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In a recently published study on migraines in children, scientists focused on elementary-school aged children suffering from chronic headaches, including migraine headaches and tension-type headaches. Their findings indicate a stronger propensity for behavior issues when migraines occur in children, versus other forms of pediatric headaches.

The Brazilian study on migraines in children focused on nearly 2,000 children between the ages of 5 and 11, and is the largest study of its kind to find direct correlations between emotional problems such as anxiety and depression and chronic migraines in children.

Behavioral and emotional symptoms and primary headaches in children – A population-based study was published in the journal Cephalagia.

Like adults, children who suffer from chronic tension-type headaches or migraines are more likely to also suffer from comorbid emotional problems, such as depression and anxiety. Additionally, children who experience frequent migraines may also exhibit signs of attention disorders and social detachment.

Back to School means Back to Headaches for Child Migraineurs

In the study on migraines and child behavior, researchers noted an increase in behavioral and emotional disorders in children with migraines, more so than with children who suffered chronic headaches caused by stress.

Behaviors tested include:

• Defiance
• Aggression
• Social problems
• Hyperactivity
• Attention problems
• Anxiety
• Depression

Using headache questionnaires and a Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), scientists were able to determine the following results regarding behavior in children with migraines and tension headaches:

• For children with migraines or tension headaches, frequency of headaches directly correlated with abnormal behavior.
• More than 50% of the pediatric migraine sufferers tested exhibited internalizing (self-directed) emotional behaviors, versus 19% of children with stress headaches.
• Migraines in children were just as likely as stress headaches to trigger external behaviors, such as rule breaking and aggression.
• Children with migraines were more likely to have difficulty socializing than sufferers of tension-type headaches.
• Child migraine sufferers were also more likely to suffer emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, and hyperactivity than other headache sufferers.

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Migraine headaches in children linked to behavioral difficulties

Behavioral and emotional symptoms and primary headaches in children: A population-based study

Behavior issues are a bigger headache for children with migraines
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Most people think that migraine symptoms only involve headaches– really strong headaches, but still- just that. Any chronic migraine sufferer can tell you that the constant throbbing headaches are just the tip of the iceberg. Migraine symptoms can vary according to each patient, depending on the type of migraine attack one usually sufferers, and the cause. Here are some of the most common symptoms of migraine disorder.

First, the headaches

Migraine headaches are the longest, most torturous phase of a migraine attack, which begins with a range of pre-migraine symptoms and end with a long period of recuperation.

Not all migraine attacks cause headaches, but when they do occur, they usually follow a specific behavior.  Migraine symptoms that involve headaches are characterized by the following details:

• Migraine headaches always occur on one side of the head.
• Migraine headache symptoms are often described as a dull, painful throbbing.
• Sometimes, pain radiates from one point of the head, such as the temple area, and travels towards the middle of the face, or the eyes.
• Migraine headaches may also cause sharp, severe eye pain, sometimes described as the sensation of an ice pick stabbing into your eye socket.
• Unlike common headaches, migraine headache symptoms don’t usually respond well to over-the-counter headache medications such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen.
• Migraine headaches can last for hours or days.
• Chronic migraine headaches occur more than fourteen times each month.

Prodrome migraine symptoms

A few days before a migraine attack strikes, you may notice the following migraine symptoms:

• Unusual food cravings
• Mood swings- sudden exhilaration or sadness
• Fatigue
• Loss, or increase of appetite
• Sleep problems
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Stomach cramps

Here Comes a Migraine Attack- 20 Telltale Signs

Migraine with aura

About 20% of migraine sufferers experience migraines with aura, a temporary pre-migraine phenomenon that occurs bare minutes before a migraine attack strikes. Migraine symptoms involving aura closely mimic signs of stroke or epilepsy, so similar are the warning signs to the outside observer.

Symptoms of migraines with aura include:

• Sudden fatigue
• Nausea
• Vertigo
• Confusion
• Disorientation
• Loss of spatial awareness or sense of time
• Strange visual disturbances, such as flickering lights, bright oscillating shapes, zigzagging streams of light, dark voids, loss of peripheral vision, and double vision.
• Olfactory hallucinations
• Temporary partial paralysis on one side of the body
• Temporary facial paralysis
• Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet
• Sudden inability to understand or manage speech clearly
• Loss of consciousness

Go Ask Alice: Migraine Auras in Wonderland

Other migraine symptoms

Even if you don’t experience migraines with aura, you may suffer the following ailments, in addition to migraine headaches:

• Neck stiffness and pain
• Strong stomach cramps
• Diarrhea
• Uncontrolled vomiting
• Severe fatigue
• Increased eye sensitivity to artificial light, strong sunlight, and harsh white backgrounds
• Increased sensitivity to strong scents
• Tinnitus (ear ringing)

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Can you add to our list of migraine symptoms?

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Arthritis headaches are a painful symptom of certain varieties of arthritis, but are made worse when migraines are also a factor. For some, joint swelling and stiffness from arthritis also accompanies chronic headaches. Here are some ways that arthritis can cause arthritis headaches and trigger migraine headaches.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most typical form of arthritis; unlike other forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis does not cause any visible deformities of the joints. With osteoarthritis, headache and joint pain is caused by weakened joints and excess calcium deposits in the tissues, caused by your body’s attempt to heal sore muscles, and joint stiffness. Arthritis headaches are caused by osteoarthritis symptoms occurring in the fifth, sixth, and seventh vertebrae, and are often more painful than other types of arthritis headaches.

To eliminate osteoarthritis headaches as a trigger for migraines, you will have to make lifestyle changes to reduce nerve pressure on the spine caused by arthritis. There is no cure for osteoarthritis or migraines, but regular exercise, weight management, and relaxation are effective ways of managing chronic pain and reducing triggers.

Also, natural vitamins, herbs, and minerals that benefit migraine headache and arthritis sufferers are also effective. In several studies on alternative medicine techniques, supplementation of magnesium, butterbur, coenzyme Q10, and riboflavin produce dramatic results in people suffering from migraines and arthritis headaches.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for Chronic Pain

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder in which your body begins to attack your own muscular tissue and joints, causing lasting damage that produces deformed joints, painful inflammation, stiffness, and swelling. Arthritis headaches occur with rheumatoid arthritis, as the first, second, and third vertebrae of the neck is affected, causing pain in the head, neck, and shoulders.

Treatment for arthritis headaches and migraines caused by rheumatoid arthritis include prescription medications that slow the progression of this degenerative disease. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs, acetaminophen, heat, and massage are also helpful for relieving arthritis headaches caused by rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Also, supplementing with beneficial vitamins, herbs, and minerals are helpful for maintaining healthy neurological functioning and improving your body’s response to inflammation. These include pure butterbur, which has been used for centuries to benefit arthritis sufferers, and magnesium, riboflavin, and coenzyme Q10.

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Arthritis medication

Sometimes, weaning off of prescription arthritis medications can result in arthritis headaches that also trigger migraines. This occurs because your body has developed a dependence on arthritis pain relievers over the years. Before stopping long-term prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, ask your doctor for a weaning schedule to slowly and safely reduce your dependency on medications while preventing withdrawal arthritis headaches.

For treatment of rebound headaches during the weaning period, many migraine and arthritis headache sufferers benefit by supplementing with natural dietary ingredients such as riboflavin, magnesium, butterbur, and coenzyme Q10, all of which have been the focus of countless scientific studies on chronic pain management.

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If you’re the type who carries stress in your jaw, then you are likely to get a lot of headaches from teeth clenching. Bruxism, which occurs when you unconsciously grind your teeth throughout the day and even at night while you’re sleeping, is a common migraine trigger. Here are some tips to help you reduce migraines and other headaches from teeth clenching.

Symptoms of bruxism

Teeth clenching is more than just an annoyance and a source of headaches; long-term bruxism can also cause damage to your skull structure, in addition to ailments such as tinnitus and chronic headaches.

Symptoms of teeth grinding include:

• Chronic headaches, migraines, or facial pain
• Persistent tension in the jaws
• Tendency to grate your upper and lower teeth
• Nighttime teeth grinding that is loud enough to wake you up
• Muscle fatigue in the jaws
• Teeth that are unnaturally straight on the tips, without ridges between each tooth
• Worn enamel of the teeth
• Tooth sensitivity
• Scarred tissue on the inside of the cheeks (from biting)
• Tongue scars or cuts
• Earaches or ear fullness
• Tinnitus (constant ear ringing) that causes headaches
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder

Is it Migraine or TMJ Headache? Temporomandibular Disorder

Are your headaches from teeth clenching?

If you already suffer from migraines, then you might not be aware if teeth grinding is contributing to your chronic headaches.

Here are some warnings signs and risk factors of bruxism headaches:

• Chewing is painful.
• Jaws ache first thing in the morning.
• Teeth show signs of enamel decay.
• In addition to headaches, you also suffer from facial pain in the cheeks, temples, or lower jaw.
• You also suffer from sleep problems like snoring, sleep apnea, or sleep talking.
• You’ve noticed an increase in migraine headaches.

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Tips to stop grinding your teeth

First, see your dentist and possibly, an osteopath to determine if your teeth grinding is caused by a structural deformity.

Tips for treating bruxism include:

• Wear a mouth guard, or occlusal splint, during the day and at night
• Wear a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD)
• Practice relaxing your jaw, while keeping your mouth closed and your jaws apart
• See a masseuse on a regular basis to relax your jaw muscles, relieve tension, and soothe migraine headaches from teeth clenching.
• Set an alarm to remind yourself throughout the day to relax your jaws.
• Exercise daily, to relieve stress and prevent migraines.
• See a psychiatrist, especially if you suspect teeth grinding is caused by excess stress or anxiety.
• Stop chewing gum or eating hard, tough foods that require a lot of chomping.
• Use a hot pad or cold pack for pain relief.
• Take nutritional supplements that benefit individuals suffering from migraine headaches, stress, and teeth grinding, such as magnesium or butterbur.

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What is it about fall weather migraines? Seasonal migraines are common for most chronic migraine patients- springtime introduces pollen headaches, sweltering summers bring on throbbing headaches triggered by dehydration, and frigid winters chill the bones and cause aching joints and muscle stiffness. But some of the factors influencing fall weather migraines are less conspicuous. Here are some clues to help you manage migraines in the fall.

Allergies

If you think that springtime is the only allergy season, then guess again. While allergens like flowery pollen and freshly cut grass make the spring season unbearable for many headache sufferers, the ending of summer means the beginning of fall weather migraines for people who are sensitive to ragweed pollen. Breezy autumn winds also encourage the spread of mold spores, which may cause inflammation of the bronchial tubes and also trigger migraines. Fall weather allergen preparation may include cleaning the house thoroughly, keeping the windows closed during high winds, and using an air filter indoors.

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Stress

Do you get excited or nervous when you think about the holiday season? For many, fall weather migraines occur because of anxiety, tension, or apprehension that you may have about the coming celebrations of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, or New Year’s Day.  Think about what the holiday celebrations mean to you, and think of ways to eliminate negative feelings or worries (and migraine headaches) that seem to occur every time October comes around.

Sleep patterns

When the weather cools off, our sleeping habits sometimes change. The shortening of the daylight hours can make you feel like hibernating, or going to sleep earlier than usual. Unfortunately, any changes in lifestyle patterns- like eating and sleeping- are common culprits in migraine disorder. Avoid fall weather migraines by sticking to a strict sleep schedule and avoiding even short naps in the middle of the day. During weekends or while on vacation, resist the temptation to watch television in bed all day, which also causes “weekend headache” and fall weather migraines.

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Managing Seasonal Migraine Issues
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Do you know for certain if your headache is a migraine, or one of other types of chronic headache? If none of the medications you’ve tried to get rid of headaches have worked, then perhaps you’re going about it the wrong way. Here are some tips to help you determine if your headache is a migraine.

What’s your headache behavior?

Different headache types behave different ways. By keeping track of migraine headache patterns in a headache diary, for instance, you will be better able to tell if your headaches are symptoms of migraines, cluster headaches, or sinus headaches.

Where do your headaches live?

This may seem obvious- the head, of course. But certain headaches occur in specific locations on the skull, while others may be more erratic. Do your headaches always strike one side of the head? Do they stay in place, or do they crawl towards the middle of your face? These are all important clues in helping your doctor determine if your headache is a migraine.

How long do your headaches last?

Migraine headaches can last for hours or days, and be resistant to medication, while sinus headaches may respond well to treatment and be relatively short-lived.  Other types of headaches, cluster headaches for example, may strike quickly and disappear just as rapidly, and recur throughout the day.  Knowing how long head pain lasts on a regular basis is instrumental in telling if your headache is a migraine headache.

Migraine headaches

Migraine headaches are a neurological disorder, often set off by triggers in food, weather, scents, or our own behavior, like eating or sleeping habits. Migraine headaches characteristically strike one side of the head only, but variations may sometimes occur.

Most likely, your headache is a migraine if it also includes nausea, vomiting, fatigue, eye sensitivity, and neck stiffness. Chronic migraines occur more than 14 times per month, and require a day of recuperation afterwards.

Some migraines occur after an aura phase, which includes vertigo, visual distortions, and stroke-like symptoms like temporary paralysis and loss of speech abilities; these are likewise called “migraines with aura.”

Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches are rare, but excruciatingly painful. They occur in sets, or “clusters,” that may happen repeatedly for weeks or months, or just a few weeks out of a year. Each headache is brief and severe, coming and going quickly like a lightning strike. Usually, one side of the head is affected.  Unlike migraines, which often occur after a warning sign (aura or prodrome phase), cluster headaches attack out of the blue.

Sinus headaches

Sinus headaches sometimes trigger migraines, but only if you are already diagnosed as a patient of migraine trigger. For others, a sinus headache is not a migraine- even if it occurs chronically and causes intense head pain. Sinus headache symptoms are crushing pressure and pain in the sinus areas- cheeks, temples, nose, forehead, and sometimes, between the eyes. Other symptoms of sinus congestion besides headache may include runny nose, coughing, phlegm, earaches, and fever.

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Migraine aura and prodrome are both warning signs that tell you that a migraine is about to attack. But not all migraine sufferers experience migraines with aura, and sometimes, the symptoms of prodrome are hard to detect. Here are some helpful clues to help you tell the difference between the migraine aura and prodrome stages.

Migraines come in stages

Migraine disorder is a neurological illness that causes a series of debilitating ailments, including migraine headaches, nausea, vomiting, and intense fatigue. A “migraine attack” refers specifically to the progression of these symptoms, from beginning to end. While a migraine attack can last for hours or days, the symptoms of migraine may vary for each patient.

Migraines occur in four stages– The first stage, prodrome, occurs at the onset of a migraine attack; next, migraine aura, which is followed immediately by severe headache.  Finally, the postdrome (recuperation) phase marks the tail end of a migraine attack.

Prodrome phase

About 30% of people who get migraines experience a pre-headache phase known as prodrome.  A prodrome can occur several days, or just one day, before any other migraine symptoms. This is an important distinguishing factor between migraine aura and prodrome, the latter of which allows more time to utilize preventative strategies to halt oncoming migraine attacks.

Migraine trigger avoidance, relaxation techniques, and natural vitamins, minerals, and herbs that benefit migraine patients are most effective during the prodrome stage of migraines.

Symptoms of migraine prodrome include:

• Unusual changes in appetite
• Unusual food cravings
• Sudden exhilaration or fatigue
• Swift mood changes
• Stomach problems
• Neck stiffness

Migraines with aura

Not all people experience both migraine aura and prodrome ; about 20% of migraine sufferers receive disturbing stroke-like symptoms associated with migraine aura shortly before the headache strikes.  Unlike the prodrome phase, which can happen several days before a migraine strikes, migraine aura occurs suddenly. People who experience migraines with aura notice the warning signs mere minutes before they start to experience excruciating headache and sharp eye pain.

During this time, abortive medications for migraines are sometimes helpful, but not always.

Symptoms of migraine aura include:

• Visual distortions, including zigzagging lines, shifting crescent shapes, bright flickering lights, peripheral vision loss, double vision, or empty voids
• Disorientation, sudden inability to comprehend or communicate
• Distorted sense of spatial awareness and time
• Olfactory hallucinations, including toxic or burnt paper scents
• Temporary partial paralysis
• Sudden speech impairments, including slurring
• Ear ringing
• “Pins and needles” sensation in the hands, feet, or head

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Like this? Read more:

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Migraine prodromes separated from the aura: complete migraine.

Anatomy of a Migraine

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Migraines and work stress are some of the biggest health crises facing migraine sufferers today.  Work stress is not only bad for productivity; it’s also detrimental to your health! Migraines and work stress have been correlated in countless studies, accounting for a rising unemployment rate and disability among migraine patients all over the US.

Some symptoms of job-related stress include:

Headaches– no surprise there. Stress is a frequent trigger of migraine headaches. Daily stress encountered at work is often a source of crippling migraine attacks that never seem to disappear.

Fatigue– constant fatigue is a byproduct of migraines and work stress, but it can also signify problems with depression or other health conditions, such as fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Apathy– if you feel that you’re insignificant at work, or that nothing you do at work matters, then you may be suffering from severe work stress requiring attention, and possibly depression, a comorbid condition of migraine disorder.

Insomnia– sometimes, people take work stress home with them, causing them to lose sleep and spend many restless nights worrying about their jobs. Sleeplessness is one of many migraine triggers, so to prevent migraines and work stress, it’s important to learn how to shut off anxious thoughts while you’re in bed, so that you’ll be able to get to sleep quicker and wake up refreshed.

Stomach problems– stomach cramps, diarrhea, or nausea are all common symptoms of migraines and work stress. Gastrointestinal disorder occurs often with people who suffer severe migraines, but it could also indicate mounting stress at the workplace.

Distraction– “brain fog” happens when you’re under intense stress, but it also occurs with many neurological disorders, including migraines.

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Migraines and work stress are a growing problem for migraine sufferers everywhere- coping with constant migraine headaches while struggling to make ends meet in a shaky economy creates a very tense work environment. About 43% of US citizens have experienced job stress caused by rudeness in the workplace, according to a survey. To manage migraines and work stress, you need to learn ways to relieve tension (a migraine trigger) and create a happier work environment.

#1- Set an example

Always treat your coworkers the way you would want to be treated yourself. Even when others are rude (or downright hostile!), that’s no reason to resort to that behavior, yourself.  Practice speaking quietly when you’re stressed, and choose your words carefully. When you’re really angry, it’s probably best not to speak at all, and wait until you’ve had a moment to contemplate. Eventually, other people will get that you’re not into confrontations.

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#2- Pretend you’re hard of hearing

Sometimes, fighting fire with fire only creates a raging inferno of more migraines and work stress. When somebody at work makes an impolite remark about your being late or needing to wear migraine sunglasses indoors, don’t retort back at her with an equally unfriendly remark. Just bite your tongue and shrug it off- you’ll feel better for it.

#3- Create a friendship circle

It’s not enough to ignore toxic people- you should also make an effort to befriend other coworkers, people you can chat comfortably with during breaks. Better yet, set up a support system where people can talk openly (but civilly) about changes that would benefit the work environment. This would also be a good opportunity to reduce migraines and work stress by addressing migraine triggers in the workplace, such as strong perfumes, loud noises, or bright artificial lighting.

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If you get chronic migraines with aura, then your chances of suffering symptoms of both migraines and stroke are greater than average- many studies correlate migraine symptoms such as disorientation, muscular feebleness, and visual disturbances with increased risk for stroke. Here are some tips for distinguishing symptoms of migraines and stroke.

Understanding migraines and stroke

We all dread any mention of the word, but many don’t understand what occurs during a stroke, and what risk factors increase your odds for having one. Similarly, many myths and misconceptions abound regarding symptoms of migraines.

First of all, not all stroke victims are senior citizens- a recent study revealed that approximately half of the people who suffer stroke are under the age of 65, and that roughly a quarter weren’t even 55 years of age. For migraines, most sufferers are middle-aged, although many children also experience pediatric migraines.

Ischemic stroke occurs because of a blocked artery in the brain that causes depletion of vital nutrients and oxygen, resulting in brain malfunction. With hemorrhagic stroke, impaired ability to see, walk, or talk clearly is caused by a burst blood vessel in the brain.

Doctors aren’t sure exactly what causes migraines, but they attribute them to a neurological disorder in the brain that causes excruciating headaches, nausea, and vomiting.

Risk factors for migraines and stroke

Risk factors for suffering from stroke include:

• Experiencing auras, which are stroke-like symptoms with migraines that occur in a significant number of migraine sufferers.
• Obesity
• High blood pressure

Risk factors for migraines are not as clear. Most migraine sufferers are women- three to one, females are a higher risk category than males for migraine headaches.

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What are the symptoms of stroke?

Symptoms of migraines and stroke are very similar- to an onlooker, somebody having a severe migraine attack with aura may seem to be suffering from stroke. If you regularly get migraines with aura, then it’s important to be able to recognize some telltale signs of stroke, and tell the difference in time to get help.

Stroke symptoms include:

• Sudden numbness or feebleness on one side of the body, occurring in the face, arms, torso, or legs.
• Intense disorientation
• Difficulty speaking clearly, slurring words
• Sudden vision loss
• Dizziness
• Vertigo
• Trouble walking
• Sudden strong headache

How to tell the difference

If you suspect you are having a stroke, don’t hesitate to call 911 emergency services.

Here are some helpful clues to help you understand some key differences between symptoms of migraines and stroke.

• Stoke occurs suddenly- one second you’re fine, and the next, you experience a rush of debilitating symptoms. With migraine aura, symptoms occur more gradually. Also, you often have a warning, during the prodrome phase, where you may experience feelings of unusual exhilaration, food cravings, or hallucinatory scents.
• With stroke, vision problems include temporary loss of vision in one or both eyes, but no other types of visual impairments. With migraines, you may suffer double-vision, blurry vision, empty voids, peripheral blind spots, or bright, shifting light patterns.

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Stroke and migraine