CHICAGO, Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sean "Diddy" Combs was rushed to the emergency room for a migraine attack immediately following post-Grammy festivities. According to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), more than 3 million Americans have sought relief from headaches in an emergency room. People who suffer from migraine are four times more likely to visit the emergency room for their condition than those who do not have migraine.

Although there is no definitive test to confirm migraine, one should always pay close attention to migraine symptoms. The more common symptoms associated with a migraine headache are nausea, neck pain, or sensitivity to lights, sounds, or smells. However, during some migraine attacks, associated symptoms can be more severe. The National Headache Foundation would like to share some helpful tips on when you should call 911 or visit the ER during a migraine attack.

When to call 911 or visit the ER due to migraine attack:

1. If you have a sudden ("shotgun onset") headache that is the worst headache of your life, call 911 or have someone take you to the nearest ER.
2. You experience slurred speech, vision impairment, loss of balance, or memory loss.
3. The pain worsens continuously over a 24 hour period.

ABOUT MIGRAINES
Nearly 30 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches. Seventy to eighty percent of sufferers have a family history of migraine. Seventy percent of migraine sufferers are women. Less than half of all migraine sufferers have received a diagnosis of migraine from their healthcare professional. Migraine is often misdiagnosed as sinus or tension-type headache.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL HEADACHE FOUNDATION
The National Headache Foundation, founded in 1970, is a non-profit organization which exists to enhance the healthcare of those living with headache disorders. It is a source of help to their families, physicians and allied healthcare professionals who treat headache, and to the public. The NHF accomplishes its mission by providing educational and informational resources, supporting headache research and advocating for the understanding of headache as a legitimate neurobiological disease. Interviews with headache specialists are available upon request.

SOURCE National Headache Foundation