Do you ever wish you could sense when you have are about to get hit with a migraine? Maybe make the call to skip happy hour and get home to rest, or remember to grab your go-to remedy before you leave the house.
With several million Americans being affected by migraine, researchers are trying to identify not just the causes and triggers of migraine, but also how people can tell when they are going to get a migraine attack.
In this article, we’ll talk about the 10 WEIRD signs that can tell you when you could be on the brink of getting a migraine headache…
Any given person may experience just one or two of these, if any, and notice a pattern that can over time can be used as an early warning sign. Leave a comment with what signs you get that a migraine is coming!
10 Weird Migraine Signs
1) Getting an aura: Some people experience visual symptoms known as an aura. Aura experiences manifest as flickering lights, spots or lines. Auras last from 5 minutes to an hour and typically precede a full-blown migraine attack.
2) Changes in mood: Mood changes can be a precursor to migraines. Some people will feel depressed, whereas others may feel exhilarated.
3) Experiencing a spinning room: Migraines can affect inner-ear balance, resulting in a whirling, swirling room. This is similar to vertigo, producing a nauseous sensation that precedes a migraine.
4) Tingling of the body: Aura affects the sensory nerves, resulting in tingling of the limbs and the body. The nerves then become quiescent, resulting in numbness. So, both tingling and numbness of the limbs occur before a migraine attack for some individuals.
5) Overwhelmed by noxious odors: Almost half of all migraine sufferers experience sensitivity to smell before a migraine. The perception of scents can be so strong that they cause nausea.
6) Sensitivity to light: Exposure to light when the migraine process is already under way in your body, can cause your optic nerve to activate pain receptors in your brain. This is why most migraine sufferers look to be in a dark, quiet place during their migraine attacks. Sometimes this sensitivity to light is noticeable days or hours before the full-blown migraine occurs.
7) Suffering from sinus symptoms: Some people with migraine have sinus symptoms, such as stuffy nose, droopy eyelids or tearing before an attack. These symptoms can warn you of an impending migraine headache.
8) Craving of certain foods: Before a migraine attack many people crave certain foods, such as chocolate. This can be a signal of a nutrient deficiency. For example, correcting a magnesium deficiency can help stop the chocolate cravings and ward off a migraine.
9) Frequency of urination: If you find yourself running to the bathroom more than usual, it may be a sign that you are about to get a migraine. This can happen an hour or a couple of days before you get a migraine and is thought to be linked to your body trying to rid itself of excess toxins. Being overburdened by toxins is a contributor to migraines.
10) Yawning a lot: If you yawn excessively, which is different from the kind of yawning you do when tired, may signal that you are about to get a migraine. Yawning before a migraine headache may be excessive and may occur every few minutes.
11) (Yes we said 10, but we got so many comments about this one we decided to add it in later) Metalic taste: Some people find that the get a metallic taste in their mouth preceding (or in some cases actually towards the end) of a migraine. Now that is weird!
So if I experience one of these, am I definitely going to get a migraine?
These are common patterns reported by people with migraines.
No two migraine attacks or migraineurs are the same.
Yawning a lot doesn’t mean that you are definitely going to get a migraine.
The point is that by listening to these unusual, seemingly unrelated clues, you may be able to pick up on patterns in yourself. The earlier you notice and take action to stop a migraine, the more effective treatments are – whether you go with conventional medicine or holistic options.
Tuning in and getting to get to know your body is important either way. It is a key concept we teach our clients called Systematic Intuition™.
Keep these 10 signs in mind for early warning of an impending migraine attack so you are more prepared to minimize it.
Do you have any other WEIRD signs? Share in the comments below and help someone else figure out their patterns!
Learn how to stop a migraine fast
In the Ultimate Migraine Relief online course, you’ll learn how to effectively stop a migraine during these earliest warning signs and stop it from becoming a full-blown attack.
Sometimes I crave pickles!
That’s not actually as weird as it might sound. Sometimes athletes crave pickles (and pickle juice) when they are short on electrolytes!
I van always see auroas when a migraine is going yo be full blown I try to take medicine and rest BUT I don’t always catch it early
Erin, I can’t tell you how much I enjoy reading your posts!! I share every one with my husband and daughter. My husband has had migraines for years and it seems our 18 year old may be getting them occasionally now, too. While they have almost always seemed in relation to the weather, your posts have led me to believe there are other factors as well. I have already shared this gem of a post with them. Thanks so much for all you share!
<3 Very happy to hear this!
I get aura around the eyes. I also can feel a fuzziness spreading between the top of my brain and skull then I feel sick.
It’s so good to know in advance about the symptoms. Who knows when it can happen. I refer your articles to my sister who suffers from migraine bouts.
Thanks for sharing this article. Hope your sister feels better.
These are weird symptoms I would have never thought of! I should ask my sister if she experiences any of them because she gets chronic migraines!
Thanks for passing this along.
It’s SO important to know the signs of an impending migraine so you can start treating it immediately. I have a friend who has chronic migraines, and she’s always on the lookout for the signs.
I asked my daughter, who as suffered since adolescence, because i got a Stabbing Ear Headache ( knife in ear seconds apart horrible pain & terror. No neuro nerve on MRI. , Then a few migraines. She has helped me & said nausea can be s sign. I had it for 2 days before last nights migraine. She said she thinks i can develop them at my age, 60 yo! So, learning my sign & tools, this was helpful.
Sorry typos still recovering
Good tips! I have never had a migraine, but i hear they are horrible. My friend sits in the sink with her head between her legs in the dark when she has one!
My mom gets migraines and she’s described a lot of these warning signs, like auras and spinning rooms as well as general sensitivity to light. Thank you for sharing! It’s good to be aware. ♡
I suffer from migraine issues. And yes I have noticed sensitivity to light whenever a migraine is coming.
I can totally relate to this because I get terrible migraines. Odd but real symptoms.
I am sorry to hear this. Feel free to contact us if we can help more.
Every time I read about migraine, it just makes me realize how serious this is especially for the ones who are suffering from it. :0(
It is painful.
This is really helpful! Knowing the signs is really important!
Thanks for the tips. I wasn’t aware of some of these!
The symptom I experience before I get a migraine headache is sensitivity to light. I start turning off the lights. Lately we have chosen to used subdued lighting to help me avoid nasty episodes.
The sensitivity to light is my least favorite. That one always hits me pretty hard and I dread it.
ugh i get really bad migraines any time i’m near the smell of cigarette smoke! sooo gross and my body just cannot handle it. thank you for sharing these helpful tips on how to deal with migraines! so helpful.
You are welcome. I am glad this helps you.
Thank you for sharing this awareness now I guess I have 3 or 4 of those symptoms. At least will be more mindful of the signs.
You are welcome. Mindful of these signs is the best way to prevent it.
Oh! I never knew that frequent urination is one of the signs! I knew it! Great list. Very helpful so I can prepare any migraine attack soon.
Will share this with a friend who is always telling me she has migraines! Such a great post!
Thank you, Claudia <3
I never knew that one of the signs of an oncoming migraine is the craving of certain foods. My wife has been dealing with migraines for a couple of years now, and they are really hard on her. Whenever we move, we have to find a women’s health clinic in our new area for her to go to whenever she has a migraine.
Although I suffer from what my neurologist called “familial migraines,” meaning everyone on one side of the tree gets them, my migraines are not what most would consider a migraine. I don’t vomit, but I feel very nauseous and most of the time light doesn’t bother me. I still experience some of these precursors – especially mood changes and sensitivity to smell. I smell EVERYTHING – good or bad from the next room. And I get so irritable and easily depressed. I also sometimes get the droopy eye. And it’s nice to find someone writing about this that knows everyone’s migraines are not all the same.
I have all of these. Plus upset stomach. I have hemiplegic migraines. Great article
I always get a little green spot in the edges of my vision, and I can’t focus on it. Another thing I’ve noticed is sound really hurts, along with any light at all suddenly feeling like it’s been dialed up to 11. The blurred vision and fatigue suck.
I very often will get a cold noise prior and during a migraine. I never realized it was a precursor until a friend told me she experiences the same thing!