Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer

Welcome to Migraine guide

By Mayo Clinic staff

You've probably ridden the migraine train many times. Perhaps you see an aura — a jagged line or crescent of flickering light — that acts like a warning whistle of the approaching headache. Like an old-fashioned steam locomotive chugging along, the pain builds slowly, but steadily. Bright light stabs your eyes. You may feel nauseated or even vomit. All you can think about is lying down in a dark, quiet room where you can ride it out.

While scientists still debate the exact mechanisms in the brain that cause migraines, they've made great strides in finding new treatments to derail the migraine train. Some of these treatments are older medications originally designed for ailments other than migraines. Some medicines are used as soon as the migraine begins, while others are taken daily to help prevent migraines.

This guide will help you weigh the pros and cons of a variety of treatments, to help you determine the best course of action for you and your migraines.

Migraine self-assessment

MI00001

Feb. 19, 2008

© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.


Text Size: smaller largerlarger