Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsProblems With the TermSymptomsDifferencesCausesTreatmentQuestion to Ask a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Problems With the Term
Symptoms
Differences
Causes
Treatment
Question to Ask a Provider
“Atypical migraine” is a term used to describe a migraine that doesn’t have the usualcharacteristics and symptoms of a migraine. Many people who occasionally have atypical migraines also have migraines that fit the standard migraine description,but there are characteristics that can distinguish atypical migraines from migraines.
Some features of atypical migraines include having migraine symptoms without head pain, havingmigraines without an aura,or having neurological symptoms (such as weakness of part of the body) along with the migraines.
This article describes the features of atypical migraines and warning signs that indicate a need for medical attention.
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Problem With the Term “Atypical” Migraine
While “atypical migraine” is a commonly used term, this is not a diagnostic description or a medical definition.Atypical migraine is not one of the formal migraine classifications.However, if you have been told that you have atypical migraine, this generally means that there is something unusual about your migraine symptoms.
Most of the time, other medical conditions are considered as possible causes of the symptoms before an atypical migraine is diagnosed. You would likely have some diagnostic tests or be evaluated for other possible conditions before it’s established that you are having atypical migraines.
What to Know About Migraine
Characteristics of Atypical Migraine Symptoms
Some atypical migraine characteristics are:
What Is a Migraine Aura?A migraine aura is a neurological symptom that accompanies any stage of a migraine. It can include vision changes, weakness, numbness, slurred speech, and more. A migraine aura can feel very similar to a stroke.If you have unexplained neurological symptoms, it’s important to see a health care provider—because a stroke can result in death or disability if it’s not treated promptly.
What Is a Migraine Aura?
A migraine aura is a neurological symptom that accompanies any stage of a migraine. It can include vision changes, weakness, numbness, slurred speech, and more. A migraine aura can feel very similar to a stroke.If you have unexplained neurological symptoms, it’s important to see a health care provider—because a stroke can result in death or disability if it’s not treated promptly.
A migraine aura is a neurological symptom that accompanies any stage of a migraine. It can include vision changes, weakness, numbness, slurred speech, and more. A migraine aura can feel very similar to a stroke.
If you have unexplained neurological symptoms, it’s important to see a health care provider—because a stroke can result in death or disability if it’s not treated promptly.
What Makes Atypical Migraine Different
Features that make an atypical migraine different from a standard migraine include having additional symptoms to those typical of a migraine, a lack of head pain, or an unusual pattern of migraine timing or age of onset.
Sometimes an atypical migraine can appear like a stroke. It’s very important for a stroke to be excluded as the cause—because a stroke requires prompt medical intervention.
How Atypical Migraine Differs From a Stroke
Differentiating an atypical migraine from a stroke involves a rapid process that includes a medical history, physical examination, and potentially diagnostic testing.
Features that can help differentiate a stroke from an atypical migraine include:
Because symptoms that can occur with a stroke or an atypical migraine are not always clear, a physical examination is necessary.
Characteristics of a stroke that can differentiate it from atypical migraine include weakness on one side of the body, a visual field defect, changes in reflexes, and objective sensory deficits.
Brain imaging testscan help differentiate between an atypical migraine and a stroke because a stroke usually will show changes on a brain computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), while an atypical migraine will not.
New Stroke Symptom Acronym Says ‘BE FAST’ About Calling 911
Other Possible Conditions
Several other medical illnesses can produce symptoms similar to those of an atypical migraine. It may take extensive testing to distinguish atypical migraine from similar medical conditions.
Conditions that can be similar to atypical migraine include:
Your medical evaluation will be based on your symptoms, risk factors, and physical examination.
Causes of Atypical Migraine
Research suggests that some migraine subtypes might be associated with different genes, but there is no well-established genetic link to one subtype of migraine vs. the others.
How to Relieve Atypical Migraine Pain
Treatment for atypical migraines is similar to treatment with typical features. Usually, with migraine treatment, certain medications and therapies are more effective for some people than others. One of the difficulties of migraine treatment is that it is impossible to predict which therapy will be most effective for you.
Migraine treatment is based on two complementary approaches—acute treatments that you would take during migraine episodes and preventive treatment that you would use daily to avoid migraines.
Acute therapies that are usually effective for migraine relief include:
Preventive medications include:
Lifestyle practices are also a crucial part of both prevention and treatment. This includes avoiding migraine triggers, getting enough rest, and managing stress.
Questions that can help you communicate with a healthcare provider about your atypical migraines may include:
Summary
Atypical migraines do not fit the typical description of a migraine. However, there is no specific diagnostic definition of an atypical migraine. If you have neurological symptoms with your migraines or migraine symptoms without a headache, you might have been told that you have atypical migraines.
The key feature of any migraine care is learning your triggers, considering whether you need preventive medication, and having access to effective treatment if you have a migraine.
Discuss stroke risk factors with a healthcare provider so that you can lower your risk of a stroke. Ask how to know when you should get medical attention if you develop symptoms.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Umemoto KK, Tawk K, Mazhari N, Abouzari M, Djalilian HR.Management of migraine-associated vestibulocochlear disorders.Audiol Res. 2023;13(4):528-545. doi:10.3390/audiolres13040047Tinsley A, Rothrock JF.What are we missing in the diagnostic criteria for migraine?Curr Pain Headache Rep.2018;22(12):84. doi:10.1007/s11916-018-0733-1Maksemous N, Harder AVE, Ibrahim O, et al.Whole exome sequencing of hemiplegic migraine patients shows an increased burden of missense variants in CACNA1H and CACNA1I genes.Mol Neurobiol.2023;60(6):3034-3043. doi:10.1007/s12035-023-03255-5Scutelnic A, Drangova H, Klein A, et al.Changes of migraine aura with advancing age of patients.J Headache Pain.2023;24(1):100. doi:10.1186/s10194-023-01642-wAmiri P, Kazeminasab S, Nejadghaderi SA, et al.Migraine: a review on Its history, global epidemiology, risk factors, and comorbidities.Front Neurol. 2022;12:800605. doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.800605National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Migraine.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Umemoto KK, Tawk K, Mazhari N, Abouzari M, Djalilian HR.Management of migraine-associated vestibulocochlear disorders.Audiol Res. 2023;13(4):528-545. doi:10.3390/audiolres13040047Tinsley A, Rothrock JF.What are we missing in the diagnostic criteria for migraine?Curr Pain Headache Rep.2018;22(12):84. doi:10.1007/s11916-018-0733-1Maksemous N, Harder AVE, Ibrahim O, et al.Whole exome sequencing of hemiplegic migraine patients shows an increased burden of missense variants in CACNA1H and CACNA1I genes.Mol Neurobiol.2023;60(6):3034-3043. doi:10.1007/s12035-023-03255-5Scutelnic A, Drangova H, Klein A, et al.Changes of migraine aura with advancing age of patients.J Headache Pain.2023;24(1):100. doi:10.1186/s10194-023-01642-wAmiri P, Kazeminasab S, Nejadghaderi SA, et al.Migraine: a review on Its history, global epidemiology, risk factors, and comorbidities.Front Neurol. 2022;12:800605. doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.800605National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Migraine.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Umemoto KK, Tawk K, Mazhari N, Abouzari M, Djalilian HR.Management of migraine-associated vestibulocochlear disorders.Audiol Res. 2023;13(4):528-545. doi:10.3390/audiolres13040047Tinsley A, Rothrock JF.What are we missing in the diagnostic criteria for migraine?Curr Pain Headache Rep.2018;22(12):84. doi:10.1007/s11916-018-0733-1Maksemous N, Harder AVE, Ibrahim O, et al.Whole exome sequencing of hemiplegic migraine patients shows an increased burden of missense variants in CACNA1H and CACNA1I genes.Mol Neurobiol.2023;60(6):3034-3043. doi:10.1007/s12035-023-03255-5Scutelnic A, Drangova H, Klein A, et al.Changes of migraine aura with advancing age of patients.J Headache Pain.2023;24(1):100. doi:10.1186/s10194-023-01642-wAmiri P, Kazeminasab S, Nejadghaderi SA, et al.Migraine: a review on Its history, global epidemiology, risk factors, and comorbidities.Front Neurol. 2022;12:800605. doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.800605National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Migraine.
Umemoto KK, Tawk K, Mazhari N, Abouzari M, Djalilian HR.Management of migraine-associated vestibulocochlear disorders.Audiol Res. 2023;13(4):528-545. doi:10.3390/audiolres13040047
Tinsley A, Rothrock JF.What are we missing in the diagnostic criteria for migraine?Curr Pain Headache Rep.2018;22(12):84. doi:10.1007/s11916-018-0733-1
Maksemous N, Harder AVE, Ibrahim O, et al.Whole exome sequencing of hemiplegic migraine patients shows an increased burden of missense variants in CACNA1H and CACNA1I genes.Mol Neurobiol.2023;60(6):3034-3043. doi:10.1007/s12035-023-03255-5
Scutelnic A, Drangova H, Klein A, et al.Changes of migraine aura with advancing age of patients.J Headache Pain.2023;24(1):100. doi:10.1186/s10194-023-01642-w
Amiri P, Kazeminasab S, Nejadghaderi SA, et al.Migraine: a review on Its history, global epidemiology, risk factors, and comorbidities.Front Neurol. 2022;12:800605. doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.800605
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Migraine.
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