Glossary

This Glossary of Terms provided by the Association of Migraine Disorders and the National Headache Foundation should help you understand and take control of your headache and migraine symptoms.

A

  • Abdominal Migraine

    Unexplained abdominal pain – with anorexia, nausea, vomiting and pallor – and no symptoms between attacks.

  • Alice-In-Wonderland Syndrome

    A feeling or perception of one’s own body parts incorrectly.

  • Allergy Headache

    Symptoms: Generalized headache; nasal congestion; watery eyes

    Precipitating Factors: Seasonal allergens, such as pollen, molds. Allergies to food are not usually a factor.

    Treatment: Antihistamine medication; topical, nasal cortisone-related sprays; or desensitization injections

    Prevention: None

  • Allodynia

    A nerve-related condition where pain is felt from stimuli that do not normally cause the sensation of pain, such as warm or cold temperatures or gentle pressure on the skin.

  • Aneurysm

    Symptoms: May mimic frequent migraine or cluster headaches, caused by balloon-like weakness or bulge in the blood vessel wall. May rupture (stroke) or allow blood to leak slowly resulting in a sudden, unbearable headache, double vision, rigid neck. The individual rapidly becomes unconscious.

    Precipitating Factors: Congenital tendency; extreme hypertension.

    Treatment: If an aneurysm is discovered early, treat with surgery.

    Prevention: Keep blood pressure under control to prevent.

  • Arthritis Headache

    Symptoms: Pain at the back of the head or neck which intensifies on movement. It is caused by inflammation of the blood vessels of the head or bony changes in the structures of the neck.

    Precipitating Factors: Cause of pain is unknown.

    Treatment: Anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants.

    Prevention: None.

  • Autonomic Nasal Dysfunction

    Unexplained nasal congestion and a runny nose.

  • Ataxia

    Persistent sense of imbalance.

C

  • Caffeine-Withdrawal Headache

    Symptoms: Throbbing headache symptoms caused by rebound dilation of the blood vessels, occurring multiple days after consumption of large quantities of caffeine.

    Precipitating Factors: Caffeine.

    Treatment: Treat by terminating caffeine consumption in extreme cases.

    Prevention: Avoiding excess use of caffeine.

  • Central Auditory Processing Disorder

    Difficulty in understanding what people are saying, despite having a normal hearing test.

  • Cervicogenic Headache

    Symptoms: Pain on one side of the head or face, stiff neck, pain around the eyes, neck, shoulder, and arms, nausea, blurred vision, sensitivity to light and sound.

    Precipitating Factors: Injury to the neck, malformations of the cervical vertebrae, arthritis of the upper spine.

    Treatment: Treatment varies depending on the severity of symptoms, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (aspirin or ibuprofen), nerve blocks, physical therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), neuromodulation surgery.

    Prevention: Without treatment, a cervicogenic headache can become debilitating.

  • Chronic Daily Headache

    Symptoms: Refers to a broad range of headache disorders occurring more than 15 days a month; two categories are determined by the duration of the headache (less than four hours and more than four hours).

    Precipitating Factors: Typically evolve from transformed migraine. Although not related to chronic tension-type headache, they can evolve from episodic tension-type headache. Can be associated with medication overuse.

    Treatment: Depending on the type of CDH, different treatment options exist. It is important to limit analgesic use.

    Prevention: Based on the diagnosis of headache, how long they last, and the number experienced per month.

  • Chronic Migraine

    Symptoms:Headache  occurring more than 15 days a month, for more than 3 months, which has the features of migraine headache of at least 8 days per month.

    Precipitating Factors: Often associated with Medication Overuse Headache (MOH) or Rebound Headache. Can occur without MOH and be associated with major life events, obesity, ineffective acute medications.

    Treatment:Afre drug withdrawal, headaches will either revert to episodic or remain chronic. Botox and CGRP monoclonal antibodies have been approved for use in chronic migraine.

  • Chronic Sinusitis

    Pressure or pain across the forehead, behind the eyes or across the face that occurs frequently.

  • Cluster Headache

    Symptoms: Excruciating pain in the vicinity of the eye; tearing of the eye; nose congestion; and flushing of the face. Pain frequently develops during sleep and may last for several hours. Attacks occur every day for weeks, or even months, then disappears for up to a year. Eighty percent of cluster patients are male, most between the ages of 20 and 50.

    Precipitating Factors: Alcoholic beverages; excessive smoking.

    Treatment: Oxygen; ergotamine; sumatriptan; or intranasal application of local anesthetic agent.

    Prevention: Use of steroids; ergotamine; calcium channel blockers; and lithium.

  • Colic

    Inconsolable crying, tense abdominal muscles, clenched fists and curled legs, often after eating in babies.

D

  • Depression and Headache

    Symptoms: People with painful diseases tend to become depressed.

    Precipitating Factors: Causes can originate from a wide variety of complaints that can be categorized as physical, emotional, and psychic.

    Treatment: The presence of depression is often subtle and the diagnosis is frequently missed. Depression is a widespread affliction that can be treated, but first, it must be unmasked.

    Prevention: Physicians can prescribe tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or monoamine oxidize inhibitors in the treatment of headaches associated with depression.

E

  • Eyestrain Headache

    Symptoms: Usually frontal, bilateral pain directly related to eyestrain. It is a rare cause of headache.

    Precipitating Factors: Muscle imbalance; uncorrected vision; astigmatism.

    Treatment: Correction of vision.

    Prevention: Correction of vision.

  • Exertional Headache

    Symptoms: Generalized head pain of short duration (minutes to an hour) during or following physical exertion (running, jumping, or sexual intercourse), or passive exertion (sneezing, coughing, moving one’s bowels, etc.)

    Precipitating Factors: Ten percent caused by organic diseases (aneurysms, tumors, or blood vessel malformation). Ninety percent are related to migraine or cluster headaches.

    Treatment: Cause must be accurately determined. Most commonly treated with indomethacin or propranolol. Extensive testing is necessary to determine the headache cause. Surgery is occasionally indicated to correct the organic disease.

    Prevention: Alternative forms of exercise; avoid jarring exercises.

  • Expressive Apraxia

    Difficulty speaking sometimes without another explanation.

F

  • Fasting Headache

    Symptoms: Frontal location, with diffuse, non-pulsating pain of milt-to-moderate intensity. 

    Precipitating Factors: Caused by fasting.

    Treatment: Headache symptoms should resolve in less than 72 hours after eating.

    Prevention: Eat multiple small meals daily.

  • Fever Headache

    Symptoms:Headache symptoms include generalized head pain that develops with fever and is caused by the swelling of the blood vessels of the head.

    Precipitating Factors: Caused by infection.

    Treatment: Aspirin; acetaminophen; NSAIDs; antibiotics.

    Prevention: None.

  • Fibromyalgia

    Chronic widespread pain and tenderness.

G

  • Gastroparesis

    Nausea, vomiting, belching, bloating, abdominal discomfort.

  • Giant Cell Arteritis

    Symptoms: A boring, burning, or jabbing pain caused by inflammation of the temporal arteries; pain, often around the ear, when chewing; weight loss; eyesight problems. This rarely affects people under 50.

    Precipitating Factors: Maybe due to vascular disease characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels.

    Treatment: Treat with oral corticosteroids after diagnosis; confirmed by biopsy of the temporal artery. Detected by erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein test.

    Prevention: None.

H

  • Hangover Headache

    Symptoms: Migraine-like symptoms of throbbing pain and nausea, but it is not localized to one side.

    Precipitating Factors: Alcohol, which causes dilation and irritation of the blood vessels of the brain and surrounding tissue.

    Treatment: Liquids (including broth); consumption of fructose (honey, tomato juice are a good source)

    Prevention: Drink alcohol only in moderation

  • Headache Attributed to Infection

    Symptoms: Diffuse, moderate-to-severe pain caused by acute infection, accompanied by fever.

    Precipitating Factors: Infections.

    Treatment: Aspirin, acetaminophen, NSAIDs, antibiotics as needed.

    Prevention: No.

  • Hemiplegic Migraine

    Symptoms: Stroke-like symptoms- Severe throbbing pain, often on one side of the head, numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, loss of balance, speech difficulties, visual disturbances, auras, sensitivity to light, sound, and smell.

    Precipitating Factors: Hemiplegic migraine has a strong genetic component.

    Treatment: Once confirmed, treatment should consist of dietary modification to avoid triggers, regular exercise and sleep, and dietary supplementation, such as magnesium. Topiramate, valproic acid, and calcium channel blockers have shown the best pharmacologic results. Triptans must be avoided to prevent severe complications. Such care is best provided under the supervision of a multidisciplinary headache clinic or a specialized neurologist.

    Prevention: Preventive medications, dietary modification to avoid triggers, regular exercise and sleep.

  • Hunger Headache

    Symptoms: Pain strikes just before mealtime. It is caused by muscle tension, low blood sugar, and rebound dilation of the blood vessels, oversleeping, or missing a meal.

    Precipitating Factors: Strenuous dieting or skipping meals

    Treatment: Regular, nourishing meals containing adequate protein and complex carbohydrates.

    Prevention: Regular, nourishing meals containing adequate protein and complex carbohydrates.

  • Hypertension Headache

    Symptoms: Generalized or “hairband” type of pain that is most severe in the morning. It diminishes throughout the day.

    Precipitating Factors: Severe hypertension: over 200 systolic and 110 diastolic.

    Treatment: Treat with appropriate blood pressure medication.

    Prevention: Keep blood pressure under control.

I

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome

    Abdominal pain and bloating, associated with bowel movements.

M

  • Mal de Debarquement

    A persistent feeling of the ground moving, especially after getting off a boat.

  • Menstrual Headache

    Symptoms: Migraine-type pain that occurs shortly before, during, or immediately after menstruation or at mid-cycle (at time of ovulation).

    Precipitating Factors: Variances in estrogen levels.

    Treatment: At the earliest onset of symptoms, treat using biofeedback, ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, or a 5-HT agonist. Once the pain has begun, treatment is identical to migraine without aura.

    Prevention: Biofeedback; beta-blockers (propranolol, timolol); anti-convulsant (divalproex sodium); calcium blockers; and NSAIDs.

  • Migraine with Aura

    Symptoms: Warning signs develop, which may include visual disturbances or numbness in arm or leg. Warning symptoms subside within 30 minutes followed by severe pain.

    Precipitating Factors: There is a hereditary component. Other factors include certain foods; the Pill or menopausal hormones; excessive hunger; changes in altitude; weather; lights; excessive smoking; and emotional stress.

    Treatment: At the earliest onset of symptoms, treat using biofeedback, ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, or a 5-HT agonist. Once the pain has begun, treat with: ice packs; isometheptene; mucate; combination products containing caffeine; ergotamine; DHE injectable and nasal spray; 5-HT agonists; analgesics or medications, which constrict the blood vessels. Steroids may be helpful for prolonged attacks.

    Prevention: Biofeedback; beta-blockers (propranolol, timolol); anti-convulsant (divalproex sodium); calcium blockers; and NSAIDs. CGRP monoclonal antibodies were recently approved for prevention.

  • Migraine without Aura

    Symptoms: Severe, one-sided throbbing pain, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, cold hands, sensitivity to sound and light.

    Precipitating Factors: There is a hereditary component. Other factors include certain foods; the Pill or menopausal hormones; excessive hunger; changes in altitude; weather; lights; excessive smoking; and emotional stress.

    Treatment: Ice packs; isometheptene; mucate; combination products containing caffeine; ergotamine; DHE injectable and nasal spray; 5-HT agonists; analgesics or medications, which constrict the blood vessels. Steroids may be helpful for prolonged attacks. CGRP monoclonal antibodies were recently approved for prevention.

    Prevention: Biofeedback; beta-blockers (propranolol, timolol); anti-convulsant (divalproex sodium); calcium blockers; and NSAIDs.

N

  • Neurogenic Cough

    An unexplained dry persistent cough.

  • New Daily Persistent Headache

    Symptoms: Best described as the rapid development (less than three days) of unrelenting headache. Typically presents in a person with no past history of headache.

    Precipitating Factors: Does not evolve from migraine or episodic tension-type headache. It begins as a new headache and may be the result of a viral infection.

    Treatment: Can resolve on its own within several months. Other cases persist and are more refractory.

    Prevention: Does not respond to traditional options, but anti-seizure medications, Topamax, or Neurontine can be used.

O

  • Oromandibular Dystonia

    Forceful contractions of the face, jaw, and/or tongue causing difficulty in opening and closing the mouth and often affecting chewing and speech.

  • Osmophobia

    Sensitivity to smells.

P

  • Phantosmia

    Detecting awful smells that others do not.

  • Presenteeism

    Being on the job but, because of illness or other medical conditions, not fully functioning.

  • Post-Traumatic Headaches

    Symptoms: Localized or generalized pain, can mimic migraine or tension-type headache symptoms. Headaches usually occur on a daily basis and are frequently resistant to treatment.

    Precipitating Factors: Pain can occur after relatively minor traumas, but the cause of the pain often difficult to diagnose.

    Treatment: Possible treatment by the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, propranolol, or biofeedback.

    Prevention: Standard precautions against trauma.

R

  • Restless Leg Syndrome

    Sleep disturbances, such as difficulty sleeping (central sleep disorder) or the urge to move one’s legs or odd leg feelings.

S

  • Sinus Headache

    Symptoms: Gnawing pain over the nasal area, often increasing in severity throughout the day. Pain is caused by acute infection, usually with fever, producing blockage of sinus ducts and preventing normal drainage. Sinus headaches are rare. Migraine and cluster headaches are often misdiagnosed as sinus in origin.

    Precipitating Factors: Infection, nasal polyps, anatomical deformities, such as deviated septum that blocks the sinus ducts.

    Treatment: Treat with antibiotics, decongestants, surgical drainage, if necessary.

    Prevention: None.

T

  • Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Headache

    Symptoms: A muscle-contraction type of pain, sometimes accompanied by a painful “clicking” sound on the opening of the jaw. It is an infrequent cause of headache.

    Precipitating Factors: Caused by malocclusion (poor bite), stress, and jaw clenching.

    Treatment: Relaxation, biofeedback, and the use of a bite plate are the most common treatments. In extreme cases, the correction of malocclusion may be necessary.

    Prevention: Same as treatment.

  • Temporomandibular Pain

    Stabbing pain around and deep in one ear.

  • Tension-Type Headache

    Symptoms: Dull, non-throbbing pain, frequently bilateral, associated with tightness of scalp or neck. Degree of severity remains constant.

    Precipitating Factors: Emotional stress, hidden depression.

    Treatment: Rest; aspirin; acetaminophen; ibuprofen; naproxen sodium; combinations of analgesics with caffeine; ice packs; muscle relaxants; antidepressants, if appropriate; biofeedback; psychotherapy; temporary use of stronger prescription analgesics, if necessary.

    Prevention: Avoidance of stress; use of biofeedback; relaxation techniques; or antidepressant medication.

  • Tinnitus

    A hissing, ringing or other noise in the ear that others do not hear.

  • Tic Douloureux Headache (Trigeminal Neuralgia)

    Symptoms: Short, jab like pain in trigger areas found in the face around the mouth or jaw; frequency and longevity of pain varies. It is a relatively rare disease of the neural impulses and is more common in women after age 55.

    Precipitating Factors: Cause unknown, pain from chewing, cold air, touching the face. If under age 55, may result from neurological diseases, such as MS.

    Treatment: Anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants, neurosurgery.

    Prevention: None.

  • Thunderclap Headache

    Symptoms: Sudden and severe pain that may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, seizure speech problems, weakness, confusion, visual disturbances.

    Precipitating Factors: Thunderclap Headache may be due to a benign syndrome or a potentially life-threatening condition.

    Treatment: Since the nature of the headache by itself cannot allow distinction between benign and serious causes, it is essential to seek out an emergency medical evaluation if the onset of a headache is sudden and severe.

    Prevention: None.

  • Tumor Headache

    Symptoms: Pain progressively worsens; projectile vomiting; possible visual disturbances speech or personality changes; problems with equilibrium; gait, or coordination; seizures. It is an extremely rare condition.

    Precipitating Factors: The cause of the tumor is usually unknown.

    Treatment: If discovered early, treat with surgery or newer radiological methods.

    Prevention: None.

V

  • Vestibular Migraine

    The word vestibular relates to the inner ear and the balance systems of your body. It is associated with symptoms of vertigo. Vertigo is the sensation that you’re moving, falling, or spinning when you are sitting still. Vestibular migraine is the second-most common cause of vertigo in adults. Vertigo can happen at any point during a migraine attack.

  • Vulvodynia

    Burning, stinging or pain in the vaginal region.