Brain doctor says 1 common symptom is 'earliest sign of migraine' – not pain

Brain doctor says 1 common symptom is 'earliest sign of migraine' – not pain A migraine is a severe and often debiliating headache that can leave sufferers dealing with extreme pain, nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity and more. One common symptom could be a sign a migraine is about to start A brain doctor has shared the common symptom many people experience on a regular basis that could actually be a sign a migraine is coming. A migraine is a “complex neurologic disorder with multiple stages” typically characterised by extremely painful, debilitating and recurring headaches. The pain of a migraine is severe and mainly on one side of the head. It can worsen when you move and is often accompanied by feelings of nausea and can lead to vomiting. Many sufferers also struggle with extreme sensitivity to light, sound and smell. The NHS cautions people may get a variety of symptoms at the start of a migraine attack, signalling its arrival. Symptoms can include “feeling very tired and yawning a lot, craving certain foods or feeling thirsty, changes in your mood, a stiff neck” and even “peeing more”. One of these common migraine signs was discussed at length by Jessica Lowe MD, a neurologist and epileptologist who posts content on social media under the name Doctor Brain Barbie. In a recent TikTok video, she focused on yawning and its potential link to the onset of a migraine. Speaking directly to the camera, Jessica began: “Fun fact - excessive yawning can be a symptom of migraine and, no, it’s not necessarily because you’re tired.” She continued: “For many patients, frequent yawning is actually a part of the ‘prodrome phase’, which is the earliest stage of a migraine attack that can occur hours and sometimes days before the headache begins. “One of the key brain regions involved in this phase is the structure called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus helps regulate things like sleep, wakefulness, appetite, body temperature, hormone release and many other automatic functions within the body.” The expert explained “brain imaging studies have shown activation of the hypothalamus very early during migraine attacks before the pain phase begins”. She branded this “particularly relevant” because lots of the “symptoms migraine patients experience during the prodrome phase are functions that the hypothalamus helps regulate”. These include “yawning, food cravings, fatigue, changes in mood, difficulty concentrating, increased thirst and even neck discomfort”, echoing guidance issued by the NHS. Dr Lowe continued: “Yawning is also closely linked to dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in reward, motivation, movement and arousal. “So when dopamine pathways are activated, yawning can occur - and we know that dopamine signalling appears to be altered in migraine. “In fact, migraine patients can be unusually sensitive to dopamine which may help explain why symptoms like yawning, nausea, food cravings, changes in alertness, can occur before the headache phase.” The doctor said if you ever find yourself “yawning repeatedly for no obvious reason”, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re overtired and craving a caffeine hit. Dr Lowe went on: “For some migraine patients, it may be one of the first signs that a migraine attack has already begun so remember, a migraine attack doesn’t necessarily start when the headache starts. “The headache is just one phase of a neurologic process that may have been developing in the brain for hours or even days because migraine is a complex neurologic disorder with multiple stages - and the pain is only one part of the story.”