What Are Symptoms of a Migraine Headache?

The pain of a migraine can be unilateral or bilateral, and is most often pulsating, pounding, or throbbing in quality. Fifty per cent of migraine sufferers report the onset of migraine pain in the occipital region (back of the head.) Regardless of where pain begins, it often settles into a one-sided headache. Often, migraine pain is made worse by routine physical activity, such as climbing stairs. Migraines have moderate to severe pain intensity.

How long do migraines last?

The vast majority of migraines last between 4 hours and 72 hours. Rarely, a migraine attack will last longer than three days. This can be an indicator of a more serious problem, and should lead you to seek medical attention.

If not treated early, up to 80% of migraine sufferers can develop a highly sensitized pain called allodynia, in which a usually normal level of touch is perceived as painful.

What are other symptoms of a migraine attack?

There is usually associated avoidance of light (photophobia), sound, or even smell. There is often nausea or loss of appetite. Many migraine sufferers have difficulty thinking or concentrating during an attack. Recent information regarding migraine sufferers indicate that neck pain is present in many migraine attacks, and may even more common than nausea.

About 20% of migraine sufferers report a prodrome, or warning phase, preceding their headaches, consisting of vague symptoms like mood changes, yawning, food cravings, thirst, or excessive urination.

Fifteen to twenty per cent of migraine sufferers sometimes or always have an aura preceding their headaches. Auras are neurologic symptoms, most often affecting vision with spots, colors, sparkles, or vision loss. An aura can also cause stroke-like symptoms like tingling, numbness, or weakness in the face, an arm, or sometimes an entire side.