Headache
Migraine
Related terms · Migrainous headache
Migraine is a neurological disorder that can present with recurring headaches along with nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and worsening of symptoms with movement.
Reviewed by Korean Medicine Doctor Yeon-seung Choi · Last updated 2026-08-26
Meaning and Distinctions
What is a migraine?
Migraine is not a disease of head pain alone. It can involve auras, dizziness, nausea, and sensory hypersensitivity before and after the headache, brain fogcan lead to, so we record the periods before, during, and after an attack. A migraine is a neurological disorder characterized by recurring headaches, often accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and worsening of symptoms with movement.
- Easily confused terms
- Tension-type headacheoften centers around a feeling of pressure, whereas migraines may involve pulsating pain along with sensory sensitivity and nausea.
- Why this is checked during medical evaluation
- A migraine is not just a disease of head pain. It can involve auras, dizziness, nausea, sensory hypersensitivity, and brain fog following the headache, so we record the periods before, during, and after an attack.
- What to note down for your visit
- The number of attack days, headache days, and days of acute medication use per month; the sequence of aura, light, sound, smell, dizziness, and nausea; and the feeling of grogginess, lethargy, and the time taken to return to work after an attack. Please record this information with the dates and show it during your medical evaluation.
Dizziness, Ear, Head, and Face Glossary
Compare similar terms here
You can check simple definitions before proceeding to detailed explanations.Migraine auraMigraine aura refers to symptoms such as flashing lights or zigzag patterns in the field of vision, or temporary changes in sensation or speech, occurring before or during a headache. This does not occur in all migraines.Light sensitivityPhotosensitivity is a symptom where light feels excessively bright or uncomfortable, leading one to seek dark places. It often occurs alongside migraines and vestibular migraines.Vestibular MigraineVestibular migraine is a condition where characteristics of migraine and recurrent vestibular symptoms appear together; a headache may not be present during an attack.
Read More
Check guides where this term is used
- Condition GuideMigraineMigraine is not a condition confirmed by a single blood test or MRI; it is clinically diagnosed by synthesizing recurring headache patterns, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, aura, and physical and neurological examinations. If typical migraine patterns are stable and the examination is normal, brain imaging is not always necessary. CT or MRI is selected to identify other causes if the headache starts suddenly and severely, changes rapidly in appearance, or if new headaches, neurological abnormalities, or persistent atypical aura occur after age 50.→
- Medical Evaluation GuideWhat are the differences between BPPV, Meniere's disease, and vestibular migraine?If a sensation of spinning lasts from a few seconds to around 1 minute and recurs when turning over or lifting your head, it helps in identifying BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo). If dizziness lasting from tens of minutes to several hours occurs alongside changes in hearing in one ear, tinnitus, or a feeling of fullness in the ear, we check for Meniere's disease; if there is sensitivity to light, sound, and movement, or a history of migraines, even without a current headache, we check for vestibular migraine. We differentiate these by matching symptoms with hearing tests, nystagmus observation, neurological examinations, and changes over time.→
- Head, Ear, and Face ColumnWhy the sequence is important when dizziness, headache, and nausea occur together→
Evidence and Update Information
The following materials were referenced to verify the basis and scope of the definitions and treatment descriptions.
- International Headache Society: ICHD-3International classification distinguishing migraines, tension-type headaches, chronic headaches, and secondary headaches