Migraine Headache: Brief Version

A migraine headache is a special kind of headache. It can last for hours or days. It may cause intense pain. You may also feel sick to your stomach or have eye problems.

A migraine happens when brain chemicals don't stay balanced.

You are more likely to get a migraine when:

• You are under stress.
• You are tired.
• You eat some kinds of foods, such as wine, cheese, or chocolate, or chemicals added to foods, such as MSG.
• The weather changes.
• You are around bright lights.

Women are more likely to have migraines than men. Sometimes the headaches happen around the time a woman has her period.

Migraines can run in families.

Before a migraine starts, you may:

• Not feel well.
• Lose part of your vision.
• See bright spots.
• See zigzags in front of your eyes.

Most of the time, these eye problems go away when the headache starts.

When you have a migraine, you may:

• Have a headache that throbs or pounds (you may feel the pain more on one side of your head, or your whole head may hurt).
• Be very sensitive to light.
• Have blurred vision.
• Vomit or have nausea.
• Have numbness or feel tingling of your face or arm.

Your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history. He or she will examine you.

It may help to keep a headache diary. You should write down:

• the date and time of each migraine
• how long it lasts
• the type of pain (Is it dull or sharp? Does it throb? Do you feel pressure?)
• where it hurts.

If you are a woman, you should note:

• When you have your periods.
• If you are using birth control pills or other female hormones.

You should also write down what happened before the headache started:

• What signs did you have?
• What did you eat and drink?
• Did you use cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol, or soda?
• What time did you go to bed? What time did you get up?

If your headaches started just lately, your health care provider may recommend tests to look for causes of your symptoms. You may need a brain scan or MRI scan.

• You may need to take medicine to keep migraines from getting worse once they start. Take these medicines as soon as you can when you start to have signs of a migraine.
• You may need to take another medicine every day to stop migraines from coming so often. The medicine can help prevent very bad migraines.
• You may need to try a medicine for several weeks to see if it works. Talk to your health care provider about what is best for you. You have many choices.

The headache may last from a few hours to a few days. You may get migraines for the rest of your life. Most of the time, migraines happen less often as you get older.

As soon as the migraine starts:

• Take a pain reliever. Ask your health care provider what medicine you should take.
• Rest in a quiet, dark room until you start to feel better.

Don't drive a car when you have a migraine.

See your health care provider if your headaches get worse or if they don't get better when you take medicine for them. It may take several visits to find the best way to control your headaches.

Call your health care provider right away if you have symptoms that you do not usually have with migraines, such as:

• You have a hard time talking or your speech is slurred.
• Your arm or leg is weak.

Call your provider right away if you have other symptoms, such as:

• You have a fever.
• Your neck is stiff.
• You keep vomiting for several hours.
• You cannot move a leg or arm.

• Eat regular, healthy meals. Don't go too long without eating. Stay away from foods that seem to cause your headaches. Watch out for:
  • wine, ale, and beer
  • cheeses
  • aged, canned, cured, and processed meats
  • breads made with yeast
  • foods with cheese, chocolate, or nuts.
• Don't use medicines that trigger headaches. Ask your health care provider about this. You may need to stop using birth control or hormone pills.
• Don't smoke cigarettes.
• Get plenty of sleep every day.
• Lower your stress. Find time to relax, rest, and have fun in your life.

For more information, call or write:

American Council for Headache Education (ACHE)
Phone: 800-255-ACHE (255-2243)
Web site: http://www.achenet.org
Educational materials, referrals to support groups

National Headache Foundation
Phone: 800-843-2256
Web site: http://www.headaches.org
Educational materials, list of headache specialists, information specialists