Sufferers can have 'aura' to warn of migraine

Q: How is a migraine different from a headache?

A: Almost everyone experiences headaches occasionally. Most headaches are mild enough that they don’t significantly hamper an individual’s lifestyle or impair the ability to perform the tasks that we usually carry out in a typical day. Migraines can have accompanying nausea and vomiting, as well as difficulty in thinking clearly. Migraines can also have associated warning signs of an impending migraine headache, known as the “aura.” This aura can be non-painful and will often include visual experiences, such as flashing lights or colors. Migraine headaches are often accompanied by a painful sensitivity to light, known as photophobia, as well as sensitivity to loud noise, known as phonophobia. Milder variants of headache do not have these accompanying sensitivities.

Q: Are there different types of migraines?

A: There are several different types of migraines, which are classified by the International Headache Society (IHS). These include migraines without aura, which is the most common variant of migraine headache. These headaches are typically accompanied with nausea, vomiting, photophobia or phonophobia, as mentioned above. Migraines with aura are the second most common variant of migraine headache. Basilar-type migraines are migraine headaches that are accompanied by brainstem dysfunction during the headache, which can cause difficulty in speaking as well as dizziness. More severe episodes of basilar-type migraines can lead to possible stroke, although this is rare. There are also abdominal migraines that principally affect children and may not feature a headache at all, but abdominal symptoms, such as a dull abdominal pain, with associated loss of appetite, nausea/vomiting and possible moodiness. Menstrual migraines affect about 21 million women in the United States. Menstrual migraines often occur around the timing of the menstrual period and can be more severe than the typical migraine, with more associated nausea and vomiting. Menstrual migraines are often treated with the same medications used to treat other migraine headaches.

Q: What triggers migraines? Read more