Migraie

Migraie is a term occasionally found in historical medical literature and in some regional spellings as an alternative to migraine. In contemporary English-language medicine, the preferred term is migraine. The form migraie appears as an archaic or dialect variant in a few sources, but there is no consensus on a distinct medical meaning beyond that of migraine.

Etymology and usage notes indicate that migraie may reflect older or nonstandard spellings influenced by French or other Romance-language forms. Today, most medical texts do not treat migraie as a separate syndrome; it is generally understood to refer to the same condition described as migraine.

Clinical features of migraine, which migraie is used to denote in older or regional writings, include moderate to severe headaches that are often unilateral and throbbing, lasting from four hours to several days. Attacks are commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light (photophobia) or sound (phonophobia). Some individuals experience an aura—a reversible neurologic disturbance such as visual symptoms—before or during the headache in a subset of cases.

Causes and pathophysiology are thought to involve genetic predisposition, neural and vascular changes, and activation of the trigeminovascular system. Triggers can include stress, sleep disturbances, certain foods, hormonal fluctuations, and environmental factors.

Diagnosis is clinical, based on history and characteristic features; imaging or laboratory tests are not routinely required unless red flags suggest an alternative diagnosis.

Treatment encompasses acute relief and preventive strategies. Acute therapy typically uses analgesics or NSAIDs, triptans, and antiemetics as needed. Preventive options include lifestyle modifications and, when appropriate, medications such as beta-blockers, anticonvulsants, certain antidepressants, or CGRP pathway inhibitors.

History indicates that migraie is not widely used in modern medical writing and should be read as referring to migraine. See also migraine, hemicrania, triptans, CGRP inhibitors.