Walking Through Each Migraine Stage

Migraine pain can be a difficult thing to process especially when the migraine takes over every aspect of one’s life. Unlike a headache a migraine moves in and settles down with the intent to inflict intense misery for as long as it can. Those migraine sufferers that have grown accustom to the misery of migraine headaches typically know how the migraine process works but for those that are new to migraine pain the migraine process is a new concept and one they have to learn.

Learning about the migraine process takes time and research, but the time and research can be vital to helping the individual cope with his or her migraine pain. A migraine develops in the brain and creates a chemical, physical and emotional chain reaction to occur which in return causes the migraine sufferer to experience incapacitating symptoms. The migraine moves through four unique stages and through each migraine stage comes worsening migraine pain and more complicated head pains. Learning the four migraine stages and their order can help the migraine patient know when would be the most effective time to implement a migraine treatment so he or she can experience the most amount of migraine relief. So let’s get started.

Migraine Stage One: Prodrome
The first migraine stage we are going to look at and discuss is the prodrome stage. The prodrome migraine stage is by far the most important migraine stage, because it is during this migraine stage that the migraine patient must implement a migraine treatment in order for the migraine treatment to be most effective. During this first migraine stage the migraine sufferer will endure no head pain only faint and easy to miss preemptive migraine warnings and symptoms. The warning sides that tell if a migraine is on the verge of breaking through may be overlooked or explained away, however if these warning signs are noted and charted migraines can be stopped before they get started.

• Sleepiness is often explained away by an overactive brain, bed discomfort and a million other reasons but drowsiness is a sign that a migraine might be in the near future.
• Sudden irritability or changes in mood. Irritability can often be chalked away as not having had a good night’s rest, be cautious of overlooking unexplained irritability.
• Fatigue
• Bouts of depression
• Obsessive yawning
• Cravings for foods high in sugar of lathered in salt

Symptoms such as the ones mentioned might go unnoticed by most, but those that suffer with frequent migraine headaches should take note of the warnings signs, chart them and prepare for the onset of a migraine headache. The moment when these symptoms begin to manifest the migraine sufferer must quickly administer his or her chosen treatment plan.

Migraine Stage Two: Aura
The second migraine stage is unique in that not every migraine sufferer will experience it. The second migraine stage is known as the aura stage and this particular stage is very brief, affects one’s vision and occurs just a few hours before the worst and most painful of the migraine stages. The aura stage causes the migraine patient to have difficulty with seeing things accurately. The patient will begin to have blurred vision, black spots behind the eyes and will begin to notice a halo like essence around objects they are seeing. Other symptoms of this aura stage would include dizziness and slight confusion.

Migraine Stage Three: Headache
The third and most painful migraine stage would have to be this third stage. The headache stage is where the migraine patient begins to endure intense symptoms such as: throbbing, pounding, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound and even bouts of confusion. The headache stage can last up to three days. Such intensity as what comes with this third migraine stage can force a person to step back from his or her responsibilities and focus on resting and getting well.

Migraine Stage Four: Postdrome
The fourth and final migraine stage is known as the Postdrome migraine stage. This fourth migraine stage implies the end is near but the migraine sufferer is not out of the symptom free zone yet. This fourth migraine stage still brings about a few lingering symptoms such as mild head pain, muscle weakness and lingering cognitive difficulties. This fourth migraine stage can last for several days allowing the migraine suffer to recoup slowly so as to avoid a relapse.

Tags: aura, headache, migraine stages, migraine symptoms, migraine treatment, postdrome, prodrome