What is Abdominal Migraine?

Abdominal migraine is not a one-sided headache as it is commonly known. As the name implies,  condition of pain in the stomach. However, these problems often react to the same triggers as migraine headaches. When it occurs, this disorder can cause severe pain that can cause nausea, cramps, and vomiting.

The most common cause of chronic and recurrent abdominal pain in children aged five to nine, but it can also occur in adults. This stomach disorder is more common in girls than boys.

This disorder is an episodic syndrome that may be associated with migraine, which can be caused by heredity. 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’s a good idea to immediately get a doctor’s examination.

Symptoms of Abdominal Migraine

Symptoms of an abdominal migraine often occur suddenly and are severe, without any prior signs. This disease can cause pain in the middle of the body or around the navel, called midline abdominal pain.

Abdominal migraines are repeated episodes of moderate to severe abdominal pain lasting from 1 to 72 hours. People with this disease will usually experience the following symptoms:

• Pain in the middle of the abdomen or around the navel.
• Pain can be moderate to severe.
• Usually, the pain is diffuse or cannot be pinpointed with certainty.
• Pain can recur in weeks or months, and the patient usually has a characteristic pattern of symptoms.
• Feeling nauseous or vomiting.
• A pale or flushed face.
• Weak and powerless.
• Loss of appetite.
• Has dark shadows under the eyes.
• There are black bags under the eyes.

Causes of Abdominal Migraine

The cause of abdominal migraine is not yet known with certainty. The possibility that this problem occurs has something to do with chemicals in the body, namely histamine, and serotonin. In addition, feeling upset or worried is also believed to increase a person’s risk of experiencing this disorder because of a connection between the gut and the brain.

Some types of food, such as chocolate, monosodium glutamate (MSG), citrus, caffeine, cheese, carbonated drinks containing coloring and flavoring substances, and meat processed with nitrite, in some people.

Other triggers that can cause abdominal migraines include:

• Very bright light
• Poor sleep quality
• Traveling
• Fasting for long periods
• Stressors at school and family

Swallowing a lot of air can also trigger this pain in the stomach due to bloating and difficulty eating.

Abdominal Migraine Risk Factors

• Abdominal migraine is usually familial or hereditary. So, children who experience this disease usually have family members who have a history of similar complaints.
• The average age of children who experience Abdominal Migraine initially occurs between the ages of 3-10 years and reaches its peak at the age of 7.

Abdominal Migraine Diagnosis

Diagnosis is often tricky because children find it challenging to explain the complaints they experience between abdominal migraines and abdominal pain, stomach flu, and other stomach disorders.

As with other migraine disorders, there are no diagnostic tests to confirm this disease. Diagnosis can be reached by looking at the family medical history, physical examination, and investigations to rule out other causes that can cause similar symptoms.

Even so, the determination can be made through ICHD III criteria. According to ICHD III, the diagnosis can be based on the presence of an unknown cause of moderate to severe abdominal pain and chronic, recurrent, oppositional to the mid-abdominal region, around the navel, or poorly localized, dull pain.

Attacks usually last 2-72 hours without treatment, and sufferers usually do not feel symptoms between attacks. In addition, at least two other associated symptoms, such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and paleness at the time of the pain attack, and at least 5 episodes of pain, have confirmed the diagnosis.

It is necessary to carry out further examination by a doctor 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

After confirming the diagnosis, the treatment that can be done is divided into two: relieving symptoms during attacks and preventing future recurrences. Well, here are some ways of treatment 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, behavior/habits therapy, and diet modification. Behavioral therapy can be done with psychotherapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, family therapy, and yoga. Some dietary modifications can be made, such as a high-fiber diet, probiotics, and a lactose-free diet (in people with lactose intolerance).

2. Consumption of Drugs

If the complaint is difficult to overcome, the doctor will likely give some medicines to manage. Here are some drugs that are usually prescribed by doctors based on their use to treat:

• NSAIDs or acetaminophen are helpful for pain relief.
• Triptans drugs help treat migraine headaches and can prevent symptoms from developing.
• Anti-nausea drugs, these drugs work to block chemicals in the brain that trigger vomiting.

As with migraine headaches, one of the main ways to prevent to avoid the triggers. All family members and doctors need to work together to identify specific triggers to develop a better strategy to avoid triggers to the maximum.

Some side effects of some abdominal migraine medications include dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, blurred vision, weakness, and cold hands and feet. If you experience these symptoms, it’s a good idea to immediately discuss them with your doctor.

In addition, the drugs used to treat stomach disorders can only be purchased with a doctor’s prescription to avoid unwanted things.

Abdominal Migraine Prevention

Prevention that can be done so that migraines in the stomach do not recur is to avoid triggers. With the help of parents and doctors, children with abdominal migraines can find out what triggers them.

Mothers need to record their children’s daily activities about their food, activities they take, taking medication or vitamins, and anything that can trigger stress or anxiety. If the trigger is due to food, be sure to avoid it.

Daily changes also need to be made for children who suffer from stomach migraines. Make sure to eat nutritious foods with lots of fiber, exercise daily with enough sleep, and learn how to manage emotions and deal with problems.