Migraine Symptoms
Understanding your migraine symptoms is the first step in finding relief from chronic and acute migraines.
Suffering From Migraine Symptoms?
Migraine symptoms can be painful and debilitating. For people who suffer chronic migraines, the effects can also leave you feeling helpless and isolated.
Effective treatment is available. If you experience acute or chronic migraines, understanding the root cause helps us design a treatment program that works. Contact our physiotherapists to learn more about migraine symptoms and how we can help.
Common Migraine Symptoms
Migraines present with a wide range of symptoms. You may experience:
- Pain in one side or both sides of the head
- Throbbing or pulsing pain
- Sensitivity to light, sound and smells
- Nausea and vomiting
- Disorientation and confusion
- Loss of balance
- Stiffness in your neck
- Mood swings
- Fatigue
- Problems with your vision
Acute and chronic migraines are often painful and debilitating, and the effects may last for multiple hours or several days.
What is a Migraine?
A migraine is a type of headache that involves at least 2 of the following: pulsating pain on one side of the head, moderate to severe pain intensity, and/or pain that’s aggravated by normal daily activity.
The headache typically lasts for 4-72 hours and may be accompanied by nausea and/or vomiting, sensitivity to light, and sensitivity to sound.
Migraine symptoms can vary, but they generally fall into 2 main categories:
- Migraine with aura – In migraine with aura, people experience a completely reversible aura 5-60 minutes before the headache sets in. This “aura” can include disturbance to your vision, sensation, speech, loss of motor control, or loss of balance.
There is also typically a post migraine “hangover” stage where the pain is over, but fatigue, function, cognition and mood are still impacted. - Migraine without aura – Migraine without aura is the more common type of migraine. If this is the case, you may experience the onset of migraine symptoms without any advanced warning.
There are other atypical migraine presentations as well, including experiencing a migraine aura without ever leading to a headache.
Don’t worry if your symptoms don’t fit the typical migraine symptoms – there is a growing list of more than 300 headache types in the literature.
What Causes Migraines?
The exact cause of migraines is unknown, although there is a genetic component. They are commonly triggered by stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, diet and exercise, certain medications, and over-sensitisation of the brainstem.
It is currently thought that changes in blood flow to your brain, brain chemistry, and incorrect signalling from the nerve clusters around your eyes and head can contribute to migraines.
As part of our migraine treatment process, we’ll discuss your migraine history and symptoms. That helps us narrow down anything that may be triggering your migraines and allows us to design a physiotherapy treatment that’s effective for you.
Types of Migraines
Migraines With Aura
In migraines with aura, you experience a sensory disturbance (such as dark spots in your vision) before the onset of head pain.
Migraines Without Aura
Migraines without aura come with no warning. The head pain begins without an aura or any other sensory disturbance.
Menstrual Migraines
Menstrual migraines typically occur on day 1 of your cycle. They are triggered by normal fluctuations in your hormone levels.
Abdominal Migraines
Abdominal migraines present as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, which may occur without accompanying head pain.
Vestibular Migraines
Auras that accompany vestibular migraines cause dizziness and loss of balance, which can continue after the headache starts.
Book Your Treatment Today
At the Headache, Neck and Jaw Clinic, we gain a clear history of your migraine symptoms and general health to design a treatment plan that works for you. Book your treatment online today, or contact us to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to the questions we’re frequently asked about migraines, symptoms and treatment options.
There are several, scientifically recognised treatments for migraines:
- Physiotherapy and specific exercises
- Prescription medication like Triptans
- Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) like ibuprofen
- Lifestyle adjustments
Physiotherapy is one of the most effective long-term treatment options. Specific physiotherapy techniques are used to retrain the nerves in your brainstem, reducing the over-sensitisation that contributes to many forms of migraine.
Physiotherapy is a proven treatment for migraine symptoms. Specific physiotherapy treatment is effective in reducing pain and discomfort from migraines, and providing long-term relief from the underlying cause of migraines.
You may be able to prevent or reduce the occurrence of migraines by doing the following:
- Avoiding known triggers, such stress or certain foods
- Avoid skipping meals
- Reduce or eliminate your caffeine intake
- Eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated
- Ensure you’re getting the right amount of sleep
- Consult your doctor about pain medications
Because the causes of migraines are varied and largely unknown, prevention often takes a multi-factorial approach that includes an effective treatment program.
A migraine aura is a sensory disturbance that occurs before or during a migraine. Migraine auras commonly present as dots, sparks or flashing lights in your vision. You may also experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears), dizziness and difficulty speaking.
Migraine aura often occurs 30-60 minutes before the onset of head pain, but the two can occur closer together.
Experiencing migraines with aura is common. The aura often serves as a “warning” for the migraine attack. It’s also common to experience an aura without the onset of a migraine.
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