One of the most frequent migraine symptoms is an intense throbbing pain which is normally located on only one side of the head close to the area of the temple. Migraine headaches are also frequently accompanied by other symptoms which include sensitivity to light and noise, nausea and occasionally vomiting.

Migraines are reasonably common and affect about one in ten people in the United States, or more than 28 million Americans. They are also far more commonly experienced by women rather than men (about three times more women suffer from migraines) and can also be see occasionally in children.

Despite the fact that migraine headaches are so common and frequently very painful with attacks lasting anything from a matter of hours to two or three days, only roughly 50% of all sufferers consult their physician and the rest choose to suffer in silence.

It had long been thought migraines were caused by a of dilation of the blood vessels in the head but, despite the fact that there is no general agreement, medical opinion appears to be changing in favor of a genetic basis for this condition. It is now believed that the condition are produced by the interaction of certain brain chemicals such as serotonin with the nerve cells. Currently however the truth of the matter is that we really do not know what cause a migraine headache.

There are in fact two different forms of the condition, the first of which is referred to as 'classical migraine'and is characterized by an associated 'aura'. In this case the term 'aura' refers to visual light effects that are experienced immediately prior to the onset of a headache including things like bright light spots and flashing lights. In a few cases a complete loss of vision can be experienced for several minutes before the onset of the headache.

The second form of the condition is a migraine without the 'aura'.

In exactly the same way that we do not really know what causes a migraine headache, we also have little idea about exactly what gives rise to an attack, though there are a variety of factors that do appear likely to trigger an attack. For instance, getting too much sleep seems to be one factor and so does missing meals or eating particular types of food like cheese.

Hormones are also thought to influence both the onset of attacks and their severity and this is evidenced the higher incidence of migraines among women. In part this is thought to be because of the effect of estrogen on the blood vessels and some studies have noted that there is a link between the contraceptive pill (which contains estrogen) and migraine headaches.

However, just to confuse matters studies have also shown that everyday activities such as walking up stairs can trigger an attack, as can exposure to heat or cold, loud noises, flashing lights and occasionally stress.

Happily, there are a variety of migraine treatments available today, though no one treatment has proved to be really effective in all cases. Over-the-counter medications are however rarely effective and, if you are unlucky enough to suffer from migraines, you are best advised to seek the help of your physician in finding a solution which works for you.