Migraine can range from mild to severe and from episodic to chronic. If you are someone who experiences episodic migraine you can decrease your chances of becoming chronic by getting proper diagnosis and treatment quickly.

• Clinical definition of Episodic Migraine is fewer than 15 headache days a month.

• Clinical definition of Chronic Migraine is 15 or more headache days a month.

While we have numerous migraine medications available today, migraine and other pain disorders are invisible illnesses. Invisible illnesses like migraine are often stigmatized and can be misunderstood even by healthcare providers. This can make finding a good provider difficult.

We have a shortage of headache specialists in the Unites States. Published estimates state that we need approximately 3700 specialists to treat the patients in our country with migraine and we only have about 600 headache specialists currently practicing in the field.

Migraine is usually described as a throbbing pain that occurs on one side of the head. It comes with sensitivity to light and/or sound and often occurs with nausea or vomiting. Some people experience other symptoms like visual aura, brain fog, or dizziness.

There are other types of headache that are often misdiagnosed as migraine such as tension headache, idiopathic intracranial hypertension (high pressure headache), low pressure headache, and cluster headache. It is important to see a healthcare provider and receive an accurate diagnosis.