Although many people refer to all bad headaches as migraines, a migraine must meet certain criteria. While the frequency and intensity of these painful episodes vary between individuals, they often occur with specific types of symptoms. The symptoms you experience can help your doctor diagnose what type of migraines you experience. An elevation in body temperature, known as a fever, is your body’s response to illness. Although not a common situation, fever and migraine headaches may occur at the same time.
Definition of Fever
Your body temperature fluctuates slightly throughout the course of the day. Physical activities, emotions, clothing, medications and hormones can all cause slight variations in your temperature. While your average temperature remains near 98.6 degrees F, an increase above 99.5 degrees, measured orally, can indicate the presence of a fever.
Migraine Symptoms
Migraines usually begin as a pain in one location of your head, such as the area behind your temple or around your eye. The pain spreads as the migraine develops, worsening with sound and movement. You may experience an aura prior to your pain, such as a tingling sensation, unusual scent or visual disturbance. Severe pain may cause you to vomit or seek a dark place to rest. Your pain may last a few hours or a few days.
Causes of Migraines
While the cause of many migraine headaches remains unknown, certain triggers may increase your likelihood of developing these debilitating headaches. Hormonal changes, emotional stress, bright lights, physical exertion and medications can lead to migraines in some people. Certain foods, including alcohol, aged cheese, chocolate and monosodium glutamate may increase your chances of developing a migraine headache.
Causes of Fever
Fever is your body’s reaction to infections and certain disorders. Respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, gastroenteritis, cellulitis and appendicitis can all cause an increase in your body temperature. Immunizations, blood clots, ulcerative colitis and cancer can also cause you to run a fever.
Migraine with Fever
While a migraine with fever may be nothing more than a coincidence, it can also signal the presence of a serious condition. Meningitis, stoke or encephalitis may cause the simultaneous appearance of these two symptoms. Consult your doctor if you experience a fever with your migraine headache.
Photo Credit
- headache image by forca from Fotolia.com
