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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In the ________ migraine, there are certain situations that might be present - light, sound, activities, smells, drugs, etc.

2. What might be a secondary factor of a migraine headache, causing even more pain and more tension?

3. A precordial migraine is one in which _________ pain is the only symptom of the migraine attack, according to Sacks.

4. How many areas of aural symptoms does Sacks point out to be the case for most patients?

5. Some people ascribe to the idea that a migraine may just be a/an ___________ reaction to the rest of the world.

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the common cause of migraines for younger patients, with the attack happening after instead of during the activity?

2. What does Sacks say that all migraine patients have to fight during the experience of a migraine?

3. What can often be a secondary factor to the migraine pain, according to the author of this book?

4. What is something that Sacks has never seen, but he has heard of in relation to the aura before a migraine?

5. What happens with the aura during a classic migraine, according to the findings of Sacks?

6. What is the German physician's experience with migraines, according to the beginning of the book?

7. Why do many migraine sufferers tend to rub one side of their head when they are in the midst of a migraine?

8. In the case study presented by Sacks, where does the forty-four year old man believe that he is during a hallucination?

9. How does Sacks propose the genetic link of migraines be tested in order to assure that environmental conditions are not the cause?

10. What does Sacks have to say about the connection between family members who experience migraines?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sacks notes that some migraine sufferers have them early in life, but then the pain tapers off.

Part 1: Why do you think migraines might taper off as one gets older?

Part 2: How do you think a patient should look at the possibility that their migraines might go away someday?

Part 3: Do you think it's fair to tell a patient that they just need to wait out their migraine pain?

Essay Topic 2

Pain is something that can change the way a person thinks and the way a person behaves in their lives.

Part 1: How do you think chronic pain affects a person in their life?

Part 2: Why do you think chronic pain needs to be treated aggressively? Or doesn't it?

Part 3: Do you think you could manage with chronic pain? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Case histories are used to illustrate the concept of a migraine.

Part 1: Why are case histories important in medical treatment of disorders?

Part 2: Is there a case history in the book that doesn't seem to help the discussion of migraines? Why not?

Part 3: How do you think case histories might be harmful to the discussion of a condition?

(see the answer keys)

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