How Migraine Is Diagnosed: Before and After Diagnosis

To diagnose migraine, doctors will perform a thorough exam, including asking about your medical and family medical histories and ordering brain imaging scans. The doctor may also use one or more tests to rule out other possible causes. Because there is no actual test for migraine, doctors use information from a few types of tests to identify critical signs of migraine.

Finding the right migraine treatment plan for you may take trial and error. You might need follow-up appointments.

Read on to learn more about how migraine is diagnosed, what to expect after a diagnosis, and migraine treatment.

Your medical team will use information from multiple sources and tests to reach a migraine diagnosis. Some people experience more than one headache disorder, so the diagnostic process can help identify other conditions you may have.

Once you have contacted a doctor about your symptoms, they can diagnose migraine in the following steps.

Doctors will ask about your symptoms, including their:

• severity
• duration
• accompanying symptoms
• possible triggers

Migraine has specific criteria for diagnosis that can vary depending on the type. Providing as much detail as you can about your symptoms is vital. Consider recording specifics of your symptoms in a diary. This information can help your doctor reach a diagnosis.

Read more about the symptoms of migraine without aura and migraine with aura.

Your doctor will ask about your medical history and your biological family’s medical history. Your medical team may ask about:

• conditions you and your family have or previously had
• medications and supplements you use
• other treatments you now receive or have had, such as radiotherapy

Migraine can have symptoms like those that affect the brain, spine, or nerves.

Some tests can help differentiate symptoms linked to migraine from other neurological disorders, such as:

• electromyography or nerve conduction velocity for pinched nerve if you have severe neck pain or arm tingling
• EEG for seizures if you experience difficulty concentrating or exhaustion
• sleep studies for sleep disorders if you experience exhaustion
• imaging scans for brain tumor, stroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA) if you experience migraine aura

Your medical team will consider your risk of other conditions when deciding whether these tests will be helpful.

Noninvasive scans allow doctors to look at the structure and function of the brain and blood vessels. This can help diagnose migraine and rule out other conditions. Examples of scans include:

• MRI scan
• CT scan
• magnetic resonance angiography or venography, which uses a magnetic scanner and injected dye to check your blood vessels
• EEG, which uses electrodes to measure the brain’s electrical activity

Your medical team may recommend tests to help rule out other causes. Examples include:

• blood tests
• spinal tap or lumbar puncture
• urine tests
• imaging scans elsewhere in the body

After diagnosis, your medical team will work with you to create a tailored treatment plan. Treatment options can depend on the type of migraine, your symptoms, and your underlying health.

Finding the best migraine treatment for you can take trial and error, so this may be an ongoing process, and you may need follow-up appointments.

Migraine symptoms can also change over time. Talk with your doctor if you experience new or changing symptoms, or have other questions about your diagnosis.

Migraine management and treatment Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source can involve a combination of medication and self-care.

Treatment options for migraine include:

• medications, including over-the-counter and prescription options
• self-care, such as regular physical activity, yoga, and eating a balanced diet Trusted Source National Institute on Aging Governmental authority Go to source
• supportive therapies, such as relaxation training, biofeedback, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• botulinum toxin (Botox) injections, to relieve muscle spasms and improve nerve function
• nerve block injections, to reduce the perception of pain
• nerve stimulation, using noninvasive and implantable devices to improve nerve function
• supplements, such as melatonin

Medications for migraine include:

• preventive medications, such as:
  • anticonvulsant medications
  • angiotension II blockers
  • beta-blockers
  • tricyclic antidepressants
• medications to relieve migraine symptoms, such as:
  • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
  • anti-nausea medications
  • triptans
  • gepants or calcintonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)

Migraine is a chronic (long-term) condition, and the outlook can vary per person.

Some people experience long periods without symptoms or episodes, known as remission. For others, the severity and frequency of migraine episodes improve over time, especially from middle age onward.

Treatment and self-care can help prevent migraine and alleviate symptoms.

Doctors can use information from a series of tests to diagnose migraine. Information such as your symptoms, medical history, and family medical history help the diagnostic process. Also, doctors may order imaging scans of the head, blood tests, and neurological exams.

If you receive a migraine diagnosis, your medical team will tailor a treatment plan for you. Finding the proper treatment may take some time. Options you can try include medication, self-care, and other therapies.