Migraine Headache is an unusual type of headache, both due to its more severe pain level and longer duration, causing suffering and affecting daily life. However, ‘migraine’ does not only manifest as headache pain but also involves symptoms related to various senses that we or others may have never known!
4 Aura Signs That Often Precede Migraine Headaches
When talking about migraine symptoms, many people might think of a throbbing headache, as if the heart is pounding near the temples. However, medically, headaches are classified into types, including a prodromal symptom before migraine called Aura, which is divided into two main types:
Migraine without aura is the most common type, found in about 70% of cases. Patients experience moderate to severe headache pain, and some may also have nausea and vomiting. The other type is
Migraine with aura, found in about 30% of cases, caused by slow-moving brain waves that disrupt normal brain function. This occurs about 5 minutes to 1 hour before the migraine headache, often with warning signs in various forms as follows:
- Visual Aura: The most common symptom, seeing flickering lights spreading widely, followed by dark spots or blind spots when looking at things.
- Sensory Aura: Numbness starting from the hand and arm, spreading to around the mouth.
- Hemiplegic Migraine: Weakness on one side of the body, a type found in headache disorders.
- Migraine with Brainstem Aura: Causes dizziness, hearing loss, unsteady walking, tinnitus, crossed eyes, squinting, or loss of consciousness.
Additionally, it has been found that if patients continue activities or move while having a migraine headache, the pain may worsen.
How to Recognize if It’s a Migraine? When Stress Causes Headaches
Since most migraines are triggered by various environmental factors, both internal such as stress, rest, individual health, or external factors, especially foods that trigger migraines, which eventually manifest as migraine headaches! The headache symptoms differ quite clearly from general headaches, including:
- Multiple headaches per day: Having headaches several times a day, at least 3-5 times or more, suggests migraine symptoms, unlike general headaches that subside quickly and do not recur multiple times a day.
- Headache lasting for hours: The headache duration may last several hours, about 4-72 hours, sometimes overnight, usually a one-sided headache and may include eye socket pain.
- Nausea and vomiting: In some cases of severe continuous headache, nausea or vomiting may also occur.
These symptoms may occur singly or in combination, then return to normal as the headache subsides, only to recur in the following week or month, causing annoyance in daily life.
Don’t Fear Headaches, Get an MRI for Confirmation… Treatment is Possible!
Although migraine headaches tend to come and go, no one would want to live with constant headaches. Especially for those with long-term migraine headaches, it is important to get checked for abnormalities as soon as possible. The Brain and Nervous System Center at Phyathai 1 Hospital has specialists to consult and diagnose migraine symptoms using effective technology such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to confirm that the recurring headaches are ordinary migraines, not brain tumors or strokes, before proceeding to appropriate treatment. Treatment usually involves medication combined with behavioral adjustments such as rest, stress relief, appropriate exercise, and avoiding foods and drinks that trigger migraines, along with continuous follow-up care, which is crucial in managing migraine symptoms.
Migraine Diary
- Number of headache days per month
- Headache pain level (mild-moderate-severe)
- Headache location / duration
- What relieves the headache
- Triggers that cause the headache
Additionally, keeping a migraine diary is a technique to track daily lifestyle, helping patients better control migraines and return to daily life without suffering from migraine pain and distress.
Dr. Napasri Chaisinanankul
Neurology Specialist
Brain and Nervous System Center, Phyathai 1 Hospital
