Migraine attacks: Hidden symptoms and health risks
Migraine is not just a passing bout of head pain, but a complex neurological condition that may be linked to a range of health problems, some of which are serious and potentially life-threatening.
While research has not proven that migraines directly cause other diseases, increasing medical studies indicate their association with a number of conditions, most notably stroke and heart disease, in addition to neurological, psychological and physical disorders that may be disguised by similar symptoms.
subtle differences
In light of this entanglement, doctors warn – according to a report by the specialized medical website WebMD – against ignoring the subtle differences between normal attacks and warning symptoms that require urgent medical intervention. Research indicates that the risk of stroke is slightly higher in certain categories of migraine sufferers, especially those with migraine accompanied by aura and people under the age of 45, but this risk decreases significantly after the age of fifty.
The real danger is that stroke symptoms may be misdiagnosed as a migraine attack, especially in certain types of migraine, such as migraine with aura and thunderclap headache, which appear suddenly and intensely.
How can we distinguish between a headache and a stroke?
The general rule, as doctors explain, is that migraines develop gradually, while strokes strike suddenly, and there are 3 main warning signs of a stroke:
- Sagging or numbness on one side of the face.
- Weakness or numbness in one arm.
- Difficulty speaking or unclear speech.
The link between migraines and the brain is not limited to the brain alone, as studies indicate that men and women who suffer from headaches are more prone to heart disease and heart attacks.
Research also indicates that migraines are associated with a number of conditions, including high blood pressure, epileptic seizures, sudden hearing loss, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, and sleep disorders.
Researchers believe these links are likely the result of shared mechanisms in the brain, such as disruption of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, or neuroinflammation.
Doctors warn that some serious conditions may begin with migraine-like symptoms, including:
- Dilation or rupture of cerebral blood vessels.
- Brain tumors.
- Meningitis.
- Acute glaucoma in the eye.
- Cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome.
- Increased intracranial pressure.
The key difference here is the severity of the symptoms and the speed of their onset. A headache that “strikes like lightning” or is described as “the worst headache of my life” requires urgent medical examination.
