Migraine

It is not merely a simple headache, but a central and autonomic nervous system disorder accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and vomiting, which confines the individual to a dark room.

It is a neurological warning sign observed in some patients 15-30 minutes before an attack begins. It presents as seeing zigzag lines, bright lights, or blind spots in the visual field, or experiencing numbness and tingling in the hand/face.

Excessive stress, hunger, sleep deprivation, southwesterly winds (lodos), specific foods like chocolate, aged cheese, or alcohol, and hormonal fluctuations during menstruation in women directly initiate attacks.

Typically, it presents as severe pain throbbing like a heartbeat in only one half of the head (in the temple or around the eye), lasting from 4 to 72 hours, accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Diagnosis is established by a neurologist entirely based on the patient's medical history and the character of the complaints. A Brain MRI is usually performed once to rule out other dangerous brain pathologies (tumors, etc.).

Specific migraine medications from the Triptan group are used during an acute attack. Prophylactic daily tablets are prescribed to patients experiencing more than 4 severe attacks per month. In chronic migraine resistant to medications, the pain switch is turned off for 6 months by performing Botox injections into nerve endings in the head, neck, and shoulder regions.