Skip to main content
Woman wearing a yellow jacket suffering with a migraine

BASILAR MIGRAINES: CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, & TREATMENT

Migraines can cause debilitating, throbbing pain that may make you sensitive to light, sound and even sudden movement.1 Often people who experience migraines also have symptoms like fatigue, nausea, visual disturbances, and even temporary loss of vision.1

There are a variety of migraine types, including migraines with aura (also known as a basilar migraine), migraines without aura, ocular migraines, and retinal migraines.1 Let’s look closer at the basilar migraine and its common causes, symptoms, and treatment options.

Basilar migraine symptoms

A basilar migraine is also referred to as a migraine with brainstem aura or a migraine with aura2. People that experience migraine with brainstem aura can have the following symptoms:

  • Visual: You see spots, stars, or lines in your vision.2
  • Sensory: You may feel a numbness in your face, hands, or head.2
  • Speech: You may not be able to speak or pronounce words properly (slurred speech).2

Because this type of migraine starts in the base of the brain, you can experience symptoms on one or both sides of your body.2,3 This may cause other symptoms including ataxia (having unsteady/uncoordinated movements), tinnitus (ringing in ears), vertigo (spinning of self or environment), diplopia (double vision) and even symptoms of nausea or impaired hearing.2

Couple smiles while cooking in a kitchen

Save on Excedrin

Get printable coupons and special offers to save on Excedrin.

Get coupons

Basilar migraines causes and triggers

Just as it is important to understand the potential symptoms of basilar migraines, it is also important to know what could be triggering them. Similar to other migraines, a basilar migraine can be activated by:

  • Emotional stress
  • Delaying or missing a meal
  • Being sensitive to specific chemical or preservatives in foods
  • Having too much caffeine or being in withdrawal from caffeine
  • Hormonal changes (specifically for women around the time of their menstrual periods)
  • Flashing or fluorescent lights1

Other common triggers include overexertion, disruptive or inconsistent sleep, medications that cause blood vessels to swell, not drinking enough water, and even changes in weather conditions that cause barometric pressure changes.1

Basilar migraine diagnosis and treatment

Those that suspect that they might be experiencing migraines with brainstem aura should consider being carefully assessed by their doctor for any underlying causes. Your doctor may diagnose you with a basilar migraine based on your signs and symptoms in addition to your medical and family history and a thorough physical exam.4 Some of the different types of assessments you could get are:

  • Eye examination. This is done by an ophthalmologist and can rule out your eyes being the cause of the aura.4
  • MRI or head CT scan. These two assessments capture images of your internal organs and brain, which can provide information on whether a more serious condition is causing these basilar migraines.4

For acute treatment, your doctor may recommend a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication like Excedrin Migraine.4 However, your doctor may also suggest some lifestyle and stress management tips to soothe your basilar migraine. For example, you can place a cool cloth or an ice pack wrapped in a towel on your forehead and try sitting in a dark, quiet room.4 Other tips include getting a good night’s rest and drinking plenty of water to take extra care of your body.4

For more migraine prevention tips, check out the Excedrin Migraine Hub and read articles on how to deal with migraines at work and more.

More from Excedrin

tyramine and migraines

Could Tyramine Be Causing Your Migraines?

READ MORE

migraine triggers

8 Surprising Migraine Triggers

Read more

fall seasonal headache triggers

Knowing Potential Fall Triggers

Read more