| Do you have migraines because you're just "too | | | | activity becomes sluggish and slowed. That is |
| sensitive"? The answer, researchers are finding, is | | | | probably one reason why doctors have found that |
| YES. For years, doctors believed that migraines were | | | | treating people who get migraines with |
| a vascular problem. They found that the blood | | | | antidepressant SSRIs (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) |
| vessels swelled in your head, bringing on the pain of a | | | | helps -- because your serotonin level drops drastically. |
| migraine. Therefore, all the research on treating | | | | People with migraines often feel fatigued, "can't |
| migraines and developing drugs for migraines | | | | think", "feel stupid". That's because your brain |
| concentrated on dealing with swelling blood vessels. | | | | becomes like a drag racing car that uses up all of its |
| Now, researchers are finding that the swelling of | | | | fuel in a quick burst and then runs out. |
| blood vessels in the brain is not what starts a | | | | This activity irritates and excites the trigeminal nerve, |
| migraine -- in fact, it's a result of what actually brings | | | | which THEN causes your blood vessels to expand in |
| on a migraine. Doctors are finding, with the use of | | | | your brain. Brain scans have shown an increase of |
| new technology such as PET scans that can watch a | | | | blood in your brain of up to 300% before your |
| brain while it's actually having a migraine, from start | | | | headache pain even begins. The blood level then |
| to finish, that the migraine really starts in the | | | | returns to normal or even goes below average. |
| brainstem. Migraines are not a vascular problem, they | | | | THEN, your migraine starts. What does this mean? It |
| are a neurological disorder. | | | | means that drugs that work to keep your blood |
| Apparently, due to an inherited set of malfunctioning | | | | vessels from dilating and causing your headache are |
| genes, the brains of migraineurs are simply | | | | not really attacking the cause. |
| over-sensitive to stimuli. The brainstem, when it gets | | | | What does this mean for you? It means that |
| a message of overstimulation from whatever your | | | | identifying what your migraine triggers are and doing |
| migraine triggers are, sends a message to the brain, | | | | your best to prevent them even starting a headache |
| causing it to be come hyperexcited. Like a sudden | | | | is your best policy. It also means that finding a doctor |
| crash of an arriving thunderstorm, your brain has a | | | | who understands the latest research into the cause |
| storm of neuronal activity. Then, like the calm in the | | | | of headaches and doesn't just automatically write |
| center of a hurricane, your brain activity drops to a | | | | you a prescription is the best way you can live a |
| very low level. Your neurotransmitters have all been | | | | healthful and happier life. |
| used up in a very short time, and now your brain | | | | |