Health Articles > Health-wellness > Learning To Live With Migraine Headaches

If you're anything like me then you've had to put with the pain of migraine headaches most of your life. What annoys most migraine sufferers is that so many people will frown when you complain about the pain of a migraine and tell you it's "just a headache". Migraines are anything but a normal headache - the pain is hard to describe and cause days or even weeks of incredible and sickening pain. Migraines have become so common that we even have our own special term now - we're called migraineurs.

Migraines usually make their first appearance when you're coming out of your teenage years and going into adulthood. You can expect your migraines to hang around until you've gone into your 30s - and then they tend to stop for no apparent reason. For the unlucky few migraines can last well into your 50s but they do eventually vanish.

For a long, long time migraines were blamed only on problems with blood vessels in your head but new research is showing that your migraines are not just vascular headaches (blood related) they're tied in with dysfunction in the brain itself. Don't go freaking out just yet - brain dysfunction in migraine terms just means that every so often your brain backfires and you pay for this with a migraine headache.

So how much time can you expect to lose to a migraine attack? Anywhere from 1 - 3 days is the norm but they can last longer. A really severe migraine can last up to a week. My own experience of migraines means I know I can expect to lose 24 hours - give or take. If you're careful you can reduce the length of a migraine attack by taking preventative measures like taking painkillers and getting to a quiet dark room as quickly as you can.

What can cause migraines? The list is pretty much endless because people are so very different when it comes to this type of headache. For most people too much caffeine, chocolate, nicotine, stress or bright lights can cause a migraine. Some people will only suffer from migraines if they eat a certain type of food or drink red wine for example. The weirder types (me for example) can have migraines caused by shifting weather patterns and humidity - yup that's right my head is like a barometer - I can feel bad weather coming.

There is help available though - you don't need to suffer in silence. Over-the-counter medication is usually not nearly strong enough to deal with a major migraine. To have any hope of having a normal life while you're living with migraines you're probably going to need prescription painkillers. These are very effective but you need to watch out for side-effects such as addiction for example. The most effective way to treat a migraine is to head it off before it starts. Get home, draw the curtains and cover your eyes and ears. I find that total immersion in silence and dark (and maybe some painkillers) is the best way to deal with the problem.

So if you are suffering from migraines there's no real need to worry. They're not life threatening but they are a nuisance. If you watch what triggers your migraines and take painkillers in advance you can ward off the worst of the effects.