Migraine aura
A sensory phenomenon that may occur before a migraine. Visual auras may include flashing lights, geometric patterns, or distorted vision. Some people may have aural auras that involve hearing sounds (usually buzzing) that are not actually present, olfactory auras that involve smelling odors that are not actually present, or tactile auras that appear as premonitory physical sensations. Auras are caused by unusual activity in the brain. The auras experienced by migraine sufferers are similar to those associated with epilepsy.
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- Migraine headache
The most common type of vascular headache involving abnormal sensitivity of arteries in the brain to various triggers resulting in rapid changes in the artery size due to spasm (constriction). Other arteries in the brain and scalp then open (dilate), and throbbing pain is perceived in the head. The tendency to migraine is inherited and […]
- Migraine, abdominal
An attack of abdominal pain that may be preceded by a migraine aura and accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and cognitive disturbance.
- Migraine, classic
Migraine with aura. Accounts for no more than most 20% of migraines. See Migraine.
- Migraine, ocular
A migraine involving the eyes that results in distortion of visual images, accompanied or followed by headache. An ocular migraine usually affects only one eye at a time. Image distortion generally begins in the center of the image and then moves to one side. Images ‘gray out’ or look wavy, and sight may be lost […]
- Migraine, ophthalmic
Migraine involving the eyes but without headache. Migraine, due to a spasm of blood vessels in the brain, usually causes a headache. Flashes of light may appear as jagged lines or “heat waves” in one or both eyes and often last 10-20 minutes, sometimes without a headache. This is termed ophthalmic migraine, or migraine without […]