Summary
- Condition: Migraine is a neurological disorder with recurrent headache attacks
- Common features: Throbbing head pain, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound
- Duration: Attacks often last hours to days
- Management: Acute and preventive treatments can reduce severity and frequency
- Urgent care: Sudden, severe, or unusual symptoms require medical evaluation
What Is a Migraine?
Migraine is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of moderate to severe headache pain and associated symptoms. Attacks can significantly interfere with daily activities and commonly last hours to days.
Migraine pain is often described as throbbing or pulsating, commonly affecting one side of the head, though both sides may be involved. Physical activity may worsen symptoms. Nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound frequently occur.
Types of Migraine
Migraines are classified based on symptom patterns:
Migraine With Aura
Temporary neurological symptoms occur before the headache phase. Aura may include visual changes, sensory disturbances, or difficulty speaking and typically lasts minutes to about one hour.
Migraine Without Aura
The most common form of migraine, occurring without warning neurological symptoms.
Migraine Without Headache (Silent Migraine)
Aura or other migraine symptoms occur without significant head pain.
Chronic Migraine
A form of migraine characterized by frequent headache days over months, as defined by international headache classification standards.
Migraine Compared With Other Headaches
Migraine vs. Tension-Type Headache
Tension-type headaches usually cause mild to moderate pressure-like pain and typically lack nausea or significant light sensitivity, unlike migraines.
Migraine vs. Cluster Headache
Cluster headaches cause severe pain, often around one eye, in short, frequent attacks. Migraines usually last longer and are more often associated with nausea and sensory sensitivity.
Signs and Symptoms
Common migraine symptoms include:
- Throbbing or pulsating head pain
- Pain on one or both sides of the head
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensitivity to light, sound, or smells
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
Some people experience warning symptoms hours or days before an attack.
The Phases of a Migraine
Not all people experience every phase, but many migraines follow a pattern:
- Prodrome: Mood changes, food cravings, fatigue, or difficulty concentrating (up to 24–48 hours before pain).
- Aura: Temporary neurological disturbances lasting 5–60 minutes.
- Headache Phase: Moderate to severe pain, often worsened by activity, with nausea and sensory sensitivity.
- Postdrome: Exhaustion or mental fog lasting up to one or two days.
Causes and Risk Factors
Causes
The exact cause of migraine is not fully understood. Evidence indicates involvement of abnormal brain activity affecting nerve signaling, brain chemicals, and blood vessels.
Genetics play a role, and migraines often run in families. Environmental and lifestyle factors can influence when attacks occur.
Risk Factors
- Family history of migraine
- Female sex
- Onset commonly during adolescence or early adulthood
- Stress and irregular sleep patterns
Common Migraine Triggers
Triggers vary by individual and may include:
- Emotional stress
- Hormonal changes
- Irregular sleep patterns
- Skipping meals
- Certain foods or food additives
- Bright lights or loud sounds
- Weather changes
Identifying personal triggers can help reduce attack frequency.
Diagnosis
Migraine is diagnosed primarily through medical history and symptom patterns, supported by a physical and neurological exam. Imaging or laboratory tests may be used when symptoms are unusual, severe, or sudden to rule out other causes.
Treatment Options
There is no cure for migraine, but treatment focuses on reducing severity and frequency.
Acute (Abortive) Treatment
Used during an attack to relieve symptoms and is most effective when taken early.
Preventive Treatment
Recommended for people with frequent or severe migraines to reduce how often attacks occur and how intense they are.
Treatment plans should be individualized.
Prevention Strategies
Prevention emphasizes trigger management and healthy routines:
- Consistent sleep schedules
- Stress management
- Regular meals
- Avoiding known dietary triggers
- Tracking attacks in a migraine journal
Claims that hydration directly prevents migraines have limited or partial evidence.
When to See a Doctor
Seek medical evaluation if headaches:
- Are sudden and severe
- Are accompanied by confusion, weakness, or vision loss
- Occur after a head injury
- Are associated with fever or stiff neck
- Represent a significant change from usual headache patterns
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the signs of a migraine?
Throbbing head pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light or sound are common. Some people experience visual or sensory changes.
How long do migraine attacks last?
They may last several hours to a few days, depending on severity and treatment.
Can migraines be chronic?
Yes. Migraines may be classified as chronic when headache symptoms occur frequently over months.
Are migraines dangerous?
Migraines are not usually life-threatening, but severe or unusual symptoms should be evaluated by a medical professional.
Can stress trigger migraines?
Yes. Stress is a commonly reported trigger.
Do sleep problems trigger migraines?
Irregular sleep patterns are associated with migraine attacks.
Do certain foods cause migraines?
Some people report food-related triggers, but triggers vary individually.
Do weather changes cause migraines?
Weather changes are reported triggers for some individuals.
Does hydration prevent migraines?
There is no high-quality evidence supporting this as a universal preventive measure.
APA Reference List
Cleveland Clinic. (2024, January 23). Migraine: What it is, types, causes, symptoms & treatments. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/5005-migraine-headaches
Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). (n.d.). 1.1 Migraine without aura. ICHD-3. Retrieved January 2, 2026, from https://ichd-3.org/1-migraine/1-1-migraine-without-aura/
Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). (n.d.). 1.2 Migraine with aura. ICHD-3. Retrieved January 2, 2026, from https://ichd-3.org/1-migraine/1-2-migraine-with-aura/
Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). (n.d.). 1.2.1.2 Typical aura without headache. ICHD-3. Retrieved January 2, 2026, from https://ichd-3.org/1-migraine/1-2-migraine-with-aura/1-2-1-migraine-with-typical-aura/1-2-1-2-typical-aura-without-headache/
Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). (n.d.). 1.3 Chronic migraine. ICHD-3. Retrieved January 2, 2026, from https://ichd-3.org/1-migraine/1-3-chronic-migraine/
Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). (n.d.). 2.1 Infrequent episodic tension-type headache. ICHD-3. Retrieved January 2, 2026, from https://ichd-3.org/2-tension-type-headache/2-1-infrequent-episodic-tension-type-headache/
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (n.d.). Migraine: Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved January 2, 2026, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/symptoms-causes/syc-20360201
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2025, July 8). Migraine: Diagnosis and treatment. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20360207
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (n.d.). What are the different phases of a migraine attack? [PDF]. NIH MedlinePlus Magazine. Retrieved January 2, 2026, from https://magazine.medlineplus.gov/pdf/Migraine_Sidebar_English.pdf
National Library of Medicine. (2021, May 5). Migraine. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/migraine.html
National Library of Medicine. (2023, December 31). Cluster headache. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000786.htm
National Library of Medicine. (2023, December 31). Tension headache. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000797.htm
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