New
research on
migraine headaches indicates that the condition is not caused by a
vascular disorder--the
classical explanation that has previously described the headache as
veins being
distended. The latest thinking is that the pain and
migraine state are actually created by an
electrical disorder within the
brain.
The discoveries came because of new imaging
devices that allow
scientists to actually watch
patients' brains during a
migraine attack. The result: Migraine sufferers have "abnormally excitable
neurons." When a migraine starts, the neurons fire off charges at the back of the brain. The charges flow along the top of the brain and then down into the
pain centers in the
brainstem. This causes
blood flow to rise sharply as the
pain wave passes through, and then drop sharply. The actual migraine pain can then come from the
constricted blood vessels, the brainstem, or both. This formation explains the former
mystery of why certain
epilepsy drugs relieve migraines for some people.
The research also suggests that a migraine needs to be treated
right away once it starts, because migraine pain seems to create changes within the physical
structure of
the brain that could lead to
chronic pain later on. This is especially important information because the majority of migraine-sufferers do not take either
preventative medication or the more powerful
prescriptions such as
Maxalt. And (according to the
Associated Press) fewer than
half of American
physicians correctly diagnosed migraines given the
symptoms. Many doctors persist in believing that an
aura is a definitive
symptom, even though it occurs only in a
third of
migraineers. All of this adds up to: It is IMPORTANT to talk to your
doctor about this new research! Undiagnosed migraines can lead to even worse things (hard as that is to imagine). And hopefully the new findings will lead to better
treatment.