Migraine and Cluster Headache Medications Glossary of Terms

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

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...

Absenteeism: The frequent absence from work or other duty without good reason. See also: P...

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

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

Affinity: In immunology, the strength of binding interaction between antigen and antibody ...

Alkaloid: A member of a large group of chemicals that are made by plants and have nitrogen...

Allergy: A misguided reaction to foreign substances by the immune system, the body system ...

Amitriptyline: An antidepressant medication. In some patients with depression, abnormal l...

Analgesic: A drug that relieves pain.

Angina: Chest pain due to an inadequate supply of oxygen to the heart muscle. The pain is ...

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

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

Atherosclerosis: A process of progressive thickening and hardening of the walls of medium-...

Basilar: Located at or near the base of a structure, especially the base of the skull.

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

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 ...

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chest pain: Pain in the chest that can be a result of many things, including angina, heart...

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...

Congestion: An abnormal or excessive accumulation of a body fluid. The term is used broadl...

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

Contrast: Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contra...

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

Dilate: To stretch or enlarge. Also known as dilatate.

Dilation: The process of enlargement, stretching, or expansion. The word "dilatation" mean...

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

Ergot: A fungus (Claviceps purpurea) that contaminates rye and wheat and that produces sub...

Eskalith: See: Lithium.

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

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heart attack: The death of heart muscle due to the loss of blood supply. The loss of bloo...

Hemiplegic: Pertaining to hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body.)

High blood pressure: A repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chro...

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

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 ...

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

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

MAOI: Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor.

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...

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

Monoamine oxidase inhibitor: One of a potent class of medications used to treat depression...

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

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...

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...

Opioid: 1. A synthetic narcotic that resembles the naturally occurring opiates. 2. Any sub...

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...

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

Peripheral: Situated away from the center, as opposed to centrally located.

Peripheral vascular disease: A disease of blood vessels outside the heart. Peripheral vasc...

Pharmacist: A professional who fills prescriptions and, in the case of a compounding pharm...

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

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

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

Raynaud's disease: A condition that results in discoloration of the skin on the fingers an...

Receptor: 1. In cell biology, a structure on the surface of a cell (or inside a cel...

Runny nose: The production of extra mucus by the nose. Rhinorrhea is the medical term for ...

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

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

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

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...

Stuffy nose: : The presence of increased secretions and mucus in the nasal passages, most ...

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

Taste: A perception that results from stimulation of a gustatory nerve. Taste belongs to t...

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

Throat: The throat is the anterior (front) portion of the neck beginning at the back of th...

Thrombophlebitis: Inflammation of a vein that occurs when a blood clot forms.

Tinnitus: Ringing in the ears. Tinnitus has many causes, including some medications (inclu...

Toxicity: The degree to which a substance (a toxin or poison) can harm humans or animals. ...

Trigeminal nerve: The chief nerve of sensation for the face, which is also the motor nerve...

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

Tunnel vision: Loss of peripheral vision with retention of central vision, resulting in a ...

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

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

Vessel: A tube in the body that carries fluids. Examples of vessels are blood vessels and ...

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.