When the tobacco, the beer and the Corn Flakes were considered to be medicines

Today is the Global Day of Action against Migraine is a neurological disease is very disabling, with a high prevalence and a great impact on the lives of patients and still under-diagnosed and insufficiently treated.

The latest Study of the Global Burden of Disease states that migraine is the sixth most prevalent disease around the world. In Spain, according to data from the Spanish Society of Neurology, migraine affects 12-13% of the population, which means that most of 5 million Spanish suffer from this disease and is, therefore, the neurological disease most prevalent in our country.

In 75% of cases it takes more than 2 years to be diagnosed. Among the main reasons for the delayed diagnosis highlights the fact that the patient does not consult for your disease until the pain becomes chronic.

Although migraine headaches can be divided in several subtypes depending on the features present, the more classical forms of classification of the different types of migraine headaches are, according to their symptoms, migraine if aura or with aura (a focalidad neurological transient usually visual, but also can be sensitive or manifest with alterations in the expression and understanding of language) or, according to the frequency in which you suffer from head pain, migraine, episodic or chronic migraine (when the patients have headache more than 15 days per month and at least half of these compatible with a migraine).

migraine is the sixth most prevalent disease in the world. Migraine is the leading cause of disability in people under 50 years.

“the symptoms of migraine headaches have a tremendous impact in the daily functioning of people who suffer from it, both in physical aspects, emotional and social, as the family, work and social relationships. it is Also a disease with frequent side effects which include anxiety, depression, chronic pain, among others “.

Sonia Santos – Coordinator of the Study Group of Cluster of the Spanish Society of Neurology

however, the results of the survey for the Atlas of Migraine 2018, made in Spain, show that the 75% of people with migraines takes more than 2 years to be diagnosed . Among the main reasons for the delayed diagnosis highlights the fact that the patient does not consult for your disease until the pain becomes chronic.

Diagnosis

To rule out other diseases, can carry out a general physical examination and a neurological examination. For the diagnosis of migraine with visual aura or retinal may be necessary ophthalmic assessment permitadescartar possible diseases of the eye.

For the diagnosis of migraines menstrual it is recommended to complete a calendar of the register of pain, during 3 menstrual cycles in a row. You must write down the days of start and end of the rule, and the days with pain in that period.May be necessary complementary diagnostic tests, depending on your medical history.

to avoid periods of fasting and large meals, as it can trigger episodes of migraine.

According to data from the SEN, until a 25% of the patients who suffer migraine headaches never has consulted for his condition with the doctor and 50% leaves the track after the first consultations. A situation that causes this disease is infratratada and carry that over 50% of the patients automediquen with painkillers without a prescription, which can act as a trigger for the chronification of migraine.

Causes

in Addition to genetic factors, can also lead to a crisis these factors. is Psychological: stress, anxiety and depression. is Bad sleep habits : sleeping too much or too little. is Dehydration : it is important to drink enough water to keep us hydrated, as dehydration can trigger episodes of migraine. is Hormonal : menstruation or ovulation. is Bad eating habits such as excessive alcohol or caffeine, foods with nitrites, aspartame, and monosodium glutamate. Skipping meals, feel hungry, have low levels of sugar in blood, etc Pharmacological : nitroglycerin, estrogen, painkillers.Sudden changes in physical activity. Headache or cervical, of another origin. is Changes in the environment: seasonal changes or time changes of atmospheric pressure. is sensory: visual Stress as a result of the sunlight, prolonged exposure to the computer screen or other bright lights or flashing. is strong Odors, as the perfume, incense, cleaning products, tobacco smoke or pollution. is loud Noises and/or constants.

It has been detected that some foods seem to be related to the risk of suffering migraine: dairy products such as cheese, raw meat, products with preservatives and artificial sweeteners, alcoholic beverages in excess, in particular, the red wine and the cava.

Although it has not been demonstrated scientifically that certain foods trigger migraine headaches, according to some nutritionists, to make certain dietary changes can be helpful to manage the symptoms of migraine headaches. For example, to take a nutritional management appropriate, make the meals always at the same time, maintain a healthy weight and/or analyze whether there is any relationship between consuming certain foods and the episodes of headache. Avoid periods of fasting and large meals, as it can trigger episodes of migraine.

despite the fact that each case must be treated individually, it has been detected that some foods seem to be related to the risk of suffering migraine: dairy products such as cheese, raw meat, products with preservatives and artificial sweeteners, alcoholic beverages in excess, in particular, the red wine and the cava.

Drugs

The European medicines Agency has approved the use of new treatment options in migraine, monoclonal antibodies, which act by blocking the action of the neuropeptide CGRP , a molecule that plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of migraine to be involved in the perception of pain. In addition, there are two new molecules in phase of clinical trial, gepantes and ditanes, for the preventive treatment and symptomatic respectively.