What is a Migraine Aura
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Defined Tag: Migraine Headache.

When most people think of migraines, they imagine it’s just a really severe headache. However, those who’ve experienced migraines usually realize there’s more to it than just that. But not everyone knows all the stages that a migraine includes.

A migraine includes more than just a headache. In fact, the headache phase is only the third of five parts of a typical migraine. The five stages include the prodomal phase, the aura, the headache, recovery, and an interval stage.

What is a prodomal phase? This is the beginning of a migraine, before the pain and other symptoms begin. Many migraine sufferers find that once they recognize their usual prodome symptoms, they may be able to take medication to head off a full-blown migraine attack. Prodome symptoms may include excessive tiredness or energy, food cravings or simply a "weird feeling."

The next phase of a migraine is the aura. Those who don’t detect the prodomal phase usually still notice the aura -- for many people it is unmistakable and more worrisome than the headache stage itself. However, not everyone who gets a migraine will have these symptoms. Auras may include nausea, sensing strange smells, inability to find words and clumsiness. Sometimes the aura stage of a migraine is confused with symptoms of stroke. 

For most people, the primary signal of the aura phase is a visual disturbance. It may appear as a flashing light or a jagged geometrical shape that sparkles and blocks out vision, lasting from just a few minutes up to an hour. The curved zig-zag shape is common enough among migraine aura symptoms to have its own name -- a scintillating scotoma, also called a fortification spectrum. Other visual auras may appear as a blur or static effect. Most people see the same time of aura each time they have a migraine although some report varying visual disturbances. 

For a first-time migraine sufferer, the experience of the visual aura can be extremely frightening and disorienting, especially if the patient doesn’t understand what is happening. In the case of long-term migraine patients, the aura phase may be a chance to take steps to prevent the pain from occurring or at least to lessen it. This may include lying down in a dark room or taking prescribed medications. 

Following the aura phase, the headache phase of a true migraine usually lasts from a few hours to several days. However, even after the pain stops, the full course of the migraine is not yet finished. The recovery phase may last a day or two, and leaves many patients feeling lightheaded, sometimes losing their appetite. Some feel unusually depressed and tired, while others feel euphoric, and some patients may experience either one following each migraine episode.

The final "stage" of a migraine is the interval phase. This refers to the time between the end of one migraine episode and the beginning of the next. Understanding the stages of migraines can help migraine sufferers avoid worsening the symptoms, and possibly even avoid the painful headache stage altogether.

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