Migraine with aura

A migraine is a recurring headache, usually on one side of the head. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. In around 10 to 30 percent of cases, a migraine with aura occurs. This refers to perceptual disturbances that herald the impending migraine attacks.

Migraine with aura – it’s the diagnosis that counts!

How migraine with aura manifests itself

In the case of migraine with aura, those affected experience visual disturbances such as zigzag lines, flashing lights or “blind spots” in the field of vision even before the migraine begins. Sensory and/or speech disorders are also possible, as is a completely distorted perception. The causes of these perceptual disorders have not yet been conclusively researched. However, it has been shown that patients suffering from migraine with aura often have reduced blood flow to the brain and therefore a reduced oxygen supply to certain areas of the brain.

Careful diagnostics – effective therapies

It is extremely important for treatment to diagnose the headache correctly and to differentiate migraine from a tension headache or a medication-induced headache, for example. According to the IHS classification, headaches are considered to be an expression of a (simple) migraine if they:

  • occur on one side
  • are of a pulsating character
  • do not last longer than a maximum of three days
  • are accompanied by vegetative symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, hypersensitivity to light or sound
  • and have already occurred at least five times.

The different types of headache

Differentiating between migraines and headaches can be difficult, even for experienced doctors, especially when different types of headaches occur in patients. For example, around 50% of migraine patients have both a tension headache and a migraine. We also know that painkillers can trigger headaches. The so-called drug-induced headache is a form of headache caused by excessive use of painkillers. The only treatment option is to stop taking the medication in question.

You can see for yourself: It’s all pretty complicated!

Uncovering the causes of migraine with aura

From a medical point of view, there are no clear findings about the causes that lead to migraines. The triggers are too individual and varied. Conventional medicine lists possible trigger factors:

  • Family disposition
  • Climate influences: Weather changes, cold
  • Stimulants: alcohol, nicotine, citrus fruits, dairy products, foods containing tyramine (chocolate, red wine)
  • Changes in the sleep-wake rhythm, time shifts
  • After an exhausting, stressful time (so-called “holiday migraine”)
  • For women additionally:
    o Menstruation & PMS
    o “Pill”
    o Hormonal imbalances

Migraine with aura has many causes. These require precise research into the causes.

Individual medicine against migraines

Migraine with or without aura is a classic field for individual medicine. This is because many migraine patients have to experience this painfully: It is so easy to find no single medication that makes migraines simply and permanently disappear. Dr. Verena Immer is a migraine sufferer herself and therefore knows only too well that there is rarely a simple solution to migraines. Quite the opposite:

I’m sure you’re all familiar with the quick medication solution.

Migraine requires patience, a detective’s instinct, a holistic perspective on possible causes and trigger factors as well as their treatment approaches and perseverance from both the doctor and the patient. It is also clear that recovery can only take place at the same level as the cause. People with migraines have often already been through a veritable odyssey of doctors and therapies. Usually with very little success. All too often, practitioners simply look for a medication that can alleviate the pain. The search for the causes seems too time-consuming.

Getting to the bottom of migraines

Migraine often requires a persistent search for the – highly individual – causes of migraine. The starting point is always a detailed medical history. I am convinced of this: Migraine diagnostics and effective therapies always begin with listening – and precise analysis:

  • What about your supply of vital substances?
  • Are there hormonal imbalances? In men as well as in women!
  • Are you under constant stress and perhaps don’t even realize it anymore?
  • What is your professional situation?
  • Are there any burdens in your private life?
  • What does your mood indicate?
  • Can dental or temporomandibular joint problems be ruled out?
  • Are there any abnormalities in your posture or body structure?
  • Can we recognize disturbances in the gut-brain axis?
  • How well does your metabolism work?
  • What mental resources do you have?
  • What is the health potential of nutrition and lifestyle?

Individual treatment approaches for migraine with aura

All of these points MAY be relevant when it comes to your migraine, but they don’t have to be. In most cases, a personal consultation will reveal valuable information that no one may have thought of before.

  • These are neuromodulators with which we can paralyze hardened, muscular trigger points and which are also used in aesthetic medicine (to smooth wrinkles).
  • Are there imbalances in the body’s regulation that we can compensate for?
  • Is it an undetected thyroid dysfunction that is causing your headaches?
  • Are there undetected food intolerances that additionally trigger migraines?
  • Or are they state-of-the-art preparations that help you to survive attacks better or intercept them at an early stage?

The treatment approaches of individual medicine for migraine with aura are both personalized and multimodular. The focus should be on all levels of health and treat the personal weak points step by step. This strengthens the entire body system and the body’s own regulatory mechanisms can take effect again.