Causes and Treatments of Migraine and Related Headaches Glossary of Terms

1. A Visual Guide to Migraine Headaches Slideshow Pictures
2. Headache and Migraine Triggers Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the Migraines Quiz

Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

Abdominal pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ...

Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Abortive: Tending to cut short the course of a disease, as in abortive polio (polio cut sh...

Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

Acetate: A molecular ion derived from acetic acid. The formula of acetate is CH3COO-.

Acupuncture: The practice of inserting needles into the body to reduce pain or induce anes...

Acute: Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness th...

Amyloid: Any of a number of complex proteins that are deposited in tissues and that share ...

Analgesic: A drug that relieves pain.

Angiopathy: Disease of the arteries, veins, and capillaries. There are two types of angiop...

Antidepressants: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression.

Anxiety: A feeling of apprehension and fear, characterized by physical symptoms such as pa...

Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w...

Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

Asthma: A common lung disorder in which inflammation causes the bronchi to swell and narro...

Aura: A sensation perceived by a patient that precedes a condition affecting the brain. An...

Back pain: Pain felt in the low or upper back. Causes of pain in the low and upper back in...

Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

Benign: Not malignant. A benign tumor is one that does not invade surrounding tissue or sp...

Benign intracranial hypertension: Increased pressure within the brain in the absence of a...

Biofeedback: A method of treatment that uses a monitor to measure patients' physiologic in...

Birth control: Birth control is the use of any practices, methods, or devices to prevent p...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Caffeine: A stimulant compound found naturally in coffee, tea, cocoa (chocolate), and kola...

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is ...

Cerebral: Of or pertaining to the cerebrum or the brain.

Cerebrospinal fluid: A watery fluid that is continuously produced and absorbed and that fl...

Cerebrum: The largest part of the brain. It is divided into two hemispheres, or halves.

Cheek: The side of the face, which forms the side wall of the mouth. The cheekbone is part...

Cholesterol: The most common type of steroid in the body. Cholesterol has a reputation for...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

Chronic daily headache: See: Headache, chronic daily.

Cluster: In epidemiology, an aggregation of cases of a disease or another health-related c...

Cluster headache: A distinctive episodic syndrome of headaches. The most common cluster he...

Consultant: An individual to whom one refers for expert advice or services. The use of con...

Cranial: 1. Pertaining to the cranium or skull. 2. Toward the head. As oppo...

Dehydration: Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that ca...

Depression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of ...

Dopamine: An important neurotransmitter (messenger) in the brain.

Epilepsy (seizure disorder): When nerve cells in the brain fire electrical impulses...

Eskalith: See: Lithium.

Essential: In medicine, of unknown cause, as in essential hypertension (high blood pressur...

Essential tremor: Uncontrollable shaking (tremor) of the hands and arms and sometimes othe...

Estrogen: A female steroid hormone that is produced by the ovaries and, in lesser amounts,...

Extracranial: Outside the cranium, the bony dome that houses and protects the brain. As op...

Familial: A condition that tends to occur more often in family members than is expected by...

Family history: The family structure and relationships within the family, including inform...

Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ...

Fungal: Pertaining to a fungus. For example, a fungal skin infection.

Genetics: The scientific study of heredity. Genetics pertains to humans and all other orga...

Glutamate: A form of glutamic acid. See: Glutamic acid.

Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the he...

Hemorrhagic: Pertaining to bleeding or the abnormal flow of blood.

Hereditary essential tremor: See: Essential tremor.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: A genetic disease characterized by the presence of ...

Histamine: A substance that plays a major role in many allergic reactions, dilating blood ...

Histamine cephalalgia: A distinctive syndrome of headaches, also known as cluster head...

Hypertension: High blood pressure, defined as a repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceedi...

Idiopathic: Of unknown cause. Any disease that is of uncertain or unknown origin may be te...

Imitrex: Brand name for sumatriptan, a triptan drug for the treatment of migraine.

Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

Inpatient: A patient whose care requires a stay in a hospital. As opposed to an outpatient...

Intracranial: Within the cranium, the bony dome that houses and protects the brain.

JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. JAMA began publication in 1883. It ...

Jaw: The movable junction of the bones below the mouth (the mandible) and the bone just ab...

Lesion: An area of abnormal tissue change. Lesions vary in severity from harmless to serio...

Lithium: A naturally occurring salt that, in purified form, is used to treat certain psych...

Lithobid: See: Lithium.

Lumbar: Referring to the five lumbar vertebrae, the disks below them, and the correspondin...

Lumbar puncture: A procedure in which cerebrospinal fluid is removed from the spinal canal...

Magnetic resonance imaging: A procedure that uses magnetism, radio waves, and a computer t...

Malaise: A vague feeling of discomfort, one that cannot be pinned down but is often sensed...

Membrane: A very thin layer of tissue that covers a 'surface.

Memory: 1. The ability to recover information about past events or knowledge. ...

Meninges: The three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (singular: meninx).

Meningitis: Inflammation of the meninges, the three membranes that envelop the brain and t...

Menstrual: Pertaining to menstruation (the menses), as in last menstrual period, menstrua...

Menstrual cramps: Cramping in the lower abdomen, usually in the first or second day of the...

Migraine: Usually, periodic attacks of headaches on one or both sides of the head. These ...

Migraine headache: The most common type of vascular headache involving abnormal sensitivit...

Migraine without aura: See: Common migraine.

Migraineur: A person who has migraine headache. Borrowed from the French.

Monosodium glutamate: MSG, a sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid that enhances the...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Myelin: The fatty substance that covers and protects nerves. Myelin is a layered tissue th...

Narcotic: 1. A drug that causes insensibility or stupor. A narcotic induces narcosi...

Nasal: Having to do with the nose.

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Nerve: A bundle of fibers that uses electrical and chemical signals to transmit sensory an...

Neuralgia: Pain along the course of a nerve.

Neurological: Having to do with the nerves or the nervous system as, for example, a neurol...

Neurology: The medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders o...

Neuromuscular: Pertaining to both nerves and muscles, as in neuromuscular blockade by an a...

Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

Obstruction: Blockage of a passageway. See, for example: Airway obstruction; Intestinal o...

Occipital: 1. Pertaining to the occiput, the back of head.
2. Located...

Ocular: Having to do with the eye.

Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex...

Ophthalmic: Pertaining to the eye. For example, an ophthalmic ointment is designed for the...

Ophthalmic migraine: Migraine involving the eyes but without headache. Migraine, due to ...

Organic: 1. A chemical compound that contains carbon.
2. Related to a...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Panic: A sudden strong feeling of fear that prevents reasonable thought or action. The wor...

Paralysis: Loss of voluntary movement (motor function). Paralysis that affects only one mu...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Photophobia: Painful oversensitivity to light. For example, photophobia is often seen in m...

Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

Prevalence: The proportion of individuals in a population having a disease or characterist...

Pseudotumor cerebri: Increased pressure within the brain in the absence of a tumor. Pseudo...

Psychosis: In the general sense, a mental illness that markedly interferes with a person'...

Puberty: Adolescence, the period in which the human body first becomes capable of reproduc...

Quality of life: The patient's ability to enjoy normal life activities. Quality of life is...

Rebound: The reversal of response upon withdrawal of a stimulus.

Recur: To occur again; to return. For example, a symptom, sign, or disease can recur.

Referred pain: Pain felt at a site other than where the cause is situated. An example is t...

Retinal: Pertaining to the retina, the extraordinary layer of neurons (nerve cells) that ...

Risk factor: Something that increases a person's chances of developing a disease. For exam...

Sensation: In medicine and physiology, sensation refers to the registration of an incoming...

Sensitivity: 1. In psychology, the quality of being sensitive. As, for example, sen...

Serotonin: A neurotransmitter that is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. Sero...

Sinus: 1. An air-filled cavity in a dense portion of a skull bone. The sinuses decr...

Sinusitis: Inflammation of the lining membrane in any of the hollow areas (sinuses) of the...

Skull: The skull is a collection of bones which encase the brain and give form to the hea...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Spasm: A brief, automatic jerking movement. A muscle spasm can be quite painful, with the ...

Spinal cord: The major column of nerve tissue that is connected to the brain and lies with...

Spinal tap: Also known as a lumbar puncture or "LP", a spinal tap is a procedure whereby ...

Steroid: One of a large group of chemical substances classified by a specific carbon struc...

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood...

Substance: 1. Material with particular features.
2. The material that...

Sumatriptan: A triptan drug for the treatment of migraine. Marketed under the brand name I...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Temple: The area just behind and to the side of the forehead and the eye, above the side o...

Temporal: 1. Pertaining to time, limited in time, temporary, or transient.
...

Temporal arteritis: Also called giant cell arteritis or cranial arteritis, this is a serio...

Tension: 1) The pressure within a vessel, such as blood pressure: the pressure within t...

Therapeutic: Relating to therapeutics, the branch of medicine that is concerned specifical...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Tourette syndrome: A tic disorder characterized by the presence of chronic vocal and motor...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Tremor: An abnormal, repetitive shaking movement of the body. Tremors have many causes and...

Tricyclic antidepressants: One of a class of medications used to treat depression. The tri...

Trigger: Something that either sets off a disease in people who are genetically predispose...

Tuberculous: Pertaining to tuberculosis. Affected by tuberculosis. Caused by Mycobacterium...

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Unilateral: Having, or relating to, one side. For example, a unilateral rash is one that i...

Vascular: Relating to blood vessels. For example, the vascular system in the body includes...

Vascular headache: A group of headaches felt to involve abnormal sensitivity of the blood ...

Vasodilators: Agents that act as blood vessel dilators (vasodilators) and open vessels by ...

Vertigo: Aside from being the name of a classic 1958 Alfred Hitchcock film (with Jimmy St...

Viruses: Small living particles that can infect cells and change how the cells function. I...

Withdrawal symptoms: Abnormal physical or psychological features that follow the abrupt di...

Zolmitriptan: A triptan drug for the treatment of migraine. Marketed under the brand name ...

Zomig: Brand name for zolmitriptan, a triptan drug for the treatment of migraine.