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Migraine With Aura

Migraine With Aura

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TYPES  |  SYMPTOMS   |  DIAGNOSIS   |  CAUSES   |  TREATMENT  |  PREVENTION

What you need to know about
Migraine With Aura

A migraine with aura is a strong headache that is accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness, ringing in the ears, zigzag lines in your vision, or light sensitivity.

Auras occur in around a quarter of all migraines. However, you might not get one with every migraine. Auras are seen in some youngsters and older individuals, although they are not painful.

These headaches aren’t life-threatening, despite the fact that they can be excruciatingly painful and make you feel “odd.” There are things you can do, as well as medications and gadgets, to treat migraines with aura and avoid them.

The term “aura” refers to any sensory changes that occur prior to a migraine headache. They can wreak havoc on your eyesight, hearing, and speaking abilities. You can also experience tingling or muscle weakness.

Types of Migraine With Aura

There are four forms of migraine that might cause aura:

  • Migraine with aura. This can be with or without a headache. This type of migraine is also known as a classic migraine.
  • Migraine with aura in the brainstem. When the aura begins in the base of your brain (brainstem) or on both sides of your brain, you’ve reached this stage.
  • Migraine with hemiplegia. Aura produces weakness on one side of your body in this unusual kind (hemiplegia).
  • Migraine in the retina. Prior to the onset of the migraine, you experience vision disturbances in one eye.

Symptoms

Prodrome symptoms

A third of people will have warning signals 24 to 48 hours prior to a migraine. The prodrome, or pre-headache period, is what it’s called. You have the option to:

  • Have a strong desire for certain meals.
  • Feeling irritable or agitated?
  • Yawn more if you’re exhausted.
  • You’re stiff, particularly in your neck.
  • I need to pee more frequently.
  • If you’re constipated or have diarrhoea, it’s time to see a doctor.

Sensory symptoms

The aura normally lasts less than an hour and lasts between 5 and 20 minutes. It has the ability to alter any of your senses. Among the signs and symptoms are:

  • There are certain blind places in the world (scotomas).
  • Partially or completely blindness in one or both eyes.
  • When you see zigzag patterns, it’s a good sign (fortification spectra).
  • The sight of flashing lights (scintilla).
  • Seeing, hearing, or smelling something that isn’t there (hallucinations).
  • Numbness, prickling, or tingling (paresthesia).
  • Having difficulty finding words or speaking (aphasia).
  • Some symptoms may persist during the headache stage.

Other symptoms

Migraine pain can be either constant or throbbing. It commonly affects the front or side of your head, as well as the area around your eyes. Adults are more prone than children to experience discomfort on only one side. The headache can persist anywhere from an hour to three days.

Aside from discomfort, you may experience the following symptoms:

  • Vomiting or an upset stomach.
  • Chills and hot flushes.
  • Nose congestion or runny nose.
  • Vertigo or whirling (vertigo).
  • Neck or jaw pain.
  • Light, sound, scent, touch, or motion sensitivity.
  • Confusion.
  • Muscle deterioration.

Diagnosis

To examine the nerves in your head, your doctor will give you a physical exam and assess your muscles, reflexes, speech, and senses. They’ll also inquire about your medical history, including:

  • Do any other members of your family suffer from migraines or other types of headaches?
  • What medications, such as birth control pills or blood pressure medications, do you take?
  • Do you have headaches after a long day at work, coughing, or sneezing?

Other causes, such as infection and bleeding, can be ruled out by blood tests and imaging, such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs.

Causes

Scientists aren’t sure what causes migraines, but they believe that numerous brain chemicals are involved.

A surge of nerve cell activity sweeps over your brain, triggering your trigeminal nerve, according to this notion. This results in the release of a number of neurotransmitters, a change in blood vessel size, the release of more neurotransmitters, and, eventually, inflammatory response and pain.

Experts believe the aura is caused by an electrical wave passing through the portion of your brain that handles sensory inputs.

Migraine is a disease that typically runs in families. It usually starts in childhood and worsens throughout puberty. Migraines affect more adult women than males, despite the fact that they affect more boys than girls. You’ll have less as you become older, and they’re less prevalent around 50.

Treatment for migraine with aura

Stay in a calm, dark environment if you have a migraine with aura. Apply cold compresses or pressure to the sore spots.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen, as well as over-the-counter pain treatments like paracetamol, may aid. NSAIDs at higher doses can be prescribed by your doctor. (Aspirin should not be taken by anyone under the age of 19.)

Triptans or ditans, such as almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), frovatriptan (Frova), lasmiditan (Reyvow), naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt), and sumatriptan (Imitrex), are prescription drugs that can aid. Ergots (Cafergot, Migergot) may also be used to alleviate migraine symptoms.

Other drugs can help with nausea and vomiting, which are common side effects.

Some technologies are designed to turn on your brain in a specific way to short-circuit a migraine.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used by SpringTMS and eNeura sTMS (TMS). To unleash a pulse of magnetic energy, place the gadget on the back of your head for roughly a minute.

When the gammaCore vagus nerve stimulator is put over the vagus nerve in your neck, it provides modest electrical stimulation to reduce discomfort.

Any of these gadgets will require a prescription.

 

Migraine With Aura Prevention

If alternative therapies fail and you experience four or more migraine with aura days per month, your doctor may recommend migraine prevention medications. You take these on a daily basis to make migraines less severe or less frequent. Seizure medications, blood pressure medications (such as beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers), and some antidepressants are among them. CGRP inhibitors, a novel class of preventive therapy, may potentially benefit.

Your doctor may also recommend Cefaly, a gadget that employs a technique known as transcutaneous supraorbital nerve stimulation. To prevent migraines, you wear it on your forehead like a headband and turn it on for 20 minutes every day.

Stay away from your triggers. Among the most common are:

  • Certain foods
  • Medications
  • Stress
  • Being tired, sick, or hungry
  • Hormone changes
  • Flickering or flashing light
  • Air pressure or altitude changes

A headache journal might assist you and your doctor in determining what is causing your headaches. Before the headache started, write down the date and time of the migraine, any items you had eaten, what you were doing, and any medications you were taking. You may not see a pattern for several weeks.

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