01 Migraine information, made navigable
A calm, evidence-aware field guide to recognizing what changes, recording what matters, and arriving at care with a clearer story.
Start here
Migraine can involve head pain, nausea, sensory sensitivity, fatigue, and changes in vision, sensation, or language. Some attacks have no headache. A clinician can evaluate your symptoms and rule out other causes.
Read the MedlinePlus overview02 A pattern guide
Not everyone experiences every phase. Use these descriptions as prompts for observation—not as a way to self-diagnose.
Hours or days beforehand
Some people notice changes in mood, energy, concentration, appetite, neck comfort, sleep, or yawning before an attack. These experiences are sometimes called the prodrome phase.
Usually temporary
Aura may involve reversible visual, sensory, or speech symptoms. New or sudden neurological symptoms need prompt medical evaluation because other conditions can look similar.
Variable in length and intensity
Symptoms may include throbbing or pulsing pain, nausea, weakness, and sensitivity to light, sound, or odors. Migraine symptoms can also occur without head pain.
The recovery window
Some people experience fatigue, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, or a washed-out feeling after the main attack. Recovery needs can be part of the record, too.
03 What to record
A short, consistent record is often more useful than a detailed log that is hard to maintain.
When symptoms began, how long they lasted, and whether a pattern appeared around sleep, meals, stress, or a menstrual cycle.
Pain location and quality, sensory changes, nausea, functional impact, and anything unusual or newly different.
Relevant changes in routine, illness, hydration, medication, caffeine, or other circumstances—without assuming one detail is the cause.
What you tried, when you tried it, what changed, and any unwanted effects. Bring your record and medication list to your visit.
04 Prepare for care
You do not need to arrive with a diagnosis. A concise pattern and a few questions give your clinician a useful starting point.
When symptoms are urgent
Call 911 or seek emergency help for a sudden, extremely painful headache; sudden weakness or numbness; trouble speaking; seizure; confusion; loss of vision; or other rapidly developing neurological symptoms. When in doubt, get urgent medical help.
Review emergency headache guidance05 Trusted starting points
