Hemiplegic migraines can be intense and frightening, especially with so many symptoms happening at once. The hallmark symptom is weakness on one side of the body, but there's often a lot more going on.
Common symptoms include:
- Muscle weakness — can affect the arm, leg, or one entire side of the body
- Tingling or Show Full Answer
Hemiplegic migraines can be intense and frightening, especially with so many symptoms happening at once. The hallmark symptom is weakness on one side of the body, but there's often a lot more going on.
Common symptoms include:
- Muscle weakness — can affect the arm, leg, or one entire side of the body
- Tingling or numbness — often starts in the fingers and travels up the arm, then to the face or tongue
- Double vision or other vision changes — such as blind spots or flashing lights
- Nausea and vomiting
- Trouble speaking or understanding words
- Confusion or fatigue
- Coordination changes In terms of progression, symptoms typically begin during the aura phase and can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. In rare cases, they may linger for weeks.
It's worth knowing that these symptoms can closely resemble a stroke. Key differences are that hemiplegic migraine symptoms tend to build gradually, while stroke symptoms are more sudden. However, if any of these symptoms appear — especially for the first time — it's important to seek emergency medical care immediately to rule out a stroke. Triggers that can worsen or bring on an attack include:
- Stress
- Poor sleep
- Bright lights
- Skipping meals
- Head trauma
- Intense exercise
Talking to a neurologist or headache specialist about a management plan is strongly recommended, especially given the range of symptoms being experienced.
4 days ago
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