Migraine and Brain Fog

When do you feel the migraine brain fog? It is when you pour yourself a cup of coffee and promptly put it in the refrigerator? Or maybe when you walked into a room to get something but couldn't remember what. These are just a few examples of brain fog. When I experience brain fog, my biggest struggle is trouble speaking or finding a word of something I'm thinking about. I will stutter, look around and feel completely bewildered when trying to figure out the word and how to say it. It is especially challenging when I am in a meeting or speaking to someone who does not know I have hemiplegic migraine.

If you experience "brain fog" - cognitive impairment - during a migraine, you may feel confused, have difficulty remembering or learning, or have trouble reading or speaking. When you have difficulty finding words or understanding words, this is called aphasia. These brain fog symptoms are part of the migraine disorder. Fortunately, the impairment is temporary and does not reflect long-term neurological decline.

Brain fog can occur up to 48 hours before and 24 hours after headache pain. Many patients who pay close attention to early warning signs describe brain fog symptoms as one of the first to let them know a migraine is approaching. As the cortical depression moves over your brain, it can slow your thinking or make it hard to find words, This explains why some people also have aura, or visual disturbances, leading up to the headache phase.

After the pain of a migraine attacks ends, brain fog can last for up to 24 hours. Some people may find it is hard to focus on a task or think clearly. This happens in the prodrome phase, which is also known as a "migraine hangover." For many, the effects of a migraine hangover may be just as debilitating as the migraine, itself.

After the migraine is over, it may become challenging to return to normal functioning. These are some tips to help deal with brain fog:

Write things down

Keep a planner of use an app on your phone. (Evernote and Asana are a few options).

Stick post-it notes in relevant places so you can see them later on. Use lists to track tasks.

Give yourself plenty of time

Allow yourself extra time for completing task, attending scheduled activities, as well as

physical recuperation will allow you to meet your obligations.

Be organized as possible

When your environment is organized, it becomes easier to find things you are looking

for. Use basket organizers, write checklists, put medications into boxes with times and

dates so you will always know whether or not you have taken them.

Ask for help when you need it

This is one of the most critical parts of handling critical post-migraine brain.

You can not always do everything yourself. If you need help, don't be afraid to

ask for it!

Educate family and friends

Inform family, friends and co-workers of brain fog can be an effective way to minimize

its burden and stigma. Writing down a few descriptions and acknowledging that it is

part of the migraine process can help establish greater understanding.

Maintain a sense of humor

If you can laugh at the times when you have said or done funny things when having

"brain fog, your stress level and everyone else's will be decreased. Laughter is great

for increasing endorphins (natural pain killing chemical in the brain) so never pass up a

good giggle!

Brain fog can have a significant effect on your day-to-day life when you have migraine. The earlier you recognize the onset of a migraine the better. Early treatment may shorten the duration of the episode and get you back to being pain free and thinking clearly.