Abdominal Migraine
Abominal migraines are proof that the conventional medical profession really needs to start naming conditions more accurately. The word migraine implies head pain. This migraine is still in the head, not in the abdomen, but apparantly the pain is worse in the abdomen than in the head. These are really nasty experiences that you would wish on your worst enemies. Abdominal migraines are most common in children ages 5 - 9, but you never really outgrow them, do you, folks?
Where Is The Abdomen?
If you aren’t familiar with the word “abdomen”, don’t be embarrassed. Please never be afraid to ask any question of your health care professional or pharmacist. You need to understand what’s going on and where.
Anyway, the abdomen is a term meaning the entire belly area, pretty much from the bottom of your breasts to your pubic hair. This is a bit different from the abdomens in insects, but I do not know if insects can get abdominal migraines.
Symptoms
Your face turns a sickly pale (called “pallor”) often accompanied by dark shadows around the eyes. Some will not get pallor but will flush red, like when you have a fever. There’s not much pain in the head or eyes. The pain that’s taking up most of your attention is in your abdomen — your belly feels sore, you get very nauseated and usually vomit. Not suprisingly, you don’t have any appetite. This lasts from one hour to 72 hours.
Why Is This Linked With Migraines?
One of the reasons for the peculiar name is that is seems children with abdominal migraines grow up into adults with migraines (with or without auras). Treatments for migraine pain also seems to work on abdominal migraines, if the attacks are frequent.
There isn’t any one diagnostic test for abdominal migraine — your family medical history and other factors are taken into account. You might be tested for other consitions like irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer, duodenal obstruction or Crohn’s Disease to rule them out, as the early signs for them feel much the same as abdominal migraines.
Although distressing, abdominal migraines usually aren’t dangerous. The sooner you can get a diagnosis, the sooner you can get treatment. Please don’t use this article in place of a doctor’s advice.
Hope this helps.
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