Migraines affect 1 in 5 people in the Netherlands, with women experiencing them more often than men. If you're wondering whether your headaches signal migraines, understanding the typical phases can help clarify.
A migraine attack generally progresses through four distinct phases. Between attacks, most people feel completely normal.
Not everyone notices these early signals, but hours to two days before the headache begins, your body often provides clues. You might feel irritable, depressed, or unusually fatigued. Others experience a surge of energy or heightened appetite.
Read also: 'Your tips against migraine'
About one-third of migraine sufferers experience an aura, though it doesn't occur with every attack. This neurological warning from the brain typically lasts 10 to 30 minutes. Common symptoms include blind spots, bright lights, flashing lights, or colorful zigzags—often on one side of the visual field. Double vision, blurriness, tingling, numbness, or even speech difficulties can also arise.
Migraine headaches typically last 1 to 3 days. Attacks shorter than 4 hours or longer than 72 hours usually indicate something else. They occur 1-2 times monthly on average, though frequency varies from twice weekly to once yearly. Pain is often severe, throbbing, and one-sided (though bilateral cases happen), commonly at the forehead or temple. Movement worsens it, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound—prompting retreat to a dark, quiet space.
As the headache eases, full recovery isn't immediate. Fatigue, irritability, depression, and concentration issues linger, sometimes for a full day until you feel yourself again.
