Migraines & Teens

I am a Teenager. What Makes a Headache a Migraine?
A normal headache is common to almost everyone. There may be a throbbing in the front of your head during a cold or bout of the flu. Or you might feel pain in your temples or at the back of your head from a tension headache. Or you may have a dull pain around the front, top, and sides of your head.
A migraine is very different. It is defined as a recurrent headache that has additional symptoms. The pain is often throbbing and on one or both sides of the head. People with migraines often feel dizzy or sick in their stomachs. They may be sensitive to light, noise, or smells. Migraines can be disabling, and teens with migraines may need to skip school, sports or other activities until they feel better.
If you have migraines, you are not alone. Experts estimate that up to 10% of teens and young adults in the United States get migraines. Before age 10, an equal number of boys and girls get migraines. But after age 12, during and after puberty, migraines affect girls three times more often than boys.
What Causes a Migraine?
Not all scientists agree about what causes migraines. Many believe that a migraine is caused by narrowing and expanding of the blood vessels in the brain. There are also theories that the level of certain chemicals in the brain may affect the nerve system that regulates pain.
Whatever the cause, experts do agree that a variety of things set them off in people who have them. For some people, eating certain foods brings on a migraine. Others find that sleeping too long (or too little) provokes a migraine attack.

What are some more common issues that could bring on a migraine?
These are not listed in any particular sequence:

Stress;
Menstruation;
Irregular or missing out on meals;
Excessive caffeine;
Particular foods and drink (alcohol, cheese, pizza, chocolate, ice cream, fatty or fried food, lunch meats, hot dogs, yogurt, aspartame, or anything with MSG, a seasoning often used in Asian foods);
Changes in sleep patterns;
Changes in hormone levels;
Smoking;
Dramatic changes in weather patterns;
Long distance travel by any or a particular means. .

Experts also believe that the likelihood of getting migraines is inherited. If one of your parents is/was prone to migraines, you have a greater chance of having these types of headaches than someone who doesn't have a family history of migraines.
What is a Migraine Attack Like?
Whereas most migraines last from 30 minutes to 6 hours; some can last up to a few days.
Every migraine begins in a different way. Some people just don't feel right. Lighting, smell, or sound may bother them or make them feel worse. Sometimes, if they try to continue with their usual routine after the migraine starts, they may become nauseated and vomit. Often the pain begins only on one side of the head. Trying to perform physical activities during this time may worsen the pain.
Some people get auras, a kind of warning that a migraine is on the way. The most common auras include blurred vision and seeing spots, colored balls, jagged lines, or bright or flashing lights or smelling a certain odor. The auras may only be seen in one eye. An aura usually starts about 10 to 30 minutes before the start of a migraine. Some individuals may experience a migraine premonition hours to days prior to the actual onset of the headache. This is slightly different from auras and may cause cravings for different foods, thirst, irritability, or feelings of intense energy.
Some people with migraines also have muscle weakness, lose their sense of coordination, stumble, or even have trouble talking either just before or while they have a headache.
How Do Doctors Diagnose and Treat Migraines?
Because migraine headaches vary in different people — in some people, for example, they are triggered by hormones; in others, stress and lifestyle influence headaches — how doctors treat someone depends on the type of migraine being experienced by that person.
A doctor may recommend someone having migraines to keep a headache diary to help figure out what triggers the headaches. If your doctor has asked you to keep such a diary, the information you record will help the doctor establish the best treatment. A doctor may also take blood tests or imaging tests, such as a CAT scan or MRI of the brain, to rule out more serious medical problems that might cause a person's migraines.
Part of the treatment may involve making certain changes in your lifestyle — like changing your sleep patterns or dietary habits or avoiding certain stress factors that trigger your migraines. Your doctor may also start you on a pain relief medication or also prescribe medicines that help with nausea and vomiting. Some people need preventive medicines that are taken every day to reduce the number and severity of the migraines.
Some doctors teach a technique called biofeedback to their patients with migraines. This technique helps a person learn to relax and use the brain to gain control over certain body functions (like heart rate and muscle stress) that cause tension and pain. If a migraine begins slowly, many people can use biofeedback to remain calm and stop the attack.
There have also been studies indicating that some alternative methods, such as acupuncture and the use of certain herbs, can help some people. However, it is important to ask your physician about alternative medicines before deciding on them by yourself. This is especially true of herbal treatments because they can interfere with more traditional methods of treatment.
How can I prevent a Migraine?
The best way to prevent migraines is to learn what sets them off and then try to avoid these triggers. Take a break from activities that provoke a migraine, such as using the computer for a long time. If you know that certain foods trigger your migraines, try to avoid them. Some people find that cutting back on caffeine intake or drinking a lot of water can help prevent migraines.
Make a plan for all the things you have to do — especially during stressful times like final exams — so you don't feel overwhelmed when things pile up. Regular exercise and fun activities can also reduce stress and make you feel better. If your doctor has prescribed medication, always have a dose on hand. Then if you feel a migraine coming, take your medicine. You can also try lying down in a quiet, dark room until the pain starts to go away.
The key is a diary. Migraines are so different for different people, so it helps to keep a headache diary and get to know what provokes migraines in your own case. The more you understand your headaches, the better prepared you can be to fight them.
Can Exercise help migraine sufferers?
The National Institutes of Health estimate that 28 million Americans suffer from migraines. People who suffer from chronic, severe migraines have long been advised not to exercise vigorously, to stick with low-intensity routines, and sometimes, to refrain from exercise altogether. However, a recently published Swedish study shows that these precautions may not be necessary. In fact, exercise, particularly cycling, may be beneficial for chronic migraine sufferers.

Twenty-six patients who had all been diagnosed with chronic migraines were surveyed at a headache clinic. They were assigned an exercise program based on indoor cycling, which was performed 3 times per week for 12 weeks. Total oxygen uptake, physical fitness, migraine status, side effects, and quality of life were evaluated. Results showed that quality of life increased with exercise and significant improvements in migraines were present: this includes lower pain, headache frequency, symptom intensity, and lower medicine intake.

Headaches are usually caused by muscle tension, vascular problems, or both. Migraines are vascular in origin, and may be preceded by visual disturbances, loss of peripheral vision, and fatigue. Most headaches can be relieved or ameliorated by over-the-counter pain medications.

A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are extremely rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better by making lifestyle changes, learning ways to relax, and occasionally by taking medications.