Knowledge

Migraine with aura - symptoms and treatment

Migraine with aura is a type of migraine that involves specific neurological symptoms, known as “aura”, which typically occur before the headache phase of the migraine.

Medicinsk godkendt artikel

Migraine is a neurological disorder that manifests itself in severe and pulsating headaches that often affect one side of the head. The pain, symptoms and triggers of migraine can be very different from person to person. Migraine with aura is one type migrainesthat involve specific neurological symptoms, known as “aura”, which typically occur before the headache phase of the migraine. The aura usually lasts for about 20 minutes to an hour and can include various sensory disturbances. Migraine with aura is experienced by at least 10% of all people during life^{! 1}. Aura is not dangerous.

Symptoms of migraine

Throbbing or pulsating headache, between four hours and three days.
The intensity of the headache is moderate to severe and, for many, will affect one's daily functioning and activities.
It is also normal for one's symptoms to be exacerbated by physical activity such as walking up a flight of stairs.
Some find that their migraines begin with aura - a series of visual and/or sensory disturbances that serve as a harbinger of an upcoming seizure. These can include flickering lights, blind spots in one's field of vision, or tingling sensations in the arms or legs.
Aura can also occur without a headache. Aura is not dangerous.

Aura symptoms

The symptoms of migraine with aura are^{! 2}.

Visual disturbances: Flickering light, zigzag lines, blind spot or blurring in the visual field.
Sensory disturbances: Tingling sensation or numbness, often in the face or up one arm.
Speech difficulties/language disorders: Problems with speech or understanding language.

After the aura often follows a headache, but not always. The headache can last from several hours to several days. Migraine with aura differs from ordinary migraine, in which the headache occurs without any prior aura.

The causes of migraine with aura

We know that migraine with aura is hereditary^{! 2}. The exact causes of migraine aura are unknown. However, research indicates that the condition may be caused by an electrical wave that travels across the cerebral cortex and results in visual and sensory changes^{! 3}.

Treatment of migraine with aura

Migraine with aura is treated like second migraine. Aura is not something that can be “treated” in the traditional sense, since it is not a disease in itself. Rather, the aura is part of the migraine process and serves as a kind of harbinger of the upcoming migraine attack. Read more about both emergency and preventive treatment of migraine hereto.

Read about migraine treatment at Hemi Headache Clinic hereto.

The difference between migraine with aura and stroke

Migraine with aura and stroke (cerebral hemorrhage or blood clot in the brain) are two different conditions, but some of their symptoms may be similar, for example speech difficulties and visual disturbances. An important difference is that migraine with aura has a gradual onset, developing usually gradually over several minutes and reaching its peak within an hour. Stroke has a sudden onset and progresses rapidly^{! 4}. Other symptoms of stroke are paralysis on one side of the face and/or arm and/or leg on one side.

It is important to emphasize that only a health professional can make an accurate diagnosis. If you experience symptoms that worry you, seek immediate medical attention.