{"id":30959,"date":"2021-06-02T09:30:27","date_gmt":"2021-06-02T13:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=30959"},"modified":"2023-04-17T09:00:33","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T13:00:33","slug":"silent-migraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/silent-migraine\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a silent migraine?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most people who experience migraine would consider their condition to be largely misunderstood by other people, especially those who have never had a migraine headache. But one subset of migraine is so misunderstood, even people who <\/span>do <\/span><\/i>have migraine may not know much about it: silent migraine, or migraine without pain.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering how you can have a headache without the…well, <\/span>headache<\/span><\/i>, we understand your confusion! Here\u2019s what you need to know about the symptoms of silent migraine, who is most at risk for developing it, and how you can treat this headache-without-the-headache.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a silent migraine?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Silent migraine (or acephalgic migraine, in medical terms) is a migraine without the headache, but it\u2019s not as strange as it sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Migraine is<\/span> more than just a bad headache<\/span><\/a>\u2014it\u2019s a whole body experience. Looking at migraine through that lens makes it easier to understand the silent variety: You might have several other symptoms of migraine, such as aura, sensitivity to light, smells, or noise, and nausea or vomiting, but not the traditional throbbing or stabbing head pain typically associated with migraine. There are two classifications of migraine headaches. Classic migraine involves pain and <\/span>aura<\/span><\/i>, which has negative symptoms (numbness or loss of vision) or positive symptoms (visual spots, lines, or flickering lights, difficulty swallowing, or the sensation of pins or needles). Common migraine presents with pain, but no aura.<\/span><\/p>\n

Traditional migraines aren\u2019t dangerous in themselves, but they can lead to other problems such as dehydration and insomnia, plus they can affect your quality of life (by interfering with your ability to work or maintain relationships).<\/span><\/p>\n

The same is true for silent migraine, says Medhat Mikhael, MD, a pain management specialist and medical director of the non-operative program at the Spine Health Center at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center, though there is good reason not to ignore episodes of silent migraine.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou want a neurological exam to rule out other problems that cause similar symptoms [like mini strokes or meningitis],\u201d he explains. \u201cWith silent migraine, you\u2019re also at higher risk for strokes in the future, so we keep an eye on [these patients] and follow them closely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Silent migraine symptoms<\/span><\/h2>\n

The symptoms of silent migraine are the same as traditional migraine, with the exception of head pain. In classic or common migraine (<\/span>migraine with or without aura<\/span><\/a>, respectively), people will have throbbing or stabbing pain, usually on one side of their head.<\/span><\/p>\n

With silent migraine, you may experience:<\/span><\/p>\n