Migraine Definition And Diagnosis
Migraine is a condition that effects 30 million people in the U.S. alone, and hundreds of millions worldwide. There is no cure as yet, but the symptoms can be controlled. But how can you tell if you have a migraine, just a headache, or a symptom of a more serious condition. Please understand that I am in no way trivializing the effects of migraine. As a sufferer myself, I know how debilitating the pain and the other symptoms can be.
And I have been fortunate to mostly experience fairly mild attacks. Others have it much worse than I do, but at least the condition is not life threatening. By comparing your symptoms to a migraine definition, you can get a reasonable idea of which of these categories you fall into and what further action may be appropriate.
So how do you define migraine? I was surprised to learn that there is an International Headache Society, (IHS). This society publishes a book called ‘The International Classification Of Headache Disorders’, and the book defines the criteria for diagnosing a migraine. According to the book, a common migraine headache is defined as follows.
Recurrence
You must have experienced at least 5 of these headaches.
Duration
The actual headache, excluding other symptoms, should last for between four and seventy-two hours. A headache lasting longer than this requires immediate investigation by a doctor to be sure that no, more dangerous condition exists.
The nature of the pain
Migraine headache exhibits particular characteristics. Does the quality of pain meet at least two of these criteria?
1) The pain is clearly experienced mainly on one side of the head.
2) It is not a constant pain; it could be described as throbbing, pound ing or pulsating.
3) The pain must be of a degree of severity that inhibits the sufferer from carrying out their daily activities, amounting to a temporary disability.
4) Normal physical activities such as sudden movements, bending or climbing stairs, can increase the pain.
Side Effects
At least one of these common side effects must be present:
1) Nausea
2) Vomiting
3) Photophobia – sensitivity to light
4) Phonophobia – sensitivity to sound
Secondary Exclusions
In severe cases, medical testing such as a MRI or CAT scan, as well as physical examinations may be appropriate, to rule out the possibility of other conditions causing the headaches.
For many people, this definition of migraine has simplified the diagnostic process. However, the perception of migraine is that it involves severe pain. There could be many people, such as myself, who experience milder symptoms and don’t even realize what their condition is.
I still believe that this migraine definition is a useful tool in deciding whether migraine is a possible explanation for headaches and if further investigation is required.
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