Conditions & support

Migraine

Log attacks, spot triggers, and track symptom trends over time.

Overview

Migraine is a neurologic condition marked by recurring attacks that vary in frequency, duration, and symptom profile, from headache and aura to light and sound sensitivity, nausea, and vestibular symptoms. Because attacks and triggers are easy to forget between visits, consistent logging surfaces patterns that are hard to see day to day.

How Alumina Health helps

Alumina's migraine tracking combines a structured migraine diary with a baseline assessment and clear reporting so trends in frequency, severity, and triggers are easier to review. Periodic visual sensitivity and vestibular symptom check-ins add objective signal alongside self-report, and a red-flag safety screening highlights sudden or unusual features to discuss with a clinician.

What is Migraine?

Migraine is a neurologic condition characterized by recurring attacks of moderate-to-severe head pain, often accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and, in some people, visual aura or vestibular symptoms. Migraine involves changes in brain and blood-vessel activity and is influenced by genetics, hormones, sleep, stress, and environmental triggers. It is one of the most common neurologic conditions worldwide and is a leading cause of disability in adults. Migraine is a clinical diagnosis, typically made by a primary care clinician or neurologist based on the pattern and features of attacks, and is managed with a combination of acute treatments, preventive strategies, and lifestyle adjustments.

What to look for

Common signs people track

These are examples, not a diagnostic checklist. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.

  • Recurring moderate-to-severe headache attacks
  • Sensitivity to light, sound, or smell
  • Visual aura such as spots, zigzags, or blind spots
  • Nausea or vomiting during attacks
  • Dizziness or balance changes (vestibular symptoms)
  • Attacks triggered by sleep, stress, hormones, foods, or weather

When to seek medical care

Alumina Health is a tracking tool, not an emergency service. Contact a clinician or emergency services for any of the following:

  • The 'worst headache of your life' or a sudden thunderclap headache
  • New neurologic symptoms: weakness, numbness, slurred speech, or vision loss
  • Headache with fever, stiff neck, rash, or confusion
  • Headache after a head injury
  • A significant change in your usual migraine pattern
  • Any red-flag feature your clinician has told you to call about
Living with it

Living with migraine

Practical context for tracking, self-care, and working with a care team.

Migraine patterns are highly individual, and small variables like sleep, meals, screen time, hormones, and weather can shift attack frequency and severity. A consistent diary combined with periodic visual sensitivity and vestibular check-ins builds the kind of longitudinal picture that makes preventive strategies and medication decisions much more grounded.

Care teams often iterate on preventive plans over months. Bringing structured trend data to visits, attack frequency, severity, duration, and likely triggers, gives clinicians far more to work with than trying to reconstruct the last few weeks from memory.

Related assessments

Most relevant guided assessments

Start with the assessments most often used to track this concern over time.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers people commonly ask about migraine.

Can Alumina diagnose migraine?

No. Migraine is a clinical diagnosis. Alumina supports diary-based tracking and periodic visual and vestibular check-ins that can inform, but not replace, a clinician's evaluation.

What kinds of triggers can the diary help me spot?

Common trackable triggers include sleep changes, meal timing, stress, hormonal cycles, weather shifts, screen exposure, and specific foods. Longitudinal tracking makes patterns easier to see than isolated observations.

What's the difference between migraine and vestibular migraine?

Vestibular migraine features prominent dizziness or vertigo alongside typical migraine features. A neurologist or headache specialist can evaluate whether the pattern fits.

How is the red-flag safety screening different from a diagnosis?

The screening highlights features that clinicians consider warning signs for other conditions and suggests you contact your care team. It does not make a diagnosis or rule anything in or out.

Should I keep tracking during a bad attack?

No. Take care of yourself during an attack and log details when you feel able. Even a short entry after the fact adds useful signal to your longer-term trend.

Who it may help

People often using Alumina for this

  • People living with migraine or vestibular migraine
  • Caregivers helping track patterns and triggers
  • Care teams reviewing attack frequency and symptom trends between visits

Alumina Health is designed to support structured tracking, not diagnosis. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical advice.

Explore

Other conditions & support

References

Authoritative sources informing this page. Alumina Health is not affiliated with these organizations.

  1. Migraine Information PageNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
  2. Migraine, Symptoms and CausesMayo Clinic
  3. Understanding MigraineAmerican Migraine Foundation

Last reviewed: . This page is reviewed and updated periodically.

Alumina Health is now available on iPhone and iPad

Download Alumina Health today and take advantage of special launch pricing through June 30, 2026, designed for patients, caregivers, and ongoing care discussions.

Download on the App Store
Download on the App Store
Alumina Health