Why some migraines may resemble a stroke

Gugs Mhlungu spoke to Medical Director at The Headache Clinic, Dr Elliot Shevel.

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.

A migraine is a neurological condition that causes severe pain in the head and neck.

Additional symptoms can be sensitivity to light, sound, smell, or touch.

"What happens to many people during migraines is before the pain starts, for some reason, there's a slight reduction in blood supply to parts of the brain."

- Dr Elliot Shevel, Medical Director at The Headache Clinic

"Women get migraines three times more commonly than men."

-  Dr Elliot Shevel, Medical Director at The Headache Clinic

"A migraine is a very complex chain of events."

- Dr Elliot Shevel, Medical Director at The Headache Clinic

Some migraines may imitate a mini-stroke, showing symptoms such as temporary facial paralysis, blurred vision, slurred speech, or weakness or numbness in the arms or legs.

Two of the most common types of migraines are migraine without aura and migraine with aura. 

There is no evidence that migraines can cause a stroke, but if you have a migraine with aura, there is a slightly higher risk of stroke. 

According to healthline.com, if you have a migraine with aura, you most likely have at least two attacks that have these characteristics:

an aura that goes away, is completely reversible, and includes at least one of these symptoms:

• visual problems (the most common aura symptom)
• sensory problems of the body, face, or tongue, like numbness, tingling, or dizziness
• speech or language problems
• problems moving or weakness, which may last up to 72 hours

brainstem symptoms, which include:

• difficulty talking or dysarthria (unclear speech)
• vertigo (a spinning feeling)
• tinnitus or ringing in the ears
• diplopia (double vision)
• ataxia or an inability to control body movements
• eye problems in only one eye, including flashes of light, blind spots, or temporary blindness (when these symptoms occur, they’re called retinal migraines)

It is easy to see how a migraine can mimic a stroke.

The FAST method is a simple way to remember and identify stroke symptoms:

• Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
• Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
• Time: Call emergency services immediately if you observe any of these signs.

If you have any concerns when it comes to migraines, it's best to consult your doctor.

Scroll up to listen to the full interview.