UHAM043

26 * UNDERSTANDING HEADACHES AND M IG RAI N ES

A common migraine aura involves a 'scintiUating arc' of light moving its way across the field of view.

Migraines can have many causes, and many treatments. Hannah illus-trates this very well in her account. Notę that she relates her migraines to menstruation, so it is no coincidence then that she finds that chocolate can help to alleviate migraine. Many women turn to chocolate and other sweet foods during their period.

^bbln my early teens I started to sufferwith migraine-like symptoms on waking almost every Sunday morning. These were not accompamed by severe headaches, but I did feel very nauseous. I did not relate them to migraines until much morę recently. In my mid-teens I suffered migraine-like headaches, when I had a temporary job in a poorly lit office, i.e. with flickering fluorescent lights.

In my early twenties I suffered what I considered to be my first full-blown migraine. This started with a headache and nausea, which became progressively worse. I then suffered vomiting and started shak-ing v i o le n t ly and co u Id not stand a ny light in my eyes.

Since then, my migraines became quite a regular occurrence, partic-ularly during menstruation. I recall having taken aspirin and paracetamol though do not believe these were actually of much assistance. The migraines would sometimes last for as little as a few hours but on occasions lasted for several days. Ten days was the longest duration. It never occurred to me to try to tracę the cause at this stage.