PainCare - Pain Management in New Hampshire

What are migraines?

Migraines are severe, incapacitating headaches usually (but not always) beginning on one side of the head.

They are often accompanied by extreme sensitivity to light, sound and smells, nausea and vomiting, sleep disruption, as well as anxiety and depression. In its full-blown state, simple activities such as combing hair or shaving can be painful.  Sometimes a migraine can be preceded by an "aura" (a visual disturbance that appears as flashing lights, zig-zag lines) or by a temporary loss of vision.

Approximately 10% of all Americans suffer from migraines, affecting women (mostly during the reproductive years) three times more often than men. The tendency to experience migraines often runs in families and may occur at any age; they usually begin between the ages of 10 and 40 and diminish after age 50.

Migraine is often misdiagnosed as sinus headache (very rare source of headache)and sometimes as tension headache.