A migraine is a disorder that usually involves a severe headache. A silent migraine is an unusual type of migraine since it does not include a headache. Symptoms of a silent migraine typically include any or all of the symptoms associated with a regular migraine, but the major difference is that a silent migraine is not accompanied by any pain. This type of migraine is also known as a migraine aura without headache, a migraine equivalent, or an acephalgic migraine.
Although migraines can be quite unpredictable, there are a few symptoms that may be typical of this condition, and silent migraines are no different. Migraines usually come in four different phases: prodrome, aura, pain, and resolution. A silent migraine may have many symptoms of a typical migraine, including prodrome, aura, and postdrome symptoms, but there is no pain.
The prodrome phase most often occurs at the beginning of a migraine. This phase is often considered to be a warning before a migraine. It can be accompanied by changes in a person's mental state, such as confusion or irritability, as well as physical symptoms. The physical symptoms can include extreme thirst, loss of appetite, chills, or fatigue. Around a quarter of all migraine sufferers experience at least some type of prodrome symptoms.
Migraine aura is a term used to describe a number of different sensory symptoms that go along with migraines. Speech difficulty, numbness, auditory hallucinations, and odd tastes or smells may all be part of this phase. Aura, however, is most known for its visual symptoms. Blurred vision, squiggly lines, flashing lights, tunnel vision, and seeing spots are all common symptoms of the aura phase of a migraine. A silent migraine usually consists of some sort of aura symptoms, especially the visual disturbances.
Pain is the most known symptom of a migraine. This pain can be very severe at times and last anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days. It is often located behind the eye or at one side of the head. The pain can sometimes be accompanied by nausea or vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. This is where a silent migraine differs from a typical migraine. It is estimated that about twenty percent of migraine sufferers do not experience this pain.
The postdrome phase, or post headache phase, occurs after any pain of a migraine has subsided. These symptoms can include extreme fatigue, confusion, difficulty concentrating, or depression. It may take up to a few hours to an entire day to recover from a migraine.
