How to Pronounce Basilar Migraine

Basilar migraine is pronounced BAZ-ih-lar MY-grayn. The first word rhymes with "dazzle," and the second word sounds like "my" plus "grain." Put the stress on the first syllable of each word: BAZ and MY.

The stress falls on BAZ in basilar and MY in migraine. A common mistake is stressing the wrong syllable, like saying buh-ZIL-ar instead of BAZ-ih-lar. Remember: BAZ comes first and gets the emphasis.

Basilar breaks into four syllables: BAZ-ih-lar. Migraine breaks into two syllables: MY-grayn. Together the full term has six syllables: BAZ-ih-lar MY-grayn.

Basilar comes from a Latin word meaning "at the base." In medical terms, it refers to the brainstem, which is the base or lower part of the brain. So "basilar" essentially means "relating to the base of the brain."

Migraine comes from French and Greek words meaning "half of the head." It refers to a specific type of severe headache, though the word "migraine" is now used to describe the entire condition, not just the head pain itself.

Basilar migraine is sometimes abbreviated as BM in medical writing, though this abbreviation is less common than the full term. When speaking, doctors and patients usually say the whole phrase "basilar migraine" to avoid confusion.

Other medical terms using the root basilar include basilar artery (a major blood vessel in the brainstem) and basilar skull fracture (a break at the base of the skull). All these terms use basilar to mean "relating to the base or bottom part."

You might hear a doctor say: "The patient's symptoms suggest she may have a basilar migraine rather than a typical migraine." This sentence uses the term to identify and describe a specific type of condition.