What is migraine with aura?
Short answer
Migraine with aura includes reversible neurological symptoms — most often visual, but sometimes sensory or language-related — that precede or accompany the attack.
More detail
Typical visual auras include shimmering, zig-zag lines, blind spots, or expanding patterns lasting minutes to an hour. Sensory auras may involve tingling that spreads across a limb or face. Aura symptoms usually resolve fully.
New, sudden, or persistent neurological symptoms are not automatically aura and can indicate other conditions. Any first-time aura-like symptom should be evaluated, particularly in adults over 40 or when it does not fully resolve.
Seek urgent care for any of these
- First-time aura symptoms in older adults
- Aura symptoms that do not fully resolve
- Weakness or speech changes
- Sudden 'worst headache of your life'
If you are experiencing any of the above, contact emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department.
This information is educational and general in nature. It is not a diagnosis or a treatment plan, and it does not describe every possible cause of a symptom. Individual evaluation is required to determine what applies to any specific case.
Related service
Migraine & Persistent Headache Care
Evaluation and individualized care for migraine, post-traumatic headache, and persistent headache patterns.
Learn more about Migraine & Persistent Headache Care