Migraines and Other Headaches

Migraine is a condition of recurring severe headaches that are often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. People usually call them “migraine headaches” or simply “migraines.” In this book, that is what we will call them, too.

“It's totally weird,” says Rob. “My headache hasn't even started yet, but I've already lost my appetite. That's very unusual for me. When this happens I say to myself, ‘Uh-oh, headache time.‘ But I usually don't recognize it soon enough to take pain medication. This is how my headaches often start.”

A migraine is not just a bad headache, but a certain type of headache. True migraines do not happen every day. Some people get a migraine only once or twice a year. Other people have migraines as often as ten times a month. In adults, migraine pain is usually on one side of the head, but in kids it is often on both sides. During the migraine, the person may be sensitive to lights and noise.