The majority of migraine sufferers have Migraine without Aura.

The most common symptoms of Migraine without Aura are:

• Intense throbbing headache, usually on one side of the head, worsened by movement and lasting from 4-72 hours.
• Nausea, sometimes vomiting
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to noise
• Sensitivity to smells
• Stiffness of the neck and shoulders.
• Blurred vision

If you experience two or more of these symptoms, and if they prevent you from continuing with normal daily activities, then you may be suffering from migraine without aura.

Migraine with Aura refers to a range of neurological disturbances that occur before the headache begins, usually lasting about 20-60 minutes.

About 20% of people with migraine experience ‘aura’ in addition to some or all of the symptoms of ‘Migraine Without Aura’.

The disturbances are usually visual e.g.

• Blind spots
• Flashing lights
• Zig-zag patterns

Aura can also present in other ways:

• Pins and needles on one side usually starting in the fingers/ arm, sometimes spreading up into the face
• Slurring of speech
• Muscular weakness
• Loss of co-ordination
• Confusion

The other symptoms of migraine will usually follow the migraine aura. These are:

• Intense throbbing headache, usually on one side of the head, worsened by movement and lasting from 4-72 hours
• Nausea, sometimes vomiting
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to noise
• Sensitivity to smells
• Stiffness of the neck and shoulders
• Blurred vision

If you experience two or more of these symptoms in addition to the aura symptoms and if they prevent you from continuing with normal daily activities, then you may be suffering from migraine with aura.