Migraine

 Migraine Basics
 symptoms
 Causes
 Triggers
 Types
 complications

What Is a Migraine?

A migraine can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one
side of the head. It's often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme
sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the
pain can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities. For some people, a
warning symptom known as an aura occurs before or with the headache. An aura
can include visual disturbances, such as flashes of light or blind spots, or other
disturbances, such as tingling on one side of the face or in an arm or leg and
difficulty speaking. Medications can help prevent some migraines and make them
less painful. The right medicines, combined with self-help remedies and lifestyle
changes, might help.
Migraine Symptoms

Migraines are different in everyone. In many people, they happen in stages. These

stages may include:
Prodrome
Hours or days before a headache, about 60% of people who have migraines notice
symptoms like:

 Being sensitive to light, sound, or smell

 Fatigue
 Food cravings or lack of appetite
 Mood changes
 Severe thirst
 Bloating
 Constipation or diarrhea

Aura
These symptoms stem from your nervous system and often involve your vision. They
usually start gradually, over a 5- to 20-minute period, and last less than an hour. You
may:

 See black dots, wavy lines, flashes of light, or things that aren’t there
(hallucinations)
 Have tunnel vision
 Not be able to see at all
 Have tingling or numbness on one side of your body
 Not be able to speak clearly
 Have a heavy feeling in your arms and legs
 Have ringing in your ears
 Notice changes in smell, taste, or touch

Attack
A migraine headache often begins as a dull ache and grows into throbbing pain. It
usually gets worse during physical activity. The pain can move from one side of your
head to the other, can be in the front of your head, or can feel like it's affecting your
entire head.
About 80% of people have nausea along with a headache, and about half vomit. You
may also be pale and clammy or feel faint.
Most migraine headaches last about 4 hours, but severe ones can go for more than 3
days. It’s common to get two to four headaches per month. Some people may get
migraine headaches every few days, while others get them once or twice a year.
Postdrome
This stage can last up to a day after a headache. Symptoms include:

 Feeling tired, wiped out, or cranky

 Feeling unusually refreshed or happy
 Muscle pain or weakness
 Food cravings or lack of appetite