What Is Migraine?
Migraine is more than a headache. Although severe headache is the most common symptom, the spectrum of migraine includes neurological changes including sensitivity to light, sound and smells. These neurological symptoms are often referred to as “migraine-associated symptoms.”
What causes migraine?
How is migraine diagnosed?
Migraine is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Many patients with migraine never receive a formal diagnosis and continue to live with a disability.
To diagnose migraine, clinicians use the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3 beta). This is the authority that sets the criteria for each headache condition to help guide clinicians and researchers, as well as establish insurance coverage in some circumstances.
Some of the frequently seen features of migraine are:
- Prodrome: Some patients may experience a prodrome phase that lasts several days or hours before the onset of headache pain. During prodrome, they may feel tired, nauseated, foggy, or just a little off.
- Aura: Within about an hour of headache onset, about 20-30% of patients experience aura symptoms, which can be visual distortions or other sensory disturbances, such as a ringing in the ears, changes in taste or smell, or sensations in one arm.
- Headache: In the ictal phase of the migraine, which persists for anywhere from four hours to several days if untreated, patients report intense head pain (usually on one side) and sensitivity to motion, light and sound. They may need to lie down in a dark, quiet room, drink water, sleep and wait for their migraine to subside.
- Postdrome (post-ictal) phase: Some patients rapidly bounce back to normal, while others feel fatigue or a lingering malaise lasting for several hours or even days.
If you believe you have migraine, it is important to have a healthcare provider diagnose you. Even if you’re able to manage symptoms with non-prescription remedies, you should have a primary care provider or a neurologist conduct a neurological exam that closely examines your symptoms to make sure nothing is being missed. Tracking your symptoms can help your healthcare provider diagnose you and develop an effective treatment plan.
How is migraine treated?
For most people, there’s no quick fix or simple cure for migraine. Rather, clinicians typically recommend a multifaceted treatment plan that’s personalized for each patient. The elements of a migraine treatment plan can be divided into two categories: preventative migraine treatments and acute migraine treatments.
Preventative treatments seek to reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of future migraine attacks. Preventative treatments may also improve the treatment response of acute therapies and reduce the amount of acute therapies needed.
Lifestyle changes and practices can also be effective at preventing migraine. Patients may adopt a diet that prioritizes adequate hydration and eliminates migraine-triggering foods and additives; take certain dietary supplements; adhere to optimal sleep hygiene; participate in physical activity; practice meditation, mindfulness or other stress-relief methods; etc.
Acute (or abortive/rescue) migraine treatments relieve pain and other symptoms of a migraine attack.
It is best to check with a medical provider regarding which treatment options meet your individualized treatment goals. People living with migraine may have different responses to migraine treatments. In addition, a person’s response to different migraine therapies may change over time and different situations. With many new options and emerging therapies for migraines, the future is promising for people who suffer from debilitating migraine headaches.
Medically reviewed by Michael A. L. Johnson, M.D.
Director of Medical Affairs, CEFALY Technology