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Migraine: It's not just a headache

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Photograph of a person leaning forward with her head down and eyes closed. Text over image: Migraine: It's not just a headache. Get care. Explore LillyDirect
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Get care
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Get care for migraine
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Explore LillyDirect
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/lillydirect
Migraine is the second most disabling condition in the world.
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It’s a disease that affects the brain and has a complex group of symptoms that are unique to you and can impact daily life.
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MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS

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Understanding migraine
symptoms

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Migraine has many different symptoms, and they can be different for each person. The main symptom is a bad headache, which can hurt a little or a lot. Other common symptoms are feeling sick, changes in mood, trouble sleeping, and being sensitive to light and sound. There are usually four stages of migraine attacks that happen before, during and after a headache.
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Learn about the differences:
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Pre
Pre
During
During
Post
Post
01
Early

Days before the headache

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In the early stage of a migraine, you might feel tired, yawn a lot, have trouble concentrating, and be sensitive to light or sound. Mood changes, food cravings, and a stiff neck are also common.
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Aura
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Hours or minutes before the headache

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In the aura stage of a migraine, you might see zigzag lines or have blurry vision. You may feel pins and needles, numbness, or have trouble speaking. These symptoms usually go away in about an hour.
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03
Headache
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Lasting hours or days

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In the headache stage of a migraine, you might have throbbing pain on one side of your head. The pain can be severe, worsen with movement, and be accompanied by nausea or sensitivity to light and sound.
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After-Headache
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Hours to days after the headache

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In the after-headache stage of a migraine, you might feel tired all over, have trouble concentrating, and experience a stiff neck.
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CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS

There isn't one factor that causes migraine

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It may be brought on by changes in your brain due to family history, lifestyle factors, or medical conditions. Your brain might process things like smells, sounds, and lights as pain because of these changes in your brain.
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Genetics

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Migraine can be genetic. But other family history plays a role. This could include childhood experiences, stressful life events and is more common in females.
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Lifestyle factors

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Lifestyle factors are those you can potentially change. Some of these are smoking, obesity and sleep.
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Medical conditions

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Medical conditions that can increase migraine risk include depression and insomnia.
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There may be additional risk factors for migraine. If you don’t fall into any of these categories but are experiencing symptoms of migraine, reach out to a healthcare provider.
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Experiencing symptoms? Find care

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Explore independent in-person and virtual care options.
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Get care
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/find-care
Get care for migraine
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Acute treatment
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https://reyvow.lilly.com/?utm_source=lilly&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ue-condition&utm_content=migraine-treatment-acute
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TESTIMONIALS

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How migraine-related
stigma impacts 

everyday life

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Migraine can have an enormous impact on people living with the condition. Early in her career, Kim worried that stigma associated with migraine could impact her work.
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Kim story
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I didn’t want to be labeled as an individual with migraine. I didn’t want others to judge me.
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Kim's story
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Navigating migraine
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https://delivery-p137454-e1438138.adobeaemcloud.com/adobe/assets/urn:aaid:aem:332cd292-d73c-4a53-b705-7516264c71c1/play?assetname=How+Migraine-Related+Stigma+Impacts+Everyday+Life+for+People+with+the+Condition.mp4

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[A red background with a white Lilly logo centered enters frame, then flashes to a white background with a red Lilly logo centered. Eric Pearlman, MD, Associate Vice President of Medical Neuroscience at Lilly, enters the frame. He is seated in a studio with a blue backdrop. He is wearing a grey suit, blue shirt, and purple tie.]

Caption: Eric Pearlman, MD, Associate Vice President Medical Neuroscience

Eric: Migraine is one of those diseases that has an incredible amount of stigma associated with it.

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[Kim Johnson, PharmD, Senior Director of Neuroscience Medical Liaisons at Lilly, enters the frame. She is seated in the same studio as Eric wearing a black blouse with white threaded patterns running vertically down the middle.]

Caption: Kim Johnson, PharmD, Senior Director, Neuroscience Medical Liaisons

Kim: Being a migraine sufferer myself, I hid it from the majority and my coworkers for many years and it was really just the stigma associated with it. I didn't want to be labeled as an individual with migraine.

Kim: I didn't want others to judge me and think that, “Oh, well, you know, Kim can't handle that tough project because, you know, maybe she'll have a migraine that day.”

00:27-00:57

[Scene cuts back to Eric in-studio.]
Eric: It's amazing to me, A: How common it is for people with migraine to feel stigma, to feel like others believe that they are over-exaggerating their symptoms. That others believe they're doing it to seek some secondary gain.

Eric: And in people who feel that, they have a much greater level of disability than people who don't feel that stigma.

00:57-00:59
[A red background with a white Lilly logo centered enters frame, then flashes to a white background with a red Lilly logo centered, concluding the video.]

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Migraine FAQs

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What does migraine
feel like?

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Migraine attacks can last for days or hours and can be very painful. Your symptoms may change from day to day and even within the same day. During an attack, you may be nauseated, vomit, and be very sensitive to light and sound.

You might experience throbbing pain that usually starts on one side of your head and often spreads to other parts of your head or neck.
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Migraine attacks can last for days or hours and can be very painful. Your symptoms may change from day to day and even within the same day. During an attack, you may be nauseated, vomit, and be very sensitive to light and sound.

You might experience throbbing pain that usually starts on one side of your head and often spreads to other parts of your head or neck.
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A close-up photograph of a person's hand on their shoulders while their head is leaning forward.

What are common triggers for migraine?

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Many people living with migraine disease have triggers that can cause the onset of a migraine attack. Not everyone has triggers, and not everyone’s migraine triggers are the same. But common ones include:

  • Changes in weather
  • Hunger
  • Stress
  • Smoking
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Many people living with migraine disease have triggers that can cause the onset of a migraine attack. Not everyone has triggers, and not everyone’s migraine triggers are the same. But common ones include:

  • Changes in weather
  • Hunger
  • Stress
  • Smoking
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Photograph of a person sitting up, resting their head on a bench with their eyes closed

How often do migraine attacks occur?

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Some people have migraine attacks now and then. Others may have them almost daily. It’s not unusual to move back and forth between having headache less than 15 days a month (episodic migraine) and having headache on 15 or more days a month (chronic migraine).
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Some people have migraine attacks now and then. Others may have them almost daily. It’s not unusual to move back and forth between having headache less than 15 days a month (episodic migraine) and having headache on 15 or more days a month (chronic migraine).
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Photograph of a person laying down in bed, slightly propped up with a pillow, checking their watch.

How long do migraine attacks last?

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Migraines can last for several hours to many days. The early phase may show up from days to hours before the headache phase. If an aura phase is present, it typically occurs minutes to an hour before the onset of the headache phase. The headache itself often occurs for hours to days. The post-headache phase may stick around for up to several days.
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Migraines can last for several hours to many days. The early phase may show up from days to hours before the headache phase. If an aura phase is present, it typically occurs minutes to an hour before the onset of the headache phase. The headache itself often occurs for hours to days. The post-headache phase may stick around for up to several days.
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A close-up photograph of a person's hands clasped together and pushed up against their forehead.
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MIGRAINE DIAGNOSIS

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What doctors look for

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There isn’t a specific test to diagnose migraine currently. Your doctor will likely:
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Ask about your symptoms
They’ll ask what your headaches feel like, how often they happen, and if you have other symptoms like nausea or light sensitivity.
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Do a physical exam
Your doctor will check your reflexes and coordination to rule out other causes.
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Review your medical history
They’ll ask about you and your family’s health history to look for patterns or other conditions that might be linked to migraine.
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Order an MRI or CT scan (if necessary)
These scans help see if anything else is causing your migraine attacks. An MRI uses magnets and a CT scan uses X-rays, but both take clear pictures of the inside of your body.
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What you can do to prepare

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Keep a diary

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You can track your symptoms in a diary every time you have a headache.
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Download PDF
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https://delivery-p137454-e1438138.adobeaemcloud.com/adobe/assets/urn:aaid:aem:3a7da029-4644-4efb-80e0-59a39c3ab8d0/renditions/original/as/Migraine---Keep-a-diary.pdf?assetname=Migraine+-+Keep+a+diary.pdf
Download Keep a diary PDF
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Fill out a questionnaire

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Sometimes you're so busy, you may not realize just how much impact migraine is having on your life. This informational questionnaire can help you start the conversation with your healthcare provider.
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Download PDF
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https://delivery-p137454-e1438138.adobeaemcloud.com/adobe/assets/urn:aaid:aem:eb7d6331-5e85-4dc7-8e51-a9ac87475b2b/renditions/original/as/Migraine---Fill-out-a-questionnaire.pdf?assetname=Migraine+-+Fill+out+a+questionnaire.pdf
Download questionnaire
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TALK TO A DOCTOR

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Find a migraine specialist

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Living with migraine is hard enough. Finding a specialist shouldn't be.
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Get independent virtual care

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Neura Health provides personalized migraine care with quick and convenient access to board-certified neurologists and headache specialists.

  • Cost: Some insurance plans accepted. Self-pay options also available.
  • Quick Access: Appointments available across the United States within one week, but often within 48 hours.
  • Ongoing Support: Unlimited in-app chat with your neurologist and care team.
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Connect now
link
https://neurahealth.co/direct-neurology/?utm_source=lilly_site&utm_medium=program&utm_campaign=LLYtelemedicine-HP
Connect now with independent virtual care provider Neura Health (link to external website)
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Learn more
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/find-care/telehealth/migraine
Learn more about independent virtual care provider Cove

Find independent in-person care

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Healthgrades is an independent search tool. Search for care by what matters most to you.

Filter by:

  • Insurance
  • Specialty
  • Distance
  • And more!
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Search now
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/find-care/in-person-care?condition=migraine
Search for independent in-person care providers
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Preventative and acute treatment options

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Your doctor may prescribe medication for preventative or acute treatment options. Learn more about these FDA-approved Lilly treatment options.
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Preventative treatment
link
https://emgality.lilly.com/?utm_source=lilly&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ue-condition&utm_content=migraine-treatment-preventative
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Acute treatment
link
https://reyvow.lilly.com/?utm_source=lilly&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ue-condition&utm_content=migraine-treatment-acute
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WELL-BEING

Health is more than a prescription

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Taking your medicine is important and so is taking care of your overall health. That's why Lilly's well-being library has science-backed resources on sleep, food, movement, connection, and stress management for those living with migraine.
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All Pillars
All Pillars
Connection
Connection
Food
Food
Movement
Movement
Sleep
Sleep
Stress Management
Stress Management
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