Migraines Manifest in Many Forms

The author notes that there are many opportunities for misdiagnosis of migraines simply because the symptoms are so varied and the causes may be difficult to discern. Headache pain and nausea are among the more common symptoms of migraines though are not by any means the end-all determination for a diagnosis. Sacks points out that there are some cases in which even the headache is not presents. In some cases, an extreme sense of well-being may occur hours or even days prior to the actual event. In other cases, patients describe a feeling of chaos or unrest. Still others say they are overly tired with an irresistible desire to sleep prior to the actual onset of the migraine. Sacks cites one case study in which the man, generally taciturn in nature, describes a sense of something akin to euphoria or excitement prior to the...