Migraine Diagnosis and Symptomatology

Abstract

Migraine remains a prevalent disease that can be hard to differentiate from other disorders with headache symptoms. It is an episodic disorder with possible characteristic symptoms prior to the headache, a headache phase, and the postdromal phase. The International Headache Society, an international professional headache association, has developed a tool to diagnose and classify migraines, which is routinely updated based on clinical evidence. The current version of this resource, the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3), subdivides migraine into the following six categories based on symptoms: migraine without aura, migraine with aura, chronic migraine, complications of migraine, probable migraine, and episodic syndromes that may be associated with migraine. Because this diagnostic classification relies on the quantity, quality, and duration of symptoms, finding ways to promote accurate reporting and minimize recall bias becomes important. For a small percentage of migraine sufferers, the disease can progress to a chronic condition with headaches >50% of days in the month resulting in significant disability and decreased quality of life. Understanding both the common and uncommon symptoms associated with migraine can help medical practitioners correctly diagnose the disease to more quickly initiate treatment.