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More than a Headache: When to Consult Your Doctor About Intense Headaches
According to the World Health Organization, headache disorders are both painful and disabling, and up to one adult in 20 worldwide has a headache every – or nearly every – day.
Headaches cause substantial personal suffering, impaired quality of life, and high financial costs, and recurrent headache attacks – and the constant fear of the next one – can affect family life, social life, and your job.
But when is a headache attack not just a headache? When it’s migraine, a neurological condition that causes many other symptoms in addition to head pain.
At the offices of Dr. Michael Kullman, our staff understands the toll migraine can have on your life. In addition to the intense headache, you’re bombarded by other neurological symptoms that can send you running for a dark room. But you don’t have to live with it. Here, Dr. Kullman explains when it’s time to consult with a doctor about migraine disease.
What is migraine?
According to the Migraine Research Foundation, contrary to what most people think, migraine is much more than simply a bad headache. It’s an incapacitating array of neurological symptoms that accompany severe pain, often on one side of the head, but not always.
The pain of a migraine attack can last anywhere from 4-72 hours and is usually accompanied by neurological symptoms such as visual disturbances, nausea and vomiting, tingling or numbness in the face or extremities, and an extreme sensitivity to light, sound, and smell.
Since each person is an individual, their symptoms may vary from those of others and sometimes even from one attack to the next.
What are the stages of migraine?
There are four discrete stages of a migraine attack, but not everyone will get them all. They include:
1. Prodrome
The prodrome, or premonitory stage, begins up to two to three days before you get the main part of the attack. It signals that an attack is on its way. You may experience:
- Mood changes
- Excessive yawning
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty sleeping
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Food cravings
You may also experience symptoms that are unique to you, like a runny nose or a feeling of dread. It isn’t a one-size-fits-all problem.
2. Aura
An aura is a collection of neurological symptoms that usually precedes the headache but may appear during the pain, as well. It lasts anywhere from 10-60 minutes. Common symptoms include flashing lines or starbursts in your visual field, muscle weakness, tinnitus, numbness and/or tingling, and/or difficulty speaking.
Most people usually have migraine with aura or migraine without aura; it's uncommon to have a combination of the two.
3. Headache
This is the stage that most people imagine when they say "migraine." You develop a blinding, one-sided, throbbing headache that often comes up from the neck region and stabs you through the eyeball. It gets worse with any type of activity, and you may be extremely sensitive to light, sound, and odor.
Along with the pain, you may have other neurological problems, such as slowing of gut motility, nausea, repeated bouts of vomiting, brain fog, and difficulty concentrating on anything other than the pain.
4. Postdrome
The postdrome or “letdown” stage can last up to 48 hours. Symptoms often mimic an alcohol-induced hangover, so it’s sometimes referred to as a migraine hangover. Others say it feels like a post-adrenaline crash.
How can you help with migraine?
Migraine can be treated with a variety of therapies, from medications like the triptans and the new CGRP monoclonal antibodies to Botox® for preventing new attacks to neuromodulation devices that are worn on the head or the arm and dampen the pain signals from nerves involved in the migraine pathway.
Dr. Kullman also offers IV ketamine therapy, which works on the neurotransmitter dopamine and can both relieve pain and block many of the neurological symptoms.
If you’re struggling with intense headaches, don’t wait to consult the office of Michael Kullman, MD. Call us at 914-465-2882 to schedule a consultation or visit us online for more options.