Can Migraines Really Kill?

When people think of migraines, they usually just think of the pain. But migraines are more than just pain. They are a serious neurological disease. And they can kill you. Now, of course, most of the time a migraine will just send you to your room to lie in the dark in agony for the remainder of the day, but sometimes it is much more serious than that. If your migraine is escalating and not giving more than four hours of relief during the course of 72 hours, you are experiencing status migrainous.

This dangerous condition is associated with an increased risk of stroke, and needs immediate medical attention. If you experience this, you should go to the emergency room and ask for a brain scan. You may be having a migrainous stroke, also called a migrainous infarction. Never heard of that term before? You're not alone. Most people who don't suffer from migraines, and even many who do, aren't aware of the serious nature of the disease. But it is real. Just ask the friends and family of a 21 year old woman named Abi who died of amigrainous stroke in October 2001. Or ask Mark Ellis, a 22 year old father who suffered a stroke as a result of a migraine and was left completely paralyzed and unable to communicate.

The term migrainous infarction refers to a stroke caused by a migraine, when other causes of stroke can be excluded. Like any stroke, you need to pay attention to warning signs and get help right away to avoid permanent or even fatal consequences. Here are the signs you need to look for:

A very sudden onset of a severe headache. This is also known as a "thunderclap headache."You feel like you are having the worst headache of your lifeDizziness, difficulty walking in a straight lineGarbled speechDifficulty understanding words being spoken to youWeakness/Numbness in the face, arm and/or leg on one side of the bodyDouble Vision

Although they are relatively uncommon, migrainous strokes do happen, and sometimes they have fatal outcomes. In addition, just having migraines with aura gives a person a six-fold increase risk of ischemic stroke ( a different type of stroke than a migrainous stroke). It is a sad, chilling warning to those with migraines and their loved ones. If your migraine is getting that bad, get to the hospital right away. It might just save your life. But more importantly, focus on knowing your migraine triggers and learning how to avoid getting one in the first place.

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.