Migraine timeline, stages, duration, and recovery

Migraine is a neurological disorder that can cause moderate-to-severe headaches, sensitivity to light, nausea, and other symptoms. Each migraine episode has various stages.

Understanding the stages a migraine episode can help a person manage the condition and find effective treatments. These may prevent symptoms or stop them from worsening.

Below, we explore the timeline of a migraine episode, how long one can last, and when to contact a healthcare professional.

Migraine is a neurological condition that typically causes moderate-to-severe headaches and other symptoms that recur periodically.

Episodes may happen occasionally, in a condition called episodic migraine, or very frequently, which is called chronic migraine.

During a migraine episode, a person may experience sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, and vomiting.

Migraine is three times as common in women, compared with men. However, the rates in children of different sexes are roughly similar. Scientists believe that levels of female sex hormones, which rise during puberty, play a role in the difference among adults.

The four stages of migraine are: prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. However, an episode may not include every stage.

Prodrome

This is the first stage of a migraine episode. It can begin hours or days before a headache, and it can involve:

• yawning or tiredness
• difficulty concentrating, reading, or speaking
• unexplained mood changes
• depression
• muscle aches
• sensitivity to light or sound
• food cravings
• increased urination
• constipation or diarrhea

For some, these symptoms are difficult to identify because they can stem from so many other factors, such as a lack of sleep or stress. However, if a person can spot the early signs of a migraine, they can take preventive action.

A person might try:

• preventive medications
• avoiding migraine triggers, when possible
• relaxation techniques, such as meditation

Learn more about migraine medications and home remedies.

Aura

Around 25% of people with migraine experience aura. The aura phase can occur immediately before or during a headache. It may involve:

• visual disturbances, such as seeing zig-zagging lines or flashes of light
• auditory disturbances, such as hearing a noise, possibly a ringing sound, that is not there
• physical sensations, such as numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness
• language disturbances, such as difficulty finding or understanding words

The aura phase may last 60 minutes or longer, and it may overlap with the headache phase.

Learn more about migraine aura.

Headache

If a migraine episode progresses to the headache stage, the pain typically starts gradually and becomes more severe. It eventually peaks and dissipates.

The intensity and location of the pain can vary, but it often starts on one side of the head. It may spread or switch to other areas as the episode continues. The pain may get worse with physical activity.

At this stage, a person may also experience:

• nausea
• vomiting
• sensitivity to light, noise, or smells

It is also possible to experience migraine without a headache. This is informally called a silent migraine.

Taking medications to reduce the pain may help at this stage. But people often find that medication is most effective during the early phases.

Postdrome

This is the last phase of a migraine episode, and some call it a migraine “hangover.” This phase can last up to 1–2 days. Around 80% of people with migraine experience it.

A person may feel:

• weak
• exhausted
• confused
• dizzy
• achey

Some people also report euphoria or intense relief after a migraine episode.

The headache stage might last anywhere from 4–72 hours without medical treatment, though it may last longer.

If an episode lasts longer than 3 days, even with medication, the doctor may refer to it as status migrainosus. This phenomenon is a complication of migraine, and experts are unsure why it happens. Another name for the condition is intractable migraine.

The doctor may recommend changes to an existing migraine treatment plan, or in some cases, a visit to a hospital. Doctors can use strong medications to stop the pain of an intractable migraine. These medications might include dexamethasone or nerve-blocking drugs.

The recovery time can depend on whether a person experiences postdrome, or migraine hangover, symptoms. People who do may need 1–2 days to fully recover once the headache subsides. Others may recover more quickly.

People with postdrome symptoms may benefit from these strategies:

• staying hydrated
• avoiding bright lights and strong smells
• trying relaxation techniques, such as gentle yoga or meditation
• avoiding stress, when possible

If a migraine headache lasts longer than 72 hours without responding to regular migraine medication, the person may need additional treatment. Anyone who has experienced this pain for longer than 3 days should speak with a doctor as soon as they can.

Many other health issues can cause headaches, so it is important to receive a professional diagnosis. Anyone experiencing migraine symptoms for the first time should contact a healthcare professional.

In addition, anyone who has at least four migraine episodes within a month — or any episode that is disabling — should receive professional care.

A doctor may diagnose chronic migraine if a person has had 15 or more days of headaches per month, with at least 8 of these days meeting the criteria for migraine.

Many different migraine treatments are available. Some can prevent the symptoms and others can stop them.

Some headaches signal a need for immediate care. If a person experiences any of the following, call 911 or the local emergency number immediately:

• a sudden, severe headache with the worst pain ever
• a headache alongside paralysis, drooping on one side of the face, difficulty speaking, or sudden blurry vision
• a headache along with neck stiffness, a rash, muscle or joint pain, or a fever

Migraine is a complex neurological disorder that can cause recurring headaches and other symptoms. A migraine episode can have four stages.

The headache stage may last about 4–72 hours. After the pain improves, the person may experience a migraine “hangover,” which may involve fatigue, achey muscles, and confusion.

Anyone who experiences migraine symptoms for the first time or any debilitating symptoms should contact a doctor. Many preventive and abortive treatments are available.

Migraine timeline, stages, duration, and recovery

Migraine is a neurological disorder that can cause moderate-to-severe headaches, sensitivity to light, nausea, and other symptoms. Each migraine episode has various stages.

Understanding the stages a migraine episode can help a person manage the condition and find effective treatments. These may prevent symptoms or stop them from worsening.

Below, we explore the timeline of a migraine episode, how long one can last, and when to contact a healthcare professional.

Migraine is a neurological condition that typically causes moderate-to-severe headaches and other symptoms that recur periodically.

Episodes may happen occasionally, in a condition called episodic migraine, or very frequently, which is called chronic migraine.

During a migraine episode, a person may experience sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, and vomiting.

Migraine is three times as common in women, compared with men. However, the rates in children of different sexes are roughly similar. Scientists believe that levels of female sex hormones, which rise during puberty, play a role in the difference among adults.

The four stages of migraine are: prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. However, an episode may not include every stage.

Prodrome

This is the first stage of a migraine episode. It can begin hours or days before a headache, and it can involve:

• yawning or tiredness
• difficulty concentrating, reading, or speaking
• unexplained mood changes
• depression
• muscle aches
• sensitivity to light or sound
• food cravings
• increased urination
• constipation or diarrhea

For some, these symptoms are difficult to identify because they can stem from so many other factors, such as a lack of sleep or stress. However, if a person can spot the early signs of a migraine, they can take preventive action.

A person might try:

• preventive medications
• avoiding migraine triggers, when possible
• relaxation techniques, such as meditation

Learn more about migraine medications and home remedies.

Aura

Around 25% of people with migraine experience aura. The aura phase can occur immediately before or during a headache. It may involve:

• visual disturbances, such as seeing zig-zagging lines or flashes of light
• auditory disturbances, such as hearing a noise, possibly a ringing sound, that is not there
• physical sensations, such as numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness
• language disturbances, such as difficulty finding or understanding words

The aura phase may last 60 minutes or longer, and it may overlap with the headache phase.

Learn more about migraine aura.

Headache

If a migraine episode progresses to the headache stage, the pain typically starts gradually and becomes more severe. It eventually peaks and dissipates.

The intensity and location of the pain can vary, but it often starts on one side of the head. It may spread or switch to other areas as the episode continues. The pain may get worse with physical activity.

At this stage, a person may also experience:

• nausea
• vomiting
• sensitivity to light, noise, or smells

It is also possible to experience migraine without a headache. This is informally called a silent migraine.

Taking medications to reduce the pain may help at this stage. But people often find that medication is most effective during the early phases.

Postdrome

This is the last phase of a migraine episode, and some call it a migraine “hangover.” This phase can last up to 1–2 days. Around 80% of people with migraine experience it.

A person may feel:

• weak
• exhausted
• confused
• dizzy
• achey

Some people also report euphoria or intense relief after a migraine episode.

The headache stage might last anywhere from 4–72 hours without medical treatment, though it may last longer.

If an episode lasts longer than 3 days, even with medication, the doctor may refer to it as status migrainosus. This phenomenon is a complication of migraine, and experts are unsure why it happens. Another name for the condition is intractable migraine.

The doctor may recommend changes to an existing migraine treatment plan, or in some cases, a visit to a hospital. Doctors can use strong medications to stop the pain of an intractable migraine. These medications might include dexamethasone or nerve-blocking drugs.

The recovery time can depend on whether a person experiences postdrome, or migraine hangover, symptoms. People who do may need 1–2 days to fully recover once the headache subsides. Others may recover more quickly.

People with postdrome symptoms may benefit from these strategies:

• staying hydrated
• avoiding bright lights and strong smells
• trying relaxation techniques, such as gentle yoga or meditation
• avoiding stress, when possible

If a migraine headache lasts longer than 72 hours without responding to regular migraine medication, the person may need additional treatment. Anyone who has experienced this pain for longer than 3 days should speak with a doctor as soon as they can.

Many other health issues can cause headaches, so it is important to receive a professional diagnosis. Anyone experiencing migraine symptoms for the first time should contact a healthcare professional.

In addition, anyone who has at least four migraine episodes within a month — or any episode that is disabling — should receive professional care.

A doctor may diagnose chronic migraine if a person has had 15 or more days of headaches per month, with at least 8 of these days meeting the criteria for migraine.

Many different migraine treatments are available. Some can prevent the symptoms and others can stop them.

Some headaches signal a need for immediate care. If a person experiences any of the following, call 911 or the local emergency number immediately:

• a sudden, severe headache with the worst pain ever
• a headache alongside paralysis, drooping on one side of the face, difficulty speaking, or sudden blurry vision
• a headache along with neck stiffness, a rash, muscle or joint pain, or a fever

Migraine is a complex neurological disorder that can cause recurring headaches and other symptoms. A migraine episode can have four stages.

The headache stage may last about 4–72 hours. After the pain improves, the person may experience a migraine “hangover,” which may involve fatigue, achey muscles, and confusion.

Anyone who experiences migraine symptoms for the first time or any debilitating symptoms should contact a doctor. Many preventive and abortive treatments are available.

High IQ disease. What triggers a migraine and how to relieve its attack?

It is impossible to get rid of migraine once and for all. But the disease can be brought under control. We are talking about this with neurologist Anna Vol.

Classic

– Anna Evgenievna, we often mistakenly call any headache a migraine. But is it a separate disease? What is its feature?

Migraine is a chronic neurological disease that is more common in women. By the way, to some extent I can console them – according to research, people suffering from migraine usually have an IQ above average. For example, Mikhail Bulgakov and the Roman prefect of Judea, Pontius Pilate, suffered from migraines.

The predisposition to migraine is inherited, and by varying degrees of kinship. This disease is distinguished by unilateral (not always, but most often) throbbing pain, which is accompanied by nausea, vomiting (often it brings relief), photo and sound sensitivity. With a migraine, the pain lasts at least two to four hours. If headache attacks of any intensity and duration occur in a person more than 15 times a month, we are already talking about chronic migraine.

In any case, when migraine-specific headaches appear, a person should see a neurologist. Only a specialist can conduct an adequate examination, diagnose and prescribe treatment.

– You said about gender predisposition. Is there an age predisposition to migraine?

– It happens, of course, and children’s migraine, but, as a rule, the first attacks begin during puberty – this is a classic of the genre. However, there are patients in whom the first episodes occur at 35–40 years of age, and sometimes even at an older age. Another feature of this disease is that if a woman suffers from migraine, then there are practically no attacks during pregnancy. In the first trimester of pregnancy, mild migraine attacks may still occur, but not in the second and third. After childbirth, migraine attacks, alas, return.

Peace, only peace!

– There is an opinion among the people that a migraine cannot be cured, and if it appears in a person, then this is serious and forever. Is it so?

– Let me give you an analogy. Can caries be cured once and for all if oral hygiene is not observed? No, you will be given a filling, and in a year or two you will need to go back to the dentist with this tooth. If you follow all the recommendations of the dentist, the need for re-treatment, if it comes, will not be soon. It’s the same with migraines. If you follow certain recommendations of a neurologist, life will be much easier. In other words, migraine cannot be cured once and for all, but with the help of therapy and lifestyle changes, you can take it under control and come to the conclusion that if there are attacks, then less often and weaker.

Statistics

15 or more attacks per month – chronic migraine.

Chronic migraine is an indication for prophylactic treatment. But I repeat, a neurologist should select it, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body and the course of the disease. Although, of course, when we are not talking about chronic migraine and its attacks are rare, it also significantly reduces the quality of life of a person. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to improve the condition in case of episodic attacks.

– What measures should be taken to prevent migraine attacks?

– An important preventive measure is the observance of the daily regimen. For example, if on a weekday you are used to getting up at 6 in the morning, and on weekends you decide to sleep longer, it is likely that you will get a migraine. Provoke migraine attacks: red wine, smoked meats, fizzy drinks, mental and emotional stress. In some patients, the trigger for migraine is being among a large crowd of people.

In other words, a person with a tendency to migraine needs to lead a healthy lifestyle and try not to be nervous. In our time, of course, it is difficult to avoid stress, so, I repeat, you should not neglect the preventive treatment that a neurologist specializing in the treatment of headaches will prescribe.

– How can you alleviate your condition during a migraine attack?

– In the very first minutes, you should take such simple drugs as Citramon or Paracetamol – two or three tablets at a time. It is advisable to lie down (ideally, sleep) in a dark, quiet, well-ventilated room. A hot shower helps someone, and a cold compress on the head helps someone.
But, in any case, if specific headaches recur, if they reduce the quality of life – hands to feet and see a doctor!

Rada Bozhenko, “AiF-Ural”

How to avoid a migraine attack

Migraine cannot be completely cured, but thanks to modern methods of treatment – with and without drugs – today it is possible to reduce the frequency and severity of a migraine attack (including headache), and in many cases completely prevent it. How to do it?

1. Identify precipitating factors.

The most important thing is to identify your triggers. Keeping a headache diary can help with this. If the patient knows the factors that can cause an attack, it will be easier for him to avoid them.

2. Find the best medicine for you.

There are many painkillers on the market today. It is advisable with the help of the attending physician to understand them and find your remedy, which will be most effective. Do not ignore the use of medicinal prophylactic anti-migraine drugs prescribed by a doctor. They should also always be at hand.

3. Review lifestyle.

American scientists from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute found that many migraine sufferers change a certain gene Casein kinase-1delta. This gene plays an important role in controlling the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. Therefore, neurologists recommend focusing on a structured daily schedule and fixed sleep times. A deviation from your normal sleep rhythm, for example if you sleep much longer than usual on weekends, can trigger an attack. A regulated lifestyle will allow you to organize the correct mode of work and rest, sufficient sleep, systematic walks in the fresh air. It is also worth sticking to a fixed time for eating and drinking. You should get rid of bad habits: do not get involved in alcohol (give up red wine and cognac), quit smoking and drinking coffee in large doses during the day.

4. Remember the benefits of moderate exercise.

Sport is an effective remedy for migraine sufferers. Thanks to him, the overall level of stress hormones and the individual pain threshold are reduced. However, it is very important not to overload yourself during training, otherwise sports can provoke an attack.

5. Fight stress and emotional tension.

Headache patients are often perfectionists who feel responsible for everything and are under tremendous pressure. Strong ambition leads to tension and stress – and can cause migraines with a corresponding tendency. You can minimize emotional stress, experiences with the help of harmless medicines (valerian, for example) or through classes with a psychologist. “In general, it is important for the patient to step out of the role of the victim and even actively respond to pressure, learn to say no,” psychologists say.

6. Periodically carry out rehabilitation in sanatoriums.

Spa treatment is indicated for patients with migraine attacks. Climate change, mineral springs, balneotherapy, massage, physiotherapy and other physical measures of influence on the body have a beneficial effect on a sick person.

7. Consider your diet.

A healthy diet plays a role. Usually patients themselves know their food triggers. More often they include red wine, champagne, smoked meats. Doctors advise people suffering from headaches to minimize the use of hard cheeses. For more information about nutrition for migraine, about new research in this area, read the article Nutrition for migraine. Did you know that, contrary to previous beliefs, chocolate is not among the causative agents of migraine? On the other hand, the overwhelming desire to eat chocolate in migraine sufferers seems to be a harbinger of an imminent attack.

8. Drink enough water.

Dehydration can cause headaches. Drink enough water. Drink mineral water, it not only restores the balance of moisture, but also supplies the cells with important minerals. Mineral water with magnesium and potassium is especially useful. A two-week course of mineral water intake reduces the frequency of seizures by half (according to some authors)

9. Do eye exercises.

If the patient suffers from an ophthalmoplegic form of migraine, it is worth doing eye exercises 1-2 times a day. They relax the eye muscles, improve blood circulation, train the muscles of the eyeball.

10. Prevent weather migraine.

People who suffer from migraines are especially sensitive to certain weather conditions. A study shows that a six degree rise in temperature already causes a 36% increase in migraine attacks. A 20% increase in humidity also increases the number of headaches by about 22%. It is helpful for patients to keep a migraine diary. In it, they record the weather and the time of the headache attacks. Over time, this helps determine which weather is most likely to trigger migraines and headaches. Of course, the weather cannot be changed, but you can take your medicine in time and protect yourself from climatic influences. In addition, weather-sensitive people can do a lot to improve their well-being and prevent headaches. For example, lead a healthy lifestyle, temper yourself, take a contrast shower and play sports in the fresh air.

11. Monitor contraceptive use.

Birth control pills can often make migraines worse.