Migraine Term of the Day: Primary Headache
When we’re looking at Migraine and headache information, whether it’s from our doctor, a book, or an online article, we sometimes come across medical terms that can be confusing.
Sometimes, it’s easy enough to substitute another word or a short phrase for the medical term. At other times, substituting just doesn’t convey quite the same meaning or takes more than a few words.
Some of you have expressed an interest in learning more of the medical terminology that comes up when discussing Migraine disease and other headache disorders. So, I’ll be posting a “term of the day,” probably a couple of times a week. If there are terms you’d like to have defined, please leave a comment to let me know what it is.
Today’s term: Primary Headache.
Primary Headache: a headache not caused by another illness or disorder.
Most of the headache disorders we discuss are considered primary headaches. This includes Migraines.
We have a great deal of information about primary headache disorders, including:
- 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
- Hypnic Headaches - The Basics
- Ice Pick Headaches - The Basics
- Migraine - What is It?
- Migraine With Aura - the Basics
- Migraine Without Aura - the Basics
- New Daily Persistent Headache - The Basics
- Paroxysmal Hemicrania - The Basics
- Primary Exertional Headache - The Basics
- Retinal Migraine - The Basics
- Status Migrainous - The Basics
- Tension-Type Headaches - The Basics
For more terms, see our Migraine and Headache Glossary .
Teri Robert is a leading patient educator and advocate in the area of migraine and other headache disorders, and has been writing for the HealthCentral migraine site since 2007. She is a co-founder of the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy and the American Headache and Migraine Association. She received the National Headache Foundation’s Patient Partners Award for “ongoing patient education, support, and advocacy,” in 2004 and a Distinguished Service Award from the American Headache Society in 2013. You can find links to Teri’s work on her web site and blog and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google+.
© Teri Robert, 2010
Last updated March 9, 2010
Teri Robert is a leading patient educator and advocate and the author of Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches. A co-founder of the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy and the American Headache and Migraine Association, she received the National Headache Foundation’s Patient Partners Award and a Distinguished Service Award from the American Headache Society. Teri can be found on her website, and blog, Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google+.
