Migraine with visual auras: Symptoms, triggers, stroke risk, and additional information
Migraine with aura and silent migraine are two distinct types of visual migraines that share some similarities but have key differences. Both conditions involve neurological symptoms known as aura, but they differ in the presence of headache pain.
Migraine with Aura
Migraine with aura is characterised by recurring migraine attacks typically progressing through four phases — prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. The aura phase usually happens just before the headache and involves visual disturbances (like flashing lights, zigzag patterns), sensory changes (tingling, numbness), or speech difficulties. The headache phase follows or overlaps the aura.
Common symptoms of migraine with aura include visual disturbances such as scintillating scotoma (shimmering spots), zigzag lines, flashing lights, dark spots; sensory changes like tingling or numbness; and language difficulties like slurred or jumbled speech. Prodrome symptoms, which may precede the attack, can include irritability, depression, fatigue, excessive yawning, frequent urination, trouble sleeping, food cravings, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, difficulty concentrating, neck stiffness, and hyperactivity.
Triggers for migraine with aura can include stress, hormonal changes, certain foods (e.g., caffeine, alcohol, MSG), sleep disturbances, sensory stimuli (bright lights, loud noises), changes in weather or altitude, dehydration, and intense physical activity.
Silent Migraine
In contrast, silent migraine involves the aura phase without the subsequent headache. Symptoms like visual changes (flashing lights, darkened vision), sensorimotor changes (tingling, weakness), or language disturbances occur but no head pain is felt. Silent migraine can be part of vestibular migraine if it presents primarily with dizziness or vertigo without headache.
The symptoms of silent migraine are similar to those of migraine with aura, but the absence of headache pain is the defining characteristic. Like migraine with aura, silent migraine can also be triggered by stress, hormonal changes, certain foods, sleep disturbances, sensory stimuli, changes in weather or altitude, dehydration, and intense physical activity.
Seeking Medical Attention
It is crucial for people experiencing retinal migraine, which can cause temporary vision loss or decrease in one eye, to seek medical attention promptly to start treatment and potentially prevent permanent vision loss. If someone is experiencing frequent visual migraine episodes, they may benefit from preventive treatment options such as calcium channel blockers.
Individuals should also contact a doctor promptly if they develop severe vision changes, as the symptoms of visual migraine can be similar to those of a stroke or serious eye emergency.
Sources: [1][2][3][4][5]
- Migraine with aura, a type of visual migraine, is characterized by recurring attacks, progressing through four phases, with symptoms like visual disturbances, sensory changes, or speech difficulties before the headache.
- Silent migraine, in contrast, involves the aura phase without the subsequent headache, with symptoms like visual changes, sensorimotor changes, or language disturbances but no head pain being felt.
- Both conditions can be triggered by various factors such as stress, hormonal changes, certain foods, sleep disturbances, sensory stimuli, changes in weather or altitude, dehydration, and intense physical activity.
- People experiencing retinal migraine, which may lead to temporary vision loss or decrease in one eye, should seek medical attention promptly to start treatment and potentially prevent permanent vision loss.
- If someone is experiencing frequent visual migraine episodes, they may benefit from preventive treatment options such as calcium channel blockers.
- Individuals should contact a doctor promptly if they develop severe vision changes, as the symptoms of visual migraine can be similar to those of a stroke or serious eye emergency.
