Migraine: Signs, Symptoms, Types, Phases, Causes

What is Migraine?

Migraine is a neurological condition that is mostly known as the problem of frequent headaches. It is the most common type of neurological disorder. This condition may last for a few days or a few hours ranging from severe to moderate levels of intensity. More than 10% of people worldwide suffer from migraine issues.

Women are 3 times more likely to get migraine than men. Migraine causes severe headaches and patients may experience painful throbbing and pulsing sensations. Also, this medical condition usually affects one side of the head. Although this is a neurological disorder, migraine is linked to psychological issues as well.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Migraine?

We can understand Migraine with the most basic sign i.e. severe headaches. These headaches are in link to issues with the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The symptoms get more specific in the Migraine phases. Although, Migraine can be also known by other signs and symptoms like:

Experience vision auras
Frequent headache attacks
Headache attacks lasting for more than 72 hours

What are the Types of Migraine?

Migraine is generally a headache problem that comes in various stages and types. Moreover, the types of migraine are as follows:

Menstrual migraine- happens to women in the menstrual phase
Vestibular migraine- causes motion problem
Abdominal migraine- causes stomach problem
Ophthalmic migraine/retinal migraine- loss of vision occurs
Migraine with brainstem aura- affects the back of the head
Status migrainosus- A worse headache that needs immediate medical attention
Hemiplegic migraine- causes weakness in certain parts of the body sideways
Ophthalmoplegic migraine- affect the eyes and causes muscle paralysis around it

What are the Phases of a Migraine?

A patient with a Migraine condition goes through four possible phases of a migraine attack. Also, these phases do not apply to all Migraine sufferers:

Prodrome phase

60% of migraine patients have symptoms of Prodrome or the premonitory phase. This phase starts two hours or two days before the next phase of aura and pain occurs. Also, this phase occurs in patients that do not experience aura during their migraine attack. Furthermore, according to neuroimaging, patients with migraine have problems in regions of the brain like the hypothalamus and limbic system are the roots or origin of this phase occurring to them. Additionally, in the prodrome phase, a person faces signs like:

Mood swings
Feeling agitated
Depression
Feel euphoria
Food cravings
Fatigue
Stiff muscles
Sensitivity to noise and smell
Constipation
Stiff muscles
Stiff neck
Diarrhea

Aura phase

Aura type of migraine is the second most common that affects 30 to 40% of migraine patients. This phase stays with a patient during a migraine attack for 5 to 60 minutes and gradually appears over time. Additionally, it is a neurological phenomenon that happens before or during the headache phase. In this phase, the field of vision flickers making patients unable to read or drive properly. Patients may also see zigzag lines of black, white, or multicolor for some time. Also, this phase’s symptoms are generally motoric, visual, and sensory. Furthermore, the symptoms of patients experiencing the aura phase are:

Flickering of the field of vision in the eyes
Blurring vision
Zigzag lines
Lose part of a vision
Stinging sensation in body parts
Numbness
Tingling sensation
Loss of position sense
The world feels like spinning
Auditory hallucinations
Hemiplegic migraine
Weakness
Delusions

Pain phase

In the pain phase, the person experiences headaches that may last from 4 to 72 hours in adults and 1 hour in young children. Also. the pain gradually starts that can range from moderate to severe levels. This headache usually is unilateral and there’s throbbing pain. Additionally, if a person does physical activity then the pain is said to increase in migraine attacks as exercise triggers migraine.

In some cases, the pain can be bilateral and it includes the neck as well. Moreover, the bilateral type of pain phase happens mostly in people with non-aura migraine attacks. In some cases, the patients also face pain in areas in the back or top of the head. Furthermore, symptoms of the pain phase are:

Nausea
Vomiting
Sensitivity to light, sound, and smell
Agitation
Irritability
Sense of world spinning
Light-headedness
Confusion
Blurred vision
Nose stuff
Diarrhea
Pale look
Sweating
Frequent urination
Swelling or tenderness on the scalp
Stiff neck

Postdrome phase

This phase consists of symptoms of all the phases. The painful phase of the headache gets settled. The region that was paining also feel sore after some time. Additionally, the person in this phase feels exhausted or gets into a hungover state. In some cases, patients also feel unusually refreshed or euphoric feeling after the attacks. However, some patients report depression and malaise as after effect of the migraine attack in the postdrome state. Furthermore, general symptoms of the postdrome phase are:

Soring in some regions you went through the pain
Tiredness
Hungover feeling
Gastrointestinal symptoms
Cognitive difficulties
Mood swings
Weakness

What are the Causes of Migraine?

The exact causes of migraine are still yet to be known but it is said that environment and genetics play a big role in this. Additionally, in two-thirds of cases migraine runs in family. More of causes some triggers can also lead to migraine conditions or attacks. However, here are some reasons that may cause or trigger your migraine as follows:

Fatigue
Bright lights
Noisy surroundings
Weather changes
Family history
Depression
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder
Sleep problems
Epilepsy
Hormonal changes
Stress
Dairy products
Intoxicant substance usage
Nitrate rich proteins
Consuming MSG (monosodium glutamate)
Not getting enough food or sleep
Consuming too much caffeine
Weather changes
Strong particular smell
Tobacco consumption
Sexercise
Sex
Changes in sleep patterns

How to Treat Migraine?

Most migraine treatment aims to stop and prevent the symptoms of migraine attack from recurring in patients before the next migraine attack spikes in. Also, There are specific medicines that are made just to treat migraine and combat this medical issue.

Here is a list of treatment methods or medications as follows:

Most migraine treatment aims to stop and prevent the symptoms of migraine attack from recurring in patients before the next migraine attack spikes in. Moreover, there are specific medicines that are made just to treat migraine and combat this medical issue.
However, here is a list of treatment methods or medications as follows:
Beta-blockers drugs like metoprolol tartrate and propranolol
Botox injections of onabotulinumtoxinA
Also, Calcium channel blockers like verapamil fr aura type migraine
Antidepressants like amitriptyline
Furthermore, nasal spray or injection containing Dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal)
Also, Anti-seizure drugs like valproate and topiramate
CGRP monoclonal antibodies like eptinezumab-jump, Erenumab-aooe, fremanezumab-vfrm, and galcanezumab-gnlm
Moreover, pain relievers like ibuprofen or aspirin over-the-counter medications
Triptans like sumatriptan and rizatriptan
Lasmiditan
CGRP antagonists like rimegepant and Ubrogepant
Opioid medications
Anti-nausea drugs like prochlorperazine, chlorpromazine, or metoclopramide

Conclusion

Migraine is a neurological condition that is mostly known as the problem of frequent headaches. It is the most common type of neurological disorder. We can understand Migraine with the most basic sign i.e. severe headaches. Additionally, the symptoms get more specific in the Migraine phases. The exact causes of migraine are still yet to be known but it is said that environment and genetics play a big role in this. Most migraine treatment aims to stop and prevent the symptoms of migraine attack from recurring in patients before the next migraine attack spikes in. Moreover, there are specific medicines that are made just to treat migraine and combat this medical issue.

Migraine

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