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Pain Characteristics of the Acute Migraine Attack
Leslie Kelman, M.D.
Posted: July 2006  
Headache 2006;46:942-953

Objectives:   This study describes the pain characteristics of the acute migraine attack, including time of onset, time to peak, duration, intensity, quality, aggravation by activity, as well as recurrent frequency and time to recurrence, in a tertiary care practice.

Methods:   A total of 1283 migraine patients were evaluated at first visit. Headache character, intensity, time of onset of headache, aggravation of headache with activity, percentage recurrence, time to recurrence, were recorded. Patients with unremitting daily headache were excluded.

Conclusions:   This study provides an in-depth description of pain features in the acute migraine attack. It was found that a significant number of patients need to be provided with the means of treating headache rapidly in at least some of their headaches and that headache recurrence needs to be addressed in a large number of patients.