Migraine

Migraine headaches are usually overwhelmingly painful, causing agony that leaves you unable to function for hours, sometimes days. If you get migraines, board-certified neurologist and headache specialist, Dr. Bernadette Nazario-Lopez, MD, PharmD at Migraine and Headache Center of Florida in Altamonte Springs, Florida, can help. Dr. Nazario-Lopez offers advanced migraine medication management and innovative treatments like anti CGRP medications, Botox® injections, among other therapies to help prevent migraines and reduce their intensity. Call Migraine and Headache Center of Florida today or schedule a consultation online to benefit from expert migraine treatment.

What is a migraine?

A migraine is one of many types of headaches. Some headaches are caused by problems like sinus infections or exposure to an allergen. Others come on seemingly for no reason. A mild headache results in minor discomfort that fades relatively quickly. However, a migraine usually causes significant, disabling pain that can last up to several days.

The cause of these disabling attacks is unclear. They’re thought to originate in the trigeminovascular system in your brain, where nerve cells and blood vessels connect.

Other possible contributing factors include an increased level of a protein called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and an imbalance in the brain chemicals that help regulate pain in your nervous system. The tendency to get migraines might also have genetic origins.

Research into their exact cause or causes continues.

Some people experience migraines infrequently, but others get them several times a month or more.

What are the stages of a migraine?

A day or two before a migraine, you might experience prodrome — subtle neurological and physical changes that warn that a migraine is coming. Prodrome can cause food cravings, constant yawning, excessive thirst, and mood swings.

Shortly before the head pain hits, around one-third of people who get migraines experience an aura. Auras cause visual disturbances like blurriness, blind spots, flashing lights, and squiggly lines. You might develop numbness, tingling, or weakness. You could feel like someone invisible has touched you and have problems speaking.

When the pain begins, it’s likely to be severe and throbbing. It often affects just one side of your head, bringing on symptoms like extreme sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, and vomiting.

After your pain subsides, you’re likely to be exhausted. You might continue to feel weak, dizzy, moody, sensitive, and confused for another day or so.

What treatments are available for migraines?

It’s necessary to learn what triggers your migraines so that you can reduce your exposure. Common triggers include:

• Processed foods
• Aged cheeses
• Food additives like aspartame and monosodium glutamate
• Alcohol
• Bright lights
• Strong smells
• Stress
• Fluctuating estrogen (female sex hormone) levels

Your personalized migraine treatment program can include medications, medical Botox® injections, and intravenous (IV) infusions, and holistic measures. Some treatments stop a migraine, while others help prevent one from starting.

Call Migraine and Headache Center of Florida or book an appointment online today. Don’t let recurring migraines continue to disrupt your life.