Migraine: Symptoms, Treatment and Causes

What Is A Migraine?

A migraine is a common condition which is usually a severe headache that causes throbbing pain on one side of the head. It can also be accompanied by symptoms such as feeling sick, or vomiting, and sometimes extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days at a time, and the pain can be so extreme that it interferes with your daily activities. If you have frequent, severe headaches, please contact MyHealthcare by calling 0207 099 5555 now to arrange an appointment with one of our private GPs.

Migraines usually begin in early adulthood, affecting around 1 in every 5 women, and around 1 in 15 men, in the UK.

Migraine symptoms

There are several types of migraine, including:

·      Migraine with aura – where there are specific warning signs just before the migraine begins, for example, seeing flashing lights

·      Migraine without aura – the most common type, where the migraine happens without any warning signs

·      Migraine aura without headache (silent migraine) – where an aura migraine is experienced, without a headache developing

Some people have migraines frequently, up to several times a week, while others may only have an occasional migraine. It is possible to go for years between migraine attacks.

Treatment for migraine

Painkillers, such as ibuprofen, or paracetamol, can be effective for migraine. However, try not to use the maximum dosage of painkillers on a regular, or frequent basis, as this could make it harder to treat headaches over time.

If you have frequent migraines, even if they can be controlled with painkillers, please make an appointment with one of our private GPs at MyHealthcare Clinic.