Migraine with aura
A type of migraine attack in which you get certain symptoms, like problems with sight, speech and altered sensations
What is migraine with aura?
An aura is a set of neurological symptoms you may get as part of a migraine attack. Neurological means it’s related to the nervous system. If you have migraine, you may get migraine attacks with aura or without aura. You can get both types of attacks at different times. Up to a third of people with migraine get migraine attacks with aura.
This page contains information about typical migraine with aura, along with other forms of migraine with aura: migraine with brainstem aura, retinal (or ocular) migraine, hemiplegic migraine and silent migraine.
Symptoms of migraine with aura
Auras are most commonly to do with your sight. The common symptoms related to your sight include:
- blind spots
- blurred vision
- seeing coloured spots or lines
- seeing flashing or flickering lights
- seeing zig zag patterns.
Other aura symptoms can include:
- numbness or tingling sensation like pins and needles in parts of your body
- problems with speech
- feeling dizzy
- muscle weakness.
Muscle weakness is a less common symptom of aura. If you experience this for the first time, seek medical advice.
Auras usually start happening gradually over about five minutes. Aura symptoms usually last from five minutes up to an hour. The symptoms are temporary, so will wear off after this time.
For most people who get migraine with aura, the aura usually happens just before the main attack stage. This is when you typically get a headache and other migraine symptoms, like sickness and sensitivity to light or sounds.
Some people experience aura symptoms throughout a migraine attack, or after a headache has begun.
Subtypes of migraine with aura
Alongside typical migraine with aura, there are several subtypes of migraine with aura which have slightly different symptoms:
- migraine with brainstem aura
- retinal (or ocular) migraine
- hemiplegic migraine
- silent migraine (migraine without headache).
Usually, the treatment advice for subtypes of migraine with aura is similar to that for typical migraine with aura.
Also known as basilar or basilar-type migraine, migraine with brainstem aura is a rare type of migraine with aura characterised by specific brainstem symptoms. These symptoms include:
- slurred speech (dysarthria)
- a feeling of movement, spinning or swaying (vertigo)
- ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- increased sensitivity to sound (hyperacusis)
- seeing two images of a single object (double vision or diplopia)
- unsteadiness when walking (ataxia)
- fainting or temporary unconsciousness (syncope).
If you have migraine with brainstem aura, you may not experience all these symptoms during migraine attacks, and the symptoms may be different across different attacks. Migraine with brainstem aura can also include other aura symptoms. Unlike hemiplegic migraine, migraine with brainstem aura does not usually involve muscle weakness or paralysis.
It can be difficult to tell migraine with brainstem aura apart from other types of migraine, as the symptoms often overlap. If you think you might have migraine with brainstem aura, seek advice from your GP who should be able to provide more information or refer you to a headache specialist.
Migraine with brainstem aura is thought to occur in 1–10% of people who get migraine with typical visual aura, depending on the definition used. It is usually first experienced as a teenager or young adult, although it can begin at any age. However, if your first migraine with brainstem aura attack develops after the age of 50, it is recommended that you speak to your doctor in case further tests are needed, such as an MRI scan. This is to rule out other causes of your symptoms.
This is a rare type of migraine that causes disturbances with your vision in one eye only. These can include flashes or sparkles, blind spots, or even temporary vision loss. You usually get a headache at the same time, or within 60 minutes of the eye symptoms.
Retinal migraine symptoms are usually temporary and don’t cause long-term damage. But it’s important to rule out other more serious causes of eye symptoms and vision loss. If you experience visual disturbances for the first time, seek urgent medical attention. You should go to A&E or call 999 if you experience sudden vision loss.
Hemiplegic migraine is a rare type of migraine involving temporary weakness or paralysis on one side of the body. More information about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment advice is available on our hemiplegic migraine page.
Some people have aura symptoms but don’t get a headache. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘silent migraine’ or as migraine aura without headache.
Silent migraine is more common in older people. You may be more likely to get it if you develop migraine later in life. If you had typical migraine with aura (with headache) when you were younger, you may also progress to silent migraine as you get older.
Causes of migraine with aura
It is not known exactly what causes aura.
Scientists have suggested that aura may be caused by a slow wave of altered brain activity called ‘cortical spreading depression’. This leads to temporary changes in the chemicals, nerves and blood flow in the brain that affect how it works and could be related to pain.
Treatment options for migraine with aura
Your treatment options depend on how often you have attacks and how severe they are. It will also depend on other factors such as other illnesses you may have or medication that you take.
Generally, treatment for migraine includes:
- Acute treatment such as over-the-counter painkillers, migraine-specific treatments (triptans) and anti-sickness medication. These treatments aim to help manage the symptoms when an attack comes on. For migraine with aura, you should take them as soon as a headache starts. If you only get aura and no head pain, talk to your GP, as this type of treatment won’t work for you. There are no treatments specifically to help with the aura alone. Be careful not to take certain acute treatments on too many days a month as this can cause medication overuse headache.
- Preventive treatment such as beta-blockers, tricyclic antidepressants or anti-epilepsy drugs. These treatments aim to reduce how often you have migraine attacks and how bad they are. You usually take them every day and build them up to an effective dose. Some people need to try a range of treatments or may be referred to a specialist if the treatments don’t work for them.
Alongside the treatments many people benefit from reviewing whether lifestyle changes can help with their migraine attacks. This can include things like sticking to a routine, waking up at the same time each day, eating at similar times each day and staying hydrated. If there are factors such as alcohol or lack of sleep that seem to trigger your migraine attacks, there might be changes that you can make to help reduce how often you have attacks.
About our information
This information has been written by The Migraine Trust Information and Support Services team. It has been reviewed by our panel of expert health professionals and people affected by migraine.
Our information has been awarded the PIF TICK quality mark for trustworthy health information.
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References for our information are available on request.
Last updated: September 2026
