Two Types of Migraines

Posted: Dec. 1, 2004

Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head, an upset stomach, and at times, disturbed vision.

Although many sufferers have a family history of migraine, the exact hereditary nature of this condition is still unknown. People who get migraines are thought to have an inherited abnormality in the regulation of blood vessels.

The two most prevalent types of migraine-caused headache are classic and common.

Classic migraine
The major difference between the two types is the appearance of neurological symptoms 10 to 30 minutes before a classic migraine attack. These symptoms are called an aura. The person may see flashing lights or zigzag lines, or may temporarily lose vision. Other classic symptoms include speech difficulty, weakness of an arm or leg, tingling of the face or hands, and confusion.

The pain of a classic migraine headache may be described as intense, throbbing, or pounding and is felt in the forehead, temple, ear, jaw, or around the eye. Classic migraine starts on one side of the head but may eventually spread to the other side. An attack lasts one to two days.

Common migraine
This term reflects the disorder's greater occurrence in the general population; most people experience migraines that are not preceded by an aura. But some people experience a variety of vague symptoms beforehand, including mental fuzziness, mood changes, fatigue and unusual retention of fluids.

During the headache phase of a common migraine, a person may have diarrhea and increased urination, as well as nausea and vomiting. Common migraine pain can last three or four days.

Both classic and common migraine can strike as often as several times a week, or as rarely as once every few years. Both types can occur at any time. Some people, however, experience migraines at predictable times — for example, near the days of menstruation or every Saturday morning after a stressful week of work.

Source: National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke

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