Abdominal migraine is not a one-sided headache as commonly known. As the name suggests, abdominal migraine or abdominal migraine is a condition of pain in the abdomen . However, this problem often occurs as a reaction to the same triggers as migraine headaches. When it occurs, this disorder can cause severe pain that can cause 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 it can also occur in adults. This abdominal disorder is more common in girls than boys.
This disorder is recognized as an episodic syndrome that may be related to migraines that can be caused by hereditary factors. Thus, 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 better to get a doctor’s examination immediately.
Causes of Abdominal Migraine
The cause of abdominal migraine is still unknown. It is possible that this problem occurs in relation to chemicals in the body, namely histamine and serotonin. In addition, feelings of annoyance or worry are believed to increase a person’s risk of experiencing this disorder because there is a connection between the intestines and the brain.
Certain types of foods, such as chocolate, foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG), citrus, caffeine, cheese, carbonated drinks, foods containing coloring and flavoring agents, and meat processed with nitrites, can trigger abdominal migraines in some people.
Other triggers that can cause abdominal migraines include very bright light, poor sleep quality, traveling, fasting for a long time, and stressors at school or family. Swallowing a lot of air can also trigger this abdominal pain due to bloating and difficulty eating.
Abdominal Migraine Risk Factors
Certain situations can be risk factors for abdominal migraine attacks. Triggers can vary from person to person. However, common risk factors are usually:
- Stress, such as school stress or family life.
- Poor sleep quality and irregular sleep patterns.
- Prolonged fasting.
- Dehydration.
- Traveling and motion sickness.
- Eating foods that contain a lot of amines, such as citrus fruits, chocolate, cheese, salami, and ham.
- Consuming foods with added flavorings, colorings, and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
- The room light is flickering because it is broken.
- Consuming more than 200 milligrams of caffeine.
Abdominal Migraine Symptoms
Symptoms of abdominal migraine often occur suddenly and severely, without any prior warning. This disease can cause pain in the middle of the body or around the navel, which is called midline abdominal pain.
Abdominal migraines are recurrent episodes of moderate to severe abdominal pain that last between 1 and 72 hours. Sufferers of this disease will usually experience symptoms such as:
- Pain in the middle of the abdomen or around the navel.
- Pain can range from moderate to severe.
- Usually the pain is diffuse or cannot be pinpointed with certainty.
- The pain can recur over weeks or months, and there is usually a characteristic pattern of symptoms in sufferers.
- Feeling nauseous or vomiting.
- Pale or flushed face.
- Weak and powerless.
- Loss of appetite.
- Having dark shadows under the eyes.
- There are black bags under the eyes.
Abdominal Migraine Diagnosis
Diagnosing abdominal migraine is often difficult because children find it difficult to explain the symptoms they experience between abdominal migraine and stomach ache, stomach flu, and other stomach disorders.
As with other migraine disorders, there is no diagnostic test to confirm the condition. Diagnosis is made by reviewing the family medical history, performing a physical examination, and performing additional tests to rule out other causes that may cause similar symptoms.
However, the determination can be done through the ICHD III criteria. Based on ICHD III, the diagnosis of abdominal migraine can be based on the presence of an unknown cause of moderate to severe and chronic abdominal pain, recurrent, opposed to the mid-abdominal area, around the navel, or cannot be clearly localized, the pain is dull.
Attacks usually last for 2-72 hours without treatment and sufferers usually do not feel symptoms between attacks. In addition, there must be at least two other symptoms associated with it, such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and paleness when the pain attack occurs, and at least 5 episodes of pain must have occurred to confirm the diagnosis.
Further examination by a doctor is needed to differentiate abdominal migraine from other possible causes of the symptoms felt, such as those caused by digestive tract disorders, central nervous system disorders, metabolic disorders, urogenital causes, hematological/oncological diseases, infections, rheumatism, and so on.
Abdominal Migraine Treatment
If diagnosed with abdominal migraine, treatment involves relieving symptoms during an attack and preventing future recurrences. Here are some treatments that are commonly performed by medical professionals, namely:
- 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 is psychotherapy, specific cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, family therapy, and yoga. Some dietary modifications that can be done, such as a high-fiber diet, probiotic consumption, lactose-free diet (in people with lactose intolerance).
- Consumption of drugs
If it is difficult to cope with the complaint, the doctor will likely prescribe some medications to manage abdominal migraines. Here are some medications 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 medication 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 a better strategy to avoid them as much as possible.
There are several side effects of some abdominal migraine medications, including dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, blurred vision, weakness, and cold hands and feet. If you experience these symptoms, it is a good idea to discuss them with your doctor immediately.
In addition, the drugs used to treat stomach disorders can only be purchased with a doctor’s prescription to avoid unwanted things.
- Lifestyle changes
Abdominal migraine treatment can also be done by changing lifestyle , behavior, or habits. Try to lie down in a dark and quiet room to relieve symptoms. In addition, some of these lifestyle changes can help relieve abdominal migraine attacks, namely:
- Get enough sleep.
- Drink enough water.
- Consume nutritious foods regularly.
- Exercise regularly.
- Manage stress.
You can also make lifestyle changes along with medication prescribed by a doctor, to experience more effective benefits.
Abdominal Migraine Prevention
One way to prevent abdominal migraine from recurring is to avoid triggers. With the help of parents and doctors, children who suffer from abdominal migraine can learn what triggers them.
Mothers need to record their child’s daily life about their food, activities they do, consumption of medicines 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 to make changes to a cleaner daily life. Make sure to eat nutritious foods with lots of fiber, exercise every day with enough sleep, and learn how to manage emotions and deal with problems.
Abdominal Migraine Complications
Abdominal migraine that is left untreated can develop into cephalic migraine (head migraine), although the pain in the abdomen has resolved in most sufferers. In addition, abdominal migraine can continue to occur even in adulthood.
