What symptoms indicate a migraine?

In addition to the severe headaches that almost always accompany a migraine, there are a number of other symptoms that can occur. For example, the majority of those affected report increased sensitivity to external stimuli, such as bright light or noise. These can then already be perceived to an otherwise normal degree, as very unpleasant or even painful.

In addition, depending on the type of migraine, various neurological disorders can occur. These include eye flickering, sensory disturbances, visual field failures or even the seeing of flashes of light. However, these disorders never last longer than the headache itself.

The feeling of nausea or even vomiting is also not uncommon for people suffering from migraines. In most migraine cases, the headache begins in the neck and then moves towards the forehead, often dominating one side. They are usually intensified by physical exertion. Only in rare cases does a migraine attack occur without the typical strong throbbing headache.

Can this be an indication of pregnancy?

During pregnancy, headaches in combination with nausea can also occur. As a rule, it is not a dangerous cause and only reflects the change in the body. However, a few dangerous causes must also be excluded.

One of these is pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure during pregnancy, which can lead to life-threatening seizures if left untreated. Some women report that they suffered from increased headaches and nausea at the beginning of pregnancy. While regular nausea, especially in the morning, can sometimes really be the first indication of an existing pregnancy, headaches are an extremely unspecific sign, as there are countless causes for them.

Therapy

The therapy is usually performed symptomatically if no other causes requiring treatment can be found. Painkillers are available for this purpose, which can also be used during pregnancy (paracetamol). Iberogast or Vomex should ensure that the nausea disappears.

It is very important to make sure that you drink enough. If ametropia is diagnosed, it should be corrected with glasses. In case of electrolyte shifts (e.g. elevated sodium), the cause should first be sought and the sodium should then be balanced.

Also, if high blood pressure is detected, the cause should first be found, especially in younger people. Sometimes kidney diseases can also lead to a new occurrence of high blood pressure. If high blood pressure is already known or if it reoccurs in older patients, the immediate lowering of blood pressure should be started (either by increasing the already existing blood pressure medication or by supplementing it with a new medication).

In cases of headache, nausea and diarrhea, sufficient fluid intake should be ensured on the one hand, but an attempt can also be made to treat diarrhea symptomatically with Perenterol. All symptoms that include headache with nausea and are more indicative of a flu-like infection than the cause (joint and limb pain, fatigue) should be treated purely symptomatically, e.g. by appropriate pain management. If there is no improvement in the symptoms (nausea and vomiting), a neurological examination should be considered.This usually takes place in a neurological clinic and includes a detailed neurological examination and imaging of the head.

Either computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to determine whether the cause of the headache with nausea is a severe neurological disorder. In this case, a brain tumor or cerebral hemorrhage would be the most likely cause. It is important to choose the right time for the diagnosis.

A too fast diagnosis would go beyond the financial scope and also expose the patient to unnecessary radiation (CT). It is also important not to treat the patient with painkillers for an unnecessarily long time without knowing the exact cause. Especially young patients should always be considered for a serious neurological disease.

Since the symptom headache is probably as old as mankind itself, some home remedies have been found over time that have an effect on headaches with nausea. Peppermint oil is the most important of these. This can be bought in different dilutions in drugstores and pharmacies.

Very small quantities, about 1 drop, are rubbed onto the skin over the temples. After a few minutes, the rubbed-in area feels cool and the headaches, including nausea, usually subside somewhat or completely. It is also important to always make sure that you have drunk enough, as this is one of the most common causes of headaches. Other home remedies that many people swear by are drinking coffee with a splash of lemon or fresh ginger tea.