What is a migraine?

A migraine headache is a result of specific changes in the brain. It causes severe head pain that is often accompanied by sensitivity to light, sound, or smells.   There is still some debate regarding the classification of migraine. Some experts refer to migraine a neurological disease, while others prefer to call it a neurological condition or disorder. Migraine attacks are classified as primary headaches because pain is not caused by another disorder or disease. Migraine attacks are often accompanied by symptoms other than head pain, including nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine symptoms and severity can vary tremendously from person to person.

What is the difference between migraine and a headache?

Migraine is not just a headache, and attacks can include a variety of debilitating neurological symptoms. Head pain associated with migraine is typically throbbing in nature and located on one side of the head. It is common to experience nausea and vomiting during migraine attacks, in addition to a wide variety of other symptoms.