JAKARTA - Migraine is not just a common headache. This neurological disorder can last up to three days, interfere with work, and make the sufferer sensitive to light, sound, and movement.
The Guardian, quoted Wednesday, July 22, said understanding of migraines has evolved rapidly in the past decade. Scientists now better understand the processes that occur in the brain, as well as finding treatments specifically designed to inhibit pain triggers.
Migraine is a primary headache, which is a headache that is not caused by other diseases or structural disorders such as stroke, meningitis, tumors, or brain bleeding.
Professor of neurology at the University of Birmingham Alexandra Sinclair said migraines generally cause moderate to severe pain. Sufferers usually want to lie down, stay away from light and sound, stay still, feel nauseous, and experience throbbing pain that often appears on one side of the head.
Migraine is related to the activation of the trigeminovascular system. This system is a network of nerves and blood vessels that play a role in detecting pain in the brain.
The main part is the trigeminal nerve, the largest sensory nerve in the head. This nerve regulates the sensation of touch, pain, temperature, as well as chewing movements.
When the system is disrupted, nerve fibers release a chemical called CGRP. This molecule activates pain pathways in the brain and triggers migraine attacks.
Migraines usually take place in four stages, namely prodrome, aura, main attack, and postdrome.
The initial stage or prodrome can appear about 24 hours before the pain. Signs include frequent yawning, more frequent urination, fatigue, and a desire to eat certain foods.
The desire to eat chocolate or cheese has long been considered a cause of migraines. However, brain imaging studies show that the impulse can actually be part of an attack that has already begun to develop.
"It's not you who causes the migraine. It's the migraine that causes the desire to eat," said Sinclair.
Around 30 percent of sufferers then experience an aura. Symptoms can include vision problems, numbness in the face, arms or legs, and difficulty speaking.
The main attack usually lasts four to 72 hours. After the pain subsides, sufferers can enter the postdrome stage and feel weak or exhausted for up to two days.
According to The Guardian report, hormonal changes, lifestyle, environment, and genetic factors can affect a person's susceptibility to migraines. The number of women who experience it is estimated to be about twice as much as men.
The difference is thought to be related to hormones and the brain's susceptibility to chemicals that trigger pain.
The World Health Organization or WHO includes migraine in the 10 most disabling diseases in the world. This disorder often attacks people in the productive age, especially between puberty and menopause.
"For some people, the ability to function well is impaired almost all month," Sinclair said.
He also assessed that the stigma makes migraine often considered not a serious problem. As a result, sufferers can be late in getting treatment.
The risk of attacks can increase due to lack of sleep, too much sleep, sudden cessation of caffeine consumption, dehydration, and severe stress.
The relationship between screen use and migraines is not entirely clear. Sufferers are indeed often sensitive to light, but there is no certainty that the use of mobile phones or monitors directly triggers an attack.
Treatment options evolved after scientists discovered the role of CGRP. One of them is gepant, a tablet-shaped drug that works by inhibiting CGRP receptors.
Another treatment is using CGRP monoclonal antibodies which are generally given through monthly injections.
According to Sinclair, both types of treatment have changed the treatment of migraines in the last four to five years. The problem is, the drugs are still expensive and not always easily accessible.
Sinclair said effective management can determine whether a person is able to maintain a job and carry out daily activities.
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