Understanding Basilar Artery Migraine

2008-01-14 12:27:09

( Pharmeceutical-Medical )



If you suffer at least three headaches a week, or your headache comes with a painful stiff neck or fever, then you should not fail to consult your physician because you might be experiencing a basilar artery migraine. Basilar artery migraine, like any other types of migraine, is more than a headache. It generally presents with a symptom associated with your neurologic system.

Basilar artery migraine produces a number of confusing symptoms that can mimic hysteria and epilepsy. Other symptoms, which include difficulty speaking or hearing, loss of balance, double vision, confusion and poor muscle coordination, usually occur up to forty-five minutes, before you experience a severe headache at the base of your neck. It is the dilation of the basilar artery (the blood vessel supplying blood to your brain) that induces an attack of basilar artery migraine.

Although it rarely leads to stroke, be aware that seizure may accompany an attack of basilar artery migraine. In this case, doctors might find it difficult to diagnose the disorder. The attacks of basilar artery migraine are usually not frequent, and it may not recur over the years. However, in some cases, you may develop other migraine varieties after the basilar artery migraine ceases.

It is common to see children (who can be as young as four months), adolescents and young adult women suffering basilar artery migraine. Two-thirds of basilar artery migraine sufferers are women, and they usually experience this type of migraine shortly before their menstruation period. Studies are still not conclusive as to how or why basilar artery migraine behaves this way. What is certain, however, is that smoking and taking of birth control pills are some of the contributing factors of the condition. For this reason, your doctor would recommend that you stop smoking and use other birth control methods.


All rights Reserved © Tradenet Services srl
Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form.