Migraine pain (throbbing, pulsating headache) is primarily carried by which nerve fiber type?

Correct answer: A. C fibers

• A. Correct. C fibers (small, unmyelinated) carry SLOW, DULL, THROBBING, poorly-localized pain — exactly the quality of migraine headache and angina. The pulsating, deep ache of migraine is mediated by C-fiber activation.
• B. Incorrect. A-alpha fibers carry proprioception and somatic motor signals — not pain.
• C. Incorrect. A-beta fibers are large, myelinated fibers that carry touch, pressure, and proprioception — not pain.
• D. Incorrect. A-delta fibers carry SHARP, well-localized first pain — this is more characteristic of acute dental pain, not the dull throbbing of migraine.