- January 22, 2025
Migraine has more than one name - it is a disease, which each sick person goes through a bit differently. It is therefore difficult to talk about a disease such as classical migraine, because there are so many variants of it - (eye migraine, abdominal migraine, migraine with aura) that it is difficult to say which variety is the most common. Here is a handful of information about a phenomenon that often accompanies attacks - the migraine aura.
Migraine aura is a set of neurological symptoms that accompany a disease such as Eyebright migraine (i.e. migraine with aura)). It usually appears several dozen or so minutes before the onset of proper migraine pain. Eye migraine may be preceded by, for example, visual aura and sensory aura.
Aura associated with visual impressions
Classical migraine aura is associated with symptoms such as sight disorders, speech disorders (aphasia), sensory disorders. The most characteristic symptoms of the aura are visual hallucinations - for example, in the form of a foggy spot or a star-shaped figure. These hallucinations are in the visual field and can gradually grow or form zigzag lines.
Some people also complain of visual darkness, poor vision or the appearance of wavy air or flashes of light. It is very often the case that the aura is one-sided. In most patients the aura lasts less than an hour. It also happens that the aura is not followed by a migraine attack.
Sensory aura
Migraine with aura can also be associated with the appearance of aura of sensory, or paresthesia. These are imaginary sensory impressions, for example the feeling of a pin bite, numbness, tingling. The most common feeling is in the lower extremities or around the mouth, but less often in the trunk or hands.
Most often the impression of paresthesia starts with the fingers of the hands, to radiate up the limbs and reach the area of the face. Sometimes a sensory aura is associated with speech disorders if it is accompanied by numbness of the tongue. In most patients, this type of symptom occurs only on one side of the body.
Migraine aura - what to do?
The neurological symptoms associated with ocular migraine suddenly appear and disappear completely at the moment when the attack of the disease passes into the phase of pain. Migraine aura does not occur in all patients, however, when neurological symptoms occur, it is worth to be prepared for them.
If you are treating yourself pharmacologically, the migraine aura is the moment when it is worth taking painkillers. They have been proven to be more effective if they are taken before the attack of pain. This applies both to non-prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, special substances (e.g. tolphenamic acid) or tryptans prescribed by a physician.
