Basilar Artery Migraine is a Disorder of Brain Artery!
Basilar Artery Migraine means disorder of the major brain artery located at the base of the brain. This disease is more common in children than in adults. It starts with visual disturbance in one eye and slowly spreads till it covers the entire field of vision.

The basilar artery serves as the visual center of the brain. It includes the cerebellum that serves as the balance center and is located at the back of the head. A patient of basilar artery migraine experiences physical imbalance, double vision and vertigo.

Basilar artery migraine is known for its aura symptoms. Sometime, this aura is so strong that its leads to temporary blindness. This stage of headache normally lasts for 5-60 minutes, but sometimes it might continue for days together. The patient experiences a severe headache on both the sides of the head. It is different from other common migraines in which the patient experiences one-sided headache.

Origin of Basilar Artery Migraine-
Earlier it was believed that migraines occur due to the expansion and contraction of blood vessels. Now, it is thought to be caused by the nerves. Thus, it is true that basilar artery migraine doesn't begin in the artery. Its causes lie in some chemicals that send the messages through the brain. The exact cause is unknown as in case of other migraines.

Causes of Basilar Artery Migraine-
Some of the basic categories of triggers that cause Basilar Artery Migraine are:

  • Lifestyle triggers:
  • Factors like stress, irregular diet, smoking, drinking and sex are responsible for triggering basilar-type migraine.
  • Medication triggers:
  • Medicine like heartache pain relievers and birth control pills can trigger basilar type migraines.
  • Environmental triggers:
  • Environmental factors like frequent weather changes, cold snowy weather, hot and muggy weather, loud noises and odors also affect migraines.
  • Diet triggers:
  • The over consumption of certain foods like Chocolate, Alcohol, Pork and smoked foods trigger basilar type migraines in certain people.

Symptoms of Basilar Artery Migraine
A Basilar type migraine shows typical aura symptoms. Other common symptoms include:
  • Headache
  • Double vision
  • Poor muscular coordination
  • Vertigo
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Problems in hearing
  • Prickly feeling in the body
  • Sensitivity to light and sound
  • Jerky eye movements
  • Slurred speech
  • Problems in thinking clearly

Treatment for Basilar Artery Migraine-
A host of treatments are available for treating Basilar Artery Migraine including Tri-cyclic antidepressents like amitriptylene, beta-blockers such as propranolol, calcium channel blockers, and anti-convulsants like depakote among others. The symptoms for basilar type migraine are more frightening than harmful and sometimes it increases the risk of a stroke. In that case, it becomes necessary to consult a doctor to ensure that the symptoms are of Basilar Artery Migraine.

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