A migraine can be disabling — with symptoms so severe, all you can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down. Up to 17 percent of women and 6 percent of men have experienced a migraine.

In some cases, these painful headaches are preceded or accompanied by a sensory warning sign (aura), such as flashes of light, blind spots or tingling in your arm or leg. A migraine is also often accompanied by other signs and symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine pain can be excruciating and may incapacitate you for hours or even days.

A typical migraine attack produces some or all of these signs and symptoms:

• Moderate to severe pain, which may be confined to one side of the head or may affect both sides
• Head pain with a pulsating or throbbing quality
• Pain that worsens with physical activity
• Pain that interferes with your regular activities
• Nausea with or without vomiting
• Sensitivity to light and sound

Migraine triggers
Whatever the exact mechanism of headaches, a number of things may trigger them. Common migraine triggers include:

• Hormonal changes. Although the exact relationship between hormones and headaches isn't clear, fluctuations in estrogen seem to trigger headaches in many women with known migraines. Women with a history of migraines often report headaches immediately before or during their periods, and this corresponds to a major drop in estrogen. Others have an increased tendency to develop migraines during pregnancy or menopause. Hormonal medications, such as contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy, also may worsen migraines.
• Foods. Certain foods appear to trigger headaches in some people. Common offenders include alcohol, especially beer and red wine; aged cheeses; chocolate; fermented, pickled or marinated foods; aspartame; overuse of caffeine; monosodium glutamate — a key ingredient in some Asian foods; certain seasonings; and many canned and processed foods. Skipping meals or fasting also can trigger migraines.
• Stress. A hard week at work followed by relaxation may lead to a weekend migraine. Stress at work or home also can instigate migraines.
• Sensory stimuli. Bright lights and sun glare can produce head pain. So can unusual smells — including pleasant scents, such as perfume and flowers, and unpleasant odors, such as paint thinner and secondhand smoke.
• Changes in wake-sleep pattern. Either missing sleep or getting too much sleep may serve as a trigger for migraine attacks in some individuals.
• Physical factors. Intense physical exertion, including sexual activity, may provoke migraines.
• Changes in the environment. A change of weather, season, altitude level, barometric pressure or time zone can prompt a migraine.
• Medications. Certain medications can aggravate migraines.