Migraine Treatment

Migraine symptoms take place over the course of four stages–Prodrome, Aura, Attack, and Post-drome. Each of these stages has its own set of symptoms that can make dealing with migraines difficult and life-disrupting.

Prodrome

Occasionally, warning signs will signal a migraine attack as early as a day or two ahead of time. These signs can look like:

• Food cravings
• Neck stiffness
• Constipation or difficulty with a bowel movement
• Depression, euphoria, or other mood changes
• Increased thirst or feeling like you need to urinate
• Repeated yawning

Aura

Auras are a warning of sorts, also known as revocable indicators of the nervous system. Mostly visual, they may include other disruptions. The symptom starts gradually, builds for several minutes, and persists for 20 minutes to an hour. Here are some examples of migraine auras:

• Visual cues – seeing bright spots, shapes, flashes of light
• Temporary loss of vision
• Tingling sensations in leg or arm
• Numbness or weakness in one side of the body or the face
• Trouble speaking either words or whole sentences
• Hearing music or noises
• Unruly jerking or wild movements

Attack

The migraine attack itself lasts anywhere from four hours to three days if untreated, but the duration varies based on each person. Migraines might happen rarely or occur many times a month. With a migraine, you may experience:

• Excruciating pain on one or both sides of your head
• Ache that pulses or throbs
• Sensitivity to sound, light, sometimes touch and smell
• Sickness and vomiting

Post-drome

People often report feeling exhausted, bewildered, and wiped out for a whole day following a migraine attack. Abrupt head movement can cause the pain to resurface.