One of the commonest migraine symptoms is an intense throbbing pain which is usually located on one side of the head near to the area of the temple. Unlike normal headaches, migraines are also frequently accompanied by additional symptoms which include sensitivity to noise and light, queasiness and sometimes vomiting.

Migraines are relatively common and affect about 10% of the population of America, or in excess of 28 million Americans. They are also much more commonly seen in women than in men (about 3 times more women suffer from migraines) and can also be found sometimes in children.

Although migraine headaches are so common and frequently very painful with an attack lasting anything from a matter of hours to two or three days, only about 50% of all sufferers ever consult their physician and the rest elect to suffer in silence.

It had long been thought these headaches resulted from a of dilation of the blood vessels in the head but, in spite of the fact that there is no general agreement, medical opinion seems to be changing in favor of a genetic basis for this problem. It is now believed that migraine headaches are produced by the interaction of brain chemicals such as serotonin with the nerve cells. Currently however the truth is that we are really not sure what cause a migraine headache.

In fact there are two different forms of migraine, the first of which is called 'classical migraine', which is characterized by an associated 'aura'. In this case 'aura' refers to visual light effects that are experienced just before the start of a headache including such things as flashing lights and bright light spots. In a few people a total loss of vision may be experienced for a few minutes before the arrival of the headache.

The second type of migraine is simply a migraine without the prior symptoms of an 'aura'.

In exactly the same way that we do not really know what causes a migraine, so too we have little idea about just what triggers an attack, though there are several factors which do appear likely to trigger an attack. For example, too much sleep appears to be one factor, as does missing meals or eating certain types of food such as cheese.

Hormonal factors are also thought to influence the onset and severity of attacks and one piece of evidence for this is the higher incidence of migraines in women. This in part is thought to be because of the effect of estrogen on the blood vessels and it has been noted in some studies that there is a connection between contraceptive pills (containing estrogen) and migraine headaches.

Just to confuse matters however studies have also demonstrated that simple everyday activities such as climbing a flight of stairs can trigger an attack, as can exposure to loud noises, cold and heat, flashing lights and occasionally stress.

Happily, there are a number of migraine treatments available today, though no single treatment is really effective in all cases. One thing which we do know though is that over-the-counter medicines are seldom effective and, if you are unlucky enough to suffer from migraine headaches, then you would be best advised to ask your doctor for help in finding an answer which works for you.