6 Common Migraine Headache Symptoms
Migraines are a special kind of hell, aren’t they? We all know migraines hurt like nobody’s business. That pounding, debilitating head pain is hard to miss. But what many people don’t realize is that migraines are about so much more than just an awful headache.
These neurological disasters like to kick things up a few extra notches with a variety of bizarre, strange, and downright wonky symptoms. We’re talking weird stuff that’ll have you wondering if you’re going crazy or got hit with some kind of dark magic (just a phrase!).
1. The Technicolor "Aura" Vision
For around 25% of migraine sufferers, the main event is often preceded by a psychedelic light show of sorts. All of a sudden, their vision gets hijacked by shimmering, zig-zaggy lines or a strange blind spot that gradually expands outward. It’s like someone spiked their drink with strong hallucinogens!
This so-called “aura” phase can manifest as Heat waves rising from hot pavement or those visual distortions you’d see after getting smacked upside the head. Just a nice friendly warning from your brain that a pounding migraine is coming in hot within the next hour or so. How…considerate?
2. A Serious Case of Mental Ghosts
But the migraine-induced weirdness doesn’t stop at messing with your eyeballs. These little demons also enjoy invading the control room of your brain, leaving your mental faculties in absolute disarray. Cue the confusion, disorientation, and sudden inability to string together a coherent sentence!
It’s like your brain just clocks out mid-conversation leaving you feeling like a total space cadet. Having trouble focusing or concentrating? Forgetting simple words or what you were saying mid-stream? Yeah, that aphasia (impaired language abilities) is just your migraine pal rearing its ugly head again.
3. Bizarre Junk Food Cravings
Our bodies have some pretty odd ways of warning us that a migraine is about to happen. For the latter, freaky changes in appetite or food cravings can start occurring hours or even days beforehand. One minute you’re fantasizing about chowing down a chili cheese dog, the next even the thought of it makes your stomach shake. It’s a real rollercoaster!
These flip-flopping cravings and disgust toward certain foods seem to be your body’s way of literally saying “Something weird is going on, brace yourselves!”
4. The Incredible Hulk Anger Emerges
Migraines don’t just stop at giving you a pounding headache and strange cravings for pickled eggs though. These devious brain bullies have to go and screw with your personality and emotional state too! Extreme mood changes are par for the course, with irritability and angry outbursts being particularly common during the attack phase.
So if you find yourself morphing into a total Grinch – lashing out at innocent bystanders or bombarding coworkers with profanity-laced verbal assaults over the smallest slight – well, it might be time for a migraine self-assessment. The Incredible Hulk-like anger dwelling within could just be your neurological nemesis rearing its ugly head again.
5. A Permanent Case of Cottonmouth
While having a bad migraine is certainly enough to leave you dehydrated and parched from writhing in pain, that excessive thirst is often a separate symptom all on its own. No matter how much water or Gatorade you chug, that Sahara-like need for liquid just doesn’t let up. You’re essentially a walking dustbowl with an unquenchable thirst!
Researchers believe this perpetual cottonmouth curse could be the result of chemical imbalances and vascular changes occurring in the brain during a migraine attack. Just another lovely parting gift from the migraine gods!
6. Senses on a Permanent Fire Drill
Last but not least, migraines have this super fun tendency to put all your senses on high alert – like a fire drill with flashing lights and deafening alarms, except way worse. Even the tiniest sensory stimulus feels utterly blown out of proportion and agonizing to endure.
We’re talking about bright lights feeling blinding, quiet library-level whispers sounding like explosive dynamite, and faint smells like furniture polish being absolutely overwhelming. It’s enough to make any rational person hide away under a rock, let alone a migraine sufferer! No wonder so many retreat to a sealed, dark, silent bunker when the migraine attack comes in’.
Conclusion
So there you have it, 6 of the most common migraine headache symptoms that make actually having the splitting headache feel like a bizarre walk in the park. If you haven’t experienced some of those along with your migraines, well, count your lucky stars.
For the rest of us migraine warriors out there, next time we’re hit with intense cravings for the same food that makes us nauseous, or blinded by the lights at the office. At least that’ll provide some solace in realizing we’re not alone in our migraine-induced insanity!
If you or your loved ones are experiencing any health-related concerns, schedule an appointment at Hale Clinics, which has one of the best Neurologists in Mohali.
FAQs
Q1.What is an “aura” in relation to migraines?
Ans. An “aura” refers to visual disturbances like shimmering zig-zag lines or a strange blind spot that gradually expands outward in one’s vision. Around 25% of migraine sufferers experience this aura phase, which can manifest as heat waves or visual distortions, warning that a migraine headache is coming within the next hour or so.
Q2.How can migraines affect mental faculties?
Ans. Migraines can cause confusion, disorientation, and an inability to string together coherent sentences. This symptom, called aphasia, involves impaired language abilities where the person has trouble focusing, concentrating, or remembering simple words mid-conversation.
Q3. What weird food cravings or aversions can occur with migraines?
Ans. Hours or days before a migraine, some people experience bizarre flip-flopping cravings and disgust toward certain foods. It’s the body’s strange way of indicating something is going on.
Q4. How can migraines affect mood and emotions?
Ans. Extreme mood changes and angry outbursts are common during a migraine attack phase. People may lash out irrationally or get enraged over small things, essentially “hulking out” due to the neurological changes occurring.
Q5. Why do people experience excessive thirstiness with migraines?
Ans. Migraine sufferers often have an unquenchable thirst and feeling of dry mouth (cottonmouth) during attacks, even if drinking lots of fluids. This is believed to be caused by chemical imbalances and vascular changes in the brain.
Q6. How can migraines heighten sensory perception?
Ans. Migraines can put all the senses on high alert, making even minor sensory stimuli unbearable. Bright lights seem blinding, quiet sounds explosive, and faint smells overwhelming – driving many to retreat to a dark, sealed environment.
