When it comes to headache, most people know the meaning of the word "migraine", but only a few know the meaning of the word "aura". An aura is a sensation that occurs just before a migraine strikes. Auras vary widely, but they usually affect vision just for a few seconds or minutes before a headache starts. Symptoms include sparkling lights, wrinkly lines, or simply, blurry vision. Other more rare auras include abdominal pain, transient numbness or weakness on either side of the face, arm or leg, vertigo, and even a feeling of deja vu!

People who suffer from the type of migraines heralded by an aura have an increased risk of suffering a stroke. The risk is still pretty small (please, don't lose sleep over this blog--1.5-2 times that of people without migraine), but because migraines often occur in young women, it is worth knowing that oral contraceptives (i.e., the pill) and smoking have been shown to increase the stroke risk to up to 7 times that of people without migraines.

The take home message: If you have migraines with aura, try to quit smoking, and if at all possible, also try to avoid taking oral contraceptives. If you must be on the pill, talk to your doctor about your overall stroke risk before you start taking it.

Related reading:
Migraines and other stroke mimics
Are you at risk of stroke?
What are the symptoms of a stroke?