Summary
If you suffer from migraine headaches, you're not alone. About 12 percent of the U.S. population
gets them. Migraines are recurring attacks of moderate to severe pain. The pain is throbbing or
pulsing, and is often on one side of the head. During migraines, people are very sensitive to light
and sound. They may also become nauseated and vomit.
Migraine is three times more common in women than in men. Some people can tell when they
are about to have a migraine because they see flashing lights or zigzag lines or they temporarily
lose their vision.
Many things can trigger a migraine. These include
Anxiety
Stress
Lack of food or sleep
Exposure to light
Hormonal changes (in women)
Doctors used to believe migraines were linked to the opening and narrowing of blood vessels in
the head. Now they believe the cause is related to genes that control the activity of some brain
cells. Medicines can help prevent migraine attacks or help relieve symptoms of attacks when
they happen. For many people, treatments to relieve stress can also help.
NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Start Here
Headache: Hope through Research
(National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
Migraine (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Migraine
Migraines (American Academy of Family Physicians)
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
Latest News
Women with Migraine May Face Higher Threat of Heart Disease, Stroke
(06/01/2016, HealthDay)
Diagnosis and Tests
Do I need an imaging study for my headache? (American Migraine
Foundation)
Sinus Headache (American Migraine Foundation)
Visual Disturbances: Related to Migraine or Not? (American Migraine
Foundation)
When to Go to the Emergency Room for a Headache or Migraine (American
Migraine Foundation)
Treatments and Therapies
Acupuncture: In Depth
Integrative Health)
Acute Therapy: Why Not Over-The-Counter or Other Nonspecific Options?
(American Migraine Foundation)
Butterbur
Commonly Used Acute Migraine Treatments (American Migraine Foundation)
Feverfew
Headaches and Complementary Health Approaches
Complementary and Integrative Health)
Medicines to Treat Migraine Headaches (National Center for Farmworker
Health, Consumers Union of U.S.) - PDF Also in Spanish
Migraine Headaches in Adults (Beyond the Basics) (UpToDate)
Relaxation Techniques for Health
Integrative Health)
Tips for Starting Yoga in Adults with Migraines (American Migraine
Foundation)
Triptans for Migraine Headaches: What You Should Know (Consumers Union of
U.S.) - PDF Also in Spanish
What Are Nerve Blocks for Headache? (American Migraine Foundation)
Living With
(National Center for Complementary and
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
(National Center for
(National Center for Complementary and
Controversies in Headache Medicine: Migraine Prevention Diets (American
Migraine Foundation)
Headache Hygiene -- What Is It? (American Migraine Foundation)
Migraine's House of Headachesand Visiting the Neighbors (American
Migraine Foundation)
Migraines: Simple Steps to Head Off the Pain (Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research)
Related Issues
Abuse, Maltreatment and PTSD and Their Relationship to Migraine (American
Migraine Foundation)
Alcohol and Migraine (American Migraine Foundation)
Allodynia: When Touch Hurts But Shouldn't (American Migraine Foundation)
Caffeine and Migraine (American Migraine Foundation)
Can Weather Changes Trigger Migraines? (Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research)
Depression and Anxiety in Migraine Patients (American Migraine Foundation)
Migraine and Common Morbidities (American Migraine Foundation)
Migraine Medications and Antidepressants: A Risky Mix? (Mayo Foundation for
Medical Education and Research)
Migraines and Gastrointestinal Problems: Is There a Link? (Mayo Foundation
for Medical Education and Research)
Serotonin Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Stress and Migraine (American Migraine Foundation)
Specifics
Abdominal Migraine (National Headache Foundation)
Basilar-Type Migraine (American Migraine Foundation)
Migraine with Aura (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
What Is an Ocular Migraine? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and
Research)
Genetics
Genetics Home Reference: COL4A1-related brain small-vessel disease
(National Library of Medicine)
Genetics Home Reference: cyclic vomiting syndrome
Medicine)
Genetics Home Reference: familial hemiplegic migraine
of Medicine)
Genetics Home Reference: familial porencephaly
Medicine)
Genetics Home Reference: sporadic hemiplegic migraine
of Medicine)
(National Library of
(National Library
(National Library of
(National Library
Health Check Tools
Recurrent Headaches (DSHI Systems)
Statistics and Research
Impact of Migraine on School Performance (American Academy of Neurology)
- PDF
Infant Colic and Migraine: Is There a Connection? (American Academy of
Neurology) - PDF
Clinical Trials
ClinicalTrials.gov: Migraine Disorders
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of
Medicine)
Article: Acupuncture for the prevention of episodic migraine.
Article: Sumatriptan plus naproxen for the treatment of acute migraine
attacks...
Article: Drugs for the acute treatment of migraine in children and...
Migraine -- see more articles
Find an Expert
Find a Doctor or Treatment (American Migraine Foundation)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Also in Spanish
Children
Migraine Variants in Children (American Migraine Foundation)
Migraines: What a Pain! (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
Migraine Headaches (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Women
Migraine (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's
Health)
Patient Handouts
Managing migraines at home Also in Spanish
Migraine Also in Spanish
Topic Image
MedlinePlus Email Updates
Get Migraine updates by email What's this?
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
Managing migraines at home
Migraine
Serotonin syndrome
Related Health Topics
Headache
National Institutes of Health
The primary NIH organization for research on Migraine is the National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Languages
Chinese - Simplified ()
Chinese - Traditional ()
Spanish (espaol)
NIH MedlinePlus Magazine
Headache Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Migraine 101 Quiz
Migraine Headaches: Treatment & Research
Straight Talk about Migraines, Cindy McCain Speaks Out
Understanding Headaches: From Mild to Migraine
What Is Migraine?
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