Migraine Glossary: Every Term Explained Simply
When you start learning about migraine — on your own or because a doctor just diagnosed you — you quickly find yourself drowning in medical jargon. Aura, scotoma, photophobia, triptan, CGRP, prodrome... It's a whole new vocabulary to absorb.
This glossary brings together 55+ of the most useful terms to understand what's happening to you and to communicate effectively with your doctor. Short definitions, no unnecessary jargon, with links to in-depth articles when the topic deserves a deeper dive.
Contents
- Types of headaches
- The phases of an attack
- Symptoms
- Medications and treatments
- The science behind migraine
- Medical tracking tools
Types of headaches
Cluster headache
A rare but extremely intense form of headache, considered one of the most violent pains known in medicine. Characterized by piercing pain behind or around one eye, on the same side every attack. Short attacks (15 min to 3 hours) but repeating in "clusters" over several weeks.
Headache
The generic medical term for any pain felt in the head region. Encompasses migraine, tension-type headache, cluster headache, and all other forms.
Chronic daily headache (CDH)
Headache present more than 15 days per month, for over 3 months. Affects roughly 3-4% of adults. Can result from a transformed migraine, chronic tension-type headache, or medication overuse. See our article on why you have a headache every day.
Tension-type headache (TTH)
The most common form of headache in the general population. Bilateral pain, like pressure or a tight band around the head, mild to moderate intensity. Not throbbing, no nausea, little to no light/sound sensitivity. Often linked to stress or neck muscle tension.
Medication overuse headache (MOH)
Also called rebound headache. Headache caused by excessive use of pain relievers or triptans. Criteria: simple painkillers > 15 days/month or triptans > 10 days/month, for over 3 months. Reversible with supervised withdrawal.
Primary vs. secondary headache
Primary: the pain is the disease itself (migraine, tension-type headache, cluster headache). Secondary: the pain is a symptom of something else (sinusitis, stroke, meningitis, trauma, etc.).
Hemicrania continua
Rare headache, strictly one-sided and continuous, with a specific feature: it responds to a particular medication called indomethacin. This response is part of the diagnostic criteria.
Paroxysmal hemicrania
Rare form similar to cluster headache, but with shorter attacks (2 to 30 min) and more frequent (often > 5 per day). More common in women. Also responds to indomethacin.
Migraine
A chronic neurological disease characterized by recurring attacks of throbbing headache, often one-sided, moderate to severe, accompanied by nausea, light sensitivity and sound sensitivity. Affects roughly 15% of the global population. See migraine vs headache to clearly distinguish the two.
Menstrual migraine
Also called catamenial migraine. Migraine linked to the menstrual cycle, occurring 2 days before to 3 days after the start of menstruation, on at least 2 out of 3 cycles. Affects roughly 7% of female migraineurs in its pure form. See our article on migraine and periods.
Chronic migraine
Migraine that has progressed to a chronic state: 15 or more headache days per month, with at least 8 having migraine features, for more than 3 months. Affects 1-2% of the population.
Episodic migraine
The most common form of migraine. Fewer than 15 headache days per month. Most migraineurs fall into this category, with attack frequency ranging from a few per year to several per month.
Hemiplegic migraine
Rare and dramatic form of migraine with aura, where the aura includes temporary motor weakness on one side of the body. Can be confused with a stroke. Exists in familial (genetic) or sporadic forms.
Ophthalmic migraine
Common term for migraine with visual aura. Preceded by visual disturbances (scotoma, zigzags, phosphenes) before the headache. Represents about 20-30% of migraines. See our complete article on ophthalmic migraine.
Migraine without aura
The most common form (75-80% of migraines). The attack starts directly with the throbbing headache, with no preceding neurological symptoms. See migraine with aura for the contrast.
Vestibular migraine
Form characterized by vertigo as the dominant symptom, with or without associated headache. Often underdiagnosed because patients see ENT specialists rather than neurologists.
Cervicogenic headache
Headache originating from the cervical spine, often misdiagnosed as migraine. Triggered or worsened by neck movements or sustained postures.
Trigeminal neuralgia
Extreme facial pain in very brief flashes (a few seconds), triggered by simple actions (talking, chewing, touching the face). Not technically a headache, but often confused with one.
The phases of an attack
Prodrome (premonitory phase)
The phase preceding the attack by a few hours to 2 days. Possible symptoms: irritability, fatigue, food cravings, yawning, stiff neck, digestive issues. Allows some migraineurs to anticipate an attack. See how long a migraine lasts for the 4 phases in detail.
Aura
Transient neurological symptoms preceding or accompanying the headache. Typical duration: 5 to 60 minutes. Most often visual, but can also be sensory (tingling), aphasic (language), or motor (weakness).
Headache phase
The main painful phase. Throbbing pain, often one-sided, moderate to severe intensity, lasting 4 to 72 hours without treatment. Accompanied by nausea, photophobia, phonophobia.
Postdrome
The recovery phase after the pain disappears. Sense of exhaustion, concentration problems, depressed mood, sometimes lingering nausea. Can last up to 24-48 hours. Often called the "migraine hangover."
Symptoms
Allodynia
Painful sensation triggered by a normally non-painful stimulus (light touch, brushing hair, wearing glasses or contact lenses). Present in ~60% of migraineurs during attacks. Sign of "central sensitization" of the nervous system.
Aphasia (or dysphasia)
Temporary difficulty speaking or understanding language. Can be part of a migraine aura (aphasic aura). Important to distinguish from stroke, especially the first time.
Hemianopia
Loss of half the visual field. Can be a migraine aura symptom or a stroke sign. If it's the first occurrence and lasts more than an hour, treat as a medical emergency.
Hyperacusis
Increased sensitivity to sound intensity. To be distinguished from phonophobia, which is aversion (sounds hurt), while hyperacusis is perceiving sounds as too loud.
Metamorphopsia
Visual disturbance where objects appear distorted: larger (macropsia), smaller (micropsia), closer or farther. Can be part of a visual aura, rarer than scotoma.
Osmophobia
Aversion to smells during an attack. Highly specific symptom of migraine (rare in other headache types). Present in roughly 25-50% of migraineurs.
Paresthesia
Tingling or pins-and-needles sensations on the skin. Often part of a migraine aura, typically starting in the hand and spreading up the arm to the face on the same side.
Phonophobia
Aversion to sound during an attack. Drives migraineurs to seek silence. Present in roughly 70-80% of migraineurs.
Phosphene
Perception of light without an actual light stimulus: flashes, bright spots, "stars." Can be part of a visual aura or appear alone (notably in cases of vitreous detachment, which should be checked).
Photophobia
Aversion to light during an attack. Present in 80-90% of migraineurs. Drives the urge to close shutters and lie down in the dark.
Throbbing (pulsatile)
Adjective describing pain that beats with the pulse. Typical feature of migraine, in contrast with tension-type headache, which tends to be steady and pressure-like.
Scintillating scotoma
The most typical form of visual aura. A blind spot surrounded by shimmering zigzag lines that flicker and gradually expand. Resolves in 20-60 minutes.
Medications and treatments
NSAIDs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. First-line treatment for mild to moderate migraine attacks. Examples: ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, ketoprofen. More effective than acetaminophen for migraine.
Anti-CGRP (monoclonal antibodies)
A new class of migraine-specific preventive treatment, given as monthly or quarterly injections. Block CGRP or its receptor. Examples: erenumab (Aimovig), fremanezumab (Ajovy), galcanezumab (Emgality), eptinezumab (Vyepti). Reserved for severe migraines.
Beta-blocker
Medication originally developed for cardiovascular conditions, used for migraine prevention since the 1970s. The most well-known: propranolol. Reduces attack frequency in roughly half of patients.
Botox (botulinum toxin)
Injected at multiple points on the scalp and neck every 3 months, only for chronic migraine (>15 days/month). Reduces migraine days in roughly 50% of responders.
Ergot derivatives
Family of older medications (ergotamine, dihydroergotamine) used as vasoconstrictors for migraine attacks. Largely replaced by triptans, but still used for very long or treatment-resistant attacks.
Gepants
New class of oral small molecules that block the CGRP receptor. Used for acute attacks (rimegepant, ubrogepant) or prevention (atogepant, rimegepant). Approved by the FDA but availability varies by country.
Lasmiditan (ditans)
Acute attack medication with no vasoconstrictive effect, usable in patients with contraindications to triptans (cardiovascular history). Significant sedative effect: no driving for 8 hours after dosing.
Triptans
The reference treatment for moderate to severe migraine attacks since the 1990s. Family includes: sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, rizatriptan, naratriptan, eletriptan, almotriptan, frovatriptan. Vasoconstrictors, therefore contraindicated in cardiovascular risk.
Topiramate
Anti-epileptic also effective for migraine prevention. Common side effects (paresthesias, cognitive issues, weight loss). Often prescribed after beta-blocker failure.
Acute (abortive) treatment
Medication taken at the time of an attack to stop or reduce it. NSAIDs, acetaminophen, triptans, gepants, lasmiditan. To be taken as early as possible.
Preventive (prophylactic) treatment
Medication taken daily (or periodically) to reduce attack frequency and intensity. Indicated starting at 4-8 migraine days per month depending on the case. Beta-blockers, topiramate, amitriptyline, anti-CGRP, etc.
The science behind migraine
CGRP
Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide: a neuronal peptide massively released during migraine attacks. Causes inflammation and vasodilation of the meninges. Main target of new medications (anti-CGRP, gepants).
Visual cortex
Region at the back of the brain (occipital lobe) that processes visual information. Origin point of visual auras in ophthalmic migraine.
Cortical spreading depression (CSD)
A wave of abnormal electrical activity that spreads across the brain's surface at roughly 3 mm/minute. Recognized mechanism behind migraine aura.
Meninges
Three protective layers around the brain: dura mater, arachnoid, pia mater. Rich in pain receptors. Inflammation of the meninges is central to migraine pain.
Serotonin (5-HT)
Neurotransmitter heavily involved in migraine. Triptans act on 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptors. A drop in serotonin levels during attacks contributes to pain.
Trigeminovascular system
Network of trigeminal nerve fibers innervating the meningeal blood vessels. Its activation is at the heart of the migraine pain cascade. Main therapeutic target.
Vasoconstriction / vasodilation
Vasoconstriction: narrowing of blood vessels. Vasodilation: widening. Migraine involves abnormal dilation of meningeal blood vessels, against which triptans act (as vasoconstrictors).
Medical tracking tools
Headache diary (or migraine diary)
Daily tracking tool for attacks: date, duration, intensity, symptoms, medications, suspected triggers. Foundation of diagnosis and treatment evaluation. See how to identify your migraine triggers.
MIDAS scale
Migraine Disability Assessment Scale. A 5-question questionnaire evaluating migraine's impact on daily life over the past 3 months. Scores from 0-5 (little impact) to 21+ (severe impact).
HIT-6 scale
Headache Impact Test. A 6-question questionnaire evaluating how severely headaches impact daily life. Widely used in clinical practice and clinical trials.
ICHD-3
International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. The international reference classification defining precise diagnostic criteria for all headache types. Published by the International Headache Society.
Useful concepts to know
Comorbidity
The presence of multiple medical conditions in the same person. Migraineurs more often experience: anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia.
Trigger
Something that can provoke an attack in a migraine sufferer: stress, hormones, food, sleep, weather, screens, etc. Varies from person to person. See stress and migraines and barometric pressure.
Let-down effect (weekend headache)
Phenomenon where the sudden drop in stress level triggers a migraine, explaining the famous "weekend migraines." Mechanism linked to cortisol fluctuations.
How to use this glossary
This glossary is designed to support you on your migraine journey. Come back to it whenever a new term shows up: during a doctor's appointment, while reading an article, or while looking at a medication leaflet.
The more you understand the vocabulary, the more you can become an active participant in your care. You ask better questions to your doctor, you describe your attacks more accurately, you spot patterns more easily.
Our app Mellow is built around this idea: helping you better understand YOUR migraines by collecting precise data on your attacks, your triggers, and the effectiveness of your treatments. Over time, you get a clear picture of what specifically affects you.
Sources
ICHD-3 (International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition) — Definition of terms. ichd-3.org
Mayo Clinic — Migraine: Symptoms and causes. mayoclinic.org
Cleveland Clinic — Migraines. my.clevelandclinic.org
NHS — Migraine. nhs.uk
American Migraine Foundation — Resource Library. americanmigrainefoundation.org
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) — Migraine information. ninds.nih.gov
The Migraine Trust — About migraine. migrainetrust.org
StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf) — Migraine Headache and Migraine With Aura. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Related articles
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Menstrual Migraine: When Periods Trigger Migraine Attacks
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Triptans Explained: A Complete Guide to These Anti-Migraine Drugs
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