Migraine with Aura in Vacaville

Migraine with aura (also known as classic migraine) is a recurring headache in Vacaville that takes place after or during the sensory disturbances known as aura. It comes with symptoms such as blind spots, flashes of light, or tingling in your hand or face.

Migraine with and without aura can be treated using the same methods. You can also use the same preventative measures for the medication and self-care treatment.

Symptoms in Vacaville

Before any other migraine starts to set in, there will be some temporary visual or other disturbances. After that, you will start experiencing nausea, head pain, and sensitivity to light and sound.

Migraine with aura can happen within an hour before head pain starts and can last for less than 60 minutes. There are instances where it will have little to no headache, especially in people age 50 and older.

Visual signs and symptoms

Most people who are experiencing migraines with aura will develop visual signs and symptoms. This usually starts in the middle of the field of vision and can spread in an outward direction. These may include:

• Flashes of light
• Changes in vision or vision loss
• Shimmering spots or stars
• Zigzag lines that float across your field of vision
• Blind spots that are often outlined by simple geometric designs

Other disturbances

There are also other temporary disturbances that goes along with migraine aura such as:

• Muscle weakness
• Speech or language difficulty
• Numbness that can be felt as tingling in one hand or one side of the face spreading slowly along a limb

Causes

The cause of migraine with aura isn't completely understood. There is evidence that migraine with visual aura is similar to an electrical or chemical wave that travels across the part of the brain that is responsible for visual signals and can cause visual hallucinations.

The same factors that trigger the common migraine can also trigger migraine with aura. This includes stress, menstruation, bright lights, certain foods and medications, and too little or too much sleep.

Complications

People who are experiencing migraines with aura can be mildly at risk of stroke.

Risk Factors

Even though there are no specific factors that can increase the risk of migraine with aura, migraines, in general, are common in people with a family history of the condition. It can also affect women more than men.

Diagnosis

Migraine with aura can be diagnosed based on your signs and symptoms, physical exam, and medical and family history. If this isn't followed by head pain or if the visual disturbances affect only one eye, your doctor will take certain tests to determine if there are more serious conditions, like TIA or retinal tear.

Assessments may include the following:

• MRI - This diagnostic imaging procedure will create images of your internal organs, including the brain.
• Head CT Scan - This is an X-ray technique that creates detailed images of your brain.
• Eye Examination - An eye specialist (ophthalmologist) will perform a thorough eye exam that will rule out problems that might be causing your migraine with aura.

Your doctor may even refer you to a doctor specializing in nervous system disorders to rule out brain conditions that may be causing the symptoms.