with migraine. Often classified as vertigo, it occurs to 25% of migrainors. Migraine patients may experience vertigo, but not in association with their headaches.

There are two main common types of migraines:

Migraine with Aura is a type of migraine preceded by the presence of certain warning signs, called an aura. It includes the appearance of neurological symptoms such as sensations of flashing lights, zigzag lines, or temporary loss of vision caused by changing blood vessels diameter; the effect of narrowing and then widening of some of the arteries of the scalp and brain, usually on one side. This occurs 10 to 30 minutes before an attack. Also, the aura is usually characterized by lack of energy and alertness, with a difficulty of speech, weakness of an arm or leg, tingling of the face or hands, and confusion. Pain associated with this kind of migraine is intense throbbing, pounding felt in the forehead, temple area, facial area, or around the eye(s). Pain starts in one area and may travel to another, where pain becomes more intense. This attack may last one or two days.

Migraine without Aura may have a variety of symptoms prior to its onset including mental fuzziness, mood changes, fatigue, lack of concentration, confusion, unusual retention of fluids/or increased urination, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. This kind of migraine pain may last three or four days.

 Migrainors may experience some other types of migraines including different kind of conditions during their attack:

- Migrainors may have an attack at the beginning of an activity (some people) such as walking, running, and lifting with pain lasting from several minutes to couple hours. This type is called an Exertional Headache.

- Migrainors may experience lack of energy and enthusiasm, lack of alertness and sharpness, or lack of speedy responsiveness. This type is called a Typical Migraine.

- Migrainors may have symptoms include pain around the eyes, sometimes with a droopy eyelid, double vision, and other sight problems. This type is called an Ophthalmologic Migraine.

- Migrainors may have an unexplained functional digestive disorder characterized by recurrent, prolonged attacks of severe nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. This type is called a Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome.

- Migrainors may have the attack lasts for 72 hours or longer along with pain, where nausea and vomiting are often so intense, then hospitalization may be needed in this case. This type is called a Status Migrainous.

- Migrainors may have symptoms include temporary paralysis on one side of the body, vision problems, and vertigo, begin 10 to 90 minutes before the onset of headache pain. This type is called a Hemiplegic Migraine.

- Migrainors may have symptoms may include vertigo, double vision, and poor muscular coordination. This type is called a Basilar Migraine.

Migraine headache has different types and conditions, but the pain is the same. Migraine headache is under-appreciated! If you never experience this pain, it is very difficult for you to understand what the pain feels like and the health condition that the migrainor goes through. Migraine is caused by a variety of conditions. Some migrainors cases are simple and some are complicated. Try not to under-treat or miss-treat your migraine headaches; it is crucial for each migrainor to be aware of his/her migraine conditions, causes and triggers before considering any therapy plan so he/she will be making the first step toward of living migraine headache free. This means what may work like magic for one migrainor does not necessarily work for another.