Headaches fall into several different categories: tension-type, cluster, migraine, or rebound. Although most of us have experienced the discomfort associated with a tension-type headache at one time or another, a migraine has distinct disabling characteristics. People who suffer from migraines have a high level of pain and disability. The pain is typically moderate or severe, can be throbbing, and is often accompanied by nausea and/or vomiting, photophobia (aversion to light) or phonophobia (aversion to noise). Migraineurs report an average pain level of 7 on a 10-point scale with 10 being the “worst” (Lipton, 2002); 85% report pulsating pain, 80% report light sensitivity and 76% sound sensitivity (Lipton, 2001). Some migraineurs experience additional speech, visual and/or sensory symptoms known as aura (36%), which usually come before the onset of a migraine and can be helpful for patients in predicting an oncoming attack.

In 1988 and again in 2004, the International Headache Society (IHS) established diagnostic standards for classification of a migraine. The official diagnostic criteria can be found on the International Headache Society Web site, under “Guidelines” in the document called “Main document.” Please click here to go to the IHS website.

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