Understanding Abdominal Migraine
Abdominal migraine is not a migraine headache as is generally known. As the name suggests, abdominal migraine is a painful condition in the stomach. However, this problem often occurs as a reaction to the same triggers as migraine headaches. When it occurs, this disorder can cause severe pain, causing nausea, cramps, and vomiting.
Abdominal migraine is the most common cause of chronic and recurrent abdominal pain in children aged five to nine years, but can also occur in adults. This stomach disorder occurs more often in girls than boys.
This disorder is recognized as an episodic syndrome that may be associated with migraines that can be caused by hereditary factors. That way, children who often experience this disorder can grow into adults with a high risk of migraines. If your child often experiences this disorder, it is a good idea to immediately get a doctor’s examination.
Causes of Abdominal Migraines
The cause of abdominal migraines is not yet known with certainty. The possibility that this problem occurs is related to chemicals in the body, namely histamine and serotonin. In addition, feelings of irritation or worry are believed to increase a person’s risk of experiencing this disorder because there is a connection between the gut and the brain.
Several types of food, such as chocolate, foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG), citrus, caffeine, cheese, carbonated drinks, containing dyes and flavorings, and meat processed with nitrites, can trigger abdominal migraines in some people.
Other triggers that can cause abdominal migraines include very bright light, poor quality sleep, traveling, fasting for long periods, and stressors at school or family. Swallowing a lot of air can also trigger pain in the stomach due to bloating and difficulty eating.
Abdominal Migraine Risk Factors
Certain situations can be risk factors for abdominal migraine attacks. The triggers can vary from person to person. However common risk factors are usually:
- Stress, such as the stress of school or family life.
- Poor sleep quality and irregular sleep patterns.
- Prolonged fasting.
- Dehydration.
- Traveling and motion sickness.
- Sport.
- Eat foods that contain lots of amines, such as citrus fruits, chocolate, cheese, salami, and ham.
- Consuming foods with added flavorings, colorings, and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
- The room lights are flickering because they are broken.
- Consuming more than 200 milligrams of caffeine.
Abdominal Migraine Symptoms
Symptoms of abdominal migraine often occur suddenly and are severe, without previous signs. This disease can cause pain in the middle of the body or around the navel, which is called midline abdominal pain.
Stomach migraine is a recurring episode of moderate to severe stomach pain that lasts between 1 and 72 hours. People with this disease will usually experience symptoms such as:
- Pain in the middle of the stomach or around the navel.
- Pain can feel moderate to severe.
- Usually, the pain is diffuse or cannot be pinpointed with certainty.
- Pain can recur within weeks or months, and there is usually a characteristic pattern of symptoms for sufferers.
- Feeling nauseous or vomiting.
- A pale or flushed face.
- Weak and without energy.
- Loss of appetite.
- Have dark shadows under the eyes.
- There are black bags under the eyes.
Abdominal Migraine Diagnosis
The diagnosis of abdominal migraine is often difficult because children find it difficult to explain the complaints they experience between abdominal migraine and stomach aches, stomach flu, and other stomach disorders.
As with other migraine disorders, there is no diagnostic test to confirm this disease. Diagnosis can be achieved by looking at the family’s medical history, and physical examination, and carrying out supporting examinations to rule out other causes that can cause similar symptoms.
However, the determination can be made using the ICHD III criteria. Based on ICHD III, the diagnosis of abdominal migraine can be based on the presence of an unknown cause of abdominal pain that is moderate to severe and chronic, recurrent, located in the mid-abdominal area, around the navel, or cannot be clearly localized, the pain is dull.
Attacks usually last 2-72 hours without treatment and sufferers usually do not feel symptoms between attacks. In addition, there must be at least two other associated symptoms, such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and paleness when pain attacks occur, and there must have been at least 5 episodes of pain to confirm the diagnosis.
It’s necessary to carry out further examination by a doctor to be able to distinguish abdominal migraine from other possible causes of the symptoms felt, such as those caused by gastrointestinal disorders, central nervous system disorders, metabolic disorders, urogenital causes, hematological/oncological diseases, infections, rheumatism, etc.
Abdominal Migraine Treatment
If diagnosed with abdominal migraine, treatment involves eliminating symptoms during an attack and preventing future recurrences. So, here are some treatment methods that are generally carried out by medical experts, namely:
1. Non-pharmacological therapy
Therapy generally begins with non-pharmacological therapy, such as explanation and education to prevent triggers, behavioral/habit therapy, and diet modification. Meanwhile, behavioral therapy includes psychotherapy, special cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, family therapy, and yoga. Several diet modifications can be made, such as a high-fiber diet, consuming probiotics, a lactose-free diet (for people with lactose intolerance).
2. Consuming drugs
If it is difficult to deal with complaints, the doctor will likely prescribe several medications to manage stomach migraines. Here are some drugs that doctors can prescribe based on their use to treat abdominal migraines:
- NSAIDs or acetaminophen are useful for relieving pain.
- Triptans, drugs that are useful for treating migraine headaches and can prevent symptoms from developing.
- Anti-nausea medication, this drug works to block chemicals in the brain that trigger vomiting.
As with migraine headaches, one of the main ways to prevent abdominal migraines is to avoid triggers. All family members and doctors need to work together to identify specific triggers in order to develop better strategies to maximally avoid triggers.
There are several side effects from several abdominal migraine medications, including dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, blurred vision, weakness, and cold hands and feet. If you experience these symptoms, it’s a good idea to immediately discuss it with a doctor.
Apart from that, the medicines used to treat stomach disorders can only be purchased with a doctor’s prescription to avoid unwanted things.
3. Lifestyle changes
Treatment for abdominal migraines can also involve changing lifestyle, behavior or habits. Try lying down in a dark, quiet room to relieve symptoms. In addition, several lifestyle changes can help relieve abdominal migraine attacks, namely:
- Get enough sleep.
- Drink enough water.
- Consume nutritious food regularly.
- Exercise regularly.
- Manage stress.
You can also make lifestyle changes accompanied by medication prescribed by a doctor, to experience more effective benefits.
Prevention of Abdominal Migraine
One way to prevent abdominal migraines from recurring is to avoid triggers. With the help of parents and doctors, children who suffer from abdominal migraines can find out what triggers them.
Mothers need to record their children’s daily activities regarding their food, activities, consumption of medicine or vitamins, and anything that can trigger stress or anxiety. If food is the cause, make sure to avoid it.
Children who suffer from abdominal migraines need to learn cleaner daily changes. Make sure to eat nutritious foods with lots of fiber, exercise every day with enough sleep, and learn how to manage emotions and overcome problems.
Abdominal Migraine Complications
Abdominal migraines that continue to be ignored can develop into cephalic migraines (head migraines), although the pain in the stomach has resolved in most sufferers. In addition, abdominal migraines can continue to occur even in adulthood.
When Should You See a Doctor?
If your child experiences complaints of chronic and recurring abdominal pain, as well as other symptoms that suggest abdominal migraines, immediately consult the nearest doctor.