Vestibular migraine
STORYBOX : David has migraine attacks a few days per month, with light sensitivity and nausea. When he was a kid, he was car sick. Last year, he woke up one morning with severe vertigo and could not walk. He went to the ED and received…
Medication Overuse Headache
What is medication overuse headache? A headache that is caused, in part, by the regular use of some types of medications. This headache is present on 15 or more days per month for 3 months or longer, in a person who uses medications on 10-15+…
Migraine with aura: an overview
STORYBOX: Shelly is now familiar with her aura. The normal one starts with a little flashing dot on the right side of her vision. The dot becomes bigger and transforms into squiggly lines. Gradually, this flashing becomes gray then dark. After 40 minutes, she gains…
Chronic migraine: basic facts
How does the physician diagnose Chronic Migraine? If you have a history of occasional migraines and the attacks have become more frequent over months or years, so that you now have headache on more than 15 days a month, then a diagnosis of chronic migraine…
The Migraine Family: categories and groups
Let’s face it: there are many types of migraine. This is complicated even for physicians, especially family docs who do not receive a lot of training on migraine during their residency. It is important to understand those terms as specific characteristics might influence your investigations…
Women, hormones and migraine: an overview
Research has shown that women are 3 times more likely to have migraines than men. This is because hormones are linked to migraines. What are the links between hormones and migraines? There have been lots of medical research regarding hormones and their effect on migraines….
What is menstrual migraine?
Menstrual migraines are headaches that are associated with your period (menstrual cycle). During a specific time of your period, hormone levels such as estrogen drops which can trigger migraine headaches. What is the medical definition of menstrual migraine? If you are experiencing more painful headaches…
Contraception and Migraine
Women have 3 times higher risk of having migraine than men. Reasons for this include hormonal fluctuations and genetic factors. Migraine may be a lifetime disorder especially for women and can be troublesome during their reproductive years (i.e. start of menses to menopause). During these…
How to use a Migraine Diary
«Migraine is invisible on an MRI…but it is very visible on a diary» Let’s face it, monitoring migraine is important. During your migraine journey, you will try different treatments, and it will be very important to observe what is going on. Of course, if you…
