Migraine
A Migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It’s often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities.
For some people, a warning symptom known as an aura occurs before or with the headache. An aura can include visual disturbances, such as flashes of light or blind spots, or other disturbances, such as tingling on one side of the face or in an arm or leg and difficulty speaking.
What Is a Migraine?
A migraine is a strong headache that often comes with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light. It can last hours or days.
Migraine Symptoms
Migraines are different in everyone. In many people, they happen in stages. These stages may include:
Prodrome
Hours or days before a headache, about 60% of people who have migraines notice symptoms like:
- Being sensitive to light, sound, or smell
- Fatigue
- Food cravings or lack of appetite
- Mood changes
- Severe thirst
- Bloating
- Constipation or diarrhea
Aura
These symptoms stem from your nervous system and often involve your vision. They usually start gradually, over a 5- to 20-minute period, and last less than an hour. You may:
- See black dots, wavy lines, flashes of light, or things that aren’t there (hallucinations)
- Have tunnel vision
- Not be able to see at all
- Have tingling or numbness on one side of your body
- Not be able to speak clearly
- Have a heavy feeling in your arms and legs
- Have ringing in your ears
- Notice changes in smell, taste, or touch