Migraines

• A migraine headache sometimes includes the aura stage with visual disturbances and numbness, followed by an intense and throbbing headache pain, which includes sensitivity to light and sound. Nausea commonly accompanies migraine pain.
  
  

Aura

• The visual disturbances of the migraine aura include blind spots, flashing lights, zigzag lines and shimmering spots. The aura will precede the pain stage of a migraine, although headache does not always follow the aura. Visual disturbances without headache pain are most often referred to as optical migraines. According to the Mayo Clinic, these visual disturbances are thought to be caused from an electrical wave that moves across the brain, causing hallucinations.
  
  

Triggers

• Keeping a migraine diary will help you identify and avoid triggers. Even though each migraine sufferer may have different triggers, common triggers include food, alcohol and other stressors such as hunger or changes in the weather.
  
  

Food

• Common food triggers include aged cheeses, meats preserved in nitrates and foods prepared with monosodium glutamate (MSG). Chocolate and caffeine also trigger migraines in many people.
  
  

Alcohol

• Consuming certain beverages such as red wine, or consuming excessive amounts of any alcohol, can trigger a migraine in certain people.
  
  

Other Risk Factors

• Women are also three times more likely than men to suffer from migraines. Hormonal changes such as menstruation and menopause can worsen the frequency of attacks. If you have a family history of migraines, you are more likely to suffer from them.