Migraines often start in a persons teen years and are very painful headaches nothing like a usual headache that will go after taking a couple of pain killers. Anyone who suffers will tell you they are nothing like a traditional headache and often require the person to go to bed, subsiding within three to four hours but much longer, days in fact, if no treatment is given. Most sufferers will confirm just how tiring an attack is even once it has passed.

The frequency of attacks is not consistent with one person having one or perhaps two attacks in a month to another who may only have one a year. Some symptoms seem to be consistent with most victims; those of a feeling like those associated with cold or influenza and a problem with bright lights. What isn't understood is why migraines can start at an age as early as ten but normally stop before someone reaches the age of forty; in almost every instance however, attacks usually diminish or end in later adult life usually once the person is over 50 years old.

Hereditary links are often associated with migraine and occurrences may happen among members of a family; if there is a genetic reason for the attacks, medical science has not yet found this link. It is believed that victims have a certain susceptibility in their brains that allows the blood vessels and nerves to become inflamed. More women suffer from attacks and they comprise 75 percent of reported cases; who are only likely to have an eight percent chance of ever suffering with the problem.

One of the signs - migraine with aura, is characterized by an unusual sensation (aura) that is in occurrence 10 to 30 minutes prior to the head pain. There are many warning indicators of the attack:

*Sickness *Enlarged blind spots *Sense of smell and taste is affected *Lack of sensation in victim's face

These are the most commonly experienced symptoms. The most common type of this condition is known as migraine without aura; many early indications felt by those who have a warning are symptoms felt by those who have no warning but their condition can be made worse if they are in constant motion.

Whilst the exact reason why some people suffer with migraine still eludes medical science, the theory that the narrowing of blood vessels to the brain is the closest they have come to discovering a migraines cause. If the blood vessels then expand suddenly, this may cause the intense headache; however, all suffers say the attack knocks them out and they are unable to carry out even the most simple of daily tasks. A sufferer could have one or more triggers to each attack; the most common complaints are highlighted below:

*Bad weather *Food belonging to certain groups *High altitude *Particular drinks *Very bright internal lighting *Not enough sleep *Work related stress

Monitoring and recording the triggers in a diary can help avoid future attacks so it is something that all sufferers must learn to carry out.