Migraines consist of four distinct phases that include onset of symptoms, aura, attack and recovery. Abdominal migraine sufferers often experience strong abdominal pain that may encompass the attack phase or merely be a symptom of a traditional headache migraine. According to relievemigraineheadache.com, children primarily experience abdominal migraines. Diagnosis is often difficult when no headache accompanies the symptom.
Significance
The American Journal of Managed Care estimates that over $18 billion is spent each year to treat migraines, which includes physician care, emergency hospital visits, medications and diagnostic services. Abdominal migraines typical require extra diagnostic tests to rule over other gastro-intestinal illnesses.
Identification
The National Headache Foundation lists several types of migraines. The two most prevalent types include migraines with or without auras. Abdominal migraines may characterize any of the subtypes since the only requirement is that intense abdominal pain accompanies the other phases of the migraine. Silent migraines lack the attack phase and are also difficult to diagnose. Optical, visual or ophthalmoplegic migraine sufferers report severe eye pain. Partial paralysis is the primary symptom of hemiplegic migraines. Basilar artery and retinal migraines describe the location of blood vessel dilations that produces other typical migraine symptoms.
Causes
Unfortunately, the exact cause of abdominal migraines is still not known. The National Headache Foundation suggests that parents who experience migraines are more likely to have children who experience abdominal migraines. Fortunately, migraine prescription medication still works to prevent abdominal migraines. Other migraine symptoms may be due to blood vessel dilations that induce pain or effect the body's normal function.
Prevention
Identifying the migraine triggers that induce abdominal migraines in your child may be the simplest form of prevention. Unfortunately, if your child is away from home when he experiences the abdominal migraines, your chance of identifying the trigger will be small. Establishing a log of all activities and food prior to migraine onset will help determine the triggers for your child.
Treatment
After your physician has ruled out any other possible gastro-intestinal problem, abdominal migraines may be treated with prescription medication. Beta blockers and anti-depressants are the primary drugs prescribed for children. Anti-convulsants are sometimes prescribed but few have been evaluated for use in children. The Mayo Clinic indicates that beta blockers change the body's response to epinephrine to improve overall blood circulation. The National Migraine Association reports that anti-depressants relieve overall pain by modulating the body's neurological impulses.
Warnings
Children should never be given any prescription drug without the guidance of a health care profession. All migraine preventatives have serious risks associated with them that you should discuss with your doctor first.
