1. What are common symptoms of the prodrome phase, and how long does it last?
COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT MIGRAINE PHASES
2. What are common symptoms of the aura phase, and how long does it last?
3. What does the headache phase of a migraine attack feel like, and how long does it last?
4. What does the prodrome phase, or “migraine hangover,” feel like?
5. Does every person experience every phase?
Next Question
Often, people don’t recognize prodrome symptoms as symptoms of a migraine attack. Symptoms to look out for include:
• Excessive yawning • Neck soreness • Lights that seem too bright • Sounds that seem too loud • Smells that seem too strong • Fatigue and lethargy (lack of energy) • Increased thirst • Food cravings • Generalized irritability and other mood changes
The prodrome phase can begin up to three days before the start of headache pain. Recognizing these prodrome symptoms may provide a chance to stop an attack before it escalates.
Aura symptoms can affect language, vision, senses, or motor skills. Common symptoms include:
• Visual phenomena • Tingling sensation • Numbness • Garbled speech • Clumsiness or weakness
Aura symptoms typically last from several minutes to up to an hour and then resolve completely. Occasionally, however, they may last for more than an hour, and rarely may last for days. Not everyone experiences the aura phase — it affects approximately 25-30% of people with migraine.
Common symptoms of the headache phase of a migraine attack include:
The headache phase can last from 4-72 hours. When the headache phase lasts longer than 72 hours, it is called “status migrainosus.”
• Sharp, throbbing, drilling, burning, or pressure-like pain in the head • Nausea or vomiting • Neck pain and stiffness • Sensitivity to light, sound, and smell • Motion sensitivity • Dizziness • Brain fog • Nasal congestion
In the postdrome phase of a migraine attack, some of the regions of the brain that were activated earlier in the attack continue to be “switched on” even after the headache has resolved. This can leave you feeling fatigued and cognitively impaired. Common symptoms of the postdrome include:
The postdrome phase can last for 24-48 hours. It is sometimes called the “migraine hangover.”
• Cognitive challenges with concentration or comprehension • Fatigue • Mood changes like depression or euphoria
All Questions
No, and it can be difficult to recognize the different phases. Symptoms from one phase may continue into another phase, so there is substantial overlap between the phases.
The occurrence of the migraine aura and other symptoms is highly variable from person to person and from attack to attack within a given person. About 25-30% of people with migraine experience the aura phase, but that doesn’t mean they will experience aura during every attack.
