MIGRAINES ARE AN ANCIENT AND EXTREMELY PAINFUL PROBLEM FOR HUMANS

9000 year old skulls exist with evidence of trepanation or skull drilling. It is believed that this drastic step was taken in response to headaches, though there is no clear evidence proving this. Headache with neuralgia was recorded in the medical documents of the ancient Egyptians as early as 1200 BC. In 400 BC Hippocrates described the visual aura that can precede the migraine headache and the relief which can occur through vomiting. The word migraine is French in origin and comes from the Greek hemicrania, as does the Old English term megrim. Literally, hemicrania means "half (the) head". It is widespread in the world population. In the U.S., 18% of women and 6% of men report having had at least one migraine episode in the previous year, with seriousness ranging from an annoyance to a life-threatening and/or daily experience.

Total direct medical costs associated with migraines in the United States amounted to almost two billion dollars in 2004, in addition to lost productivity estimated at seventeen billion to 20 billion dollars per year.In classifying the types of headache, the International Headache Society defines intensity of pain on a verbal 4 point scale: 0. no pain; 1. mild pain does not interfere with usual activities; 2. moderate pain 'inhibits, but does not wholly prevent usual activities; 3. severe pain 'prevents all activities. There are at least four common types: Migraine without aura--This is the most commonly seen form of migraine; Migraine with aura--This is the second most commonly seen form of migraine; Abdominal migraine—A recurrent disorder of unknown origin which occurs mainly in children; Menstrual migraine--is distinct from other migraines (Approximately 21 million women in the U.S. suffer from migraines and about 60% of them suffer from menstrual migraines)

Migraine attacks may be triggered by: allergic food reactions, bright lights, loud noises, physical and emotional stress, changes in sleep patterns, smoking and exposure to smoke, plus many others. Dr. Ian Livingstone, director of the Princeton Headache Clinic, recommends eliminating the following common headache triggers from the diet: aged cheese, monosodium glutamate, processed fish and meats containing nitrates (such as hot dogs), dark chocolate, aspartame, certain alcoholic beverages (including red wine), citrus fruits, and caffeine. For those who have never suffered from a migraine, you have no concept of real pain. It has been said to drive some to suicide.