Chapter 7: Patterns: Visual Migraines and Chapter 8: The Sacred Disease Summary and Analysis

In Chapter 7, Sacks discusses his own experiences with migraines as a child, from the age of about 6. His mother, a doctor and fellow migraine sufferer, was able to detect what Sacks saw as "auras," or a flash of brightness that came in a wave pattern, as the aura that generally proceeds a migraine. However, Sacks was blessed not to have the physical headache, but merely the precursors, which are caused by electrical impulses in the brain. Sufferers often see a kidney shaped mass moving into their field of vision, and within this mass, called a scintillating scotoma, is a blind spot. Some hallucinate geometric shapes within this scotoma, as well, and these may become black and white, or vividly colorful. One may also experience feelings...