Types of migraine
Migraine without Aura
The most common symptoms are:
- Intense throbbing headache, usually on one side of the head, worsened by movement and lasting from 4-72 hours.
- Nausea, sometimes vomiting
- Sensitivity to light
- Sensitivity to noise
- Sensitivity to smells
- Stiffness of the neck and shoulders.
- Blurred vision
Other Migraine
Aura without Headache
About 1% of migraineurs experience the aura symptoms of migraine without ever having a headache.Basilar Migraine
A rare form of 'Migraine with Aura' that includes symptoms such as loss of balance, double vision, blurred viion, difficulty in speaking and fainting. During the headache, some people lose consciousness. These are very frightening sensations for the migraine sufferer, and often people describe the feeling of terror and fear that they are about to suffer a stroke. It occurs when the circulation in back of the brain or neck is affected. It usually affects young women but is sometimes seen in children too.Hemiplegic Migraine
Another rare but severe form of migraine where reversible paralysis occurs usually on one side. In some people, aura symptoms can last for days or weeks. It often begins in childhood and there is usually a strong family historyOther Headache
Tension Type Headache
This is the most common type of headache. Almost 80% of people experience tension headache at some point. Many things can contribute to the headache such as poor posture, poor lighting conditions, abnormalities in neck muscles, bones or discs or eye tension. In its episodic form it rarely produces significant disability and most people can manage it with simple painkillers or self-help measures.Tension headaches can last for any length of time and are usually located across the head in a band-like pattern. It is usually mild or moderate in severity and unlike migraine, does not throb or get worse as a result of movemnet or activity. There are usually no other symptoms.
