Nature of Migraine Headaches, History and Prevalence Martin and Elkind (2004) defines migraine headaches as a chronic neurologic disorder characterized by attacks of intense and severe head pain with associated symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, weakness, vision disturbance, light sensitivity, and sound sensitivity. Some migraine headaches are associated with an "aura" which is a set of very specific symptoms affecting the brain and vision that often precedes certain types of migraines (Lampl, Katsarava, Diener & Limmroth, 2005).
According to DeRossett (1998), medical science was slow in recognizing migraine as a specific disorder. Myths and misinformation were common, most especially the notion that the migraine was really a symptom of an underlying and serious medical disease or disorder. Indeed, DeRossett states that it was not until the 1990s that a more comprehensive understanding of migraines was really established, along with preventative instead of merely abortive medications.
As to the prevalence of migraines, Malapira (2004) reports that in the United States, about 23 million people suffer from this form of headache with a greater prevalence for females (17.6 percent)than for males (6.0 percent. This gender difference is not present in prepubescence and only appears around late adolescence and early adulthood. The purpose of this paper is to examine the research on the causes of migraine headaches. The review of this literature begins with a br
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