SymptomsBy Mayo Clinic staff Migraine headaches often begin in
childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. Migraines may
progress through four stages — prodrome, aura, attack and
postdrome — though you may not experience all the stages. One or
two days before a migraine, you may notice subtle changes that
may signify an oncoming migraine, including: - Food cravings -
Neck stiffness Most people experience migraine headaches without
aura. Auras are usually visual but can also be sensory, motor or
verbal disturbances. Each of these symptoms typically begins
gradually, builds up over several minutes, then commonly lasts
for 10 to 30 minutes. Examples of aura include: - Visual
phenomena, such as seeing various shapes, bright spots or
flashes of light - Vision loss - Pins and needles sensations in
an arm or leg - Speech or language problems Less commonly, an
aura may be associated with aphasia or limb weakness (hemiplegic
migraine). When untreated, a migraine typically lasts from four
to 72 hours, but the frequency