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QUESTION 1:
According to Chawla (2016), there are many factors that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of migraine but none of them have been proven to be an absolute mechanism. The proposed theories are vascular theory, neurovascular theory, cortical spreading depression, brainstem activation, magnesium deficiency and endothelial dysfunction.
QUESTION 2:
According to mayoclinic.org (2016), migraine is a multi stage process and usually presents and progress through four stages. These four stages are prodrome, aura, pain in head and finally post-drome. The prodrome stage may give non-specific symptoms like constipation, euphoria, increased thirst and neck stiffness.
The symptoms of aura include double vision, flashes, numbness, tingling senstation, lacrimation, weakness of body parts, dysarthria, spastic jerky movements and tinnitus. It usually lasts for 10 to 20 minutes.
During the attack or actual headache period, the pain is usually concentrated on one side of the head but it can be diffuse. The pain is pulsatile, throbbing and associated with nausea, vomiting and blurred vision.
The post-drome phase presents with confusion, dizziness, weakness and depressed mood.
QUESTION 3:
According to Reddy (2013), the treatment of migraine is categorized into prophylactic, intermittent prophylaxis and symptomatic. But all in all, there are three major drug classes of which, one is available over the counter and the rest two are prescription drugs. First category is NSAIDs, second class is triptans and the last category is ergot alkaloids. Additional drugs for symptomatic relief like anti-emetics are also added while treating migraine.
QUESTION 4:
There is no single testing modality which has been the gold standard for the diagnosis of migraine. Rather, the diagnosis is always clinical and only in selected cases, where an organic cause like a space occupying lesion (SOL) is suspected, head and brain radiography is performed.
QUESTION 5:
According to Bigal et al. (2008), migraine has a high acute to chronic conversion rate and majority of the cases are merely controlled but never become disease free. But fortunately, they don’t require long hospitalizations and their disease is adequately controlled with proper medicines and avoidance of risk or inciting factors.
Works Cited
Bigal, Marcelo E and Richard B Lipton. "The Prognosis Of Migraine". Current Opinion in Neurology 21.3 (2008): 301-308. Web. 19 July 2016.
Chawla, Jaswinder. "Migraine Headache: Practice Essentials, Background, Pathophysiology". Emedicine.medscape.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 July 2016.
Reddy, Doodipala Samba. "The Pathophysiological And Pharmacological Basis Of Current Drug Treatment Of Migraine Headache". Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology 6.3 (2013): 271-288. Web.
"Symptoms And Causes - Migraine - Mayo Clinic". Mayoclinic.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 July 2016.
