What Is a Migraine Variant?
The best known symptom of migraine is throbbing head pain, usually located on one side of the head. But many other people who suffer from migraines also experience other symptoms besides head pain. Migraines that consist of these other symptoms are known as migraine variants. People who suffer from abdominal or silent migraines will only experience the variants but not head pain.-
Types
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Several types of migraines can be classified as migraine variants. These include abdominal migraine, in which a person suffers vomiting and severe abdominal pain; silent migraines, which include a variety of symptoms such as nausea, sensitivity to light, dizziness and aura; hemiplegic migraines, in which one side of the body becomes paralyzed; and basilar migraines, in which a person often experiences dizziness or vertigo to the point of fainting.
Symptoms
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According to neurologist Rima M. Daffer, M.D., symptoms of any migraine variant can include one or more of the following: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, vertigo (where the room feels as if it is spinning); loss of coordination; numbness; tingling sensation on one side of the body; paralysis to one side of the face or body; problems speaking; visual problems such as tunnel vision; sudden drowsiness and yawning; confusion; and aura.
Misconception
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According to the International Headache Society, classic migraines begin with auras. However, according to Dr. Daffer, only 20 percent of people with migraines suffer from classic migraines. Auras are disturbances in sight or sound and rarely smell. Visual auras are where a person sees flashing lights, lightning bolts, haloes or other hallucinations. Sound auras included a ringing, buzzing or banging noise that isn't heard by anyone else. Smell auras are when someone smells an odor that isn't there.
Speculation
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Abdominal migraines are often thought to only afflict children, but a condition known as cyclic vomiting syndrome affects both children adults. The symptoms are nearly identical, so perhaps cyclic vomiting syndrome is actually the migraine variant abdominal migraine. The symptoms are sudden pallor or flushed face, intense abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and sudden fatigue. The person usually feels better after some sleep.
Warning
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Because symptoms of migraine variants, especially basilar and hemiplegic migraines, are so similar to stroke or brain aneurysm, patients may find that doctors and emergency staff will insist on testing them for stroke before doing any more tests. Unfortunately, there aren't tests for any type of migraine, so diagnosis is a process of eliminating other factors like strokes, brain aneurysms, tumors or injuries.
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