My daughter is 15 years old and she has started suffering from severe headaches. She used to get them a couple of times a year but now they happen more often.

When she has a headache she can hardly see and feels very sick. I took her to a doctor and he said that she was suffering from migraines.

He gave her some painkillers but they do not seem to help.

What is a migraine? Should I take her to another doctor? - Worried Mother, Pretoria

DUDU SAYS

A migraine is different from a headache because besides having a headache, there are also other symptoms.

A migraine can cause a person to feel nauseous, have blurred vision, dizziness and and be sensitive to noises and smells.

It is not certain what causes migraines but doctors believe that some of the causes can be menstruation, skipping meals, eating cheese, chocolate, processed foods and drinking alcohol.

It might be a good idea for your daughter to keep a diary of what she eats, when she menstruates, whether she is stressed and how she sleeps.

This will show you what might be causing the migraines.

Also return to your doctor and explain that the painkillers are not helping.

There are various specific migraine medications available and possibly your daughter needs to try some and see what helps her.