What Happens in Your Brain During a Migraine? – A Neurologist Explains
As a neurologist specializing in migraine treatment in Gurgaon, I often see patients who are desperate for answers — and relief
What Happens in Your Brain During a Migraine? – A Neurologist Explains
Migraines are more than just headaches. For millions of people, they are debilitating neurological events that can disrupt daily life, work, relationships, and mental well-being. But what actually happens inside your brain when a migraine strikes?
As a neurologist specializing in migraine treatment in Gurgaon, I often see patients who are desperate for answers — and relief. Understanding the inner workings of a migraine can be the first step toward effective treatment and prevention. Let’s dive deep into the brain science behind migraines and what you can do about them.
What Is a Migraine?
A migraine is a complex neurological condition that typically involves intense, throbbing head pain, often on one side, accompanied by symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Some people also experience aura — temporary visual or sensory disturbances — before the pain begins.
But migraines are not just vascular problems, as once believed. They involve a cascade of changes in brain activity, nerve signaling, and blood flow.
Phase 1: The Prodrome – The Warning Signs
Before the headache begins, many migraine sufferers experience subtle changes in their body and mood — this is called the prodrome phase. It can occur hours or even days before the pain starts.
What’s happening in the brain?
During this stage, your hypothalamus, the area responsible for maintaining your body’s internal balance (hunger, sleep, stress response), becomes active. It starts sending out signals that might result in:
- Fatigue or unusual energy
- Food cravings
- Mood swings
- Frequent yawning
- Neck stiffness
This phase can be a powerful early warning signal. At my clinic for migraine treatment in Gurgaon, we encourage patients to track these early signs to intervene before the full migraine hits.
Phase 2: The Aura – A Disturbance in Perception
Not everyone experiences this phase, but about 25% of migraine sufferers report having an aura. This typically occurs 20–60 minutes before the headache starts.
What’s happening in the brain?
The aura is believed to be caused by a phenomenon called cortical spreading depression (CSD) — a wave of electrical activity that moves across the cerebral cortex, followed by a wave of suppressed activity.
This disturbance can temporarily affect vision, sensation, or even speech. Common aura symptoms include:
- Flashing lights or zigzag patterns
- Blind spots
- Tingling in hands or face
- Difficulty speaking
CSD also triggers inflammatory responses in the brain that can contribute to the pain that follows. Understanding aura can be essential in early diagnosis and personalized migraine treatment in Gurgaon.
Phase 3: The Pain Phase – The Migraine Itself
This is the phase most people are familiar with — the actual headache, which can last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours.
What’s happening in the brain?
Multiple complex events unfold simultaneously:
- Trigeminovascular Activation: The trigeminal nerve, a major pain pathway in the head and face, becomes activated. This leads to the release of neurotransmitters and inflammatory molecules, such as CGRP (Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide), which cause swelling of blood vessels and send pain signals to the brain.
- Central Sensitization: The brain becomes more sensitive to normal stimuli, making even light touches or sounds feel excruciating. This is why many migraine sufferers retreat to a dark, quiet room.
- Neurotransmitter Imbalance: Serotonin levels drop significantly during a migraine. Since serotonin plays a role in regulating pain and mood, its deficiency contributes to both pain and emotional symptoms like anxiety or depression.
These overlapping processes make migraines a neurological storm, not just a vascular issue. That’s why treatments need to be multi-faceted and individualized — which we specialize in through advanced migraine treatment in Gurgaon.
Phase 4: The Postdrome – The Migraine Hangover
Even after the headache subsides, many people report feeling “off” for up to 24-48 hours. This is the postdrome phase, often called the “migraine hangover.”
What’s happening in the brain?
Your brain is essentially recovering from the intense activity it just went through. The areas involved in attention, memory, and mood may still be dysregulated. People often feel:
- Drained or exhausted
- Mentally foggy
- Moody or low
- Sensitive to light and sound
It’s important to rest and stay hydrated during this stage. We advise patients undergoing migraine treatment in Gurgaon to track their postdrome symptoms to better manage future attacks.
What Triggers These Brain Changes?
Understanding migraine triggers can help prevent the brain from entering this complex cycle. Some common triggers include:
- Hormonal changes (especially in women)
- Stress or sudden relaxation after stress
- Skipped meals
- Irregular sleep patterns
- Bright or flickering lights
- Certain foods (like aged cheese, chocolate, red wine)
Everyone’s triggers are different, which is why personalized care is key. At our migraine treatment clinic in Gurgaon, we use trigger mapping and digital diaries to help patients uncover their unique migraine patterns.
How Understanding the Brain Helps in Treatment
Now that we know migraines involve more than just blood vessels, treatment strategies have evolved. Effective migraine care targets multiple systems in the brain, not just pain relief.
Here’s how we approach migraine treatment in Gurgaon:
- Preventive Medications: These include beta-blockers, antiepileptics, and CGRP inhibitors that reduce the frequency of migraines.
- Abortive Treatments: Triptans, NSAIDs, and gepants can stop a migraine in progress if taken early.
- Neuromodulation Devices: Wearable devices like Cefaly or gammaCore can interrupt pain signals without drugs.
- Lifestyle and Behavioral Therapy: Sleep, stress management, and diet play a critical role.
- Botox Injections: For chronic migraines, these can reduce the number of headache days significantly.
Final Thoughts
Migraines are a neurological disorder, not a character flaw or a simple headache. Understanding what happens in your brain during a migraine can empower you to seek the right treatment, avoid triggers, and advocate for better care.
If you or a loved one is struggling with migraines, know that you are not alone — and that effective, personalized care is available. At my clinic, we provide comprehensive migraine treatment in Gurgaonusing the latest diagnostic tools and evidence-based therapies.
Don’t suffer in silence. Let’s work together to calm the storm in your brain and get you back to the life you deserve.
Book a consultation today to begin your journey toward migraine freedom with expert migraine treatment in Gurgaon.
VikasKathuria
Dr. Vikas Kathuria is a dynamic Neurosurgeon specializing in brain and spine related surgical and Non-surgical Procedures.
