Social Media Used to Study Migraine Symptoms
We all know the basic symptoms of having migraines. Sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, skin is sensitive to the touch, smells can be overwhelming. But have you ever heard of hallucinatory symptoms associated with migraines?
What are hallucinations?
When you hear the word “hallucination,” you may imagine taking mushrooms or LSD and seeing purple elephants and unicorns. But in the most basic form, a hallucination is something that is perceived to be present that is actually not.
A definition from Dr. Sacks
Famed neurologist, Dr. Oliver Sacks, wrote an entire book on the matter based on his observations with patients of all kinds. Some hallucinations were drug-induced, while others were not. “Hallucinations are defined as percepts arising in the absence of any external reality - seeing things or hearing things that are not there.”
Do hallucinations occur with migraine?
Migraineurs experience hallucinations, sometimes without realizing it. There are three main types: olfactory (smelling), auditory (hearing) and gustatory (taste). Have you ever smelled cigarette smoke or burning rubber (olfactory)? What about music being played on repeat or a high-pitched tone (auditory) that fades away before a migraine hits? Ever have a metallic taste in your mouth (gustatory)?
What causes these symptoms?
Some of these symptoms can be explained. Maybe you have tinnitus and often have a ringing in your ears. Or a certain medication might cause a metallic or blood-like taste in your mouth. But sometimes these phenomena don’t have a medical cause. That’s when it could be a hallucination.
The small of smoke is my attack warning
I occasionally smell cigarette smoke when I’m nowhere near a smoker. I ask the people around me if they smell smoke and they look at me crazy. That’s when I know I’ll get a bad migraine in the next few hours or days.
If you’ve never heard of this, don’t be surprised. Most neurologists and headache specialists don’t ask their patients if they experience any of these symptoms. And sometimes a patient brushes it off, not wanting to mention it for fear of seeming a little looney.
Can social media tell us more?
At the American Headache Society (AHS) conference in San Diego June 9-12, Dr. Cynthia Armand from the Montefiore Headache Center presented findings of a study that used social media to gather data on olfactory, auditory and gustatory hallucinations in migraine patients.
Hallucinations are underreported
Dr. Armand explained that social media is a unique tool to study these migraine symptoms that may not be readily recognized. They are not typically included in traditional patient screening and are underreported by patients.

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