Many people suffer from migraine, and it is one of the leading causes of disability. Let’s review the causes of migraine and major risk factors.
Migraines are prevalent & often disabling
About one out of every eight people suffers from migraine: 12% of the population. There is a migraineur (someone suffering from the disease) in just under a quarter of households.
Migraines are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, as indicated by the World Health Organization’s 2012 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) report. The GBD study surveys a total of 289 illnesses and injuries. Of all those health conditions, migraine is the eighth likeliest to cause disability.
One of the figures calculated by the GBD is “years lived with disability.” That metric rose from 583 million in 1990 to 777 million in 2010. Along with ranking as one of the top disablers, migraine was also the third most common disease, with only tooth decay and tension headache occurring more frequently.
What brings about migraine?
There are several potential reasons why migraine might occur, although researchers have not been able to identify a single root cause. Here are possible causes of migraine:
· Neurochemical imbalance: “Several types of brain chemicals and nerve pathways are active during a migraine headache,” notes Healthline. “Abnormalities in any of these areas may cause migraine.”
· Neurological disorder: It could be that triggers (which range from foods to hormones, from sleep disturbances to weather) are exacerbating a root disorder that in turn causes the excruciating headache.
· Blood vessel abnormalities: The attacks could arise from vascular issues.
· Heredity: Since family history of migraine increases risk, it’s possible migraine is passed on through the genes.
Risk factors
Migraine attacks occur in response to triggers such as red wine, chocolate, and physical or mental stress. The headache of course doesn’t always result from these common precursors. Certain risk factors make you more susceptible to the illness:
· Age – The first appearance of migraine is usually in adolescence. It’s very unusual for someone to experience it for the first time in their 40s or thereafter.
· Genetics – An incredible nine out of ten people with migraines have a close relative who also has the disease. The connection is especially strong between parent and child.
· Sex – The hormonal changes of adolescence are critical to this illness. “During childhood, boys experience migraine headaches more than girls,” says Healthline. “After puberty, however, women are three times more likely to have migraine headaches than men.”
Treating migraine safely and quickly
Are you suffering from migraine headaches? At Atlanta Medical Clinic, we offer a new breakthrough migraine treatment that works, with long-lasting results. “I’m amazed at the effectiveness of it,” says patient Laura Nash. Learn more.