Migraines can cause severe throbbing pain or pulsing sensations in one or both sides of your head, and can be accompanied by a variety of debilitating symptoms.

The pain you experience can sometimes affect your daily routine, especially when it comes to performing daily chores or work.

There are several methods you can use to effectively manage the symptoms of a migraine.

However, if you are faced with an extremely debilitating migraine, consultation with a neurologist may be necessary.

Here are five reasons why you should consult a neurologist for migraines:

1. When it disrupts your daily routine

You should see a Neurologist the moment your migraine start disrupting your daily routine.

This includes slurred speech, vision loss, breathing difficulties and mobility imbalances.

A Neurologist can do a proper diagnosis by analysing your medical history, but may also perform a thorough examination to rule out underlying diseases or medical conditions.

Some of these diagnostic tests include computerised tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a lumbar puncture.

These tests will allow your Neurologist to rule out tumours, infections or blood-vessel irregularities, which are also factors that can directly affect your daily routine.

2. When you start experiencing seizures

Migraines do not cause seizures, however, both conditions share common similarities when it comes to the symptoms that occur before the attacks.

Migraine sufferers are at an increased risk of suffering from seizures, and vice versa.

Consultation with a Neurologist can help you determine the underlying factors behind these occurrences, even if you suffer from rare cases such as migralepsy.

Migralepsy is a condition in which a migraine is accompanied by an epileptic seizure.

They are often misdiagnosed, as both conditions share similar symptoms, which include visual hallucinations, vomiting and convulsions, amongst others.

3. When your medication fails to alleviate pain

Migraine management involves taking medication prescribed by a physician.

A physician may also recommend avoiding or restricting certain activities, particularly those that may trigger headaches and aggravate your sensitivity towards sound and light.

These activities form part of your daily routine, so your physician’s recommendations may be tough to follow, which in turn results in more frequent headaches.

To alleviate these symptoms, you can be tempted to take more than the recommended dosage.

This will worsen your symptoms. In fact, failure to alleviate your migraine by taking medication can actually point to signs of a more serious condition.

Over-the-counter medication can also make your headaches worse if taken too frequently, and can also lead to stomach, kidney and liver damage.

To prevent these long-term effects and relieve your pain the right way, consult your Neurologist.

Be sure to provide your Neurologist with a list of all the vitamins and supplements that you consume regularly.

4. If you have a medical history of HIV/AIDS

A history of HIV/AIDS can indicate a number of different neurological disorders.

The most notable disorders associated with AIDS are different forms of neuropathy, or nerve pain, with each form being associated with a specific stage of active immunodeficiency disease.

Peripheral neuropathy causes damage to the peripheral nerves, the network transmitting information between the brain and spinal cord to every other part of your body.

Similarly, HIV can cause damage to the nerve fibres which conduct signals, and can also cause several forms of neuropathy.

Individuals who are in a more advanced stage of the disease are more at risk of experiencing “chronic migraine”.

This migraine is a rare condition in which you can experience migraine symptoms for 15 days or more at a time.

A Neurologist can give you a thorough understanding of your body’s neurological functions.

This includes motor and sensory skills, nerve function, hearing and speech, vision, coordination and balance, mental state, and behavioural or mood changes.

Unfortunately, no form of treatment has been able to treat the neurological complications of HIV/AIDS.

Neuropathic pain can be difficult to manage, with a variety of medicines such as painkillers, anticonvulsants, opiates and certain antidepressants being the general prescriptions provided.

5. When your migraine is caused by meningitis

An inflammation and infection of the membranes (meningitis) surrounding your brain and spinal cord can generally trigger a migraine as well as neck stiffness and fever.

Most cases of meningitis occur due to viral infection, but can sometimes be caused by a bacterial infection, which, if not promptly treated with antibiotics, can be life-threatening.

A Neurologist will interpret diagnostic tests such as a lumbar puncture and may order additional tests to determine if meningitis has damaged the brain and nervous system.

Prepare yourself for the appointment by compiling all medical records, as it will help your Neurologist get a thorough understanding of your condition.

This article first appeared in Hello Doktor. The Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.