The World Health Organization estimates that in a lifetime, 14% of people around the world have a neurological conditions called migraine headache. In the United States, 17% of women and 6% of men have migraines.
A migraine is when the nerve networks in the brain become overstimulated. The sensory nerves in the face and neck region often activate and trigger together when a migraine occurs. Nerve signals then spread to other nerves and to the blood vessels in the head which produce a sensation of head pressure, pain, pounding or stabbing. The blood vessels in the head dump out inflammatory chemicals which can cause pain.
Hormonal changes can make women more prone to have migraines. Migraine impact can change based on pregnancy. In addition, certain migraines can place women at a higher risk for stroke.
The migraine can spread to affect neural networks that are far away from the head and the neck (the back of the head). This spread means that a migraine can be associated with other scary function deficits or problems, such as:
- vision problems
- balance problems
- vertigo
- thinking problems
- stomach problems
Migraines can cause significant disability and life disruption, particularly for women. Your Brain Doctor is for you to better understand how to prevent and best manage migraine symptoms.