What Is An Aura?

That nauseating, debilitating pain in your head from you migraine has returned again.  Migraines are a reoccurring condition that often leaves you unable to function and work through your daily activities.  For my sufferers, even before the start of a migraine, you may experience some signals that indicate an impending attack such as dizziness, ringing in the ears, visual disturbances (such as seeing spots or lines) and an increased sensitivity to light.  These signals are known as an “aura.”  An aura appears before the onset of a migraine and can last through the entire episode or stop once the headache begins.

What Is A Migraine With Aura?

The term “migraine with aura” is fairly new, as this form of migraine isn’t all that common.  The word aura refers to the feelings, symptoms or signals you notice before the headache begins.  These indicators or early symptoms are also called a prodrome.  Researchers in this field are not exactly sure the cause of a migraine with aura.  The thought is that the chemicals, serotonin and dopamine, which are responsible for regulating brain function somehow become unbalanced and cause the body to overreact to the sudden change and create a migraine in response to these differences.  When this occurs, blood vessels open and constrict causing the severe, throbbing headache pain.

Doctors also believe that migraines with aura may be affected by genetics and weight issues.  Migraines are known to run in families, so you are twice as likely to be diagnosed if one of your parents has migraines.  Migraines are often set-off by triggers such as food, stress, and environmental factors.  Migraines typically develop in childhood and progress through adulthood, only finding relief or disappearing after the age of 50.  Women are three times for likely to experience migraines, but in young children they are more common in males.  Though the cause isn’t exactly know, it is important to understand treatment options are available and this condition is not life threatening.

Symptoms

Migraines with aura only represent 20 percent of all migraine headaches.  Migraines may last anywhere from a few hours to several days.  The most common symptom of a migraine is the pulsating pain of the headache itself.  Other symptoms that may accompany a migraine are:

• Nausea/vomiting
• Irritability
• Low blood pressure
• Mood swings
• Sensory sensitivities (light, sound, smell)
• Fatigue/dark circle under eyes

When a migraine with aura is experienced, some other symptoms may occur.  They usual appear 20-30 minutes prior to the start of the migraine.  These symptoms may subside once the headache begins or last throughout the entire episode.  Aura-related symptoms may include:

• Body weakness
• Hallucinations
• Visual disturbances – seeing zigzag lines, flashing lights, spots, or temporary blindness
• Tingling or prickling sensation

Diagnosis

If you find you are experiencing chronic headaches or any of the above mentioned symptoms are occurring during your attacks, you need to speak with your physician regarding if you actually have migraine headaches, so that proper treatment can occur.  When looking to diagnose migraines, doctors will perform both physical and neurologic exams, as well as address your personal and family medical history.  Some areas they may look into would be history of migraines or other headaches, allergies, stress level, current medications, and level of physical activity performed on a regular basis.  To rule out the involvement of any other health risks, you doctor my recommend some blood work, x-rays, CT scan or MRI to ensure that all areas of the body are working properly and not contributing to current headache issues.

Treatment

Here are a few basic tips for managing your migraine pain and finding the relief you so desperately seek:

• Lay down in a dark and quiet room
• Place a cool compress over your eyes or directly on the area of pain
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen
• Utilize any prescription medications the doctor has provided for restoring balance and slowing the constriction of blood vessels.
• Take any prescription analgesics to help relieve pain and promote restful sleep
• Use any medications, recommended by your physician, for relieving nausea or vomiting symptoms.

Should the treatment plan you have in place no longer provide the necessary level of relief, speak to your physician before stopping or adding any new medications to ensure there will be not negative interactions.

Tags: aura, headache, migraine stages, migraine treatment, Migraines, postdrome, prodrome, stages of migraines