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Migraines are not typically considered dangerous, but they can be debilitating and negatively affect a person’s quality of life.
Migraines are sometimes associated with other health conditions that pose risks. In rare instances, for instance, a migraine may indicate a serious underlying medical condition.
When should I worry about a headache?
Signs that a headache might be more serious include severe pain that could not be eased by over-the-counter medicine or lasting more than three days without improvement, although treated.
Other warning signs that you should be concerned about a migraine include:
- Migraines that first develop after age 50.
- Change in headache pattern.
- Severe headache.
- Headache that increases with coughing or movement.
- Personality or mental function changes.
- Having a fever, stiff neck, disorientation, diminished awareness or memory, or neurological symptoms including seizures, slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or vision abnormalities.
- Headache following a head trauma or incident.
- Headache that prevents normal daily activities.
- Headache that wakes you up at night.
- Headache in patients with cancer or impaired immune systems.
What are the potential complications of migraine?
Some of the potential complications associated with migraines include:
- Status migrainosus: A severe, debilitating migraine attack that lasts more than 72 hours. It is more prevalent in females than males and can happen in individuals who experience migraines, whether with or without aura.
- Migrainous infarction: Migrainous infarction is characterised by a migraine episode occurring in a person with migraine with aura, where one or more aura symptoms last for over an hour, and imaging reveals an infarction in a pertinent brain region.
- Persistent aura without infarction: Persistent aura without infarction is described as aura symptoms lasting for a week or longer without any signs of infarction on neuroimaging.
- Migraine aura-triggered seizure: A migraine aura-triggered seizure refers to a seizure that occurs because of a migraine attack with aura.
Can migraines cause permanent damage?
The severity of a migraine attack can lead individuals to wonder if it might be causing lasting harm. Although brain scans of people with migraines occasionally reveal white matter lesions, a systematic review of migraines and brain structural changes suggests that these lesions typically do not correlate with neurological problems or pose a heightened risk of cognitive decline.
Can migraines cause death?
Migraines themselves are not typically fatal. However, certain complications associated with migraines, such as status migrainosus (a severe and prolonged migraine attack) or migrainous infarction (a rare type of stroke), can potentially lead to life-threatening situations if not promptly treated.
Additionally, in extremely rare cases, complications like cerebral oedema (swelling of the brain) or complications from medication overuse headaches can pose serious risks. Overall, while migraines can significantly impact quality of life and may lead to severe symptoms, death directly caused by migraines is exceedingly rare.
Make an appointment at Pantai Hospitals
If you or someone you know experiences migraines, it is crucial to take action to manage and alleviate symptoms effectively.
Get in touch with us to book an appointment today for a consultation, or visit our Neurology Department at your nearest Pantai Hospital.
Pantai Hospitals have been accredited by the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) for its commitment to patient safety and service quality.
