There are seven common types of Migraines include complicated migraine, chronic migraine, a hemiplegic migraine, retinal migraine, vestibular migraine, Menstrual migraines, and brainstem aura.
The most common type of migraine is migraine without aura (common migraine). 70-90% of people with migraine experience this type. The frequency of this type of migraine may range from once a year to several times per week.
The common symptoms of a migraine without aura include:
- Headache
- Photophobia (sensitivity to light)
- Phonophobia (sensitivity to sound)
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Throbbing or pulsating headache usually in one side of the head
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling warm or cold
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Pale skin
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Impairment in language
- Fever
Symptoms may last between 4 and 72 hours when untreated.
What are other types of migraines?
The exact cause of migraines remains a mystery. However, several factors are associated with migraines.
The other types of migraines include:
- Migraine with aura (complicated migraine): Aura is a neurological symptom of migraine, which is most commonly visual disturbances along with the normal symptoms of migraine. It commonly affects 10-30% of people. The frequency of this type of migraine may range from once a year to several times per year. In this, a person might observe below symptoms (aura) 10-30 minutes before an attack:
- Seeing flashing lights, zigzag lines, or blind spots
- Numbness or tingling in the face or hands
- Altered sense of smell, taste, or touch
- Feeling mentally “fuzzy”
- Chronic migraine: Experiencing headache on more than 15 days per month for more than three months may indicate a chronic migraine. The symptoms are similar to those of common migraine but may vary in intensity. Some days, the pain would be less severe similar to a tension headache or sinus headache.
- Hemiplegic migraine: If the migraine attack causes symptoms such as a temporary inability to move the arm or leg, it is more probably a hemiplegic migraine. People with hemiplegic migraine may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- Weakness on one side of the body
- Pins and needles sensation on one side of the body
- Loss of sensation
- Retinal migraine: Headache causing a temporary loss in vision in one eye is known as retinal migraine. This form of migraine with aura is very rare. The symptoms of retinal migraine include:
- Seeing flashing lights, zigzag lines, or blind spots
- Loss of some or all vision in one eye only
- The visual loss followed by a typical headache
- Vestibular migraine: Migraine along with prominent vertigo is known as vestibular migraine. Other symptoms of vestibular migraine include:
- Menstrual migraines: This type of migraine occurs two days before the menstrual period and continues three days after the start. This type of migraine is usually a migraine without aura.
- Brainstem aura: Along with migraine symptoms, additional symptoms include:
- Slurred speech
- Vertigo
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Double vision
- Unsteadiness
- Severe sensitivity to sound