| Q: |
How is migraine diagnosed?
| | A: |
The diagnosis of migraine is based on your symptoms ,
as well as your medical history and that of your family. Recurrent
attacks of “sick headaches” lasting 1–3 days in an otherwise well person
are most likely to be migraine. If there is any doubt, keep a diary and
check with your doctor.
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| Q: |
Is there a medical test for migraine?
| | A: |
There is no medical test to confirm the diagnosis of migraine.
This fact can be frustrating for the individual with migraine. Many
people go from doctor to doctor to find out what is wrong with them, and
may subject themselves to numerous unnecessary medical tests in the
hope of finding something concrete to fix. Fortunately, the typical
symptoms and pattern of attacks are usually sufficient to confirm the
diagnosis. If your doctor does do any tests, it will be to ensure that
your symptoms are not the result of an underlying medical problem other
than migraine.
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| Q: |
How do I know if my headaches are caused by migraine rather than another medical problem?
| | A: |
Migraine can cause many symptoms that are related to brain
function. It is important that you have a medical evaluation to exclude
other disorders as the cause of your symptoms. Rarely, serious
conditions such as a brain infection, a brain tumor, or bleeding into
the brain can be the cause of headaches and it is particularly important
that these are excluded before a diagnosis of migraine is made.
Coexisting medical conditions can complicate migraine and must be
accurately diagnosed and treated to gain optimal control of migraine .
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