Prodomes are a warning sign for migraine sufferers that alerts them of an impending migraine. Around 30% of people experience the prodrome phase, which is a collection of physical symptoms. This phase can occur anywhere from a few hours to even days before the actual main migraine attack. What do you need to know about prodromes?
Prodo-what? What Are the Stages of Migraine?
Prodrome symptoms
Visual disturbances
Sensitivity to light
Sensitivity to sound
Nausea
Irritability
Depression
Yawning
Increased need to urinate
Food cravings
Problems in concentrating
Fatigue and muscle stiffness
Difficulty speaking and reading
Difficulty sleeping
What’s an aura?
Around 25% of people experience the aura phase.
Auras are mainly visual disturbances which may take the form of flashing lights, bright colored lines or can cause a temporary loss of sight. Auras occur due to electrochemical change in the brain. Many migraine sufferers also experience sensory aura — numbness and tingling which can slowly move around to different parts of the body.
The migraine itself
With the attack itself, pain often occurs on one side of the head, but can appear on both. Migraine sufferers often note that the pain is throbbing and intense. Pain levels can often be aggravated by daily routine activities and other physical activities. The migraine itself can last up to 72 hours and some common symptoms include:
Pain in the head that’s mild to severe, often called throbbing, drilling, or ice pick
Nausea and vomiting
Emotional changes (euphoria, depression, anxiety, irritability)
Insomnia
Nasal congestion
Sensitivity to smell
Neck pain and stiffness
And then there’s the postdrome
Around 65% of patients experience the postdrome phase.
The postdrome phase occurs right after the migraine in many patients, with some reporting a gap before it appears. Some patients report emotional changes ranging from being drained and zombie-like to being overly excited and euphoric. The symptoms of postdrome are sometimes attributed to migraine medication, and further studies are needed in this area. For some migraine sufferers, it takes several hours or days to recover from the actual migraine and finish the postdrome phase.
Postdrome has been known to include:
Tiredness and fatigue
Feeling ‘out of it’ and zombie-like
An inability to concentrate
Depressed mood
Lack of comprehension
Euphoric mood and excess energy
Our Team: We are Here to Help
We are a small, dedicated app development team that wants you to better understand your migraines and triggers. Everyone on the team has lived with migraines at some point in their lives. We are your community, and we’re here to help. Reach out any time with questions. [email protected].
As always — please seek the advice of a doctor for medical questions. Our app team cannot give medical advice.
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