Diagnosis
Migraine diagnostic criteria in plain English
A plain-language guide to the symptom pattern clinicians look for when deciding whether recurrent headaches fit migraine.
Migraine is diagnosed from the story of the attacks: how often they happen, how long they last, what the pain feels like, what other symptoms come with it, and whether anything suggests another cause. A clinician may use formal criteria, but the practical version is easier to understand.
Migraine becomes more likely when attacks are recurrent, last hours rather than minutes, interfere with activity, and include symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, aura, or worsening with movement. A normal exam between attacks can also support migraine, but it does not replace medical judgment.
What history matters most?
- How many attacks you have had and how often they happen.
- How long an untreated or unsuccessfully treated attack lasts.
- Whether pain is throbbing, pulsing, one-sided, moderate, or severe.
- Whether activity makes symptoms worse.
- Whether nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, or sound sensitivity happens.
- Whether temporary aura symptoms happen before or during attacks.
What can make the diagnosis less straightforward?
Migraine can resemble tension-type headache, sinus headache, medication-overuse headache, vestibular problems, eye conditions, or rarer neurologic problems. That is why red flags and pattern changes matter.
Track your symptoms for several weeks before a routine visit if it is safe to do so. The most useful notes are not perfect essays; they are consistent timestamps, symptom checkboxes, medication timing, and functional impact.
When should you not wait?
Seek urgent medical help for a sudden worst headache, weakness, speech trouble, confusion, fever, stiff neck, fainting, seizure, head injury, new headache during pregnancy, or a major change in your usual pattern.
Sources checked: MedlinePlus migraine, Mayo Clinic diagnosis and treatment, NHS migraine.
Can a tracker diagnose migraine?
No. A tracker can organize the history your clinician needs, but diagnosis still depends on clinical evaluation.
Migraine Manager is a personal health journal, not a medical device. It does not diagnose or treat any condition. Always follow your clinician's advice for diagnosis, medication, and treatment decisions.
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Related migraine questions
What history matters most?
How many attacks you have had and how often they happen. How long an untreated or unsuccessfully treated attack lasts. Whether pain is throbbing, pulsing, one-sided, moderate, or severe. Whether activity makes symptoms worse. Whether nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, or sound sensitivity happens. Whether temporary aura symptoms happen before or during attacks.
What can make the diagnosis less straightforward?
Migraine can resemble tension-type headache, sinus headache, medication-overuse headache, vestibular problems, eye conditions, or rarer neurologic problems. That is why red flags and pattern changes matter. Track your symptoms for several weeks before a routine visit if it is safe to do so. The most useful notes are not perfect essays; they are consistent timestamps, symptom checkboxes, medication timing, and functional impact.
When should you not wait?
Seek urgent medical help for a sudden worst headache, weakness, speech trouble, confusion, fever, stiff neck, fainting, seizure, head injury, new headache during pregnancy, or a major change in your usual pattern. Sources checked: MedlinePlus migraine, Mayo Clinic diagnosis and treatment, NHS migraine.
Can a tracker diagnose migraine?
No. A tracker can organize the history your clinician needs, but diagnosis still depends on clinical evaluation.