WHAT IS MIGRAINE?

The word migraine comes from the Greek term for a one-sided headache {he-micrain-id). But not all headaches are due to migraine and, since the treatment will depend on the cause, it is important to separate the different types of headache.

The classical descriptions of migraine gave three features of this particular type of headache: first, it was one-sided; secondly, it was accompanied by nausea and sometimes vomiting; and thirdly, there was a warning of a disturbance of vision.

Patient A.B. gave the following description:

I wake up in the morning feeling happy. The sky seems more blue - in fact, all colours appear more intense. I know this means that later that day, or perhaps the next, I will get a migraine attack. The pain gradually comes on over one temple, usually the right, and spreads over the whole of that side of the head. At the same time, but sometimes before the headache begins, part of my vision blurs, bright stars may appear and move over the field of vision. The headache becomes worse and throbbing, I start feeling sick. If I vomit this seems to make the headache better. With the headache, light hurts my eyes so I have to go to bed after drawing the curtains. The whole attack lasts about eight hours and leaves me tired and shaken.

This is a description of an attack of classical migraine. In addition to the three typical features (one-sided headache, nausea and vomiting, and visual disturbances), it includes other characteristics found with migrainous attacks.