Category Archives: Migraine Headache

Migraine is a chronic disorder characterized by moderate to severe headaches together with nausea. It is believed to be a neurovascular disorder. The word derives from the Greek ἡμικρανία (hemikrania), “pain on one side of the head”, from ἡμι- (hemi-), “half”, and κρανίον (kranion), “skull”.

A typical migraine headache is unilateral (affecting one half of the head) and pulsating in nature, lasting from 2 to 72 hours. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, photophobia (increased sensitivity to light) and phonophobia (increased sensitivity to sound); the symptoms are generally aggravated by routine activity. Approximately one-third of people who suffer from migraine headaches perceive an aura: transient visual, sensory, language, or motor disturbance which signal that the migraine will occur soon.

Migraines are related to a mix of environmental and genetic factors. About two-thirds of cases run in families.[1] Fluctuating hormone levels may also play a role: migraine affects approximately equal numbers of girls and boys before puberty, but about two to three times more women than men. Propensity to migraine headache sometimes disappears during pregnancy, but in some women, migraines may become more frequent. The underlying mechanisms of migraines are unknown. The most supported theory is that migraine is related to hyperexcitability of the cerebral cortex and/or abnormal control of pain neurons in the trigeminal nucleus of the brainstem.

Initial recommended management is with analgesics for the headache, an antiemetic for the nausea, and the avoidance of triggers. Specific agents such as triptans or ergotamines may be used by those for whom simple analgesics are not effective. Globally, more than 10% of the population is affected by migraine at some point in life.