Migraine

For a lay person:

Migraine is a common condition causing repeated headaches, usually throbbing and one-sided, with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Some people have warning symptoms (aura) such as flashing lights.

For a trained medical person:

A primary headache disorder with or without aura. Acute treatment: analgesics, triptans and gepants; preventives include beta-blockers, topiramate, amitriptyline, candesartan and CGRP monoclonal antibodies.

In Chinese medicine:

Flaws and Sionneau's textbook differentiates this condition into these patterns: Liver depression-qi and blood deficiency; Liver Yang Rising; Cold reversal; Phlegm reversal; Blood Stasis. Treatment follows the pattern a patient presents with, not the Western diagnosis alone.

When to get help: Get emergency care for a sudden severe 'worst ever' headache, or headache with fever, stiff neck, weakness or confusion.