People who suffer from severe headaches may find that they also have accompanying visual sensations. These are often referred to as a migraine with aura. The aura that is experienced during this time is actually a perceived disturbance in the world around them. This phenomenon generally occurs before a person is going to get a headache, and can take form as a visual problem, an olfactory disturbance, or generalized high levels of anxiety and confusion. Besides people who suffer from migraines, these auras are also known to be present in epileptics. In both cases it is believed that the manifestation of the aura is something that allows people to prepare themselves for the oncoming migraine headache or seizure.
The interesting thing about people who suffer from migraine with aura is whatever manifestation the aura takes, it is most likely that people will experience this same aura each time before a migraine is going to occur. This warning system can generally begins up to an hour before the actual headache starts, although there have been some people who have reported that their aura began just a few moments before the headache. This too will vary from individual to individual, so it is best to not compare the different aura sensations and time constraints.
If you are someone who has a visual migraine with aura, then some of the things that you might experience before the start of a headache can include the presence of shimmering lights, the appearance of blind spots in your vision, flashes of light, lines that appear to float and zigzag, and generalized loss of vision. While it is possible for these various visual aura triggers to start in your peripheral vision area and work their way inward, it is actually far more common for them to start in the center of your line of sight and gradually spread out. Either way, if is important that you be able to recognize what your aura is so that you can be perceptive to the oncoming headache.
Some people who have an olfactory with aura migraine experience might find themselves suddenly smelling something that is not physically there. For example, some people have reported smelling a full bouquet of flowers or the blinding scent of a skunk. Another common aura problem is generally associated with the tingling sensation that some people can feel in their hands, feet, and face. The tingling could be confined to a generalized small spot, but some people have reported that this usually spreads outward from their fingertips to their arms or from their feet upward to their legs.
Another type of occurrence of migraine with aura is the generalized anxiety and confusion that some people may experience. This sense of panic tends to well up out of nowhere, and may accompany the person for up to an hour before the headache. While it is possible to experience these types of anxiety problems without a migraine, if you are not prone to stress attacks but you can connect these attacks with the outbreak of a migraine, then this could very well be your aura. In some cases people could have difficulty speaking or forming various words. This is an experience that can be very frightening to some people, but it is important to remember to remain calm. If this speaking problem persists after the migraine has subsided, or if it occurs with no headache, then you will want to make sure that you see a doctor as it can sometimes be a sign of a stroke as well.
If you have a migraine with aura experience, do not worry, it is perfectly natural. However, you should make sure that you talk to your doctor if you have had other problems like seizures, fever, stiff necks, perpetual confusion, or a loss of consciousness. This way you can make sure to avoid other, more serious injuries.
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