Migraine

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Migraine headache

Vascular headaches

Migraine cause

CT scan of the brain

Central nervous system

Migraine

Alternative Names:

Headache - migraine

Symptoms:

Migraine headaches, which can be dull or severe, usually:

Feel throbbing, pounding, or pulsating
Are worse on one side of the head
Last 6 to 48 hours

Symptoms accompanying migraines include:

Nausea and vomiting
Sensitivity to light or sound
Loss of appetite
Fatigue
Numbness, tingling, or weakness

Warning signs (auras) that can precede a migraine include seeing stars or zigzag lines, tunnel vision, or a temporary blind spot.

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Symptoms that may linger even after the migraine has gone away include:

Feeling mentally dull, like your thinking is not clear or sharp
Increased need for sleep
Neck pain

Signs and tests:

Migraine headache may be diagnosed by your doctor based on your symptoms, history of migraines in the family, and your response to treatment. Your doctor will take a detailed history to make sure that your headaches are not due to tension, sinus inflammation, or a more serious underlying brain disorder. During the physical exam, your doctor will probably not find anything wrong with you.

Sometimes an MRI or CT scan is obtained to rule out other causes of headache like sinus inflammation or a brain mass. In the case of a complicated migraine, an EEG may be needed to exclude seizures. Rarely, a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) might be performed.

References:

Morantz C. Practice Guideline Briefs. Am Fam Physician. Mar 2005; 71(5); 1019-899.

Schroeder BM . AAFP/ACP-ASIM release guidelines on the management and prevention of migraines. Am Fam Physician. Mar 2003; 67(6): 1392, 1395-7.

Noble J, ed. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2001.

Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, eds. Rosen?s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2002.

Goetz CG, Pappert EJ. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 2003.