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Introduction: Migraine Criteria
Do you have migraine headaches? A common migraine headache, also known as a
migraine without aura, is defined generally by the following criteria:
Frequency
The patient must have at least five of these headaches.
Duration
The headache must last a minimum of four hours, up to seventy-two hours.
Headaches that last over seventy-two hours generally require immediate medical
attention in order to rule out other, more dangerous conditions.
Pain Descriptors
In order to be classed as a migraine a headache must include at least two of
four different qualities of pain:
1) The pain is one-sided; the headache is primarily on one side of the head.
2) The pain is not constant; it throbs, pounds, or pulsates.
3) The pain must be of moderate or severe intensity, to the point where the
sufferer is inhibited in daily activity, potentially to the point of being
temporarily disabled.
4) The pain is increased, sometimes only slightly, by routine physical activity
like bending over, climbing stairs, or moving quickly.
Side Effects
Headache pain must be accompanied at least one of four common side effects:
1) Nausea
2) Vomiting
3) Photophobia – sensitivity to light
4) Phonophobia – sensitivity to sound
Secondary Exclusions
Appropriate medical testing, such as a MRI or CAT scan, and/or a physician’s
exam must be conducted to rule out other conditions that may have caused the
headache.
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