What causes migraines?

Dio: I woke up at 4 AM this morning feeling like my head was going to explode. I could barely open my eyes they felt like they were going to pop out of the sockets, my ears hurt and they felt clogged, my forehead was pounding with an extreme pain almost like my skull was going to crack open, my jaw was locked and I couldn't open my mouth, my neck was cramped, and I had no balance when I attempted to stand up. Geez it was rough.

What causes this to happen?

migraine headaches

2 years ago

Answers

Moonrise
- 1189 pts
- (2 years ago)

...That's more than a standard migraine. I've been getting migraines for years but the only time I've had one that bad was when I had the flu.

To be honest, the cause of migraines remains largely a mystery, like many other issues related to the brain. However, I guess the most commonly accepted explanation is chemical imbalances in the brain. Serotonin levels drop and your body releases other chemicals that can explain the head pain, but again this isn't confirmed.

ingodwemistrust
- 19 pts
- (2 years ago)

i actually know the answer to this. migraines, by medical definition, are caused by stress and only stress. If you're having headaches for other reasons, it's not a migraine. But that doesnt mean its not as painful.

you see, when we are stressed, our brain needs as much oxygen (aka blood) as possible in order to operate. when our stress is relieved and we are relaxed, there is no need for all that blood to be in the brain- but its still there, slowly draining back into the body. while that blood is there, we get a migraine. thats why you get migrains while relaxing. i learned this from a professor who specialized in stress management and is the founder and head of several stress workshops across america (he's also been on cnn so he knows what hes talking about)

	Moonrise - 1189 pts - (2 years ago)
	...Being on CNN doesn't mean you know what you're talking about. =/ That said, stress is generally the cause, yes. Partially explains why my chronic migraines are accompanied by the fact I have high blood pressure. However, stress is not the only trigger, unless bright lights, fasting, and eating certain types of food are classified as "stress".

	ingodwemistrust - 19 pts - (2 years ago)
	then its not, by medical definition, a migraine. ive done research on the subject, outside of what i was instructed, and found out that he was indeed correct. and to comment on your cnn remark- while that may be true, most people on cnn are specialist and experts on certain topics. his happened to be stress. i was only adding to his credibility.

	peacekeeper23 - 526 pts - (2 years ago)
	Do you drink a fair amount of water daily? Maybe you could have been dehydrating. Im not a doctor though....but hypothetically i would go see Mr. Doc.

Moonrise
- 1189 pts
- (2 years ago)

If you've actually done research on migraines then you would know that there are several triggers for them. You definitely haven't researched enough if you think it's only stress. I'm not talking about my personal experience when saying these other triggers, I am speaking out of research as well.

I used to get headaches from dehydration because I was taking a diuretic. I don't take those anymore, and I've become good at picking up on the warning signs of migraines so I can take preventative action. Migraines tend to have distinct warning signs before you get them full on that give you time to take medicine that can ease the pain.

	Dio - 889 pts - (2 years ago)
	Actually I did have a warning sign. Before I went to sleep that night, I had a slight head ache, but not bad enough to take Advil. So I thought I would just sleep it off, but little did I know that I would wake up 5 hours later with one of the most painful headaches I've ever experienced. I should have took that Advil before I went to bed. =/

felixthecat
- 4794 pts
- (2 years ago)

From the Migraine Headache Center's Fun Fax:

"The exact causes of migraine headaches remain something of a mystery and despite the fact that it was believed for many years that they resulted from a dilation of the blood vessels, recent research suggests that this may not be the cause of these attacks. Indeed, modern research tends towards the view that this may be a genetic disorder which affects the way in which certain brain chemicals (neurotransmitters such as serotonin) interact with the nerve cells."

What causes migraines?

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