Migraine or the ‘sick headache’ is derived from the Greek word meaning ‘pain involving half of the head’. It is a common problem that affects about 1 person in 10. It is more common in females and is worse between the ages of 20 and 50 years. It tends to run in families. Famous people said to have suffered from migraine include Julius Caesar, Elvis Presley, Charles Darwin, Karl Marx and Tchaikovsky.
What are the symptoms?
Migraine can take several different forms, but the headache is usually preceded by altered vision followed by nausea and vomiting. This is called classic migraine. Another type is common migraine, which does not have the so-called ‘aura’ of altered vision but has headache with nausea and vomiting. Other possible symptoms include dizziness, tingling or numbness of the face and body, and sensitivity to light, sound and smells. The length of each attack is variable, but an attack usually lasts for several hours.