Teenagers & Parents

How to Spot the Symptoms of a Teenager’s Migraine

Many of the migraine symptoms teens experience are similar to those adults have. In addition to mild to severe throbbing headaches on one side of their head or on both sides, teens may experience vomiting, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, or neck pain, during the time of the headache.

Some teens may experience aura before the headache strikes (Aura Phase), including visual disturbances, like seeing flashes of lights or zigzags. They may also feel a tingling sensation in their body ^[3]. Not all children or teens experience aura.

Head pain may follow warning signs (Prodrome Phase) like neck stiffness, fatigue, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to sound, irritability, mood swings. Other warning signs may include cognitive impairment, sensitivity to smell, nausea or vomiting, yawning, dizziness or vertigo, or food cravings ^[4].

Following the migraine headache (Postdrome Phase), some teens experience a hangover-like mental fog, inability to concentrate, depressed mood or euphoric mood ^[5].

Migraine attacks in teens are typically briefer than those in adults ^[1]. Some children and teens experience stomach migraine. Rather than a pain in their head, it causes a dull, itchy sensation in their abdominal area. During an abdominal migraine, they may experience nausea, drowsiness or fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, or paleness of skin.

What Causes Migraine in Teens?

Teen migraine causes can vary from person to person. For some, it may be hormone related. As hormone levels change throughout puberty, teens, and especially teenage girls, may experience more headaches ^[7].

The causes of migraine in teenage girls are often hormone related. A decrease in estrogen levels a couple of days before the beginning of a monthly period is a common cause for menstrual migraine. Causes of migraine attacks in teenage boys might be hormone related if they have higher-than-normal estrogen levels in their bodies. Other common causes for migraine in teens are genetic predisposition and other physiological causes ^[8].

Stress, dehydration, lack of sleep, skipping meals, too much caffeine, caffeine withdrawal, motion sickness, weather changes, alcohol, or certain foods are all possible triggers that might increase the probability for a migraine attack, and the severity of the attack ^[9]. Teens may also experience a migraine after consistently getting too much screen time on phones, laptops, TV, or gaming devices.

Migraine Relief for Teens

Each teen experiences migraine differently and finding relief may seem elusive.

Parents may wonder what the best migraine treatment for their teenager is. While at-home remedies like breathing exercises, drinking plenty of water, engaging in mild exercise, and getting plenty of sleep may help ease or prevent symptoms, you can also ask your teen’s doctor about safer, drug-free alternatives like Nerivio^®[10].

Nerivio^® offers children ages 12 and up a discreet and drug-free option to treat and prevent migraine. An open-label clinical study demonstrated that the incidence of device-related adverse events is very low, supporting Nerivio’s safety and tolerance. Nerivio^® works safely and effectively by activating natural pain pathways to inhibit migraine and associated symptoms.

This app-controlled, wearable device is suitable for self-use at school. Your child can go about their daily routine while wearing Nerivio^® discreetly under a shirt or jacket. Always consult with your healthcare provider to determine if Nerivio^® is the right option for your teen.