Soldiers who survive wars without injuries may not have all the reason to rejoice as they may unconsciously have developed other ailments. In a recent study, it showed that almost 20 percent of U.S. soldiers from Iraq or one out of five were diagnosed with migraines.
Tension Headache Cure
Although some perceive migraine as a relatively not serious condition, doctors would say otherwise. Migraine may be “unserious” to some but may result to more complicated health conditions or even fatal.
The study results also showed that there is a link between migraine and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the development of his conclusion, the researcher conducted interviews on almost 2,200 U.S. Army soldiers within 90 days of their return from a year of combat duty in Iraq. Most of the veterans did have significant exposure to combat situations while serving in the war-torn country.
Half of the soldiers who suffered from migraines were also clinically depressed, compared to just 27 percent of those without the painful headaches, the researchers reported.
And 39 percent of migraine sufferers were also deemed to have PTSD, compared to just 18 percent of soldiers without migraines. Anxiety disorders were also higher among migraine-prone veterans (22 percent) compared to those without the headaches (10 percent).
However, the researcher found difficulty in assessing whether the pain of migraine helps trigger depression and anxiety in returning soldiers, or whether these types of psychological ills help spur migraines.
Generally, migraine begins as a dull ache and then develops into a constant throbbing and pulsating pain that you may feel at the temples, as well as the front or back of one or both sides of the head.
Usually the pain is accompanied by a combination of nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise. Some people experience an aura before an attack.
Latest statistics show that more than 29.5 million Americans suffer from migraine, with women being affected three times more often than men. This vascular headache is most commonly experienced between the ages of 15 and 55, and 70% to 80% of sufferers have a family history of migraine.
Less than half of all migraine sufferers, however, have received a diagnosis of migraine from their healthcare provider. Migraine is often misdiagnosed as sinus headache or tension-type headache.
Experts say many factors can trigger migraine attacks, such as alteration of sleep-wake cycle; missing or delaying a meal. Sunlight, fluorescent lights, TV and movie viewing; certain foods and excessive noise are also known triggers. Stress and/or underlying depression are important trigger factors that can be diagnosed and treated adequately.
Why Do I Get Headaches
Treatment for migraine may include over-the-counter or prescription medications like Fioricet. Fioricet is available online through drugstoretm.com. It has been proven to be a safe and effective relief for migraine and other types of headaches.
Self-help techniques such as relaxation training and biofeedback likewise ease the pain. Yet sufferers are advised to immediately consult a doctor if the pain persists as this may be a symptom of a more complicated condition.
If migraines are not controlled properly, experts said, they would most likely bring on depression. On the other hand, anxiety is a frequent trigger for migraine.
But good news to sufferers is that whatever their cause, most migraines can be curbed or controlled. Yet doctors lament there are so many sufferers who haven't had proper treatment.
Researchers believe the recent study on the war veterans will be a wake-up call to military and civilian doctors to look a bit further whenever they spot migraines in a patient, because those headaches could point to psychological troubles, as well.
By Jennifer Alinio