Journal

Migraine Basics

Migraine is a neurological condition, not simply a bad headache. These articles cover what distinguishes it from tension-type and cluster headache, what happens across the phases of an attack, and what aura is when it appears.

Start here if you are working out what you are dealing with. What sets an attack off is covered separately under triggers.

Want our articles to come up first when you search? Set Brain Ritual as a preferred source in Google — it changes only your own results.

Add to preferred sources

Latest articles

Filter articles by category Basics

Nurtec ODT: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects, and What to Know

Woman walking at a soft sunset on the beach for an article on migraine phases

Migraine Phases: What Happens Before, During and After an Attack

Common visual patterns seen during Migraine Aura

Migraine Aura: What It Is and Why It Happens

Person with facial pressure showing sinus headache vs migraine

Sinus Headache vs Migraine: How to Tell the Difference

Migraine vs tension headache showing neurological sensitivity and muscle tension

Migraine vs Tension Headache: How to Tell the Difference

Migraine vs headache showing localized head pain versus broader brain involvement

Migraine vs Headache: How to Tell the Difference

Illustration comparing cluster headache vs migraine symptom patterns over time

Cluster Headache vs Migraine: How to Tell the Difference

Child holding stomach during an abdominal migraine episode

Abdominal Migraine: An Overlooked Form of Migraine

Basics $Learn what Refractory Migraine means, how it Differs from Chronic Migraine, and the Supportive Strategies that May Help when Migraine Feels Harder to Manage.$

Refractory Migraine: Meaning, Challenges, and Support

Abstract desert landscape with blurred light streaks

Can migraines cause blurry vision?