Migraines are a form of severe headache with pain that can last anywhere from several hours to several days. Migraines appear to come out of nowhere; however, there is usually an onset warning such as seeing a flash of light, called auras, or experiencing tingling in the arm of leg. Some patients experience nausea, vomiting and are extremely sensitive to light and sound. Some patients don't realize that they are suffering from a migraine until they visit their doctor and have the diagnosis confirmed with tests. Testing is primarily focused on ruling out other disorders to substantiate a diagnosis of migraine headaches.
CT Scan
Many physicians will perform a computerized tomography, or CT, scan to determine whether the patient has any undiagnosed medical conditions of or in the brain. A CT scan is designed to take a series of X-rays which contain cross-sections of the brain. A physician can view these images to identify any conditions identify tumors or other infections in the brain that may be causing the pain before treating the migraines, states MayoClinic.com.
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is a test that uses radio waves and a magnet to create cross-sections of the brain. MRIs are generally more detailed than CT scans and can provide valuable insight in conjunction with a CT scan to determine if there is another condition that may be causing the pain. If not, the physician will ask the patient questions about his symptoms, perform an examination of the head, eyes and ears and assign an interim diagnosis of migraine headaches.
Spinal Tap
In cases in which the physician believes that a patient may be suffering from meningitis, he may order a spinal tap. A spinal tap, also known as a lumbar puncture, is designed to examine the cerebrospinal fluid and determine if there is any infection or inflammation of the spinal membranes. A spinal tap is performed by inserting a needle between two vertebrae to extract a cerebrospinal fluid sample. This fluid is then examined to rule out meningitis.
