If you are experiencing a headache which consists of pain in a pulsing form on one side of your head, you likely have a migraine. Nausea, increased sensitivity to light and sound, and vomiting are all caused by this form of headache. If the pain continues for hours or even days, then that is classified as a migraine attack. This pain can be so significant and severe that it becomes disabling. Aura, a warning symptom of a migraine, can occur at any point in the headache process. Whether it occurs before or during the headache, it includes flashes of light, blind spots, a tingling feeling on a particular side of your face and even in your arm or leg. There are medications that prevent the severe pain that comes with a migraine. Consulting with your doctor is the best route to take when searching for a cure for your headaches.

Symptoms can likely begin in childhood and adolescence. They progress in a series of four different stages. Prodrome, aura, headache and post-drome. In the first stage known as prodrome, one may experience constipation, mood changes ranging from depression to euphoria, random food cravings, yawning, thirst and urination, and stiffness in the neck. These symptoms occur one to two days prior to the headache. Aura, the second stage, occurs during and sometimes before the headache. These symptoms are typically visual disturbances including flashes of light in a zigzag fashion. These symptoms are of the nervous system which build up over a small period of time and last for about an hour. A few examples of this stage include; vision loss, sensations in the arm or leg, numbness and weakness in the face or a specific side of the body, speaking complications, jerking and other uncontrollable movements. The attack or headache, lasts from four hours to 72 if it were to go untreated. This experience includes; pain that throbs and pulses from one side of your head, sense sensitivity, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, and lightheadedness. Post-drome, the last and final phase, occurs after the headache. In this stage, you will experience a feeling of being drained of your energy. Confusion and moodiness can occur for up to 24 hours after the headache.

It is important to seek a doctor’s advice if you are experiencing migraines regularly. If you have a history of headaches and your pattern changes, you should seek medical attention.