Posts Tagged ‘ocular migraine symptoms’

What are the Signs of Migraine Attack? 30 Migraine Symptoms

Monday, October 24th, 2011


 


 

Many non-migraine headache sufferers think that migraine symptoms are all about headaches, but they’re wrong. Signs of a migraine attack include nausea, depression and anxiety, in addition to mild hallucinations and neuralgia. Since chronic migraines differ between patients, migraine remedies also vary between over-the-counter Excedrin for migraines, prescribed migraine relief, and natural headache remedies.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF MIGRAINE ATTACK? 30 MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS, WWW.MIGRAVENT.COM

How many migraine triggers are there?

Scientists have named over 100 possible migraine causes (triggers), including those pertaining to food, scents, the weather, hormones, and stress.  The best way to determine the culprit behind your migraine headaches is by keeping a migraine diary, and sharing it with a neurologist or other headache expert.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF MIGRAINE ATTACK?  30 MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS, WWW.MIGRAVENT.COM

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7 Headache Symptoms you definitely shouldn’t ignore

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF MIGRAINE ATTACK? 30 MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS, WWW.MIGRAVENT.COM

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Here are some helpful clues that indicate a migraine attack:

  1. Throbbing head pain, usually limited to one side of the head, but not always
  2. Pain in the back of the head
  3. Intense shooting pain behind one eye socket
  4. Teary eyes, head congestion- similar to sinus headaches
  5. Stiff aching neck pain
  6. Depression or anxiety symptoms
  7. Fatigue, tiredness
  8. Excitability, euphoria, or hyperactivity
  9. Agitation, or nervousness
  10. Dizziness, need to faint
  11. Frequent need to urinate
  12. WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF MIGRAINE ATTACK? 30 MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS, WWW.MIGRAVENT.COMPoor sleep, tendency to wake up feeling sluggish instead of refreshed
  13. Frequent yawning
  14. Unusual cravings for sweet or salty foods
  15. Nausea, urge to vomit
  16. Stomach cramps and diarrhea
  17. Pale face, washed-out look
  18. Head pain after physical exertion, typical of exercise headache
  19. Migraine aura, or ocular migraine, including flashing, colored lights, often in zigzagged patterns, bright crescent shapes, or “fireflies”  (Free Digital Photos)
  20. Blind spot- dark “hole” in your field of vision, temporary partial blindness
  21. Double vision, blurry eyesight
  22. Hypersensitivity to bright lights, photophobia
  23. Low tolerance to noise
  24. Hallucinatory scents
  25. Partial paralysis, stroke-like symptoms
  26. Tingling, or pins-and-needles sensations in one arm, or around the mouth and nose on one side of the face
  27. Cold hands and feet
  28. Distorted speech, temporarily and suddenly, also similar to stroke symptoms
  29. Upper torso weakness on one side
  30. Afterwards, a hangover, and the need to recuperate for hours


Read this:

Migraine Aura Video Simulations: You Tube’s Top 10

Perfumes and Migraines: The Good, the Bad, and the Downright Stinky

Is it a Cluster Headache or a Migraine?

Sources:

18 Signs You’re Having a Migraine – migrainesheadaches – Health.com

Migraine Symptoms, Causes, Treatment – What are the symptoms of migraine headaches on MedicineNet

Migraine: Symptoms – MayoClinic.com

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The Four Phases of Migraine Headache Attacks

Monday, July 11th, 2011

Migraine Symptoms, Before and After

Migraine headaches are a source of pain and disability for millions of people around the world.  Unlike common tension headaches, migraine disease is a neurological illness that overwhelmingly affects women.  Hundreds of headache triggers exist that cause migraines; for this reason, neurologists have a challenge in determining the exact cause of migraine symptoms and which course of medication to prescribe.

Common migraine symptoms include:

  • Throbbing head pain
  • Nausea,  stomach cramping and vomiting
  • Visual disturbances, such a flashing lights and blind spots
  • Intense sensitivity to lights, scents, and sounds

Migraines occur in four stages

A migraine attack occurs in four stages, according to current scientific research.  These are the prodrome phase, the aura, the migraine headache, and the posdrome phase.  However, just as migraine headache triggers differ for each patient, the four migraine attack phases don’t necessarily occur in a like manner for all migraineurs.  Only about 25-30% of migraine sufferers ever experience aura, a hallucinatory phenomenon that precedes a migraine attack by mere minutes.  Many migraine patients never experience the prodrome, aura, or posdrome phases.  Occasionally, one may experience only the symptoms of nausea, light sensitivity, and moving spots of light, but none of the head pain; such are Acephalgic Migraines.

• Prodrome Phase: About 80% of migraine sufferers experience an initial prodrome stage, approximately 1-2 days before an attack.  Symptoms among migraine patients vary greatly, and many contradict each other.  You might feel nauseous and unable to eat, or you might experience strong cravings.  Some are high-strung and euphoric, while others might feel depressed and fatigued before a migraine attack.  Other typical symptoms are diarrhea, persistent need to urinate, difficulty concentrating, and cold flashes.

• Aura Phase: An aura can occur five to twenty minutes before an attack, giving chronic migraine patients little time to respond.  The symptoms of aura mimic stroke, and may last as long as one hour; many migraineurs who are unaccustomed to experiencing aura seek emergency medical care.  Symptoms of aura include visual hallucinations, described as moving, streaming, flashing dots of light, which can happen when eyes are either closed or open.  Bright, shimmering silhouettes are a common symptom, as is partial blindness in one or both eyes.  Other side effects of aura may include partial paralysis, audio and olfactory hallucinations, and temporary loss of speech abilities.  Related: Go Ask Alice: Migraine Auras in Wonderland

• Headache Phase: The headache stage what we refer to as the migraine.  Consequently, a migraine attack is a headache that includes all four phases.  Migraine headaches can last for several days, and characteristically strike only one side of the head, though through the course of an attack the pain may migrate.  Migraine head pain is debilitating and further exacerbated by even the slightest movement.  Any of the following symptoms may occur during a migraine headache:

  • Throbbing, dizzying head pain
  • Stomach upset, including nausea, loss of appetite, stomach aches, diarrhea, and vomiting
  • Ultra sensitivity to sights, sounds, and smells
  • Hot and cold flashes, and perspiring
  • Depression, anxiety, and nervousness
  • Visual distortions
  • Fatigue
  • Nasal congestion

• Posdrome Phase: Also referred to as the “migraine hangover,” the posdrome phase is the time spent recuperating after an intense migraine attack.  Migraine sufferers may require days to recover and get their strength back.  During that time, they may feel fatigued, irritable, disoriented, and emotional.

Related reading:

Perfumes and Migraines: The Good, the Bad, and the Downright Stinky

Blow Off Migraine Pain with 4 Simple Yoga Breathing Exercises!

Top 10 Headache Symptoms that Point to Migraines

Sources:

What Does A Migraine Headache Feels Like? – HealthCentral

What are the stages of a migraine attack? | Migraine.com

Migraine Headache

Migraine Headache Phases and Associated Migraine Symptoms – Health & Wellness – Tree.com