Migraine Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Insurance

Migraine

Migraine is a neurological condition that causes severe, recurring, and painful headaches. Migraines are usually associated with changes in the sensitivity toward light, sound, and smell. It can be a result of specific physiological changes within the brain which leads to continuous headache and feeling of nausea. There are certain specific symptoms that occur during or right before a migraine attack. Feeling of nausea, vomiting, difficulty in speaking, and sensitivity to sound shows signs of an impending migraine attack.

Not all headaches can be categorized as migraines. Only headaches which are recurring and cause immense pain are migraines. The two main categories are migraine headache with aura and without aura. The headache with aura is called classic migraine, and that without aura is known as common migraine. This categorization is completely based on the clinical history of the patient.

Migraine headaches are common these days. Some may face this problem since childhood, whereas some may experience it in their early adulthood. It is seen that women are more likely to suffer from migraines due to stress.

Migraine Symptoms

The symptoms of migraine vary from person to person and are divided into two phases. The prodrome and attack phase depending on aura migraine or migraine without aura. The prodrome phase occurs one or two days prior to the migraine. Here we will discuss a few common symptoms associated with both the phases and migraine headaches. The symptoms are:

Food cravings
Fatigue and low energy
Frequent yawning
Sensitivity to light, sound, and smell
Feeling of nausea or vomiting
Severe and throbbing headache
Painful eyes

These symptoms vary from person to person and thus, it is not necessary that everyone go through both these phases. Some may not even feel the pain until migraine strikes. Therefore, the intensity of these symptoms may vary.

Migraine Diagnosis

Migraine headaches can be severe, and the patient should undergo a diagnosis from a good doctor. For treating migraines, a neurologist should be consulted. The migraine diagnosis largely depends on family history, symptoms, and physical examination. There are two main types of test that are run by doctors for diagnosing severe migraine headaches.

The first test conducted by the neurologist is an MRI scan. The MRI scan shows the detailed images of the brain, which helps in knowing the root for the recurring pain. It also examines if the brain has any tumours, blood clots, etc. which could cause such neurological condition. The second physical examination used for migraine diagnosis is CT scan. This scan uses X-rays to create a cross-sectional image of the brain. This helps to determine all the related medical problems associated with the brain and intensity of the migraine.

Migraine Treatment and Cost in India

Migraines should be ideally treated by way of medications. The treatments are aimed at reducing the pain and reducing the intensity of the headaches. There are two main categories for treating migraines and migraine prevention. The first migraine treatment is pain-relieving treatment. Such treatment provides medication for relieving the headaches. This treatment is also known as acute treatment. It reduces migraine pain and stops the symptoms.

On the other hand, the second type of medication is for preventing migraine headaches. These medications need to be taken on a regular basis for reducing the intensity of the migraine headaches. The preventive medication is for people suffering from the symptoms of migraine. Taking the medications on a daily basis would decrease the severity of the headaches.

If a patient is suffering from intensive migraines, then neurologist would recommend him or her for surgery. With this surgery, the doctors decompress the nerves that are causing pain. This would reduce the level of migraine. Migraine surgery can be costly, but those who have a health insurance policy might get their treatment covered depending on the insurance plan.

Health Insurance in India

Health insurance is essential in a developing nation like India. This is because India requires healthcare and other basic facilities. A wide range of people are not aware of healthy lifestyle choices and their effects on the body. In India, problems like pollution and unhygienic living conditions are the root cause for many severe diseases.

There are some of the best health insurance policies in India that suit different kinds of people. Insurance policy providers offer customized plans for different people, depending on their income, age, and benefits. The best policies include annual medical checkup, organ donor expenses, pre and post hospitalization expenses, etc.

Migraines are covered under most health insurance plans in India. However, if you are suffering from migraine while purchasing the policy, it is essential to reveal it. Simply stating, headaches which could, in reality, be migraine can lead to rejection of claims. It is essential that you provide complete, accurate information while purchasing the insurance policy.

Other diseases in India

The Indian healthcare system is under a lot of stress to the exploding population and poverty. These lead to people affecting and suffering from diseases that could be prevented during the initial stages. This results in the outbreak of various contagious and epidemic diseases. People need to be educated about such health-related matters so that they do not suffer from such major diseases. Some of the diseases in India are: