What are the Phases of a Migraine Headache
Each person who regularly experiences the agony of a migraine headache is able to describe three or four distinct phases to the process. Even though every migraine sufferer has a distinct set of symptoms and responses to the illness, it appears and runs its course in the same few phases for all of them. This is both good news and bad, because it means that the person can tell a migraine is coming and start preparing a migraine defense. But they also know, from previous unpleasant experience, what they can expect each and every time.
The common migraine will almost always start with an introductory phase. The first symptoms will seem almost random, such as a spike in appetite, or perhaps growing irritability coupled with irrational euphoria. The person may slowly become sensitive to touch or sound, and might have a difficult time coping with ordinary activities. These symptoms will feel recognizably different, at least to the migraine sufferer, from the same symptoms being manifested under other circumstances. The appearance and feel of these symptoms will tell the person that a migraine headache is on the way.
Then there is the aura stage, if the person suffers from classic migraine headaches. This can be visual, as its name suggests, but covers a wider range of neurological symptoms. These can include flashes or zigzags of light, pins and needles in the skin, or speech difficulties and a loss of concentration. Not every migraine sufferer experiences the aura, however. Sometimes the premonitory symptoms move directly into the main phase, which is the migraine itself. This tends to concentrate mainly on one side of the head, though it can gradually move. And the neurological sensitivities increase, so the person can’t bear light, loud noises or even aromas. The person may also suffer nausea or vomiting.
Once the migraine headache passes, the person enters the recovery phase. Most symptoms gradually recede, but often the migraine sufferer feels exhausted and continues having problems concentrating, sometimes for as long as two days. They may also experience mood swings. However, some people’s recovery phase is more like the pleasant lethargy that follows an illness. There is no single common migraine that everyone experiences, even if the migraine itself goes through the same three or four phases every time. This type of headache has typical traits, yet the experience of a migraine is individual to each person.
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