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- With a silent migraine, you experience aura, which are changes in your senses (sensory issues). Also known as migraines without headache, typical aura without headache, or acephalgic migraine, silent migraines affect about 5% of people with migraines.
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/silent-migraine
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Check if it's a migraine. A migraine tends to be a very bad headache with a throbbing pain on 1 side of the head. You may get other symptoms just before a migraine, such as: feeling very tired and yawning a lot. craving certain foods or feeling thirsty. changes in your mood. a stiff neck.
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Mar 19, 2024 · Also known as migraines without headache, typical aura without headache, or acephalgic migraine, silent migraines affect about 5% of people with migraines. Even though they don’t cause a debilitating headache, the condition can disrupt your daily life.
- Overview
- What Are the Symptoms of Silent Migraine?
- What Causes Silent Migraine?
- What Are the Risk Factors for Silent Migraine?
- How is Silent Migraines Diagnosed?
- How Id Silent Migraine Treated?
- How Can You Prevent Silent Migraine?
- The Takeaway
Some people develop migraine episodes that don’t cause pain. These are often called “silent migraine.” Even though they don’t cause physical pain, silent migraine may trigger other symptoms that can be debilitating.
If you get migraine, you may know how painful the condition can be. For many people, the symptoms of a typical migraine include sharp pain that may not subside for hours. But for others, the condition may have different symptoms.
Classic migraine may be accompanied by symptoms other than a headache. Some people experience visual disturbances and sensory symptoms known as “aura” before pain hits.
According to the American Migraine Association, aura symptoms are often progressive and usually end once your headache begins, although they may remain until your headache is gone. Aura symptoms may include:
•blurry vision
•light sensitivity
•vision loss
•seeing zigzags or
Because migraine is usually associated with significant pain, silent migraine may seem like a paradox. They’re thought to have a genetic cause, but it’s unclear exactly why they occur. Migraine may be caused by the brain’s difficulty adjusting to sensory stimulation such as lights and noise. Changes in chemicals and blood vessels in the brain may also be factors.
Over time, most people figure out what triggers their migraine. The triggers may be environmental, related to food, or physiological. There are hundreds of potential migraine triggers, such as:
•odors
•noises
•bright lights
•fermented foods
Your migraine risk, silent or otherwise, is higher if you:
•have a family
history of migraine
•are under age 40
•are a woman
•are menstruating,
Aura symptoms may mimic symptoms of other serious conditions such as ministrokes, strokes, and meningitis. For this reason, you shouldn’t self-diagnose a silent migraine. If you experience signs of aura for the first time, contact your doctor so that you can get a diagnosis.
Your doctor may be able to diagnose silent migraine based on your family history and a physical exam. If the symptoms are severe or new, they may order tests such as:
•blood tests
•CT scans
•MRI scans
•a spinal tap
If your migraine is infrequent, short in duration, and not severe, you may not need treatment. If they often happen and impact your ability to perform daily tasks or enjoy life, you should consider treatment options.
There’s no cure for migraine, but medication can help control symptoms. Treatments for silent migraine are the same as those for migraine with headaches.
Over-the-counter medications, such as the following, may help treat the symptoms of acute migraine:
•aspirin
•ibuprofen
•naproxen
Your first step in preventing silent migraine is to identify your triggers. To do this, keep a migraine diary and write down when each migraine occurred, how long it lasted, and what you were doing before and when it struck. Be sure to note any foods or beverages you consumed, as well as any medications you took before the migraine began.
Once you’ve identified your triggers, you should avoid them. This may mean modifying your diet or avoiding noisy social situations.
If stress is a trigger for you, try practicing stress management techniques such as writing in a journal, meditating, or doing exercises such as yoga.
Take these steps to get on a regular sleep schedule and prevent insomnia:
•Go to bed at the
same time each night.
Silent migraine varies in how much they impact day-to-day life. Some people may experience them rarely, in short duration, and with few symptoms. Others experience them daily with severe symptoms. Since silent migraine doesn’t cause pain, you may experience aura symptoms without realizing you’re having a migraine. Some people dismiss the symptoms as eyestrain or stress.
If you have silent migraine and suddenly develop a terrible headache, confusion, weakness, or other aura symptoms that aren’t normal for you, get emergency medical help to rule out a stroke or other neurological condition. You shouldn’t assume you’re having a classic migraine.
Since the symptoms may not be obvious, silent migraine may be underreported and undermanaged. Contact your doctor if you think you have silent migraine. Once you receive a diagnosis, you can review treatment options and begin to make lifestyle changes to manage triggers.
Talking with others who understand what you’re going through can also help you better identify and manage silent migraine. Our free app, Migraine Healthline, connects you with real people who experience migraine. Ask questions, seek advice, and make connections with others who get it. Download the app for iPhone or Android.
- Symptoms of a migraine. The main symptom of a migraine is usually an intense headache on one side of the head. In some cases, the pain can occur on both sides of your head and may affect your face or neck.
- Causes of a migraine. The exact cause of migraines is unknown. They’re thought to be the result of abnormal brain activity temporarily affecting nerve signals, chemicals and blood vessels in the brain.
- Diagnosing migraines. There’s no specific test to diagnose migraines. For an accurate diagnosis, your GP must identify a pattern of recurring headaches along with the associated symptoms.
- Treating migraines. There’s no cure for migraines. There are treatments available to help reduce the symptoms. During an attack, many people find that sleeping or lying in a darkened room can also help.
lethargy (lack of energy) Stages of a migraine attack. It is often difficult to know when a migraine attack is going to happen. However, you can often tell the pattern of each attack as there are well defined stages. It is these stages and their symptoms that distinguish a migraine from a headache.
Jul 7, 2023 · A migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It's often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
Apr 17, 2024 · 3 min read. If you have a silent migraine, it means you get any of the typical migraine symptoms except for one: pain. Your doctor may suggest medications or devices that can treat the problem....
