Migraine Information/General Information

Can You Have Two Migraine Auras in a Row?

Medically reviewed by Luc Jasmin, M.D., Ph.D., FRCS (C), FACS

Written by Anastasia Climan, RDN, CDN

Posted on July 29, 2026

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Key Takeaways

Migraine with aura can cause sensory changes like flashing lights, tingling, and blind spots, and while most auras follow a predictable pattern, some people experience repeated or unusual aura episodes.

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Flashing lights, blind spots, and tingling sensations are common warning signs that a migraine headache is soon to follow. If you have the condition migraine with aura, you likely know these sensory changes usually happen in a predictable pattern — until they don’t.

Cases have been reported where aura symptoms strike frequently over the span of a few days. In one published case, the subject’s auras “repeated” three times in a row and didn’t end with head pain.

Having two migraine auras back-to-back is unusual. But it’s not unheard of. Here’s what repeated auras can mean and when to seek medical attention.

What Are Typical Auras Like?

A migraine aura is a group of temporary nervous system symptoms. Auras are pretty common, affecting one-third of people with migraine.

Auras usually happen right before a migraine headache. They tend to last anywhere between five minutes and an hour.

Visual Aura Symptoms

Most auras (90 percent) are visual. Symptoms affect both eyes at the same time, since they stem from the brain, not the actual eye.

Vision changes you may notice include:

Blurred vision
Flashing lights
Shimmering spots
Temporary blindness
Zigzag lines

Changes start small and grow bigger until they eventually fade away.

Other Sensory Changes

Auras can also cause sensory changes. Tingling or numbness may start in the fingers and move up your arm or into your face. These symptoms can be on one or both sides of the body.

Less often, people have trouble speaking, finding the right words, or understanding language for a short time. These symptoms resolve when the headache begins.

Some people also experience muscle weakness, inability to move, nausea, and hearing changes. You may experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or have temporary hearing loss.

What’s Unusual for Auras?

In most cases, one symptom happens first and then gets better before the next symptom starts. Usually, auras end with head pain.

However, some people have migraine auras that don’t lead to headaches. In rare cases, auras happen during or after a migraine headache instead of before. This is known as a silent migraine.

Aura patterns can vary from one migraine episode to another. Some people have the same symptoms every time. Others notice different visual changes or combinations of symptoms.

Timing can also vary. If an aura lasts longer than 60 minutes, it’s considered a prolonged aura.

One very rare type of migraine condition is called retinal migraine. People with this condition experience sudden (temporary) blindness in one eye. Getting the right diagnosis is crucial, since it’s easy to mistake one-sided symptoms as an eye stroke, which is a medical emergency.

Share Symptoms With Your Doctor

Even if your aura symptoms change slightly, they may still be a normal part of your migraine disorder. Keeping track of your symptoms can help you and your doctor recognize your usual pattern and notice any important changes.

It’s possible that new aura symptoms could mean there’s a separate underlying issue. Talking to a medical professional will help you know the difference between what’s safe and what’s not.

If you have visual auras, it can be helpful to draw a picture of what you see. Your drawings can give your healthcare provider a better understanding of your aura experience.

Is It Possible To Have an Aura Twice?

Although less common, it’s possible to have two or more migraine aura episodes close together. The “second aura” may happen after the first one has ended. Or, the symptoms may have two different phases, seeming like two separate auras.

For example, you may see flashes of light or zigzag patterns that disappear after 20 minutes. Next, you may notice tingling in one or both arms. In some cases, visual disturbances may come back again.

Migraine aura symptoms can evolve over time. One symptom may gradually fade while another develops. This progression can sometimes make it hard to tell whether you’re having one long aura with multiple symptoms or two separate auras.

More often, what feels like two auras in a row may actually be two separate migraine attacks occurring close together. The first attack may begin with early warning symptoms, called prodrome, or with aura and cause little or no headache. After a brief recovery period, a second migraine attack may begin with another aura.

This can happen with:

High migraine frequency
Inadequate acute treatment
Strong triggers (stress, sleep changes, hormonal shifts)

What Factors Affect Aura Patterns?

Migraine aura patterns aren’t the same for everyone. Even in the same person, aura symptoms can change over time.

Some episodes may involve only visual changes. Others include tingling, numbness, speech problems, or several symptoms happening one after another.

Your Migraine Type

The type of migraine disorder you have can influence your aura pattern. People with migraine with aura often develop a consistent pattern over the years. Less common migraine subtypes may cause different or more complex aura symptoms.

A rare but recognized pattern is migraine aura status (MAS): at least three auras occurring over more than an hour, often fully reversible between them, without progression to stroke.

Who You Are

Personal differences also play an important role. Genetics, age, and changes in the brain's activity during a migraine attack may all affect how an aura develops. Some people have auras with nearly every migraine attack, while others have it only once in a while.

Environmental Triggers

Migraine triggers may also influence auras. But they don’t necessarily affect everyone in the same way.

Common triggers include:

Stress
Changes in sleep
Too much alcohol or caffeine
Skipped meals
Dehydration
Hormonal changes
Exposure to bright lights or strong smells

Managing these triggers may help reduce migraine attacks for some people. Unfortunately, avoiding triggers doesn’t guarantee that you won’t have aura symptoms.

Certain medications and changes in migraine treatment may also affect how you experience auras. If you notice that your aura pattern changes after starting or stopping a medication, let your healthcare provider know.

When To Seek Medical Help

Migraine aura is usually temporary and not dangerous. Although repeated auras can happen, they could also mean there’s reason to be concerned.

If your aura is very different from your usual pattern, lasts much longer than normal, or occurs for the first time, contact a healthcare provider. You may need medical testing to rule out separate issues (such as a stroke or seizure).

Call emergency services right away if you suddenly develop symptoms that reach maximum intensity fast, instead of building gradually.

Seek emergency care if you have:

Weakness on one side of the body
Trouble speaking that doesn’t improve
Confusion
Loss of consciousness
Severe dizziness with inability to stand
Vision loss in one eye

A medical check-up is also important if migraine aura begins later in life and you haven’t been diagnosed with migraine in the past. If migraine symptoms happen more often or the sensory changes last for longer than usual, talk to your doctor.

Even if your symptoms turn out to be related to migraine aura, it’s better to be sure. Having a migraine disorder slightly raises your chance of stroke. Because stroke symptoms can be similar to aura symptoms, be careful not to dismiss any concerns too quickly.

Aura symptoms can significantly affect your quality of life, especially if you’re having two auras in a row. Fortunately, there are several preventive medicines that can help lower the number and severity of your migraine attacks.