# Migraines : ever get the aura without getting a migraine? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 9, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088 "2009-02-09T17:13:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/21 "2009-02-10T04:18:53Z")
> [@RunSilent](#): > > I get them… and that is all… never get the headaches Ditto. It gets really, really annoying, because it’s distracting. I suppose if it were followed by a migraine it would be more helpful than annoying, but as it is, it just means that I can’t see very well for 15-20 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/22 "2009-02-10T04:43:19Z")
I haven’t had the squiggly lines for a while, but I do still get the overall sort of queasy, sort of dizzy, not quite pain that used to come with them. More annoying than painful. Sometimes lately I just get the feeling of tension/almost pain across the tip of my head. I almost miss the lines. It was a distinct pattern that floated about a foot in front of my face. If I’m going to be a little sick, I’d almost rather feel like I have a reason or at least something interesting going on. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/23 "2009-02-10T04:49:32Z")
Have had about 30 or 40 since I was 16. They last between 30 mins and an hour usually. Because there was no accompanying pain, initially I dismissed what was happening as flashbacks from youthful substance abuse, but the fourth or fifth one I got took me down to the ER I was so freaked out. I do have about a week’s increased sensitivity before and/or after the aura - intense head pain if I cough, that sort of thing, but not a constant headache. Only two or three have ever had the headache, thank goodness, because the last one I got, three years ago, was _insanely bad_ beyond belief and the aura lasted about 16 hours. Fingers crossed that that was my migraines’ last hurrah, because I haven’t had one since. **Constant Reader** ’s link is the most accurate representation as to how it develops that I’ve ever seen. However, as the link says “This is very similar, but still not quite as strange as what I see in my head”. I concur. For me, it misses out one key part, which is the blindness. I tried making my own version [here](http://www.crowaptok.com/images/migraine_aura.gif). The gray represents nothingness in between the scintillations, but it isn’t actually gray - or black, or white - it’s just… nothing at all. Impossible to describe. This is particularly freaky when you’re looking at a familiar object, like someone’s face: bits of their face will be missing, like their eye or their mouth. And if it’s a very recognisable object, then some other part of my brain will try to fill in the missing bits with what surrounds them; people end up looking like fleshy monsters. I discovered the really bad one I had three years ago was starting up because I saw a guy walk past me without a head - completely freaked me out until I realised it was a migraine. Therefore I keep my eyes shut as much as possible when it’s happening. I also feel really wussy and tearful for a while when it’s passed. ETA: just realised my aura animation looks like it should be saying “om nom nom nom”. ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/24 "2009-02-10T05:06:58Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I do have about a week’s increased sensitivity before and/or after the aura - intense head pain if I cough, that sort of thing, but not a constant headache. That is exactly what happens to me after an aura fails to produce acute pain. I noticed it at first when I was shaking the water out of my hair after a shower one morning. Ow. > [@jjimm](#): > > For me, it misses out one key part, which is the blindness. I tried making my own version [here](http://www.crowaptok.com/images/migraine_aura.gif). The gray represents nothingness in between the scintillations, but it isn’t actually gray - or black, or white - it’s just… nothing at all. Impossible to describe. > > This is particularly freaky when you’re looking at a familiar object, like someone’s face: bits of their face will be missing, like their eye or their mouth. And if it’s a very recognisable object, then some other part of my brain will try to fill in the missing bits with what surrounds them; people end up looking like fleshy monsters. I discovered the really bad one I had three years ago was starting up because I saw a guy walk past me without a head - completely freaked me out until I realised it was a migraine. Therefore I keep my eyes shut as much as possible when it’s happening. You’ve described my experience almost perfectly, and exactly the way I’d describe it to someone else. The brain cleverly fills in the area that is lost due to aura using surrounding contextual information. Thus an object can be lost in a visual field - such as a word on a page, a nose, or worse, a car on the road. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/25 "2009-02-10T05:07:44Z")
> [@Cumberdale](#): > > I might. Occassionally I will see a glittery line in my vision, like a sparkly floater. Me too. I think of it as my own private shooting stars. They’ve proceeded the few ocular migraines I’ve had, but I’ve seen this visual effect about 4x as often as I’ve actually gotten the migraine. It might well be wholly coincidental that the migraines don’t happen afterwards, but when I see a shooting star I take advil. When I **do** get a migraine, I lose the ability to read because not only is the visual effect distracting, my vision is so blurry I can’t make out 80% of the letters. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/26 "2009-02-10T05:24:22Z")
I started a thread a couple of months ago, on this very subject. I had had my first and only ocular migraine, an amazingly psychedelic experience. I’ve had many regular migraines in the past, often quite debilitating. The ocular was a welcome departure. My mother often had an ocular, never with pain. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/27 "2009-02-10T07:46:52Z")
I used to get the full-blown, nausea + vomiting + agony migraines preceded by an aura. I finally worked out that they were hormone related and didn’t have one for years after the birth of my children. A few years ago, I was in the city (miles away from analgesia and a dark room) when I got an aura. No headache. No nausea, no vomiting. I did feel totally wrung out and had a few more of those aura-only migraines. I suspect it might have been menopause related. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/28 "2009-02-10T13:49:19Z")
I get the ocular migraines when I’m tired and concentrating too much. Sometimes I end up with a slight headache (an aspirin will clear it up); other times I’m fine. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/29 "2009-02-10T14:00:47Z")
I had two about 10 years ago, then started having them again in 2007 from the time I was 18 weeks pregnant. Doctor said it’s not unusual for women who’ve never had them to start having them (or migraines) during pregnancy. I’ve had one since - it came on suddenly at work and lasted about 30 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Constant\_Reader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8edcca/32.png) [@Constant\_Reader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Constant_Reader)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/30 "2009-02-10T15:24:27Z")
**jjimm** , the blindness! It wasn’t until I read your description and took a look at your animation that I realized I experience the same thing. When it’s happening I always think of it as The Nothing from the Neverending Story. After posting here yesterday I emailed my mother to ask about her migraines and she confirmed that I’m following in her footsteps. She’s always had the aura with no headache, except for about 10 yrs ago when the headache came and she felt like she wanted to die. Yay! Something to look forward to. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/31 "2009-02-10T15:54:52Z")
I occasionally have the aura (scintillating scotoma) with gray/blind areas following, similar to what **jjim** described. Usually lasts about 20 minutes. _If_ I’m going to have a headache, the pain comes on as my vision clears. If I had to guess, I’d say that in only half the cases is the aura followed by a headache. I do feel wiped out afterward, even if there’s no pain. Most of my migraines are NOT preceded by an aura. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/32 "2009-02-10T16:00:24Z")
I actually had this happen just the other day. Normally I get aura then the blinding-please-kill-me-now headache. This time I got the aura (the sparkly worms across vision kind) and a mild headache. The really scary part was for about 5 minutes I couldn’t speak. I just couldn’t remember the words that I was trying to say. I thought I might be having a stroke. It went away. Then I had a headache for another 24 hours. Great fun. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/33 "2009-02-10T16:03:43Z")
> [@Rascal\_s\_Mom](#): > > The aura without headache migraine is called an ocular migraine. I haven’t had one in months, but I had a streak where I would have several a week, up to three in a day. They left me exhausted. Occasionally I would have very dull and sort of “muted” pain afterward, but that was rare. I came in here to use the technical term and was beaten by some smertypants. Migraines, I gets all kinds of them. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/34 "2009-02-10T16:04:33Z")
Yep. It’s called an acephalgic migraine. I tend to get them on the toilet- or anytime in the bathroom. I almost never get them outside the bathroom. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/35 "2009-02-11T14:33:47Z")
I see the aura but I never get the headache (thank God, I just hope it doesn’t someday progress to include the headaches). It happens to me about once a week and I’ve experienced this phenomenon for as long as I can remember. I attribute it to having too much caffeine or not enough food to offset the caffeine intake. The aura usually looks like a large halo or doughnut in the middle of my field of vision. The most it lasts for is usually five to ten minutes. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088/36 "2009-02-12T03:00:12Z")
I’ll get the aura and have that followed up by a dull ache, but never a really painful migraine. Usually when I see the aura coming on, I’ll pop a couple of Advil and it does just fine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraines-ever-get-the-aura-without-getting-a-migraine/485088.md?page=1)