A migraine is an intense headache that usually occurs at the front or on one side of the head. However, the area of pain can change position during an attack.
The pain is usually a severe throbbing sensation that gets worse when you move.
Symptoms of aura
About one third of people with migraines have warning symptoms, known as aura, before the migraine. These include:
- visual problems - you may see flashing lights, zigzag patterns or blind spots
- stiffness or a tingling sensation like pins and needles in your neck, shoulders or limbs
- problems with co-ordination - you may feel disoriented or off balance
- difficulty speaking
- loss of consciousness - this only happens in very rare cases
Aura symptoms typically start between 15 minutes and one hour before the headache begins. Some people may experience aura with only a mild headache.
Symptoms accompanying a migraine
Symptoms associated with a common migraine (migraine without aura) include:
- nausea - you may feel queasy and sick; this may be followed by vomiting
- increased sensitivity - you may have photophobia (sensitivity to light), phonophobia (sensitivity to sound) and/or osmophobia (sensitivity to smells), which is why many people with a migraine want to rest in a quiet, dark room
These often begin at the same time as the migraine and usually disappear once the headache eases.
The symptoms below can also occur during both common or classical migraines:
- poor concentration
- sweating
- feeling very hot or very cold
- abdominal pain (which can sometimes cause diarrhoea)
- a frequent need to urinate
Not everyone experiences these symptoms when they have a migraine, and they do not usually all occur at once.
The symptoms of a migraine can last anywhere between four hours and three days. They will usually disappear when the headache goes. You may feel very tired for up to seven days after a migraine attack.
