A lot of people are confused about the terms headache and migraine. They tend to use the terms interchangeably. To clarify, migraine causes headaches, but all headaches may not be due to migraine. Migraine is a neurological condition that causes severe, recurring and painful headaches. Migraine can be a real headache to the patient, both literally and otherwise.
Stages
In most cases, the following stages are observed during an attack or episode of migraine. Migraine is more prevalent in women than men.
Prodrome
This is the warning that a migraine attack is forthcoming. Symptoms may be extremely mild at this stage.
Aura
This is the beginning stage of a migraine episode. Symptoms are mild but more severe than in the prodrome stage.
Headache
This is the actual migraine episode, and the headache is most pronounced during this stage.
Postdrome
This is the last stage, post the headache stage. You may feel tired and drained at this stage.
Symptoms
The following symptoms are observed in most migraine patients. Symptoms and their severity may vary from person to person. All patients may not experience all the symptoms.
- Food cravings
- Rapidly fluctuating moods
- Constipation
- Stiffness in the neck, especially before a migraine attack
- Pulsating and throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head
- Sensitivity to sound and light
- Blurry vision
- Light-headedness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue and low energy
- Frequent yawning
- Sensitivity to light, sound, and smell
- Painful eyes
Diagnosis
If you are suffering from these symptoms regularly, you may consult a physician for diagnosis. Following are the typical methods of diagnosing migraines.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan
Images of the brain are obtained using a combination of powerful magnetic fields and radio waves. This scan is also used to obtain images of the blood vessels to detect abnormalities.
Computerized Tomography (CT) scan
Images are obtained using X-rays controlled by a computer. It can create in-depth cross-sectional images to detect abnormalities.
Treatment
Treatment follows a two-fold approach:
- Reduce the severity of the headache and other symptoms
- Prevent future attacks
A combination of medicines and procedures is followed depending on the severity of the case. Migraine treatment may involve the following
Pain-relieving Medications
Also known as Abortive Treatment. Patients are advised to take the prescribed drugs during migraine attacks to reduce pain and give migraine relief.
Medications that Lower Blood Pressure
Beta-blockers such as propranolol and metoprolol tartrate may be advised.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants can prevent migraine episodes. However, your physician may prescribe some other antidepressants, considering the migraine triggers and side effects of the prescribed medications.
Anti-seizure Drugs
A doctor may advise anti-seizure drugs. However, the physician may take an appropriate call considering the side effects and vitals.
Safeguard Yourself
Frequent and recurring migraine attacks may demoralise you. It can leave you mentally and physically drained, severely affecting the quality of your life.
Detection and treatment of migraines can be costly and long-drawn. What can you do to safeguard yourself from the financial burden of migraines and similar diseases? Read more about migraines here. Read along to know how medical insurance can help you.
Apply for Medical Insurance
Applying for health insurance is your best bet to safeguard your finances from medical expenses of chronic migraines. You may apply for medical insurance online from a trusted website or a secure app. Medical insurance apps are known to make the medical insurance application smooth and easy. You may be surprised to see how easy medical insurance online application really is.
Advantages of Medical Insurance
Medical or health insurance plans cover the following expenses, among others depending on your policy.
Pre-hospitalisation Expenses
Expenses that you incur before the hospitalisation with the hospitalisation are pre-hospitalisation expenses. These may be the cost of medicines, tests or doctor’s consultations.
Hospitalisation Expenses
Expenses that you incur during hospitalisation are hospitalisation expenses. They may be medicines, room rent, cost of equipment, medical procedures, tests and treatments.
Post-hospitalisation Expenses
Expenses that you incur after the hospitalisation with the hospitalisation are post-hospitalisation expenses. These may be the cost of medicines, tests or specialists’ consultations.
Daycare or Out Patient Department (OPD) Treatment Expenses
Some ailments or conditions may not require hospitalisation. They may be covered subject to the terms, conditions and limits laid out in the policy.
Cashless Hospitalisation
Most health insurance policies provide cashless hospitalisation at network hospitals. Upon admission, they will seek pre-approval of the claim from the insurer.
Coverage of Migraine Treatment
It is always a good idea to come clean about your conditions at the time of application. Not doing so may lead to the rejection of claims in the future. Coverage of migraine treatment may vary from insurer to insurer. Some may cover it as a declared pre-existing condition, and some may not. It is best to check with the insurer while applying. You can always go for a policy that covers migraines.
Also, read Seven Benefits of buying a health insurance policy at a young age