Migraine and Headache - Ask Dr. Ailani

Dr. Jessica Ailani is a board certified neurologist with further certifications in neurology and migraine. She is director of the MedStar Georgetown Headache Center and sees patients in Chevy Chase, MD and McLean, Virginia.

Click on “see more below” to see all of the questions Dr. Ailani answers about migraine and headache. Clicking on the question will take you directly to her video answer.

:00 Meet Dr. Ailani

2:20 What is migraine?

2:53 What are the symptoms of migraine?

3:31 Is it possible to have a migraine without a headache?

4:53 How can you tell if you’re having a migraine or a stroke?

5:24 Do the medications for migraine help to lessen the frequency of these symptoms?

7:17 What causes migraine?

8:01 What’s the difference between migraine and other headaches?

8:19 How do I treat migraine?

9:01 How effective are migraine treatments today?

9:37 How do you know when a patient needs a preventive migraine treatment?

10:17 Are there hormonal therapies for women who get migraines around their period?

11:11 What are the benefits of being treated at an academic headache center?

12:06 When could a headache be a sign of something more serious like a brain tumor?

13:48 What is a cluster headache?

14:57 Is a cluster headache a migraine?

15:25 Are there good treatment options for cluster headaches?

15:54 Is low dose aspirin a therapy that can help prevent migraine?

16:29 Should a patient that has migraine with aura be on low dose aspirin to prevent stroke?

17:07 Am I the only one who gets migraines?

[marlenekowal]

Excellent video...thanks!! I have a history of migraines and took a Replax and got better within an hr and was good for months. But as of this past April I had pain mostly above the eyebrow on a daily basis. That has subsided and comes once in a while. But lately, I feel a pain and pressure like feeling in the back of my head. Dr says it is migraines but your video doesn't address anything like this. No aura or light sensitivity. I'm now taking 400mg of magnesium. I hope my dr is correct! Any thoughts? Thanks!!!!

[clayshealthandhapinesstour]

That’s almost two days. All those years of school and you’ll probably diagnose a yawn for epilepsy