Relief for migraine sufferers.

This article presents information on migraine headaches. Although not fully understood, migraines are thought to occur when neurons in the back of the brain stem become unstable, causing an imbalance of serotonin, a powerful amino acid relative that regulates blood vessel diameter and sleepiness, among many other functions. The headache, described often as throbbing and on only one side. Migraine is not an equal opportunity disease: 75% of the victims are women. Two-thirds of female migraines occur in the days near menstruation, when female sex hormone levels are in flux. Heredity also plays a big part: 75% of migraine sufferers have a family history of the ailment. The newest and most effective drug for migraine is Imitrex (sumatriptan).