Vision problems, difficulties speaking and muscle weakness: do the symptoms add up to a migraine or a mini-stroke?
Both, according to the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). Both phenomena are debilitating, but differences in symptoms can help determine which is plaguing you or a loved one.
What is a migraine?
A migraine is a potent headache often accompanied by an aura, or a set of warning symptoms signaling that a migraine is approaching. The aura can include visual disturbances, such as strange lights, numbness and difficulty speaking ““ which are all also warning signs you might be having a stroke.
What is a stroke?
A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either by a blood clot or another blockage, or by a ruptured or leaking blood vessel. Symptoms include numbness or weakness on one side of the body, problems speaking or understanding others, vision loss (usually on one side), dizziness and disorientation.
The similarities can be confusing. These clues can help zero in on the culprit:
- What you see ““ or don’t see
With migraines, sufferers might see strange flashes of color or floaters in their field of vision. With stroke or mini-stroke, sufferers tend to lose the ability to see or find their field of vision is diminished.
- Speedy or slower?
A stroke happens instantaneously, according to the AAN. One minute the sufferer is fine; the next, he or she has severe headache, loss of vision and possibly paralysis or the loss of speech. Migraines are more gradual. The aura can appear over the course of several minutes, the actual headache pain starts out slow and then builds gradually to an intense peak.
- Headache history
Migraine sufferers often get their first headache in childhood and the aura, if they experience it, is the same every time. If you experience severe headache, nausea, vision problems and sensitivity to lights, sounds or smells for the first time as an adult, or if the aura that accompanies your migraine is different, get to the emergency room to rule out a stroke or mini-stroke.
