Headaches are one of the most common pathological conditions. They can be of a different nature, which tells about problems in the body. The cause may be infections, inflammatory processes, frequent stresses or commonplace fatigue.
Scientists have noticed that people who are prone to depression, as well as those who have an increased sense of responsibility, often have headaches characteristic of migraines. This is a disease that takes several forms. Consider what a migraine aura is. What are the causes and symptoms of the disease? How to treat him. What preventive measures exist.
Migraine
This is a very common chronic disease. As a rule, it is characteristic of the female sex, but it also occurs in men.
A few words about what constitutes a migraine. This is an ailment, a characteristic feature of which is a headache. Attacks can be very strong. They are repeated 2 to 8 times a month. In this case, as a rule, pain is fixed in one half of the head.
When examining a patient, it turns out that soreness is not a consequence of head injuries or the appearance of neoplasms. Also, such pains are not considered a symptom of a brain stroke. Conditions such as increased blood pressure or intracranial pressure and glaucoma are in no way associated with migraines.
Causes
Due to a lack of oxygen in the brain tissue, spasm of the vessels develops, a headache appears. Such reasons can contribute to this:
- Lack of an established regimen of sleep and rest.
- Stressful situations.
- Overvoltage.
- Weather change associated with atmospheric pressure differences.
- Drinking alcohol.
- Flickering computer screen.
- Noisy environment.
- Menstruation.
- The adoption of hormonal contraceptives.
- Some foods: chocolate, nuts, cheese, citrus fruits, bananas.
- Drugs that dilate blood vessels.
Many ask what a migraine aura is. We will tell about it below. Now we note that migraine in 80% proceeds without an aura, and in 20% with it.
The first signs of migraine with aura
Before a migraine aura occurs, the state of health can change a few days before it appears. This point is usually called the prodrome phase.
The following symptoms are characteristic:
- Drowsiness.
- Irritability.
- General weakness.
Such symptoms may persist for several days before the onset of a migraine attack, but do not always contribute to its appearance.
What are the main first symptoms of migraine with aura?
Before a headache occurs in 10 minutes or an hour, the following disorders occur:
- Visual. Colored spots may appear in front of the eyes or a feeling that you see yourself in a broken mirror. The appearance of blind spots ..
- Olfactory. Excessive fragrance sensitivity.
- Auditory. Increased sensitivity to sounds.
- Neurological
A migraine aura is characterized by a description of symptoms that last for several minutes or even hours. The main symptom of migraine is headache.
Symptomatology
To identify that it is a migraine with an aura, several more symptoms are necessary.
The following disorders develop gradually:
- Vision changes. Flashes, circles or lines appear before your eyes.
- In the fingers, tingling is possible, which spreads over the body (usually one half), which turn into numbness. Possible loss of sensation in half of the face or tongue.
- During an attack, speech may be impaired. She becomes incomprehensible. There are difficulties with the expression of their thoughts.
Next, an attack of headache is growing, which has such distinctive features:
- Pulsating and intense.
- Annoying factors (light, noise, walking) intensify the pain.
- The pain is localized, as a rule, in one part of the head. This may be the back of the head or frontotemporal region. In 30%, the pain overcomes the entire head.
- Nausea, vomiting may occur.
- Without taking the right pain medication, pain can last from 4 hours to several days.
Aura Features
The symptom called “Alice in Wonderland” is a hallmark of a migraine aura. This is a condition where the patient sees the world in a distorted form.
There may be such violations:
- It is impossible to focus your eyes.
- Items visually approaching or moving away.
- Things visually decrease or increase.
- Bright flashes or reflections appear.
- Pulsating dots or lines.
Migraine aura can significantly reduce visual acuity or temporarily completely eliminate it. But everything is restored after the attack.
With increased tactile sensitivity, a person feels goosebumps from touch. Some are so sensitive that touching equates to burns or frost.
Patients describe sound disturbances by the appearance of nonexistent sounds (noise of water or leaves). Voices were never observed.
It is possible to mix several forms of manifestation. There can be both visual and auditory disorders, or tactile and visual.
Diagnosis of the disease
It should be noted that in order to confirm the migraine aura, the patient must have at least two of the symptoms described above.
We note additional signs confirming the diagnosis:
- All violations of visual, tactile, speech completely pass.
- Symptoms are the same in seizures and are characteristic of one half of the body.
- The development of aura symptoms comes, gradually intensifying.
- The duration of symptoms is 5 minutes or more.
- Symptoms are not associated with any disease.
- There is a migraine aura without a headache.
- Pain sensations appear immediately after the aura or an hour later.
Most often, migraine attacks pass without an aura.
To establish an accurate diagnosis and the nature of migraine, the doctor may advise keeping records where to fix:
- Events of the day. Perhaps the patient was in a stressful situation.
- How long the rest lasted, how it happened.
- Physical exercise.
- Daily ration.
All this will help establish the cause of migraines and prescribe the correct treatment, to exclude provoking factors.
To diagnose the disease, the doctor may suggest to undergo the following examinations:
- Electroencephalogram.
- ECG.
- Determine blood pressure.
- CT scan of the brain.
- General analysis of urine, blood.
- Neurological research.
Such examinations will help to exclude neoplasms in the brain, pathology of the vascular system, since headache can be a symptom of any other disease.
The dangers
In case of untimely assistance, the development of dangerous consequences is possible:
- Migraine stroke. Since the attacks are associated with the vessels of the brain, the formation of prolonged spasms in its areas can lead to tissue necrosis, provoke a violation of cerebral circulation.
- Migraine status. With prolonged migraine attacks, which are accompanied by vomiting, nausea and convulsions, hospitalization is necessary. A distinctive feature of this status is the duration of an intense headache of more than 72 hours.
- Migraine auras with persistent visual impairment are very rare. This may be one of the signs of damage to the brain area.
- A persistent migraine aura lasts for 7 days. Brain ischemia occurs as a result of spasms of the vessel, but does not lead to its infarction.
- In some cases, a person cannot work and becomes disabled.
- Persistent depression and anxiety develop.
- Chronic diseases may worsen.
- Epilepsy attacks are also possible against the background of a migraine aura. Prolonged bouts of headache can cause epilepsy if the patient has a tendency. It comes within an hour after the aura.
It is very important to be able to assist with the development of a migraine aura.
Treatment
The doctor may prescribe drugs in the following groups:
- Analgesics.
- Drugs against seizures.
- Antidepressants.
- Serotonin agonists.
- Triptans.
- Calcium channel blockers.
- Vitamin complex.
- Magnesium preparations.
Therapy aims to alleviate an attack or prevent it. It is very important for migraine to take the drug at the initial stage of an attack. Conventional headache pills may be suitable for this.
Effective drug "Antimigren" in a dosage of 100 mg. If a migraine has an aura, then taking the antidepressant “Glycine” will not be out of place.
Migraine together with epilepsy is called migralepsia. This ailment is very difficult to treat.
In any case, you need to contact a neurologist. In a state of remission, the doctor can prescribe physiotherapy, massage.
Additional treatments
There are several recommendations and ways to help reduce pain in migraine attacks:
- Taking a hot or cold shower. May alleviate the condition for several hours.
- Massage.
- The use of the Asterisk balm.
- Walk in the fresh air.
- Rest in dim light in silence. Even a short dream can help.
There are alternative methods of treatment:
- Hypnosis.
- Alternative methods of treatment.
- Hydrotherapy.
- Adhesive plaster for migraine.
- Ketogenic diet.
- Acupuncture.
There are studies that confirm a decrease in the pain of migraine attacks after removal of the corresponding muscles, as well as after Botox injections.
Any of non-traditional methods of treatment should be used only in the period of remission and after consultation with a doctor.
Migraine or not
There are several factors that indicate that this is not a migraine:
- The attack develops in childhood.
- After the aura, consciousness does not return to normal.
- An electroencephalogram shows changes in the brain characteristic of epilepsy.
- The appearance of an aura, if there was no previous migraine.
- An attack develops very quickly (within a few seconds).
- Symptoms of the aura persist and worsen.
In any case, a violation of cerebral circulation carries the risk of developing a stroke of the brain, therefore, timely assistance is necessary.
Actions for a migraine attack
It is important to note that you need to clearly distinguish a headache from a migraine or just from fatigue.
A few characteristic signs of migraine pain:
- It is felt in one part of the head.
- Throbbing, intensifying.
- May occur after exercise.
When the doctor found out that this is a migraine attack, it is necessary:
- Take an anesthetic.
- Go out into the fresh air if it isn’t hot outside.
- Indoor air access.
- Lie down and try to sleep.
- During sleep at rest, the brain will rest and perhaps the pain will recede.
It is very important to go to bed no later than 10 pm. Optimal posture on the back. In this case, the body will have a good rest and be filled with energy. Migraine attacks will bother less often when observing the regime of work and rest.
In sunny weather, wear sunglasses and a hat. Overheating in hot weather and bright sunlight can cause migraine attacks.
Migraine aura prognosis is good, as in most cases it passes within 20-60 minutes. After this, the body functions are restored. Migraine is not a dangerous disease, it does not threaten life, it cannot be a direct cause of death. Treatment should be aimed at alleviating the patient's condition during seizures.
Migraine Aura
It is known that with age, the frequency of seizures decreases. However, the appearance of a migraine aura without migraine is observed quite often. In medicine, this condition is called Fisher's syndrome. It is not treated, but does not carry a threat to life. It is necessary to be attentive to your health, as a migraine aura is similar to the symptoms of the following problems:
- Disorders of the cardiovascular system.
- High blood pressure.
- Atherosclerosis.
- Transient ischemic attack.
An additional examination should be done if vascular lesions of different age were found with MRI.
If you have not previously had migraine attacks, and the symptoms are similar, consult your doctor so as not to miss a dangerous disease. A migraine aura without a headache is not dangerous, but it can be a symptom of a pathological process.
Fisher's syndrome should not be ignored.
Migraine during pregnancy
During the period of bearing a child, the female body becomes more sensitive to irritants, to changing weather. In addition, the expectant mother increases emotional sensitivity. Therefore, women in this position should be more attentive to themselves, observe the daily regimen, eat well.
Migraine attacks with aura during pregnancy may increase in the first and second trimester, if women have previously experienced a similar condition.
You should not take the drugs that you used earlier, as they can have a negative effect on the unborn child. Seek medical advice.
The safest ways to alleviate a migraine attack:
- To be in a ventilated area.
- Eliminate the bright light.
- Apply slices of lemon to the temporal region.
- Make a compress on the forehead: a napkin moistened with water with a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil.
- Place a piece of ice in place of pain.
- Use a cabbage leaf. You need to put it on your forehead and wrap a towel around your head.
- The aroma of citrus, mint or lemon balm relieves pain.
- For a compress, use a decoction of wormwood.
Before using the recommended products, you must make sure that you are not allergic to them.
Disease prevention
Migraine is a hereditary disease. If seizures are present in your life, you must heed the following recommendations:
- Lead a healthy lifestyle.
- To refuse from bad habits. Smoking, alcohol exclude.
- Do not resort to stimulants.
- Eat properly and fully. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
- Exclude diet for weight loss.
- Go to bed on time.
- Exercise regularly.
- Doctors recommend a hardening procedure.
- Avoid stressful situations.
- You should not resort to various means to treat the disease without consulting a doctor.
Migraine aura is a condition that does not threaten a person’s life, but requires careful attention to his health.