Migraines

What are Migraines?

A migraine is a headache that usually affects one side of the head and causes extreme throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation. It’s commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and excessive light and sound sensitivity. Migraine attacks can last anywhere from hours to days, and the pain might be severe enough to prevent you from going about your usual activities.

A warning sensation known as an aura arises before or with the headache for some people. Visual disturbances, such as flashes of light or blind patches, or other disturbances, such as tingling on one side of the face, arm, or leg, and difficulty speaking, can all be signs of an aura.

Signs & Symptoms

If left untreated, a migraine can continue anywhere from 4 to 72 hours. The frequency with which migraines strike varies from person to person. Migraines can hit occasionally or numerous times a month.

During a migraine, you might have:

• Pain usually on one side of your head, but often on both sides
• Pain that throbs or pulses
• Sensitivity to light, sound, and sometimes smell and touch
• Nausea and vomiting