The Sensitive Migraine Brain

Continuous or frequent exposure to nociceptive input produces neuroplastic changes that allow pain perception with lower levels of stimulation. As the nervous system becomes more sensitized, receptive fields increase recruiting addition input that is perceived as pain. The allodynia (perception of pain with normal input) of an acute migraine attack is the result of a completely sensitized nervous system. Understanding central sensitization allows individuals to change their response to the input and take better control of their migraine pain.