What are the key differences between migraines and regular headaches. How can you identify which type of head pain you’re experiencing. What are the most effective treatments for migraines versus common headaches.

Understanding the Spectrum of Head Pain: Headaches vs Migraines

Head pain is an extremely common ailment that affects millions of people worldwide. However, not all head pain is created equal. The two main categories – headaches and migraines – can vary significantly in their symptoms, causes, and appropriate treatments. Learning to distinguish between these conditions is crucial for proper management and relief.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), headache disorders affect an estimated 50% of adults globally. Within this broad category, migraines impact a smaller but still substantial portion of the population. For those who experience them, migraines can be far more debilitating than typical headaches.

Primary vs Secondary Headaches: Understanding the Root Causes

Headaches fall into two main classifications: primary and secondary. Primary headaches are independent conditions causing pain in the head, face, or neck. Common examples include tension headaches and migraines. Secondary headaches result from underlying medical issues like infections, stress, or medication overuse.

Primary Headache Types

• Tension-type headaches
• Migraines
• Cluster headaches
• Hemicrania

Potential Causes of Secondary Headaches

• Sleep disorders
• Brain tumors
• Stroke
• Medication withdrawal
• Head trauma
• Inflammation
• Seizures
• Spinal fluid leaks
• Physical deformations of the head, neck, or spine

Tension Headaches: The Most Common Type of Head Pain

Tension-type headaches are the most prevalent primary headache disorder, affecting approximately 42% of adults worldwide. These headaches typically feel like a band of intense pressure around the head. They can be episodic (occurring 10-15 days per month) or chronic (happening more frequently).

What causes tension headaches? Several factors can contribute, including:

• Jaw clenching
• Hunger
• Depression or anxiety
• Lack of sleep or sleep apnea
• Arthritis
• Neck strain
• Poor posture
• Stress

How long do tension headaches typically last? These headaches can persist anywhere from 30 minutes to several days. For chronic sufferers, the pain may be nearly constant, with periods of increased intensity.

Cluster Headaches: Intense, Cyclical Pain

Cluster headaches are a less common but extremely painful type of primary headache. They earned their name due to their tendency to occur in clusters or cycles, with multiple headaches happening around the same time daily for several weeks.

What are the key characteristics of cluster headaches?

• Severe pain on one side of the head, often behind the eye
• Pain comes in cycles, with periods of frequent headaches followed by headache-free intervals
• Typically last 6 to 12 weeks per cycle
• More common in males than females

Additional symptoms of cluster headaches can include:

• Red, watery eyes
• Sweating
• Nasal congestion
• Restlessness or agitation
• Changes in heart rate

Migraines: More Than Just a Headache

Migraines are a complex neurological condition that goes beyond simple head pain. While severe headaches are a hallmark symptom, migraines can involve a wide range of other symptoms and can significantly impact a person’s quality of life.

How do migraines differ from regular headaches?

• Typically more intense and debilitating pain
• Often accompanied by other symptoms like nausea, light sensitivity, and visual disturbances
• Can last anywhere from a few hours to several days
• May occur with or without an “aura” phase
• Often have distinct phases or stages

The Four Phases of a Migraine Attack

1. Premonitory (Prodrome) Phase
2. Aura Phase
3. Headache Phase
4. Postdrome Phase

It’s important to note that not everyone experiences all four phases, and the duration and intensity of each phase can vary between individuals and even between attacks for the same person.

Decoding Migraine Symptoms: Beyond the Headache

While intense head pain is often the most noticeable symptom of a migraine, it’s far from the only one. Understanding the full range of potential migraine symptoms can help with early detection and proper treatment.

Premonitory Phase Symptoms

The premonitory or prodrome phase can occur hours or even days before the headache begins. Symptoms may include:

• Unexplained mood changes
• Food cravings
• Neck stiffness
• Frequent yawning
• Digestive issues (constipation or diarrhea)
• Increased sensitivity to light, sound, or smells

Aura Phase Symptoms

Not all migraine sufferers experience auras, but for those who do, they can be quite disruptive. Auras typically affect a person’s sensory perceptions and can include:

• Visual disturbances (flashing lights, zig-zag lines, blind spots)
• Tingling or numbness that starts in the arm and spreads to the face
• Speech difficulties
• Confusion or difficulty thinking clearly

Headache Phase Symptoms

The headache phase is typically characterized by:

• Moderate to severe pain, often described as throbbing or pulsing
• Pain typically on one side of the head, but can affect both sides
• Increased sensitivity to light, sound, and sometimes smells
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Neck pain

Postdrome Phase Symptoms

After the headache subsides, many people experience a “migraine hangover” known as the postdrome phase. Symptoms can include:

• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mood changes (depression or euphoria)
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Continued sensitivity to light and sound

Diagnosing Headaches and Migraines: When to See a Doctor

While occasional headaches are common and often nothing to worry about, certain symptoms or patterns may indicate a need for medical attention. When should you consult a healthcare professional about your head pain?

• If you’re experiencing headaches more than 15 days per month
• If your headaches are severely impacting your daily life or work
• If you require pain medication for headaches more than two days per week
• If you’re experiencing new or different headache symptoms
• If your headaches are accompanied by other concerning symptoms like fever, stiff neck, or confusion

How do doctors diagnose headaches and migraines? The process typically involves:

1. A detailed medical history, including description of symptoms and potential triggers
2. Physical and neurological examinations
3. In some cases, imaging tests like CT scans or MRIs to rule out other conditions
4. Keeping a headache diary to track frequency, duration, and potential triggers

Treatment Approaches: Finding Relief from Headaches and Migraines

The appropriate treatment for head pain depends on the type of headache or migraine you’re experiencing, as well as its frequency and severity. What are some common treatment approaches?

Over-the-Counter Medications

For mild to moderate headaches, over-the-counter pain relievers can often provide relief. Options include:

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• Aspirin
• Naproxen (Aleve)

It’s important to use these medications as directed and be aware of potential side effects, especially with frequent or long-term use.

Prescription Medications for Migraines

For more severe or frequent migraines, doctors may prescribe specific medications. These can include:

• Triptans (such as sumatriptan or rizatriptan)
• Ergotamines
• CGRP antagonists
• Anti-nausea medications
• Preventive medications (taken regularly to reduce frequency of migraines)

Non-Medication Approaches

Many people find relief from headaches and migraines through non-pharmaceutical methods, either alone or in combination with medications. These can include:

• Stress management techniques (meditation, deep breathing exercises)
• Regular exercise
• Adequate sleep
• Dietary changes (avoiding potential trigger foods)
• Acupuncture
• Biofeedback
• Cognitive behavioral therapy

Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Headaches and Migraines

While not all headaches and migraines can be prevented, certain lifestyle changes may help reduce their frequency and severity. What steps can you take to minimize your risk?

• Maintain a regular sleep schedule
• Stay hydrated
• Eat regular, balanced meals
• Exercise regularly
• Manage stress through relaxation techniques or therapy
• Limit caffeine and alcohol intake
• Avoid known trigger foods
• Practice good posture
• Take regular breaks when working at a computer or doing other visually intensive tasks

How effective are these lifestyle changes? While results can vary between individuals, many people report significant improvements in their headache or migraine frequency after implementing these changes. It’s often helpful to work with a healthcare provider to develop a personalized prevention plan.

The Impact of Headaches and Migraines on Quality of Life

Chronic headaches and migraines can have a significant impact on a person’s overall quality of life. How do these conditions affect daily functioning?

• Reduced productivity at work or school
• Difficulty maintaining social relationships
• Increased risk of anxiety and depression
• Sleep disturbances
• Limitations on physical activities
• Financial burden due to medical costs and lost work time

What strategies can help mitigate these impacts? Some approaches include:

• Developing a strong support system
• Working with employers or schools to create accommodations when needed
• Joining support groups to connect with others who understand the challenges
• Exploring mental health support options
• Prioritizing self-care and stress management

By understanding the differences between headaches and migraines, recognizing symptoms, and exploring various treatment options, individuals can take proactive steps to manage their head pain and improve their overall quality of life. Remember, it’s always important to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice and treatment recommendations.

How to tell the difference

Headache disorders include headaches and migraine. Most people experience a headache at some point in their lives, but not everyone lives with migraine. A headache is one of several symptoms that can occur with migraine.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), headache disorders affect an estimated 50 percent of adults around the world.

Some people may have trouble differentiating between a migraine, which is a chronic condition, and a common headache.

Share on PinterestHeadaches and migraines are nervous system conditions that can cause pain in the head.

Headaches cause pain in the head, face, or upper neck, and can vary in frequency and intensity.

A migraine is an extremely painful primary headache disorder.

Migraines usually produce symptoms that are more intense and debilitating than headaches.

Some types of migraines do not cause head pain, however.

There are many different types of headaches, which experts have classified into two main groups — primary and secondary.

Primary headaches refer to independent conditions that cause pain in the head, face, or neck. Examples of primary headaches include migraines and tension headaches.

Secondary headaches occur as the result of another medical condition, such as an infection, stress, or medication overuse.

Primary headaches

Types of primary headaches include:

Tension-type headache

Tension-type headaches are common primary headache disorder that affect around 42 percent of adults worldwide.

Tension-type headaches feel like a band of intense pressure around the head.

Doctors classify tension-type headaches as episodic or chronic. Episodic tension-type headaches happen between 10 and 15 days per month. Chronic tension-type headaches occur more often and may cause soreness in the scalp.

Several factors can cause tension-type headaches. These can include:

• clenching the jaw
• hunger
• depression or anxiety
• lack of sleep
• sleep apnea
• arthritis
• bending or straining the neck
• poor posture
• stress

Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches cause severe pain on one side of the head, often behind the eye. These headaches come in clusters, meaning multiple headaches occur around the same time every day for several weeks.

Cluster headaches occur in cycles of recurring headaches followed by periods without headaches.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), cluster headaches usually last 6 to 12 weeks. Cluster headaches tend to affect males more often than females.

Symptoms of cluster headaches include:

• severe pain on one side of the head
• pain behind the eye
• red, watery eyes
• sweating
• congestion
• restlessness or agitation
• changes in heart rate

Hemicrania

Hemicrania are persistent headaches that fluctuate in severity. These headaches usually affect the same side of the head. People can have daily, or chronic, hemicrania headaches.

Other people might experience periods of recurring headaches followed by headache-free periods.

Other symptoms of hemicrania headaches include:

• nausea and vomiting
• sensitivity to light and sound
• watery eyes
• redness or irritation of the eyes
• sweating
• congestion
• swollen eyelids

Secondary headache disorders

Illnesses and chronic medical conditions that affect the nervous system can cause secondary headaches.

Causes of secondary headaches include:

• sleep disorders
• brain tumors
• strokes
• withdrawal from medications or drugs
• head trauma
• inflammation
• seizures
• leaking spinal fluid
• physical deformations of the head, neck, or spine

A migraine is a type of primary headache disorder that can cause severe pain and other symptoms. People with migraine may experience recurring symptoms that doctors call episodes or attacks.

Headaches are only one symptom of migraines, and they can range in severity. Migraine can cause intense, throbbing headaches that last anywhere from a few hours to several days.

A migraine headache usually affects one side of the head, but some people experience pain on both sides.

A migraine episode can occur in four distinct phases, though not everyone experiences every phase.

Premonitory phase

Doctors also call the premonitory phase the preheadache or prodrome phase. It includes nonpainful symptoms that occur hours or days before the headache arrives.

Premonitory phase symptoms can include:

• unexplainable mood changes
• food cravings
• stiffness of the neck
• frequent yawning
• constipation or diarrhea
• sensitivity to light, sound, or smells

Aura phase

Auras refer to sensory disturbances that occur before or during a migraine attack. Auras can affect a person’s vision, touch, or speech.

Visual auras can cause the following symptoms in one or both eyes:

• flashing lights
• zig-zagging lines
• blurred vision
• blind spots that expand over time

Sensory auras cause numbness or tingling that starts in the arm and radiates to the face.

Motor auras affect a person’s ability to communicate and think clearly. Motor auras include:

• slurred or jumbled speech
• difficulty understanding what others say
• difficulty writing words or sentences
• having trouble thinking clearly

Headache phase

Migraine headaches can range from mild to severe. People who have a severe migraine headache may need to seek emergency medical treatment.

Physical activity and exposure to light, sound, and smells worsen the pain. People can have migraine episodes without developing a headache, however.

Postdrome phase

The postdrome phase occurs after the headache subsides. People may feel exhausted, confused, or generally unwell during the postdrome phase.

This phase can last anywhere from a few hours or several days.

Types of migraines

Migraine falls into several different categories depending on the symptoms. Some examples of migraines include:

Migraine without aura

Common migraines, or migraines without auras, cause intense, throbbing headaches on one side of the head.

These headaches usually last between 4–72 hours. Migraines without auras do not produce symptoms before the onset of the migraine attack, but people with this type of migraine may have the premonitory symptoms described above.

Migraine with aura

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, about one in every three individuals with migraine reports experiencing an aura before the headache.

People who have migraine episodes with auras might not experience an aura every time. Headaches may or may not accompany auras.

Abdominal migraine

According to the authors of a 2018 article, abdominal migraines usually affect children between the ages of 3 and 10 years old.

Abdominal migraines cause abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. People who have this type of migraine can develop a mild headache or no headache at all.

Hemiplegic migraine

This rare type of migraine causes temporary paralysis before or during the headache. Other symptoms of hemiplegic migraines include:

• vertigo (dizziness)
• a piercing or stabbing sensation in the head
• vision problems
• difficulty speaking or swallowing
• trouble moving one side of the body

Risk factors for migraine

Researchers and doctors have identified several factors associated with higher risks of migraines. These include:

• being female
• having a family history of migraines
• mood disorders, such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorders
• sleep disorders

Effective treatments for headache disorders require timely and accurate diagnoses. Unfortunately, accurately diagnosing headache disorders presents a significant challenge for individuals and their doctors.

A doctor can diagnose headache disorders, including migraine, based on an individual’s symptoms and medical and family history.

They may refer a person to a neurologist, who specializes in nervous system disorders.

People with migraine or another headache disorder might notice that certain things trigger their symptoms.

Triggers vary from person to person, and they can include anything from environmental changes to specific foods.

Other migraine triggers may include:

• stress
• depression or anxiety
• hormonal changes
• lack of sleep
• hunger
• alcohol consumption

Share on PinterestKeeping a headache or migraine journal may help a person identify possible triggers.

While there is no cure for headaches or migraine, people can use medication and lifestyle changes to treat their symptoms and help prevent future episodes.

Over-the-counter medications

People can treat tension headaches and mild migraines with over-the-counter (OTC) medications. These include:

• Pain relievers. These can include acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
• Melatonin. A 2017 review cited findings from a number of randomized placebo-controlled trials that suggest melatonin may effectively prevent migraine and cluster headaches. The best dose may vary according to the condition, so a person should speak to a doctor about using this treatment.

Prescription medications

Moderate to severe migraine symptoms may not respond to OTC treatments. In this case, people may require prescription medications, including:

• antinausea medicines, such as beta-blockers
• triptans, such as almotriptan (Axert) or sumatriptan/naproxen (Treximet)
• ergot alkaloids, such as ergotamine (Ergomar)

People can also use prescription medication to prevent future migraines. Examples of these medications include:

• antiseizure medications, such as topiramate (Topamax) or valproate (Depacon)
• antidepressants
• botulinum toxin A (Botox) injections

People who treat their headaches with an OTC or prescription medication should remember to follow the dose a doctor or manufacturer recommends. Overusing medication can cause some people to develop a condition known as a medication-overuse headache.

Medication-overuse headaches occur when a person takes too much medication to treat a primary headache. As a result, they develop either a new type of headache or experience worse symptoms of their preexisting headache.

Nonmedication prevention

Some lifestyle factors may also help prevent migraine episodes and some types of headache. These include:

• exercising regularly
• making dietary changes that eliminate trigger foods
• using relaxation techniques, such as mindful breathing and mediation
• learning stress-management techniques
• keeping a migraine or headache journal to track patterns and uncover potential triggers

People should consider speaking with a healthcare provider if they experience frequent headaches that interfere with their ability to function or their quality of life.

People should also seek medical care if their headaches cause any of the following symptoms:

• nausea
• vomiting
• vision problems
• tingling or numbness in the limbs, face, neck, or head
• difficulty speaking or understanding what other people say
• difficulty thinking
• difficulty moving one side of the body

Most people will experience a headache at one point in their lives. Not all headaches are the same, as they range in severity, frequency, and cause.

Headache disorders can significantly impact a person’s ability to function and reduce their overall quality of life. This is why accurate diagnoses are so important.

Correctly differentiating between headaches and types of migraine headache can lead to faster, more effective treatment.

Symptoms, Causes, Tests, and Treatments

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Robinson, MD on January 26, 2022

• Symptoms
• Pain and Aura Causes
• Triggers
• Diagnosis
• Treatment and Prevention

If you have a silent migraine, it means you get any of the typical migraine symptoms except for one: pain. Your doctor may suggest medications or devices that can treat the problem. You can also help yourself by avoiding your migraine triggers.

You can have symptoms that go along with any phase of a migraine, but without the classic pain around your temples.

During the phase that warns you a migraine is coming, called the prodrome phase, you could:

• Get “hyper” or cranky
• Have food cravings
• Be tired and yawn more
• Feel stiff, especially in your neck
• Need to pee more often
• Get constipated or have diarrhea

Next, the aura phase usually lasts about an hour. It’s best known for its unusual visual symptoms, such as seeing:

• Wavy or jagged lines
• Flashing lights
• Dots or spots in your vision
• Blind spots
• Tunnel vision

But it can also affect your other senses, movement, and speech. You may have:

• Trouble hearing, or hear things that aren’t there
• Strange smells or tastes
• Numbness, tingling, or a pins-and-needles feeling
• Weakness
• Trouble remembering or saying a word

Even though your head doesn’t hurt, a silent migraine may affect your body in other ways:

• Upset stomach or vomiting
• Hot flashes and chills
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Dizziness or spinning (called vertigo)
• Sore neck or jaw
• Sensitivity to light, sounds, smells, touch, or motion
• Confusion

Afterward, you may feel wiped out and have the blahs for as long as a day.

Not all migraine attacks follow the same pattern. Even for the same person, the symptoms can be unpredictable.

Researchers are now looking at aura and pain as two distinct things.

In the past, experts thought migraine was mainly a problem with blood flow in your brain. Now they believe the headaches involve the way nerve cells are firing in your brain and how that activity relates to the blood flow.

Aura appears to be a case of too much stimulation of the nerve cells and then a drop-off of activity in the brain. The decrease spreads across the top layer, or cortex, of your brain. It often travels from the visual part of the brain (occipital lobe) to the body sensation part of the brain (parietal lobe) to the hearing part of the brain (temporal lobe). This mirrors the visual, sensation, and hearing symptoms common to migraine.

Silent migraines can be set off by the same things that cause painful ones. What and how you eat are common triggers, such as:

• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Nuts
• Pickled foods
• Foods or drinks with the amino acid tyramine, such as red wine and aged cheese

It could be something happening around you:

• Bright or flickering lights
• Loud noise
• Weather and extreme heat or cold

Changes in your hormone levels — during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, or when taking birth control pills — may affect women.

Your general well-being is also important.

• Stress, either physical or emotional
• Lack of sleep
• Skipped meals

Headache experts say keeping a daily diary is an important step. Try to track everything you eat and drink, changes in your sleep or stress levels, and other possible triggers. Also, keep tabs on your symptoms and the times they begin and end. Your diary and your medical history will help your doctor figure out what’s going on.

In rare cases, your symptoms could be a sign of a different, more-serious medical problem, such as a stroke or bleeding in the brain. To rule these out, your doctor may want to do more tests, such as a CT scan or MRI, or have you see a specialist called a neurologist for an exam.

More than 100 medications can treat migraine. Be prepared to try different drugs to find the right one for you. Tell your doctor about all prescription and over-the-counter medicines you take to avoid problems with how any of them work and side effects.

Once you figure out your triggers, try to stay away from them. If your symptoms are severe or regular, your doctor may suggest a medication or device to help prevent your migraine headaches.

Eat well, get plenty of rest, exercise most days, and find ways to manage your stress.

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How to distinguish a migraine from a simple headache in your city

07/13/2021

The main symptom of a migraine is severe, throbbing pain. An attack can last from 2 hours to several days. The frequency of attacks is different – from 2 times a year (mild form) to daily headaches.

A migraine attack occurs in 4 stages:

1. Prodromal period. A few hours or days before the onset of an attack, a person’s working capacity, mood deteriorates, high emotional excitability appears. Pallor, indifference, nausea, yawning, drowsiness appear.
2. Aura. Bright flashes, distortions, loss of sight of entire fragments, circles, dots, lightning, zigzags, bifurcation, partial blindness appear before a person’s eyes. Aura symptoms appear before the onset of an attack and last from 5 to 60 minutes.
3. Acute headache. Pressive, pulsating, located in the temple/eye/forehead. Sometimes the pain appears on the back of the head and then goes to the other half of the head. Increases with great physical overload. During an attack, there is intolerance to bright light and loud sounds, loss of appetite. There is nausea, vomiting, chills, chest pain. This phase lasts from several minutes to 15-20 hours.
4. Postdromal period. This period is different for everyone: some people may have weakness and prolonged sleep, others may experience euphoria.

During an attack, a person experiences hearing impairment, paralysis of the limbs, numbness of the legs, arms, and goosebumps all over the body. Acoustic and olfactory hallucinations appear.

Migraines are dangerous. Often a headache attack is so strong that a person cannot work – his speech is disturbed, his attention is scattered, he cannot concentrate. If it leans down, then the vessels of the brain expand and the pain intensifies several times.

During a migraine attack, there is a feeling of panic and fear. There is a rapid heartbeat, cold sweat, pre-fainting. The result may be an epileptic seizure.

The causes of migraine are varied. Scientists believe that migraine occurs due to disruption of the blood vessels of the brain. Moreover, in 70% of cases, migraine is transmitted genetically – to the child from the mother.

The causes of migraine are also:

• head injuries;
• medication, contraceptives;
• onset of menstruation, menopause, pregnancy;
• “weekend” migraine (appears on the first day of vacation or after the weekend).

A migraine can be provoked by a sharp change in the weather, meteorological dependence, a strong smell of tobacco or the aroma of perfume, paint, varnish. The “trigger” is insomnia, physical overload, chronic overwork, starvation, diet, irregular meals, severe stress.

general characteristics and treatments

Migraine is one of the most common causes of headache in adults: according to various sources, it affects from 12 to 15% of the adult population of the planet. At the same time, migraine attacks differ from other types of headache by a pronounced effect on general well-being, impaired social adaptation, and a significant decrease in the patient’s quality of life. In this regard, it is very important to know how to recognize, classify and properly treat migraine.

Contents

• How to recognize a migraine?
• Migraine severity
• How to treat migraine?

How to recognize a migraine?

Migraine is defined as a recurring, unilateral, throbbing headache of moderate to severe intensity that (if untreated or fails) persists for 4 to 72 hours. Migraine is often accompanied by nausea and/or vomiting, light and/or sound intolerance. An important characteristic of migraine is the presence or absence of an aura, a period of temporary neurological disturbances that usually precedes the onset of a migraine headache. Aura manifestations (visual, sensory symptoms or speech disturbances) usually increase within 5-20 minutes, last about 60 minutes, and then give way to a headache.

It should be remembered, however, that migraine is not only headache attacks and accompanying symptoms, but also significant changes in the nature and behavior of the patient, closely associated with a pronounced decrease in the quality of life, a violation of professional and social activity. In addition, people with migraine are characterized by increased anxiety, a tendency to depression, and there may also be problems with memory, concentration and attention.

Migraine severity

Determining the severity of migraine is of great clinical importance, as it underlies the choice of anti-migraine therapy regimen. Usually, various questionnaires are used to assess the severity of diseases, such as the questionnaire (or scale) MIDAS (MIgraine Disability Assessment Scale). Patients completing this questionnaire are asked to answer the following five questions:

1. In the last 3 months, how many school/work days (full/part-time) have you missed because of a headache?
2. In the last 3 months, how many school/working days have your ability to work been reduced by half or more due to a headache (excluding the days mentioned in point 1)?
3. In the last 3 months, how many days did you not do housework/homework because of a headache?
4. In the last 3 months, how many days have your homework productivity been halved or more due to a headache (excluding the days mentioned in point 3)?
5. In the last 3 months, how many days have you been away from family, social and outdoor activities because of a headache?

The number of days indicated by patients in response to each question is summed up, and the resulting score is used to determine the severity of migraine. Wherein:

A score of 0-5 points corresponds to severity 1, which is characterized by mild pain with minimal or no limitation of daily activities.

A score of 6-10 points (grade 2) corresponds to moderate/severe pain with slight limitation of daily activities.

A score of 11-20 points (grade 3) indicates severe migraine pain with moderate limitation of daily activities.

A score of 21 or more (grade 4) indicates the presence of severe headache with a significant decrease in daily activities.

How to treat migraine?

The MIDAS score plays an important role in the choice of drugs for the treatment of migraine, which can relieve headache, prevent the disease from becoming chronic and improve the patient’s quality of life. According to the generally accepted methodology, for mild migraine (MIDAS grade 1) analgesics are used, for grade 2 – nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and triptans, for grades 3 and 4 of the severity of the disease, triptans are the first line of treatment. In addition to cases of moderate and severe migraine, triptans are prescribed for patients in whom treatment with analgesics and / or NSAIDs has not given the desired effect.

Of the modern triptans, second-generation drugs deserve the most attention, in particular rizatriptan, which differs from other representatives of its group in a faster development of the effect and greater anti-migraine activity. Thus, rizatriptan at a dose of 10 mg showed greater efficacy in relieving headache, nausea and restoring functional activity 2 hours after taking the drug, as well as in preventing recurrent attacks within 24 hours, compared with sumatriptan at doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg. and zolmitriptan at a dose of 2.5 mg. In addition, rizatriptan is more effective than other triptans in eliminating the symptoms of menstrual migraine.

It should be remembered that rizatriptan is highly effective in the treatment of migraine with and without aura.

Literature

1. Nazari F.