The symptoms of a migraine can be broken down by phase. There are four traditional phases to a migraine, each with its own specific symptoms that accompany it. While not everyone suffering from a migraine will experience all the phases, it’s important to know the symptoms associated with each phase so you can determine whether or not you’re suffering from a migraine attack.

Phase one is known as the prodrome. In the prodrome phase, individuals may experience some uncomfortable side effects leading up to the actual migraine. Migraine symptoms include constipation, diarrhea, depression, food cravings, hyperactivity, irritability and neck stiffness. These side effects typically come a few days before the actual migraine attack, and are subtle build ups to let you know a migraine headache may be coming.

In phase two, known as aura, visual and auditory effects begin to occur. This is the phase that only a small percentage of migraine sufferers will experience. In aura, sufferers will experience visual impairments, like flashing lights or shapes, vision loss, the feeling of pins and needles up and down the arms and legs, and speech or language impairments. A symptom for the aura phase typically lasts from ten to 30 minutes, and builds up gradually.

In phase three, the individual experiences the actual migraine. This is known as the attack phase. During the attack, sufferers may experience a throbbing and pulsating pain in the head, pain on one side of the head, sensitivity to things like light, sounds and smells, nausea and vomiting, blurry vision, diarrhea, and lightheadedness, which can sometimes lead to fainting. This is the most extreme of the phases, bringing the most pain of the four, though the level of pain will be different for each sufferer.

In the fourth phase, known as postdrome, the pain and symptoms from the previous stages of the migraine begin to dissipate. For most, this phase leaves sufferers feeling drained of all energy. However, some individuals will feel slightly elated, as the feeling of the pain subsiding brings relief. During this phase most sufferers feel the need to lie down and rest as they recover.

If you’re suffering from one or several of the symptoms from the four phases of a migraine, some aspirin or ibuprofen may help. If you have a history of prolonged suffering, it may behove you to visit a doctor to get some prescription medicine. Rest can also help during a migraine attack, as you can shut out all sounds and noises until you recover. Food allergies might also be the cause of your migraine attacks.

“Dr. Gillian Hart is a Scientific Director for YorkTest Laboratories who specialise in food intolerance testing to help identify causes for migraine symptoms.

For more information visit http://www.yorktest.com or call 0800 074 6185.”

Filed under: Migraine Headache Symptoms

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