Auras
Auras are perceptual disturbances that can occur as a symptom of various neurological conditions, most notably epilepsy and migraines. They may manifest as a range of sensations, including visual distortions, auditory phenomena, and physical sensations such as tingling or numbness. Individuals experiencing an aura might describe symptoms like dizziness, confusion, and mood swings, which can precede more severe conditions like seizures or migraines. The term "aura" comes from a Greek word meaning "breeze," originally used to describe a peculiar sensation prior to an epileptic episode.
Treatment options for auras depend on their underlying cause; for instance, those related to migraines may benefit from specific antimigraine medications, while individuals with seizure-related auras might find relief through surgery or antiepileptic drugs. The understanding of auras has evolved, with ongoing research focused on unraveling their causes and improving therapeutic approaches. Cultural perspectives on auras can vary, with some viewing them as medical symptoms while others may attribute them to spiritual or metaphysical experiences. Continued advancements in research aim to enhance the quality of life for those affected by these phenomena.
Auras
Anatomy or system affected: Arms, brain, ears, eyes, legs, mouth, nervous system, nose, psychic-emotional system, skin, throat
Definition: Warning sensations of varying kinds received by the patient prior to a seizure, migraine, or psychotic episode
Causes: Seizures, migraines, drug side effects, delirium, dementia, cerebral palsy, brain cancers, convulsions, hallucinations, aging process
Symptoms: Skin sensations, dizziness, faintness, seeing brilliant dots and lines, hearing nonexistent sounds, experiencing disagreeable odors, tingling and/or numbness, speech problems, confusion, weakness on one side, mood swings
Duration: Temporary
Treatments: Surgery, medications
Causes and Symptoms
Causes of auras include seizures (epilepsy), drug side effects, delirium, dementia, migraines, cerebral palsy, brain cancers, convulsions, hallucinations, and the aging process. General symptoms include skin sensations and motor, vegetative, and psychological phenomena. More specific symptoms include epigastric discomfort, dizziness, faintness, and basic elementary phenomena, such as seeing brilliant dots and lines, hearing nonexistent sounds, and experiencing strange and disagreeable odors. Symptoms occasionally include a “pins-and-needles” feeling on one side of the face or body, followed by numbness, or numbness without tingling. Other symptoms include speech problems, confusion, weakness on one side, mood swings, mental fuzziness, and fluid retention.
Treatment and Therapy
Auras (seizures) are of diagnostic importance because they suggest a cerebral localization. For these sufferers, surgery of the affected brain area may bring some relief, as might the use of appropriate medication.
Migraine aura sufferers benefit from the use of several antimigraine drugs, including Inderal (propranolol) and Sansert (methysergide), as well as analgesics and ergotamines. All of the above are effective drugs in stopping a migraine attack once it has begun. The sufferers of auras related to psychosis will also benefit from the use of appropriate psychotropic medications.
Perspective and Prospects
Aura derives from a Greek word for "breeze." The term was introduced by Galen, a Greek physician and writer of the second century BCE, to designate a momentary gasping sensation experienced by some patients before an epileptic attack.
Current US laws permit epilepsy patients with controlled seizures to drive. Factors that significantly decrease the odds of patients with epilepsy having motor vehicle crashes due to seizures are long seizure-free intervals, reliable auras, few prior non-seizure-related accidents, and having had their antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) reduced or switched. Patients who have rare seizures without definite auras should not drive alone.
The majority of current research related to auras is in the area of seizures (epilepsy). Advances have been made in the treatment of auras through surgery and medications. Research and medical advances in the twenty-first century will help health care professionals understand better the causes of auras, refine existing treatment methods, and develop new medications and treatments.
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