Migraines are usually very severe headaches that recur several times per year. The pain of a migraine attack can be debilitating. The migraine sufferer usually seeks rest in a quiet darkened room until the pain passes. Migraine attacks can last from a few hours up to three days. There are several different types of migraine that people can suffer.
The exact causes of migraine remain a mystery. While doctors are unsure of what causes migraine attacks, they suspect genetic factors and allergies of being two contributing factors. Imbalances in the hormones in the brain are also suspected causes along with temporary edema or swelling of the brain.
Most migraines are accompanied from one hour to several days ahead of the pain by a visual disturbance or aura. It is important for migraine sufferers to recognize these auras when they occur in order to seek out medical care or take prescription medication in order to head off the attack before the pain hits and becomes unbearable.
An optical migraine is different from other migraine attacks. With an optical migraine, also called an acephalgic or ocular migraine, there is no pain associated with the visual disturbance. The appearance of the aura is normally seen as flashing lights in the form of a zigzag or fortress of lights.
Initially, these attacks begin as a small disturbance that seems to march across the person visual field. These attacks can vary in length from a few minutes to an hour. If a headache is associated with this aura, the pain will come within an hour of the fading of the aura.
How can a person know that what they are experiencing is an optical migraine? The symptoms will recur periodically throughout the year. The visual disturbance will be experienced without the debilitating headache that is associated with most migraines. There will be little of no change in what image is seen when the aura manifests.
If the aura changes, a doctor should be seen to rule out the development of a more serious condition.What would constitute a more serious condition? Just as not all headaches are migraine, not all visual problems are ocular migraines.
Some conditions that could be causing visual disturbances are partial seizures, detached retina, mini strokes (TIAs), or brain tumor growth can cause a person to experience an aura.Women are 3 times more likely to suffer from visual migraines than men.
Medications normally given for these migraines include aspirin and sedatives. The most common form of relief sought out is rest in a dark room.
If the migraine sufferer normally experiences the headache following the appearance of the aura, it is important to recognize these symptoms and seek out medical treatment promptly. Injection of triptans, or ingestion or nasal inhalation of the same medications can provide relief from the pain.
Beta blockers, antidepressants and anticonvulsants have also been prescribed and shown to provide some relief.
When a person suffers from migraines, including the less painful visual migraines, it is important to know and recognize the symptoms and the visual disturbance that accompanies them.
Any changes in the aura effect can mark a more serious condition developing and should cause a person to seek out medical care promptly.
Autor: Phillip Dye
Check out MigraineHeadacheRx.com for Optical Migraines and Types of Migraines
Added: June 9, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Seven-Things-you-Should~
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