Migraine is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent moderate to severe headaches
often in association with a number of autonomic nervous system symptoms.
The pain of a migraine headache is often described as an intense pulsing or throbbing pain in
one area of the head. Part of the criteria of diagnosing migraine is by its pain and the number of
attacks (at least 5 attacks, lasting 4-72 hours if untreated), as well as additional symptoms
including nausea and/or vomiting or sensitivity to both light and sound. Migraine is three times
more common in women than in men and affects more than 10 percent of people worldwide.
Roughly one-third of affected individuals can predict the onset of a migraine because it is
preceded by an "aura." An aura can be a visual disturbances that appear as flashing lights, zig-
zag lines or a temporary loss of vision. An aura can also include sensory or speech
disturbances. Individuals with migraine tend to have recurring attacks triggered by a number of
different factors including stress, anxiety, hormonal changes, bright or flashing lights, lack of food
or sleep, and dietary substances. Migraine in some women may relate to changes in hormones
and hormonal levels during their menstrual cycle. For many years, scientists believed that
migraines were linked to the dilation and constriction of blood vessels in the head.
1
Investigators now believe that migraine can have a genetic cause and both the vascular system
and the nervous system play a role in the pathophysiology of migraine.
Chronic Migraine
Criteria define Chronic Migraine (one type of Migraine) as headache that occurs 15 or more days
a month with headache lasting 4 hours or longer for at least 3 consecutive months in people with
a current or prior diagnosis of migraine.
BOTOX
®
is one of the FDA approved treatments for Chronic Migraine and is a treatment
administered by the providers at Summit Headache and Neurologic Institute.
1 - Content taken from the NIH.Gov NINDS Migraine Information Page
Migraine
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