Migraine Explained: Silent Migraine
Did you know that it is possible to have a Migraine without pain? You might be scratching your head because you thought that a Migraine is a headache. Well, if I do nothing else with this blog, I hope to educate some people about how untrue that assumption is. A Migraine without pain is commonly called a Silent Migraine. I experienced this for years before my Migraines increased 3 years ago. So, let’s explore this type of Migraine. What is a Silent Migraine? In my series on the 4 Phases of Migraine, we learned about the different phases that each Migraine might go through. Of course, not everyone goes through…
Migraine Explained: Migrainous Stroke
One of the stigmas most people that battle Migraines have to endure is that it is “just a bad headache”. Nothing could be further from the truth as I discussed in the four-part series, The Phases of Migraine. There are also some serious complications that can occur due to Migraine and one of those is Migrainous Stroke or Migrainous Infarction. What is a Migrainous Stroke? Migrainous Stroke, also called Migrainous Infarction, is when an Ischemic Stroke occurs during a Migraine attack. In order to further understand this, it is important to recognize what an Ischemic Stroke is. According to the American Stroke Association, an Ischemic Stroke is, “when a vessel…
Migraine Explained: Phantosmia
It can easily be said that during my Migraine Attacks that my sense of smells is heightened. I smell things that no human should be able to smell. Basically, my nose is better than a coon dog on a great hunt! But what happens when there is no signs of migraine and the things you are smelling are not there? Well, that is a whole different thing entirely. Welcome to the world of Phantosmia!
Migraine Explained: Postdrome Phase
One of the things that makes a Migraine very different than an ordinary headache is that it isn’t over once the pain subsides. Most people are not aware that there are after effects that are just has difficult to navigate as the other symptoms. This final phase of Migraine is called the Postdrome phase. What is the Postdrome Phase? Also known as the “Migraine Hangover”, this phase can be as debilitating as the Migraine pain itself. Determining what the symptoms are of the postdrome phase can be just as difficult as it is to determine the Prodrome symptoms. This phase can last for up to 48 hours after the headache…
Migraine Explained: Headache Phase
To those that do not experience Migraines, it may seem silly to write a post about the Headache Phase of a Migraine. You are probably thinking that a Migraine IS a headache after all. Nothing could be further from the truth! What is the Headache Phase? Headache is the third phase of a Migraine. It is characterized by pain that is on one or both sides of the head but it is more common to have pain only on one side. This phase can last for a few hours but it can last for up to 3 days. The headache phase can also change from one side pain to involve…
Migraine Explained: Aura
One of the things that makes a Migraine different than an ordinary headache is that a Migraine has phases. Over the next few weeks, I want to take an indepth look at each phase of a Migraine. Today we will be looking at the Aura phase of a Migraine. What is an Aura? A Migraine Aura is a set symptoms that include the most common visual symptoms but can also include sensory and language disturbances. According to the American Migraine Foundation, “Up to one-third of people with migraine experience aura as a distinct phase in the progression of their migraine attack.” What is a Visual Aura? According to Mayo.com, the visual symptoms are:…
Migraine Explained: Prodrome
One of the things that makes a migraine different than an ordinary headache is that a migraine has phases. Over the next few weeks, I want to take an indepth look at each phase of a migraine. Today we will be looking at the Prodrome. What is Prodrome? Prodrome is derived from the Greek word, prodromos which means running before. The medical definition of prodrome is, a symptom or group of symptoms that appears shortly before an acute attack of illness. Therefore, when discussing migraine, prodrome means symptoms that occur before the actual migraine begins. The prodrome phase of a migraine can occur a few hours or even a few…
Migraine Explained: The Stress Connection
Stress is a controversial topic because there is a misconception that all stress is bad or comes from bad things. The truth is that some of the happiest moments in life are stressful. Our bodies were also made to use stress to keep us safe from harm. Not all stress is bad but sometimes the way our bodies react to it is. The Stress Connection My Doctor tells me all the time that my “migraine brain” is very sensitive. Things that do not impact other people will wreak havoc on my body. Things like weather changes, lack of sleep, sickness and other “normal” events will trigger severe migraines. Basically, my…
Migraine Explained: Fighting a Stigma
Migraine in all of it’s varying forms is a misunderstood illness and it is accompanied by many stigmas. The fact that people with Chronic Migraine have 15 or more migraine days per month is only compounded when loved ones do not try to understand. Fighting a Stigma of any illness is difficult but when the illness completely isolates you, it can be even worse. Before I can talk about fighting a stigma, I need to talk about what some of the stigmas are. It is just a headache- Nothing could be further from the truth. A migraine brings nausea, vomiting, debilitating pain and visual disturbances (see Migraine Explained: What…
Migraine Explained: Status Migrainosus
If you have Chronic Migraine, you have probably heard the words, Status Migrainosus or Status Migraine. They are the most dreaded words in the Migraine community. Other words doctors use is Intractable Migraine and in very basic terms means the migraine will not go away. There is much more to know about Status Migrainosus because it doesn’t always present in the same ways for everyone. When Does it Become Status Migrainosus? To get diagnosed the migraine must have last for at least 72 hours but that doesn’t have to be consecutive. Another words, medications may provide relief but it is temporary. The migraine will return as soon as the medication…
