Headaches are one of the most common pathological conditions. They can be of a different nature, which will tell you about problems in the body. The cause may be infections, inflammatory processes, frequent stress or banal fatigue.
Scientists have noticed that people who are prone to depression, as well as those who have an increased sense of responsibility, often experience migraine headaches. This is a disease that has several forms. Consider what a migraine aura is. What are the causes and symptoms of the disease? How to treat it. What are the preventive measures.
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 a migraine is. This is an ailment, the characteristic feature of which is a headache. Attacks can be very strong. They are repeated from 2 to 8 times a month. In this case, as a rule, pain is fixed in one halfheads.
When examining a patient, it turns out that pain is not the result of head injuries or the appearance of neoplasms. Also, such pain is not considered a symptom of a cerebral stroke. Conditions such as increased blood or intracranial pressure and glaucoma are not associated with migraines.
Reasons
Due to lack of oxygen in the tissues of the brain, vasospasm develops, a headache appears. The following reasons may contribute to this:
- Lack of an established sleep and rest regimen.
- Stressful situations.
- Overvoltage.
- Change in weather associated with changes in atmospheric pressure.
- Drinking alcohol.
- Computer screen flickering.
- Noisy environment.
- Menstruation.
- Using hormonal birth control.
- Some food items: chocolate, nuts, cheese, citrus fruits, bananas.
- Drugs that dilate blood vessels.
Many people ask what a migraine aura is. Let's talk about it below. Now we note that migraine in 80% occurs without an aura, and in 20% - with it.
First signs of migraine with aura
Before the onset of a migraine aura, the state of he alth can change in the days before it appears. This moment is called the prodrome phase.
The following signs are typical:
- Drowsy.
- Irritable.
- Generalweakness.
Such symptoms may persist for several days before the onset of a migraine attack, but do not always contribute to its onset.
What are the main first symptoms of migraine with aura?
Before the appearance of a headache in 10 minutes or an hour, the following violations occur:
- Visual. Colored spots may appear before the eyes or a feeling that you see yourself in a broken mirror. The appearance of blind spots..
- Olfactory. Over-sensitivity to fragrances.
- Auditory. Heightened sensitivity to sounds.
- Neurological.
A migraine aura is characterized by a description of symptoms that last for several minutes or even an hour. This is followed by the main symptom of migraine - headache.
Symptomatics
You need a few more symptoms to tell if it's a migraine with aura.
The following disorders gradually develop:
Changes in vision. Flashes, circles or lines appear before the eyes
- Tingling is possible in the fingers, which spread throughout the body (usually one half), which turn into numbness. Possible loss of sensation on half of the face or tongue.
- Speech may be interrupted during an attack. She becomes incomprehensible. Difficulty expressing thoughts.
Further, an attack of headache grows, which has the following distinctive features:
- Pulsating character and intense.
- Annoying factors(light, noise, walking) increase the pain.
- Pain is localized, usually in one part of the head. It can be the back of the head or the fronto-temporal region. In 30%, the pain overcomes the entire head.
- May experience nausea, vomiting.
- Without taking the right pain medication, pain can last from 4 hours to several days.
Features of the aura
The symptom, which has the name "Alice in Wonderland", is a hallmark of migraine aura. This is the state where the patient sees the world in a distorted way.
There may be such violations:
- Unable to focus.
- Objects visually approach or move away.
- Things visually decrease or increase.
- Bright flashes or reflections appear.
- Pulsating dots or lines.
Migraine aura can significantly reduce visual acuity or completely eliminate it for a while. But everything is restored after the attack ends.
With increased tactile sensitivity, a person feels goosebumps from touch. Some are so sensitive that touching is equated with burns or frost.
Sound disturbances are described by patients as the appearance of non-existent sounds (noise of water or leaves). The voices were never observed.
It is possible to mix several manifestation forms. There may be both visual and auditory impairments, or tactile and visual impairments.
Diagnosis of disease
It is worth noting that forto confirm migraine aura, the patient must have at least two of the signs described above.
Note additional signs confirming the diagnosis:
- All visual, tactile, speech disorders are completely gone.
- Symptomatology is the same during attacks and is typical for one half of the body.
- The development of aura symptoms comes gradually intensifying.
- Symptoms last 5 minutes or more.
- Symptoms are not associated with any disease.
- Migraine aura flowing without headache.
- Pain sensations appear immediately after the aura or an hour later.
Most often, migraine attacks go away without aura.
To establish an accurate diagnosis and nature of migraine, the doctor may advise you to keep records, where to record:
- Events of the day. The patient may have been in a stressful situation.
- How long did the rest last, how did it happen.
- Physical activity.
- Daily ration.
All this will help to establish the cause of migraines and prescribe the right treatment, eliminate provoking factors.
To diagnose the disease, the doctor may suggest undergoing the following examinations:
- Electroencephalogram.
- ECG.
- Determine blood pressure.
- CT 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 a headache can be a symptom of any otherdiseases.
Dangers
With untimely assistance, dangerous consequences may develop:
- Migraine stroke. Since seizures 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 intense headache for more than 72 hours.
- Migraine auras with persistent visual impairment are very rare. This may be one of the signs of damage to an area of the brain.
- Persistent migraine aura continues for 7 days. Cerebral ischemia occurs as a result of vessel spasms, but does not lead to its infarction.
- In some cases, a person cannot work and becomes disabled.
- Steady depressions and anxiety develop.
- Chronic conditions may worsen.
- Epileptic attacks are also possible against the background of migraine aura. Prolonged headache attacks can cause epilepsy if the patient has a tendency. Occurs within an hour after the aura.
It is very important to be able to help with the development of a migraine aura.
Treatment
The doctor may prescribe the following groups of drugs:
- Analgesics.
- Anticonvulsants.
- Antidepressants.
- Serotonin agonists.
- Triptans.
- Calcium channel blockers.
- Vitamin complex.
- Magnesium preparations.
Therapy aims to alleviate or prevent an attack. It is very important for migraines to take the drug at the initial stage of the attack. Ordinary headache pills may work for this.
Effective drug "Anti-migraine" at a dosage of 100 mg. If you have a migraine with aura, then taking the antidepressant "Glycine" will not be superfluous.
Migraine together with epilepsy is called migrelepsy. This disease is very difficult to treat.
In any case, you need to contact a neurologist. In a state of remission, the doctor may prescribe physiotherapy, massage.
Additional treatments
There are several recommendations and ways to help reduce the pain of migraine attacks:
- Taking a hot or cold shower. May provide relief for several hours.
- Massage.
- Application of asterisk balm.
- Outdoor walk.
- Relax in dim light in silence. Even a short nap can help.
There are non-traditional treatments as well:
- Hypnosis.
- Folk treatments.
- Hydrotherapy.
- Migraine Band-Aid.
- Ketogenic diet.
- Acupuncture.
There are studies that confirm the reduction in the pain of migraine attacks after removal of the correspondingmuscles, as well as after Botox injections.
Any of the non-traditional treatments should only be used during remission and after consultation with a doctor.
Migraine or not
Let's highlight several factors that indicate that this is not a migraine:
- A seizure develops in childhood.
- After the aura, consciousness does not return to normal.
- Electroencephalogram showing brain changes consistent with epilepsy.
- The appearance of an aura, if there was no migraine before.
- The attack develops very quickly (within seconds).
- Aura symptoms persist and worsen.
Impaired cerebral circulation in any case carries the risk of developing a stroke of the brain, so it is necessary to provide timely assistance.
Actions for a migraine attack
It is important to note that a headache must be clearly distinguished from a migraine or simply from fatigue.
A few common signs of migraine pain:
- Felt in one part of the head.
- Pulsating, rising.
- May occur after exercise.
When the doctor found out that this is a migraine attack, you must:
- Take pain medication.
- Go outside if it's cool outside.
- Indoors provide air access.
- Lie down and try to sleep.
- During resting sleep, the brain will rest and perhaps the pain will recede.
It is very important to go to bed no later than 10pm. The optimal posture forback. In this case, the body will have a good rest and be filled with energy. Migraine attacks will be less likely to occur if the regime of work and rest is observed.
Sunglasses and a hat must be worn on sunny days. Overheating in hot weather and bright sunlight can trigger migraine attacks.
Migraine aura has a good prognosis, as in most cases it passes within 20-60 minutes. After that, the functions of the body are restored. Migraine is not a dangerous disease, does not threaten life, and cannot be a direct cause of death. Treatment should be aimed at alleviating the patient's condition during attacks.
Aura without migraine
The frequency of seizures is known to decrease with age. 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 pose a threat to life. You need to be attentive to your he alth, since migraine aura is similar to the symptoms of the development of the following problems:
- Disorders of the cardiovascular system.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Atherosclerosis.
- Transient ischemic attack.
You should undergo an additional examination if the MRI revealed vascular lesions of different age.
If you have not had a migraine before, and the symptoms are similar, consult a doctor so as not to miss a dangerous disease. Migraine aura without a headache is not dangerous, but it may be a symptom of a pathological process.
SyndromeFischer should not ignore this.
Pregnancy Migraine
During the period of bearing a child, the female body becomes more sensitive to irritants, to changes in the weather. In addition, the expectant mother increases emotional sensitivity. Therefore, women in this position should be more attentive to themselves, observe the daily routine, eat well.
Migraine attacks with aura during pregnancy may worsen in the first and second trimester if women have previously experienced this condition.
You should not take drugs that you have used before, as they may have a negative effect on the unborn child. Seek medical advice.
The safest ways to relieve a migraine attack:
- Stay in a ventilated area.
- Eliminate glare.
- Apply lemon slices to the temporal region.
- Make a compress on the forehead: a napkin soaked in water with a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil.
- Apply a piece of ice to the pain.
- Use the cabbage leaf. You need to place it on your forehead and wrap a towel around your head.
- The scent of citrus, mint or lemon balm relieves pain.
- Use a decoction of wormwood for a compress.
Before using the recommended products, you need to make sure that you are not allergic to them.
Disease prevention
Migraine is a hereditary disease. If seizures are present in yourlife, you need to heed the following recommendations:
- Keep a he althy lifestyle.
- Give up bad habits. Avoid smoking, alcohol.
- Do not use stimulants.
- Eat properly and fully. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
- No weight loss diets.
- Go to bed on time.
- Exercise regularly.
- Doctors recommend hardening procedure.
- Avoid stressful situations.
- You should not resort to various means to treat an ailment without consulting a doctor.
Migraine aura is a condition that does not threaten a person's life, but requires careful attention to one's he alth.
