Migraine
Alternate Names : Migraine Without Aura, Vascular Headaches
How is the condition diagnosed?
According to the International Headache Society, migraine is
diagnosed when a person has the following:
at least five headache episodes, each lasting 4 to 72 hours
nausea
or sensitivity to light and sounds
at least two of the following: one-sided pain, pulsing pain, moderate or
severe pain, or pain aggravated by physical activity
There are no blood tests for migraine.
Usually a migraine headache can be diagnosed with a complete
physical examination and a medical history that includes information about
the person's headache experiences. Doctors seldom use
tests to diagnose a migraine. They may order tests to rule out
other possible causes of the headache. These tests may include:
biopsy
of the arteries in the head. In this test, a doctor collects a small sample of the artery
and examines it under a microscope.
a cranial CT scan,
which is an examination of the head using a special three-dimensional X-ray
a cranial MRI,
which is a special three-dimensional image made using a magnetic field
an electroencephalogram,
also called an EEG, which is a recording of brain waves
an electromyogram,
also called an EMG. This test is a recording of the electrical activity of selected
muscle groups.
skull X-rays
a spinal tap,
where a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid is removed from the spine using a thin needle
testing of levels of certain drugs or toxins in the blood
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