19, Jun 2025
June is Migraine and Headache Awareness Month, a time to advocate for and build awareness of migraine and headaches.
Headaches are a common symptom experienced by almost everyone at some point. They can be primary or secondary.
Primary headaches, such as tension and cluster headaches, are physiological disorders not usually caused by an underlying medical condition.
Secondary headaches are usually caused by underlying medical conditions such as head injuries, sinus infections, or medication overuse.
The most common type of headache is tension, characterized by a dull, aching discomfort that typically affects both sides of the head. Cluster headaches are excruciating headaches that occur in clusters or groups, usually on one side of the head, and often accompanied by symptoms like eye watering, nasal congestion, and restlessness.
Migraine is a neurological disorder that causes recurrent episodes of moderate to severe headaches, often associated with unique symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, confusion and sensitivity to light, smell and sound. These attacks can last several hours to days, significantly impacting daily living functionality.
Migraines are a recurring type of headache that can cause moderate to severe pain that is throbbing or pulsing on one side of your head. Everyone experiences migraines differently, ranging from mild form to severe.
For many years, migraines were considered to be a vascular disorder that can appear as a symptom of severe vascular conditions, like having an aneurysm and other arteriovenous malformations.
Beyond the physical pain, migraine can have far-reaching consequences on patients' well-being, such as disruption of work, school and social activities, thereby decreasing productivity and quality of life. The unpredictability of migraine attacks can cause emotional distress, anxiety, and depression in people living with Migraine.
There are several types of migraine attacks.
Migraine without aura occurs without warning signs (aura) and is characterized by typical moderate to severe throbbing pain on one side of the head (hemicrania).
Migraine with aura includes warning signs before the onset of a migraine attack. Such warning signs can be visual disturbances, sensory changes, or difficulty speaking.
Chronic migraines occur on fifteen or more days per month for at least three months, with at least eight of those days having migraine features.
Various triggering factors of migraine include hormonal changes, certain foods, stressors, sensory stimuli, changes in sleep patterns and environmental factors, such as not enough sleep, caffeine or caffeine withdrawal, cigarette smoking, weather changes, certain lights, noises, and smells and specific foods and drinks.
Four phases of the progression through migraine attacks include pro-attacks and post-drome. Each phase can present differently in terms of symptoms and experiences.
Understanding these phases can help individuals recognize and manage their migraine symptoms effectively.
Migraine is not just a headache. If you are experiencing severe or recurrent attacks of migraine that interfere with your quality of life or activities of daily living, visit your doctor, who can guide you to determine the underlying cause of your attacks and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Identifying and avoiding triggers, along with adopting lifestyle modifications and appropriate medications as prescribed by your doctor, can help manage migraines effectively. If you suspect specific triggers are contributing to your migraine attacks, keeping a headache diary can help track and identify patterns.
If you or your loved ones are experiencing these signs and symptoms, please contact your doctor to discuss a further care plan.
Dr. Sue Mitra and her staff strive to offer their patients the best care, advice and services available in the medical field with the goal to keep patient healthy & happy.
Dr. Sue Mitra is board certified in international medicine. She is seen here with a Cologuard, which is a noninvasive colon cancer screening test. (Photo by: Tim Shortt/Florida Today)