Abdominal Migraine Treatment

While Abdominal Migraines are classed as a migraine, they very rarely will involve headache pain. This may be because episodes that involve headaches are frequently diagnosed as a common migraine. Along with Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome, Abdominal Migraines are described as a ‘Recurrent Gastrointestinal Disturbance’.

It is possible for adults to experience abdominal migraines. However they are far more common in children – with the average age being between 3 and 10 years old. Children who experience Abdominal Migraine are generally considered more likely to develop migraine headaches in adulthood.

Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™ uses modern and world-leading techniques, to assess your upper cervical spine and brainstem. This will determine the true cause of your headache disorder. If this is the case, we can start treatment immediately, and we usually see rapid results, within the first 6 sessions, as we do with 85-90% of our patients.

See our 'Prevent Headache4Life' Plan

Understanding Your Symptoms

Symptoms of Abdominal Migraine

Abdominal migraine attacks usually involve the onset of stomach pain that is located in the middle of the abdomen, around the umbilicus. These midline abdominal pains are often moderate to severe in intensity, and described as a ‘dull ache’.

Episodes of abdominal migraine typically last 2-72 hours, with full resolution in between attacks. Sufferers may experience up to 4 attacks per week.

During attacks, it is common for sufferers of abdominal migraine to also experience:

Nausea
Vomiting
Loss of appetite and paleness

Read more information about Abdominal Migraines

Understanding Your Migraine

What is Causing Your Abdominal Migraine?

When establishing the cause of abdominal migraines, it is important to differentiate them from other conditions with similar symptoms. Assessment should aim to differentiate between abdominal migraine and conditions like; irritable bowel syndrome, appendicitis, stomach flu and gastroenteritis.

The most likely cause of your abdominal migraine is your central nervous system not effectively performing its role of ‘down-regulating’ gut activity during attacks. This could be due to the sensitivity of central structures, and the effect of certain lifestyle factors, like stress or anxiety, on the function of these structures.

When testing, it is common for sufferers of abdominal migraine to have no detected signs of dysfunction or underlying pathology. In these cases, modern research suggests that the underlying cause may be due to dysfunction in your cervical spine (neck) and a sensitised brainstem.

The brainstem receives input from nerves travelling from all over the body, and reacts or passes on this information to the brain. When the brainstem is sensitised, it will perceive non-threatening information (such as eating different foods) as a threat, triggering a pain response where that information came from (in the stomach or abdomen).In the clients who we see, it is common that dysfunction in the cervical spine can cause the brainstem to become sensitive. Organise your initial assessment today to find out if this is the source of your abdominal migraine.

Organise Your Initial Assessment

About The Assessment Stage

What To Expect During The Assessment

1. Comprehensive and in-depth examination

We will perform a thorough and in-depth examination to identify all of the factors that may be related to your headaches and migraines. We will focus particularly on your upper cervical spine in our assessment.

2. Ligamental stability and vertebral arterial tests

In order to ensure the highest level of safety is maintained, we routinely will assess the stability of the important ligaments in your upper cervical spine, prior to any assessment or treatment.

3. Temporarily reproduce your headache and migraine symptoms

During our assessment and treatment process, we will be applying gentle and specific pressure to your upper cervical spine in order to temporarily reproduce your headache symptoms. This helps us to identify the specific cause of your headaches.

Abdominal Migraine – Quick Facts & FAQs

What is an abdominal migraine?

An abdominal migraine causes recurrent or severe stomach pain, often around the belly button, sometimes with nausea, vomiting, or pale skin. It’s most common in children but can affect adults. Episodes typically last from 2 hours up to 3 days (72 hours) and aren’t linked to infections or structural problems. The condition shares similar neurological pathways with classic migraine headaches.

What are the symptoms of abdominal migraine?

Common symptoms include midline abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, reduced appetite, and pale or flushed skin. Episodes may last hours to days and occur in cycles. Unlike stomach bugs, abdominal migraine isn’t caused by infection. Children may miss school due to symptoms, while adults may notice episodes linked to stress or fatigue.

What causes abdominal migraine?

The cause of abdominal migraine is complex and involves how the gut, brain, and nervous system communicate. Genetics, hormones, and environmental factors such as stress may all play a role. Many people who experience abdominal migraine have a family history of migraine headaches.

What triggers an abdominal migraine?

Triggers can include stress, fatigue, skipped meals, dehydration, or certain foods like chocolate, aged cheese, or processed meats. Hormonal changes and disrupted sleep may also contribute. Identifying and managing triggers through a symptom diary can help reduce attacks.

How is abdominal migraine treated?

Treatment focuses on both short-term relief and prevention. During an episode, rest, hydration, and prescribed medications such as NSAIDs or antiemetics can provide relief. Preventive strategies include managing triggers, maintaining healthy routines, and using low-dose preventive medication if needed. At Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™, the Watson Headache Approach may be used to address cervical spine sensitivity that contributes to symptoms.

Can abdominal migraine be prevented?

Keeping regular sleep, meal, and hydration habits can help prevent attacks. Managing stress and avoiding known triggers can also lower recurrence. Our clinicians can help develop a personalised plan tailored to your symptoms and lifestyle.

Is abdominal migraine serious?

Abdominal migraine isn’t dangerous, but it can disrupt quality of life through missed school, work, or sleep. A professional diagnosis helps rule out other causes and create a tailored management plan to reduce episode frequency and impact.

Distinguishing Between Abdominal Migraine and Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome

While there are similarities in the symptoms between Abdominal Migraine and Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, they are different diagnoses and have some key differences.

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome can last for up to 10 days, and typically refers to waves of intense nausea and vomiting. Whereas, Abdominal Migraines will typically last for 3 days.

It is possible to experience nausea and vomiting with an Abdominal Migraine, but that is more likely just experienced as abdominal pain.

Pale skin and loss of appetite are common between both conditions.

Sensitised Brainstem

Some sufferers of Abdominal Migraine may have no underlying pathology or disorder that can be recognised. In this case, where there is no known cause, it may be due to a sensitised brainstem.

If you have a sensitised brainstem, it will perceive non-threatening stimuli (such as certain movements or eating certain foods). It will then create pain to be felt at the point where the sensory information was originally detected.

The pain sensation is due to the heightened arousal of the sensitive brainstem leading to its hyper-excitability. A sensitive brainstem will send the sensory information to the brain but the sensation will be heightened so that the brain perceives it as painful.

Common Triggers of Abdominal Migraine

Abdominal migraines can be triggered by a variety of environmental factors, dietary influences, and physiological responses. While triggers may differ from person to person, some of the most common ones include:

Food Triggers: Certain foods and additives, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), chocolate, caffeine, and artificial sweeteners, can contribute to an abdominal migraine episode. Prolonged fasting can also trigger abdominal migraine episodes.
Stress and Anxiety: Emotional stress and heightened anxiety levels can overstimulate the nervous system, triggering abdominal migraines in susceptible individuals.
Poor Sleep and Irregular Sleep Habits: Sleep disturbances, including an inconsistent bedtime routine, may contribute to developing abdominal migraines.
Sensory Stimuli: Bright sparkling and flashing lights, strong odours, and loud noises may trigger symptoms in some individuals.
Motion Sickness: Many individuals who experience abdominal migraine attacks also report increased sensitivity to motion, similar to motion sickness.
Hormonal Changes: Some evidence suggests that fluctuations in hormone levels may be a contributing factor, particularly in individuals with a family history of migraines.

Identifying common triggers through tracking symptoms and lifestyle factors can help in preventing future attacks and improving overall migraine management.

Abdominal Migraine in Children

Abdominal migraines primarily affect children, with most cases occurring between ages 3 and 10. Though the exact cause remains unknown, researchers believe that nervous system hypersensitivity and a family history of migraine headaches may play a significant role.

Signs of abdominal migraine in children include:

Abdominal pain that is moderate to severe typically felt around the belly button
Nausea and vomiting
Pale appearance and loss of appetite
Fatigue and poor sleep following an episode
Episodes lasting between 2 to 72 hours with full resolution between attacks

Children with abdominal migraine are more likely to develop migraine headaches later in life. Proper stress management, sleep hygiene, and trigger avoidance may help prevent future attacks and relieve symptoms.

Abdominal Migraine in Adults

While abdominal migraines affect children more frequently, some adults continue to experience other symptoms into later life, particularly those with a history of migraine headaches. Abdominal migraine in adults is often misdiagnosed or mistaken for gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease.

Symptoms of abdominal migraine in adults include:

Moderate to severe abdominal pain without an identifiable digestive cause
Nausea, vomiting, and dizziness
Episodes lasting several hours to multiple days

Since abdominal pain in adults can stem from various conditions, proper diagnosis is crucial. Understanding common triggers and maintaining good sleep hygiene can help reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms.

How is Abdominal Migraine Diagnosed?

Diagnosing abdominal migraine requires ruling out other conditions with similar symptoms, such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and gastrointestinal disorders. Since no specific diagnostic test exists, healthcare providers rely on a combination of methods, including:

Medical History & Symptom Tracking: A detailed review of symptoms, including midline abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, as well as any family history of migraines. Keeping a symptom diary can help identify common triggers like prolonged fasting, poor sleep, or specific foods.
Physical Examination: Assessing pain patterns, abdominal tenderness, and ruling out structural issues that could be causing the stomach pain.
Exclusion of Other Conditions: Since abdominal migraine is often misdiagnosed as other digestive disorders, imaging tests like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans may be recommended to rule out other causes.
Response to Treatment: In some cases, abdominal migraine is confirmed when relieving factors—such as avoiding triggers, stress management, and specific medications—reduce the frequency of recurrent attacks.

If you experience abdominal migraine attacks regularly, consulting headache experts like our team at the Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™ can help prevent future attacks, relieve pain and improve symptom management.

How Do I Know If I Have an Abdominal Migraine

(At least 5 attacks of abdominal pain fulfilling criteria A-E)

Duration	Attack lasts 2-72 hours (either unsuccessfully treated or left untreated)
B. Location of pain	Abdominal pain located in the midline, usually surrounding the periumbilical (belly button) or poorly localised in the belly region
C. Quality of pain	Dull or ‘just sore’ pain
D. Severity of pain	Moderate to severe intensity
E. Symptoms	At least 2 out of the following 4 signs or symptoms: – Anorexia – Nausea – Vomiting – Pallor
F. Other characteristics	Will usually have complete resolution of symptoms between attacks

Treating Abdominal Migraines

I’ve tried everything, how can I treat my Abdominal Migraine?

It isn’t uncommon for our patients who experience Abdominal Migraine to have tried a wide range of treatments or medications in attempts to reduce their lasting pain and treat their condition. Some have gone through over-the-counter pain medication, anti-nausea medication, triptan medications and even anti-depressants. Major changes to diet are also not uncommon. Sometimes these measures can have some effect on an adult or child’s symptoms, but commonly it is short-lived or does not work. This is where the Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™ comes in.

We pride ourselves in using the most modern research to assess the upper cervical spine and the brainstem to determine if they are the true cause of your Abdominal Migraines.

At the Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™, we specialise in assessing your upper cervical spine and your brainstem, to determine if they are the true cause of your Abdominal Migraine. If we are able to prove that this is the cause of your migraine, then we can start treatment right away. We usually expect to see significant change within the first 6 sessions, as we do with 85-90% of our patients.

The best part about having your abdominal migraine treated at Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™ is that our approach is safe, gentle, medication-free and non-invasive.

What our clients have said

Excellent

4.9

Andrea Duffy

After being diagnosed with Sunct Trigeminal Neuralgia I was seeking treatment without drugs. After 2 months of treatments with Kevin I'm now pain free. Well worth the effort for a fantastic result, thanks team.

Sarah Jane

Seeing Doug & the team at BHMC has really changed my life, and I’m really grateful for the ongoing care and support. I used to think I had bad vertigo & I would feel dizzy and faint and light headed and nauseous all day everyday and couldn’t work, couldn’t do housework, couldn’t walk my dog, could barely stay standing to shower all because I had been walking around with an unaligned c2 &c3 in my neck due to years of bad posture and constantly hunching over at my desk at work or my head down looking at my phone all day. Migraines 2-3 times a week, constantly feeling pressure in my head and sharp pain, unable to sleep a full nights sleep, and not reacting well at all to prescription medications like valium, replax, and others. I finally got health insurance and headed into BHMC and in the 1st consultation, I was advised of a detailed diagnosis and knew I was in the right place to get help. I’d been struggling everyday for over a year with migraines, had to quit jobs, and was mentally struggling due to these physical symptoms, it was awful. I really wish i’d gone to get physio sooner! Please go and see BHMC, I have been in physio for less than 6 months (probably 10-15 appointments) and have never felt better and more stable. If you go here, try the sessions, buy the pillow, sit up straight, do the exercises, I promise you’ll be better off! Doug has been amazing & so professional, he really knows what hes doing. All the office team is lovely as well!

Samuel Cox

I have been seeing Dr. Woo for about 6 months now and he has been helping me manage my migraines fantastically. I used to get on average 2 migraines a month, now I have gone 4 months with no migraines. The cause of my migraines was very quickly diagnosed and its clear the team here prioritise the goal of self management, not the reliance on medication and continuous appointments. Can recommend to anyone who suffers from Chronic Migraines, it may well be a life changer for you.

Han Wang

My headache problem has been lasting for many years and I suffer from it more frequently from the last 18 months. The quality of my life before treatment was affected tremendously. I simply couldn't enjoy lots of activities when headache attacks occur. I started my headache treatment from the last few weeks and it has been very effective. It is very obvious to how I feel around my neck before and after the treatment. I haven't had any headache episode since. I highly recommend this clinic and the physician named Douglas. He is courteous, gentle, very caring and most amazingly very knowledgeable and skillful. He was able to diagnose my headache issue and provide detailed explainations about my treatment plan and future preventative guidance. I wish I had found this clinic earlier and for anyone who is suffering from headaches you should definitely give it a go. Overall it's a nice and clean clinic, easy public transport and parking. Helpful and friendly admin staff too. Thank you Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic Sunnybank Hills.

Celeste Cover

My healthy 7yr old son out of blue started having debilitating migraines about a year ago. Being a nurse I ensured we ruled out anything nasty by doing MRI and seeing specialist. But we kept getting no definitive answer as to why they were reoccuring. Being so young treatment options are limited until 12yrs of age and every episode we would end up at the emergency department with then specialist follow up appointments. Something had to change. I then came across a fellow work colleague (GP) whom referred me to Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic. My son has been seeing David now at the spring hill clinic for over 2mnths, where he has worked absolute wonders. My son has had no episodes of a migraine to date yet. David also ensure he educates his clients during the appointment, follows up with exercises and resources for you to use at home as well, easy management plans and a diary to track and see patterns as to why a migraine maybe triggered. I would highly recommend these clinics to anyone suffering. The amount of knowledge and expertise by the staff is amazing. I will always be praising them for the help with my son.

Sahan Amarasena

I have been seeing Sascha for about 3 weeks now. Thanks to Sascha, I have gone from 4-5 headaches a week to being headache free for over a week now. He is very knowledgeable and was quick to diagnose my problem. The treatment plan has been very clear and easy to follow at home. We have addressed all factors that are contributing to my headaches and I am confident of keeping my headaches under control thanks to the tools Sascha has taught me. Highly impressed with the team. They have been very professional, friendly and helpful throughout and been impressed with their customer service. Highly recommend these guys if you are someone who has been suffering with headache for a long time like myself.

Ana Uppman

Mattias and the staff at the clinic are wonderfully helpful and friendly. Mattias in particular helped me to manage chronic headaches and sinus effectively and naturally which has provided a huge amount of pain relief to me especially after so many years of discomfort. Thank you so much Mattias and staff.

Jesse Tamblyn

Diagnosed with Vestibular Neuritis, quickly turned into vestibular migraines of a hellish level. I was hallucinating constantly, pretty much 24/7 for a entire year. With no regular symptoms of a migraine other than extreme light sensitivity, my doctor ordered all the tests, nothing was helping. After a few sessions with Sasch I have zero symptoms and none of my previous triggers are triggering any hallucinations/migraines. Sasch is increadibly skilled at what he does and is very passionate about his clients. I am forever in a debt of gratitude.

kynan jones

I have had cluster headaches on and off for two years now and have had no clue what to do about it, I stumbled across Brisbane migraine and headache clinic, decided to give it a go and I could not be happier with the results from Mattias. My symptoms have dropped by an easy 90% and I can enjoy my days again. Thank you Mattias and thank you Brisbane migraine and headache clinic.

Carter Bennett

So far my treatment at the Headache and Migraine clinic has been very helpful. As someone who experiences migraines often enough, I can say with confidence that after only a few months of treatment with practictioner Mattias, the frequency and severity has been reduced. Still a ways to go till Im migraine free, but I can say with confidence that this very interesting form of treatment works.

ARCHANACHOWDARY NALLAPANENI

David is really wonderful and he is a magician. I've been suffering from migraine headaches for past three years after I met David, and his treatment is like a miracle. I've been on treatment for five weeks now and haven't had any headaches. Thank you heaps David

Rachel de Vera

Best place to overcome your headache pain. This clinic will give you treatment to make your life free from migraine.

Luke Shanley

Ariel from Brisbane Migraine & Headache clinic was the only person that actually helped with my migraines. After seeing doctors & neurologists to no avail i decided to give it a go. I'm able to see friends, nieces & nephews again and working full time. This seemed impossible just over 2 months ago when I first started treatment. Gave me my life back.

Danielle Raftopoulos

I've seen Ariel for neck, back and knee pain/ injuries in the past. She does an excellent job with releasing muscles through dry needling and acupuncture which has relieves pain. Ariel provides exercises to do at home which are helpful. I've also seen all the other physios at the clinic. Highly recommend it.

Pawan Sandhu

I was suffering with bad migraine from last 13 years. Then I heard about Brisbane headache centre. I consulted with Dominic he is very professional and nice Physio. He find out the triggers and started my treatment since i seen him first till now I haven't had any headaches. I highly recommend people if you suffering with headache and migraine please go and consult with the team. Thanks Dominic.

Brooke O'kell

I have had an amazing experience with Ariel at the clinic. I went there in horrific pain after been diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia and I was taking 12 nerve pain tablets a day. The clinic was recommended to me by a friend and I'm so glad I gave them a try because now after a couple of months I am pain free and down to one nerve tablet a day. It's hard to explain really how grateful I really am now to be spending Christmas with my family pain free after not been able to leave the house without crying in pain. I'm would give them 100 stars if I could and I've already recommended Ariel to some friends who suffer migraines. Thank you for everything Ariel your an amazing and lovely lady who really changed my life.

Cathy Biles

I have suffered from migraines for 30 years and I have found that the treatment that I am having at Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic is the most effective way I’ve found in preventing a migraine. I have been having treatment with Mattias for around 4 months, and at this stage I still do get some migraines, but they are getting a lot less frequent than they were before I started having treatment. Mattias is very understanding and explains each step of the treatment very thoroughly.

Candy Beanland

Dominic is a very polite person who has helped me a great deal with my migraine headaches. I am very grateful to him.

Emma Zonca

I've had a great experience being treated by Dominic. I was recently diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia and my symptoms have now massively reduced. The care and education I have received have been excellent. All staff have been welcoming and very lovely to deal with since my first appointment. I highly recommend Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic.

Ebony Smith

I've been receiving treatment from Mattias for a little over two months now and I cannot recommend this practice enough!!! I have been struggling with Migraine headaches and terrifying aura symptoms for 10+ years and have tried absolutely everything (from medications, diets, all sorts of treatments and multiple specialist/neurologist appointments) in order to eliminate, ease or simply manage the pain. Thank you to Mattias and the wonderful team at Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic for listening to my struggles with pain, understanding my issues, applying the right treatment that my body was receptive to...and most importantly.... they gave me a free jar of mints! What a DEAL! 10/10 recommend.

Cassandra Guse

2 months ago debilitating migraines were driving me crazy - and I finally snapped and called this clinic after 3 years of spending most of my spare time just resting and re-habbing my head and neck between work. I started treatments with Dominic immediately. And I am amazed to report that I haven't had a migraine since! I wish I had done it years earlier. Dominic is pleasant, thorough, very knowledgeable and holistic in his advice, picking up on things which seem unrelated but were likely contributing to my headaches - and explains everything every step of the way. I can't recommend him highly enough.

Laura O'hearn

I have only been seeing Dominic from Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic for three weeks, but the change in my migraines has been dramatic. I have struggled with chronic migraines for over 20 years and I did not find daily medication helpful in controlling them. I wish I had known about Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic sooner as this has been a life-changing experience.

Paul Hewitt

There could not be too much praise for the services and results produced at this Centre . I was suffering clusters of migraines and other neck pain. Went to Doctor, more medication! Decided there has to be a better way. Googled the Headache and Migraine Centre, met with Mattias, and Helen , a few visits and the relief was significant . Small business could take a lesson from their efficiency as well, Admin staff are all over everything, helping you to make appointment times that suit you. If you had or having similar issues to mine..........Just go there .

Chimorne Bekker

Special thanks to Dominic for treating me at the Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic. I have had roughly 11 sessions at the clinic and have been headache & migraine free for two weeks today. This may not seem very long, but it is for someone who experiences an attack every second day. My treatment is still ongoing, but the results are already promising. I also have to mention that Dominic was the first specialist to notice that my C2-C3 cervical vertebrae were rotated/disturbed and recommended that we realign the vertebrae and desensitise my brain stem. This was a relief as specialists in the past have diagnosed me with anything from ethmoid sinusitis and occipital neuralgia to labelling it as “psychosomatic“. I would highly recommend anyone suffering from migraines/headaches to arrange a consultation with Dominic.

Megan Tilley

After about 5 weeks of constant headaches, in complete desperation I contacted BHMC and within 4 sessions with Mathias, my headaches significantly reduced in severity and duration. Highly recommended!

Have Questions?

If you have any general enquiries, feel free to use our form on this page to ask us your questions. If you are looking to make an appointment, you can scroll down to make a booking.

Common Headaches Treated at our Clinic

Menstrual Migraine Cluster Headache Cervicogenic Headache Whiplash Associated Injury Sinus Headache Chronic Daily Headache Tension Type Headache Migraine Headache Hormonal Headache Vertigo Cervical Headache Trigeminal Neuralgia Occipital Neuralgia Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome Hemiplegic Migraine Abdominal Migraine