Aura (symptom)
Template:DiseaseDisorder infobox Template:Search infobox Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Aura is the perceptual disturbance experienced by some migraine sufferers before a migraine headache, and the telltale sensation experienced by some people with epilepsy before a seizure. It often manifests as the perception of a strange light or an unpleasant smell.
An aura does not necessitate the onset of either a migraine or a seizure and not everyone who suffers from migraines or seizures will experience auras. Though auras tend to be an unpleasant and irritating sensation, they can be beneficial. Most injuries from seizures occur when there is no warning. Auras allow epileptics time to prevent injury to themselves. The time between the appearance of the aura and the onset of a migraine or seizure can be anything from a few seconds up to an hour. Most people who have auras have the same type of aura every time.
- Auras can take on the following forms:
- Auditory
- Sensory
- Visual
- Auras can also be described as having odd odors, deja vu or dreamlike sensations
- Can possibly be attributed to the area of the brain involved
Complete Differential Diagnosis of the Causes of Aura (symptom)
(In alphabetical order)
- Absence seizures
- Color blindness
- Complex partial seizure
- Epilepsy
- Familial hemiplegic migraine
- Focal seizures
- Gluten-sensitive enteropathy associated conditions
- Migraine
- Partial seizure
- Physiologic nonepileptic seizures
- Pituitary adenoma
- Simple partial seizure
- Temporal lobe epilepsy
- Tonic-clonic seizure
Complete Differential Diagnosis of the Causes of Aura (symptom)
(By organ system)
Cardiovascular | No underlying causes |
Chemical / poisoning | No underlying causes |
Dermatologic | No underlying causes |
Drug Side Effect | No underlying causes |
Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
Endocrine | Pituitary adenoma |
Environmental | No underlying causes |
Gastroenterologic | Gluten-sensitive enteropathy associated conditions |
Genetic | Color blindness |
Hematologic | No underlying causes |
Iatrogenic | No underlying causes |
Infectious Disease | No underlying causes |