Recognising Mini-Stroke vs. Migraine: Key Differences

What is a stroke?

It is a serious medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted. Leading causes of stroke:

1. Ischemic Stroke: The blood supply to the brain is interrupted due to the narrowing of the blood vessels. This is the most common type of stroke seen in patients.
2. Hemorrhagic Stroke: Blood supply to the brain is interrupted due to the bursting of the blood vessels. Less common than the ischemic type.
3. Transient Ischemic Attack: Blood supply to the brain is interrupted temporarily. Symptoms will not show for more than 24 hours. It is also known as a "mini stroke."

What is a migraine? Migraine is a long-term neurological condition that causes severe headaches that can show symptoms temporarily. There are two main types of migraine.

1. Migraine with Aura: Aura, which typically occurs just before a migraine onset, is a collection of sensory abnormalities or language disruptions. Migraine aura symptoms included:

Vision problems involve zigzags, bright spots, and sparks
Tingling on one side of the body
Speech difficulties

This typically lasts 5 to 60 minutes; the particular aura symptoms frequently shift and develop.

2. Migraine without Aura: Recurrent headache attacks occur for 4-72 hours. Most commonly occurs in children and adolescents. Migraine with aura is a group of sensations that come before a migraine, such as bright flashes or tingling in the hands or face. Just 0.8% of all strokes are migraines, making them extremely uncommon.

Similarities Between Migraine and Mini-stroke

Mini stroke and migraine with aura have similar symptoms; due to this similarity, they can be misdiagnosed sometimes.
Based on research, it's clear that migraine does not cause stroke, but migraine with aura can increase the risk of future stroke as compared to people without migraine.

Migraine Acts As Stroke: Some common symptoms occur in both migraine and stroke:

Headache without known cause (mostly occurs on one side of the body).
Numbness in the hand and face.
Dizziness
Nausea and vomiting
Visual loss
Difficulty in speech
Stiffness in the neck
Fatigue
Body ache

Migraine auras can be confused with transient mini-strokes, which are brief episodes of stroke symptoms. For example, a stroke can be confused with a migraine that just has a visual aura and headache. A migraine can occur suddenly and cause minor disorientation, much like a stroke. The symptoms of a TIA or stroke, on the other hand, appear suddenly, whereas migraine aura symptoms often start out slowly before spreading and getting worse.

Differences Between Stroke and Migraine

Migraine has different trigger points: Migraine can be triggered by stress, poor quality of sleep, some kind of smell, hormonal changes, or loud sounds. A stroke can be caused by the interruption of the blood supply to the brain.
Age Increases Risk of Stroke: The Risk of stroke increases with age. After the age of 60, the risk of stroke doubles. Migraine is common at a young age.
Stroke damage is permanent: Stroke damages the brain cells permanently, unlike a migraine. Migraine is a temporary episodic problem and leave no damage inside the brain.
Recurrence Episodes of Migraine: When you have your first migraine attack, you can get a second, maybe after some days or months, unlike a stroke. Symptoms of migraine-like vision issues, dizziness, and numbness may resolve after several hours, as compared to a stroke.

How Migraine and Strokes Are Related in Women?

The risk of stroke will increase in women who have migraine with aura, including:

Consumption of oral contraceptives
Women aged over 35
Women who smoke
Women with other heart problems

Final thoughts?

Although it's a common misunderstanding, migraine aura and mini-strokes (also known as TIAs) are two different conditions. A ministroke generally occurs quickly, but migraine aura symptoms normally appear gradually.
Stroke and migraine with aura are two separate conditions. An attack does not always indicate that you are suffering or will soon have a stroke. Studies have indicated that those who suffer from migraine with aura are more susceptible to stroke. So it's very important to consult a doctor from time to time and take all preventive measures.

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