Understanding Migraine With Aura

Migraine with Aura Infographic: Have you ever experienced flashes of flight, blurred vision,
or other visual changes before a migraine? It's called a migraine with aura.
Source: New Life Outlook | Migraine

Approximately 30 percent of migraine sufferers experience flashes of light, blurred vision, or other visual changes before their migraine. What exactly is this phenomenon?

About 30 minutes before a migraine starts, these symptoms can begin and could potentially last throughout your migraine. It’s called a migraine with aura, and it can also cause zigzag lines, blurred vision, or even sensory changes like pins and needles.

Read on to learn more about aura, what causes it, and what you can do about it.

What are some of the visual symptoms of migraine with aura?

• Wavy lines
• Blurred vision
• Flashes of light that streak across the visual field (Phosphenes)
• Areas of decreased or loss vision (Scotoma)

Are there other types of aura besides visual?

There is a misconception that auras are only visual when it can take other forms. Here are a few ways aura can present itself:

• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Allodynia - being extremely sensitive to touch and feel, i.e. your hair hurts to the touch
• Aphasia - loss or inability to use and comprehend words and numbers
• Metamorphosia/Alice in Wonderland Syndrome- distortion of body image and perception

I personally experience cutaneous allodynia on my scalp, the occasional aphasia, dizziness and confusion.  All of these symptoms occur during the prodrome phase of migraine, cluing me in that an migraine is about to begin.

To learn about what causes migraine with aura and how to treat it, read the infographic below, brought to you by New Life Outlook | Migraine.

Resources:

     Robert, Teri, and John Claude Krusz, MD. "Visual Aura: What It Is and Isn't."American Migraine Foundation. The American Migraine Foundation, 26 Aug. 2013. Web. 30 July 2016.