Chronic migraines can resemble tension headaches and it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between them. Both types of headaches can co-exist. In addition to throbbing pain on one side of the head, chronic migraine is marked by gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Many patients with chronic migraine also suffer from depression.
Other Types of Migraine
Menstrual Migraines. Migraines are often tied to a woman's menstrual cycle, typically in the first days preceding or beginning menstruation. Estrogen and progesterone fluctuations may play a role. About half of women with migraines report an association with menstruation. Compared to migraines that occur at other times of the month, menstrual migraines tend to be more severe, last longer, and not have auras. Triptan drugs can provide relief and may also help prevent these types of migraines.
Basilar Migraine. Considered a subtype of migraine with aura, this migraine starts in the basilar artery, which forms at the base of the skull. It occurs mainly in young people. Symptoms may include vertigo (a sensation of dizziness), ringing in the ears, slurred speech, unsteadiness, possibly loss of consciousness, and severe headaches.
Abdominal Migraine. This migraine tends to occur in children who have a family history of migraine. Periodic migraine attacks are accompanied by abdominal pain, and often nausea and vomiting.
Ophthalmoplegic Migraine. This very rare headache tends to occur in younger adults. The pain centers around one eye and is usually less intense than in a standard migraine. It may be accompanied by vomiting, double vision, a droopy eyelid, and paralysis of eye muscles. Attacks can last from hours to months. A computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan may be needed to rule out bleeding from an aneurysm (a weakened blood vessel) in the brain.
Retinal Migraine. Symptoms of retinal migraine are short-term blind spots or total blindness in one eye that lasts less than an hour. A headache may precede or occur with the eye symptoms. Sometimes retinal migraines develop without headache. Other eye and neurologic disorders must be ruled out.
Familial Hemiplegic Migraine. This is a very rare inherited genetic migraine disease. It can cause temporary paralysis on one side of the body, vision problems, and vertigo. These symptoms occur about 10 - 90 minutes before the headache.
Status Migrainosus. This is a serious and rare migraine. It is so severe and lasts so long that it requires hospitalization.
Review Date: 11/04/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M.,
Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
