Migraine has now been shown to be a genetic neurological disease characterized by flare-ups often called "Migraine attacks." A headache can be one symptom of a Migraine attack, but it's just that -- one of the possible symptoms. Some Migraineurs (people with Migraine disease) have Migraine attacks without having a headache. These are called "acephalgic" or "silent" Migraines.

There are still multiple theories of what actually occurs to bring on a Migraine attack when we encounter a trigger. Advancements in imaging technology have allowed scientists to actually observe the brain during a Migraine attack. The most prevalent theory is that Migraineurs have overly excitable neurons in our brains. When a trigger is encountered, those neurons fire in a wave across the brain, starting a cascade of event involving several centers of the brain including the brainstem.

There you have the condensed answer to, "What is a Migraine?" For more information, please see these articles on various forms of Migraine and headache:

• Abdominal Migraine - The Basics
• Acephalgic or Silent Migraine – The Basics
• Basilar-Type Migraine - the Basics
• Chronic Daily Headache - The Basics
• Cluster Headaches - The Basics
• Hemicrania Continua - The Basics
• Hemiplegic Migraine - The Basics
• Ice Pick Headaches - The Basics
• Migraine With Aura - the Basics
• Migraine Without Aura - the Basics
• New Daily Persistent Headache – The Basics
• Pseudotumor Cerebri – The Basics
• Retinal Migraine - The Basics
• Status Migrainous - The Basics
• Tension-Type Headaches - the Basics
• Transformed Migraine - The Basics

© Teri Robert, 2007

Last updated November 17, 2007.