Migraine with aura - symptoms and treatment

Migraine with aura is a type of migraine that involves specific neurological symptoms, known as "aura," which typically occur before the headache phase. The aura usually lasts for about 20 minutes to an hour and can include various sensory disturbances. At least 10% of people experience migraine with aura during their lifetime¹. Aura is not dangerous.

Symptoms of migraine

• Throbbing or pulsating headache lasting between four hours and three days.
• The intensity of the headache is moderate to severe and will, for many, affect daily functioning and activities.
• It is also common for symptoms to worsen with physical activity, such as climbing stairs.
• Some find that their migraine begins with an aura – a series of visual and/or sensory disturbances that serve as a warning of an impending attack. These can include flickering lights, blind spots in the field of vision, or tingling sensations in the arms or legs.
• Aura can also occur without a headache. Aura is not dangerous.

Aura symptoms

Symptoms of migraine with aura include².

• Visual disturbances: Flickering lights, zigzag lines, blind spots, or blurring in the field of vision.
• Sensory disturbances: Tingling sensation or numbness, often in the face or up one arm.
• Speech/language difficulties: Problems with speaking or understanding language.

The aura is often followed by a headache, but not always. The headache can last from several hours to several days. Migraine with aura differs from common migraine, where the headache occurs without any preceding aura.

Causes of migraine with aura

We know that migraine with aura is hereditary². The exact causes of migraine aura are unknown. However, research indicates that the condition may be caused by an electrical wave moving across the cerebral cortex, resulting in visual and sensory changes³.

Treatment of migraine with aura

Migraine with aura is treated like other migraines. Aura cannot be "treated" in the traditional sense, as it is not a disease in itself. Rather, aura is part of the migraine process and acts as a warning of an impending migraine attack. Read more about both acute and preventive migraine treatment here.

Read about migraine treatment at Hemi Headache Clinic here.

The difference between migraine with aura and stroke

Migraine with aura and stroke (brain hemorrhage or blood clot in the brain) are two different conditions, but some of their symptoms can be similar, such as speech difficulties and visual disturbances. An important difference is that migraine with aura has a gradual onset, typically developing over several minutes and reaching its peak within an hour. A stroke has a sudden onset and develops rapidly⁴. Other symptoms of a stroke include paralysis on one side of the face and/or the arm and/or leg on one side.

It is important to emphasize that only a healthcare professional can make an accurate diagnosis. If you experience symptoms that worry you, you should seek immediate medical attention.