What is migraine?
Short answer
Migraine is a neurological condition — not just a bad headache. It involves changes across pain, sensory, visual, vestibular, and autonomic pathways, and it usually presents in recurring episodes with characteristic patterns.
More detail
Migraine is generally understood as a disorder of a sensitized nervous system that responds to inputs more strongly than average. Attacks may include head pain, but they also frequently involve nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, dizziness, brain fog, and fatigue.
There is no single cause of migraine. Genetics, prior injuries, hormonal patterns, sleep, and metabolic and lifestyle factors all shape how the condition expresses itself in a given person.
This information is educational and general in nature. It is not a diagnosis or a treatment plan, and it does not describe every possible cause of a symptom. Individual evaluation is required to determine what applies to any specific case.
Related service
Migraine & Persistent Headache Care
Evaluation and individualized care for migraine, post-traumatic headache, and persistent headache patterns.
Learn more about Migraine & Persistent Headache Care