What is a Migraine? A Migraine is not just another word for "severe headache.
" Instead migraine refers to a neurological condition where neurons in the brain react to certain stimuli in an excitable and then inflammatory way.
The brain's inflammatory reaction then causes a cascade of symptoms, of which headache is only one among many.
The Phases of a Migraine A migraine attack has four stages, prodome, aura, headache, and postdrome.
Here is a brief summary of each stage: Prodrome Phase - This is the pre-migraine stage.
The pre-migraine stage can last for a few hours up to a few days.
Common early warning symptoms include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, stiff neck, sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, and blurred vision.
Aura Phase - "Aura" is simply the term used to refer to a whole set of neurological symptoms (which are described in detail below under "Migraine with Aura") that precede the onset of a migraine headache and disappear once it develops.
To be defined strictly as "aura" each symptom must develop over five to twenty minutes and last for no more than sixty minutes.
The aura stage is not experienced by every person or even every time.
Headache Phase - This is the stage most people are familiar with - the headache.
Pain can last anywhere from hours to days.
Usually the pain is single sided, throbbing in sensation, and moderate to severe in pain level.
It is useful to know that not every person develops the headache phase.
Postdrome Phase - This is the post migraine phase.
Some people report feelings of being "hung-over" or severely drained.
These feelings can last from a few hours to a few days.
While there are multiple types of migraines, migraines are usually discussed as two main types - those with aura and those without.
Migraine Without Aura Most people think that in order to have an actual migraine there must be aura symptoms.
This is not true.
A migraine without aura can be defined as a reoccurring headache problem where the attacks last from four hours to 72 hours.
People who experience these types of migraines frequently have pulsating (throbbing) pain of moderate to severe intensity that is located on a single side of the head.
Nausea and light or sound sensitivity is also not uncommon.
Note: This type of headache is made worse, not better by routine physical activity.
This is an important distinction.
Migraines without auras are the most commonly experienced migraine.
These tend to reoccur more frequently and carry a more intense level of pain.
It is also believed that there is a relationship of some kind between migraines without auras and menstruation.
One of the most common problems associated with migraines without auras is excessive use of pain medication.
This can lead to rebound headaches.
Migraine With Aura The common definition of migraine auras is the person who sees halos around people and objects before the one set of a migraine.
This definition is much too limiting.
"Aura" is simply the term used to refer to a whole set of neurological symptoms that precede the onset of a migraine headache and disappear once it develops.
To be defined strictly as an aura each symptom must develop over five to twenty minutes and last for no more than sixty minutes.
This means that "aura" is not just another word for pre-migraine symptoms.
Instead it refers to a stage in a migraine attack.
Typical aura symptoms include vision, sensory, or speech problems.
Visual symptoms include flickering lights, spots, lines, zigzags, or loss of vision.
Other people report seeing "chicken-wire," "bugs," or "clouds.
" Descriptions and perception will vary from person to person.
Auditory symptoms include trouble hearing, hearing things that are not there, or other sound distortions.
Sensory symptoms can include feelings of numbness (like a Novocain injection) and/or prickly sensations, feelings of dizziness or being unsteady on your feet.
Speech disturbance can be varied but usually involve difficulty speaking or recalling certain words.
It important to note again that these symptoms develop and then disappear completely.
" Instead migraine refers to a neurological condition where neurons in the brain react to certain stimuli in an excitable and then inflammatory way.
The brain's inflammatory reaction then causes a cascade of symptoms, of which headache is only one among many.
The Phases of a Migraine A migraine attack has four stages, prodome, aura, headache, and postdrome.
Here is a brief summary of each stage: Prodrome Phase - This is the pre-migraine stage.
The pre-migraine stage can last for a few hours up to a few days.
Common early warning symptoms include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, stiff neck, sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, and blurred vision.
Aura Phase - "Aura" is simply the term used to refer to a whole set of neurological symptoms (which are described in detail below under "Migraine with Aura") that precede the onset of a migraine headache and disappear once it develops.
To be defined strictly as "aura" each symptom must develop over five to twenty minutes and last for no more than sixty minutes.
The aura stage is not experienced by every person or even every time.
Headache Phase - This is the stage most people are familiar with - the headache.
Pain can last anywhere from hours to days.
Usually the pain is single sided, throbbing in sensation, and moderate to severe in pain level.
It is useful to know that not every person develops the headache phase.
Postdrome Phase - This is the post migraine phase.
Some people report feelings of being "hung-over" or severely drained.
These feelings can last from a few hours to a few days.
While there are multiple types of migraines, migraines are usually discussed as two main types - those with aura and those without.
Migraine Without Aura Most people think that in order to have an actual migraine there must be aura symptoms.
This is not true.
A migraine without aura can be defined as a reoccurring headache problem where the attacks last from four hours to 72 hours.
People who experience these types of migraines frequently have pulsating (throbbing) pain of moderate to severe intensity that is located on a single side of the head.
Nausea and light or sound sensitivity is also not uncommon.
Note: This type of headache is made worse, not better by routine physical activity.
This is an important distinction.
Migraines without auras are the most commonly experienced migraine.
These tend to reoccur more frequently and carry a more intense level of pain.
It is also believed that there is a relationship of some kind between migraines without auras and menstruation.
One of the most common problems associated with migraines without auras is excessive use of pain medication.
This can lead to rebound headaches.
Migraine With Aura The common definition of migraine auras is the person who sees halos around people and objects before the one set of a migraine.
This definition is much too limiting.
"Aura" is simply the term used to refer to a whole set of neurological symptoms that precede the onset of a migraine headache and disappear once it develops.
To be defined strictly as an aura each symptom must develop over five to twenty minutes and last for no more than sixty minutes.
This means that "aura" is not just another word for pre-migraine symptoms.
Instead it refers to a stage in a migraine attack.
Typical aura symptoms include vision, sensory, or speech problems.
Visual symptoms include flickering lights, spots, lines, zigzags, or loss of vision.
Other people report seeing "chicken-wire," "bugs," or "clouds.
" Descriptions and perception will vary from person to person.
Auditory symptoms include trouble hearing, hearing things that are not there, or other sound distortions.
Sensory symptoms can include feelings of numbness (like a Novocain injection) and/or prickly sensations, feelings of dizziness or being unsteady on your feet.
Speech disturbance can be varied but usually involve difficulty speaking or recalling certain words.
It important to note again that these symptoms develop and then disappear completely.
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