Headache and migraine evaluation

Talk to your MinuteClinic provider about when and where you’ll be traveling. They can help you evaluate the risks for infection. If necessary, they can also prescribe preventative anti-malarial medication that will work best in that region. This might include pills or oral medication.

1. You may have to answer a few questions to help us prepare for your visit prior to scheduling your appointment.

2. Check-in varies depending on how you scheduled your appointment.

   If you made your appointment online
   Check in using the email or text message we sent to confirm your appointment. If you prefer to check in using the electronic kiosk, make sure you have your confirmation code.

   If you made your appointment in the clinic
   Sign in at the electronic kiosk.

   If you made a MinuteClinic Virtual Care® appointment
   To join your virtual visit, use the link in the email or text message we sent you to confirm your appointment. Please join 15 minutes before your scheduled visit time. You will need your date of birth and zip code to join the visit.

3. When it's time for your appointment, a provider will call your name.
4. Your provider will conduct a thorough examination based on your reason for the visit, presenting symptoms and health history. Charges will be based on examination and services provided during the visit.
5. At the end of your visit, you will provided with a visit summary, a receipt and educational material about your diagnosis. At your request, we can send your primary care provider information about your visit.

Some people may experience temporary warning signs before the start of a migraine attack. This could include conditions such as drowsiness (feeling sleepy), hyperactivity (feeling like you have too much energy and having trouble to stay still or concentrate) or irritability (feeling easily annoyed or angry). These warning signs may come 1 to 2 days before the actual migraine.

Another type of warning sign is an aura. An aura is a disturbance that affects your senses. The most common of these is a visual aura.

A visual aura is the result of a disturbance in the part of your brain that processes what you see. Visual auras can differ from person to person. If you are experiencing a visual aura, you might see the following:

• A burst of jagged lines that resembles the walls of a fortress (fortification spectra)
• Holes of lights
• Sickle or C-shaped objects
• Bright spots
• Flashes

Visual auras may also come with a temporary blind spot or partial loss of vision (scotoma). Other types of auras include:

• Sensory aura: Causes temporary tingling or numbness in the arm.
• Dysphasic aura: Causes speech or language problems, such as slurred speech.
• Hemiplegic migraine: Causes your arms, legs and sometimes, your face on one side of your body to become weak. This is extremely rare and serious. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms.

There are 2 main types of migraines:

• Migraine with aura: This begins with your sight being affected by blind spots, flashing lights or other (usually visual) symptoms. This type of event can occur roughly 30 to 60 minutes before you get a migraine.
• Migraine without aura: This typically doesn't begin with an aura, starts on one side of the head and can last anywhere from 4 hours to 3 days.

Other, less common types of migraines include:

• Vestibular migraines: These can appear with different symptoms like vertigo (having a dizzy spell or feeling off balance).
• Menstrual migraines: These typically occur right before or after menstruation but tend to follow the same symptoms as common migraines.
• Abdominal migraines: These usually occur in children only. Vomiting and dizziness are common symptoms of this type and may not result in headaches at all.

While the exact cause of migraines is not entirely clear, there are many factors that may result in you getting one. Migraine causes vary between individuals and can include:

• Stress
• Lack of Sleep
• Allergies
• Weather
• Certain drinks, foods, and additives (such as artificial sweeteners and ingredients you commonly find in processed foods)
• A history of migraines or headaches
• Hormonal changes in women (like a period)

When a migraine attack comes on, some people get relief with non-medicinal remedies. There are also some migraine medications you can take to help ease the pain:

• Pain relievers: There are over-the-counter headache medicines that can help reduce the pain that comes along with migraines. Some patients will require prescription drugs which can range from oral tablets to nasal sprays or shots.
• Rest: Let your migraine pass naturally by trying to rest in a dark room. Sometimes, sleep can be the best course of action.

One way to prevent migraines is to pinpoint what may be causing your migraine attacks and avoid those triggers. You can do this by keeping a journal or diary of your migraine history. Taking notes can help you identify the activity and/or food patterns behind your migraines. Once you have a better idea of those patterns, you may then be able to avoid those situations and put a stop to future attacks.

Sometimes, preventative medications can be effective, and a MinuteClinic® provider can prescribe these.

If you experience frequent or severe migraine symptoms, an in-person visit to MinuteClinic may be in order. A MinuteClinic provider can run through headache evaluation guidelines to determine your needs. The evaluation might include a history and physical examination, including a migraine questionnaire. Following your screening, MinuteClinic providers can recommend migraine-relief medicine or refer you to a specialist if needed.

If you are suffering from chronic migraines or even dealing with a lingering headache, visit MinuteClinic for an examination. MinuteClinic healthcare professionals can evaluate your headache or migraine and recommend a personalized treatment plan to reduce or even prevent future migraines.