Do you suffer from migraine? New National Migraine Clinic launches!

This week saw the re-launch of the City of London Migraine Clinic, a centre of excellence in the causes and treatment of migraine. This is great news for sufferers as migraine is a much misunderstood condition, affecting 1 in 4 women and 1 in 12 men. (The gender difference is because hormonal variations can be a trigger).

The Clinic aims to “engage the press and political leaders in discussing new treatments for migraine” provide outreach support throughout the UK and help the NHS.

A person might experience one or two attacks a year or as many as three or four a month.  They can last an incredibly painful and distressing 4-72 hours.  Yet, many people do not consult their GP as they think it’s just a normal headache and little can be done.

How is a migraine headache different to a “normal” headache? Here are 5 signs to look out for:

1. Migraine is a severe headache that re-occurs  periodically
2. It is usually on one side of the head/temples and is a throbbing or pounding pain
3. It is accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea/vomiting/ sensitivity to light, noise or strong smells
4. There may be visual disturbances such as blurred vision or flashing lights
5. You may experience tingling or pins and needles in the fingers and arm.

If you do experience a severe headache, then consult your GP. It is important to rule out any other medical condition. There are also a range of treatments that your GP can advise on.

Migraine can be triggered by a number of factors such as missing meals, too little or too much sleep and environmental factors such a stuffy environment. Stress is now recognised as a major contributor. It causes changes in body chemistry, making you more susceptible. When we are stressed, tension can also build up in the muscles of the shoulders, jaw and neck and again this can act as a trigger. Sometimes a migraine will start during the stressful event itself but often it comes on as you relax. This is often called weekend or let down migraine.

For more help and advice:

see my courses on workshops on preventing stress

see my blogs for tips on how to manage stress

follow me on Twitter @Be_Stress_Free for regular stress management tips

Migraine Action www.migraine.org.uk. for a wealth of advice, support and information about managing migraine

National Migraine Clinic www.migraineclinic.org.uk