Headaches are a common and familiar symptom in this modern world of stress and fatigue. “Migraines” are one of the most common headache disorders that cause the most visits to the doctor and impair quality of life.

Most people don't think much of migraines because they often go away after a good rest. However, migraines are not something that should be ignored, especially if they cause recurrent pain in a specific area and interfere with daily life.

A common misconception is that a migraine is a headache that affects only one side of the head, but migraines are more likely to affect both sides of the head at the same time. Some 40 percent of migraine patients develop headaches on both sides.

Migraines are characterized by a pulsating headache that feels like a blood vessel pulsating, throbbing, pounding, or stabbing pain. Also typical of migraines are gastrointestinal symptoms that accompany the headache, such as nausea and vomiting that may occur at the same time as the headache.

Besides headaches, migraine patients can also experience sensitivity to light, sound, and odors, which can cause a lot of discomfort in their daily lives. In some cases, migraine sufferers find that their symptoms become more severe when the weather changes, and they are more severe when it is cold or hot.

"Some patients may experience prodromal symptoms, including motion sickness, nausea, indigestion, feeling weak, one-sided numbness, visual disturbances, and flashes of light before the migraine attacks," said Dr. Kim Do-hyung, a professor of neurology at Daejeon Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University.

Chronic migraine patients also have various conditions like depression and IBS

People with migraines are more likely to have co-morbidities, including depression and anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and sleep disorders. More than half of people with chronic migraine suffer from depression.

It's a mutually adverse effect, with frequent headaches triggering depression and depression making headaches worse. Patients with frequent headaches, including migraines, should be evaluated for depression and treated accordingly.

In addition, IBS, characterized by abdominal pain or abdominal discomfort, has similar characteristics to migraines. Both conditions are more common in women and are more likely to begin before age 50.

According to Professor Kim, several studies have shown a higher incidence of migraines and headaches in people with IBS and a higher incidence of IBS in people with migraines.

However, when you have two or more chronic conditions with similar characteristics that can affect each other, it's best to treat each condition and its symptoms simultaneously. If you have anxiety or depression along with migraines, you had better treat them together.

"If you have headaches for more than 15 days a month, you should suspect chronic headaches, and if the symptoms last for more than three months, the diagnostic criteria for chronic headaches are applied," Kim explained. In other words, if people have headaches more than twice a week and more than eight times a month, a danger signal is on for chronic migraine.

If you suspect you have chronic migraines, it's a good idea to see a neurologist for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Many people take painkillers as soon as they experience migraine symptoms, and many respond well to over-the-counter painkillers when their migraines are mild or in the early stages.

However, if the frequency of painkillers increases and the condition persists for more than three months, it can lead to a medication-induced "drug overuse headache." In addition, patients who do not respond to OTC pain relievers, those who have frequent headaches, or who have additional neurological symptoms other than headaches, such as double vision, visual disturbances, or decreased consciousness, should seek medical attention.

Appropriate medication should then be prescribed. Besides, if you have frequent migraines, you may be able to try "preventive" treatments to reduce the frequency and intensity of your headaches. It’s also important to control the internal and external triggers that cause migraines and the living environment.

This is where keeping a headache diary comes in handy, as each person's migraine triggers are somewhat different. It is necessary to keep a headache diary because you can identify headache triggers and develop habits to avoid them.

"It is recommended to improve your lifestyle so that your sleep, waking, eating, and exercise are balanced," Professor Kim said. "It is important to avoid or control factors that can worsen your migraines."