How Do You Know You Have a Migraine?

Not every headache is a migraine attack, but if your headaches leave you wondering whether there's more going on, you could be right. Migraine is a life-disrupting condition with a distinctive headache as its most recognizable symptom. But there's more to migraine than head pain, and knowing whether you're dealing with migraine or a regular tension, sinus or cluster headache is the first step in addressing your symptoms.

Do you have a migraine or just a headache?

A migraine headache differs from other headache types in several ways:

• Migraine headache: Migraine headaches typically involve throbbing pain on one side of the head, or on both sides, with one side often hurting worse than the other. The pain can be mild but is often moderate or severe. It lasts anywhere from four to 72 hours. 
• Tension headache: Tension headaches involve pain on one or both sides of the head or across the forehead. The pain lasts anywhere from two hours to several days.
• Sinus headache: Sinus headaches often accompany a sinus infection, involving mild to severe pain in the face, forehead and between the eyes. They can last several days if untreated.
• Cluster headache: Cluster headaches involve sudden, severe pain extending from behind one eye. They last 30-90 minutes.

The throbbing or pulsating pain of a migraine headache distinguishes it from these other types. But other symptoms often accompany migraine attacks, including:

• Visual disturbances, including blurring, shapes or flashes.
• Sensitivity to light, smell or sound.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Irritability or mood swings.
• Fatigue or drowsiness.

Can you self-diagnose migraine?

After reading a guide like this one, you could have a reasonable idea of whether you are experiencing migraine or another type of headache. But reaching a definitive migraine diagnosis is challenging. Besides headaches, migraine episodes have several symptoms that overlap with other conditions. Some conditions with similar symptoms to migraine are serious and require urgent care.

Self-diagnosing migraine could lead to mistakes with significant health consequences. For a reliable migraine diagnosis, visit a healthcare professional who can consider your medical history and run tests. A doctor can:

• Confirm whether you are experiencing migraine and provide a diagnosis.
• Help you rule out other conditions with similar symptoms.
• Recommend appropriate treatment options and prescribe medications if necessary.
• Refer you to specialists for further testing or treatment.

When to see a doctor for suspected migraine

If you think you're experiencing migraine, make an appointment with your doctor. This can help provide the clarity you need to start a migraine management or treatment plan if the physician confirms your suspicions. It's a good idea to track your symptoms over time in a headache journal; you can then share this information with your doctor to help inform their diagnosis.

Some symptoms can indicate more serious conditions. Seek emergency care right away if you experience:

• A sudden, severe headache that feels like a thunderclap in your head.
• A headache with fever, seizures or numbness in any part of your body.
• Sudden, significant difficulty speaking or understanding others.
• Losing your ability to stand or walk.
• Frequent vomiting.
• Migraine-like symptoms lasting over 72 hours.

How is a migraine diagnosed?

There's no single 100% accurate migraine test. However, a doctor can reach a reliable diagnosis by gathering information from multiple sources and ruling out other conditions. Your doctor will consider your medical history, interpret your self-reported symptoms and conduct a physical examination. Questions they will likely ask you include:

• Have you noticed anything triggering your headaches? 
• How often do you have these headaches?
• Where is the pain and how bad is it?
• How long do your headaches last?
• Do you notice any other symptoms before, during or after?

The doctor may also conduct further tests or refer you to specialists for tests like:

• CT, MRI or angiogram scans: These imaging tests are vital for ruling out stroke, brain bleeds and blood vessel problems.
• Complete blood count: This test helps the physician check for anemia, infections and some types of cancer. 
• Blood chemistries: This test reveals how your organs are functioning, showing liver, kidney or thyroid abnormalities that could be behind your symptoms.
• Lumbar puncture: A spinal tap can reveal spinal fluid abnormalities that may indicate an infected spinal cord or brain.
• EEG and EKG: These electrical measurements monitor brain and heart activity patterns. They can help detect migraine headache activity and distinguish it from other conditions.

Try CEFALY to Prevent & Relieve Migraine Pain

Treatment options for migraine

If your doctor diagnoses you with migraine, you can explore a range of treatment options with their advice and supervision. 

Migraine management behaviors

A few lifestyle changes could help reduce the frequency and severity of your migraine episodes:

• Hydration: Dehydration is a common migraine trigger. Try meeting your recommended daily water intake of 11 ½ cups per day for women or 15 ½ cups for men. Aim to replace your fluids and electrolytes after exercise sessions.
• Nutrition: Eat a balanced diet. Reduce common migraine trigger foods like alcohol, chocolate and fermented foods. 
• Sleep: Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every night, and keep your sleep schedule as consistent as possible. Try improving sleep quality by avoiding screen time before bed and keeping your bedroom dark, cool and quiet.
• Stress management: Stress is a trigger for 80% of people with migraine. Manage stress through healthy habits like exercise, journaling and rest.

Migraine treatment medications

Your doctor may prescribe medication to prevent or relieve migraine. Common migraine prevention medications include:

• Anti-seizure medications.
• Beta-blockers.
• Calcium channel blockers.
• Tricyclic antidepressants.

Acute migraine medications include:

• Triptans.
• Ditans.
• Dihydroergotamine.
• Pain relievers.

Migraine treatment devices

Several types of migraine treatment devices can help prevent and relieve migraine. One clinically proven option is external trigeminal neurostimulation (eTNS). eTNS devices stimulate and desensitize the trigeminal nerve — the brain’s main pathway for migraine pain — by sending a safe electrical impulse to the nerve through an electrode worn on the forehead. 

The FDA has cleared the CEFALY eTNS device for migraine prevention and treatment, and you can buy and use one without a prescription. CEFALY is safe to use alongside prescription medication but also works as a stand-alone, drug-free treatment option. One clinical study showed CEFALY’s ACUTE mode achieved pain relief for 79% of users during their migraine attacks. 

Try CEFALY for migraine relief

A migraine diagnosis has a silver lining. Knowing where your headaches come from gives you the ability to move forward and pursue an effective treatment approach. If you’re experiencing migraine headaches, CEFALY Connected could be your solution.

When you buy CEFALY, the device is yours to keep, and ongoing costs are minimal. Its dedicated 20-minute PREVENT and 60-minute ACUTE modes can help reduce migraine days and relieve pain during episodes.

Try CEFALY risk-free with our 90-day money-back guarantee.