Migraine

Migraine is a genetic neurological disease, characterized by episodes called Migraine attacks. They are quite different from regular headaches which are non-migrainous. About 100 million people suffer from headaches in the U.S. And 37 million of these people suffer migraines. The World Health Organization estimates that 18 percent of women and 7 percent of men in the U.S. suffer from these headaches. Migraines are called primary headaches because the pain is not caused by a disorder or disease i.e. a brain tumor or head injury. Some cause pain only on the right side or left side of the head. While others result in pain everywhere. Migraine sufferers can have moderate or severe pain but usually can’t participate in regular activities because of the pain. When a migraine strikes, a quiet dark room may help with the symptoms. They can last for four hours or can last for days. The range of time someone is affected by an attack is actually longer than the headache itself. This is because there is a pre-monitory, or build-up, and then a post-drome that can last for one to two days.