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 such as olfactory (smell)
  • 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)

== External links ==*About.com aura summary*Epilepsy.com information*Migraine Aura Foundation*MAGNUM, the National Migraine Association*Epilepsy Action information*Migraines with 'aura' raise women's stroke riskit:Aura (medicina)de:Aura (Epilepsie)Template:WikiDoc Sources

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