Journal
CEPHALALGIA
Volume 31, Issue 14, Pages 1477-1489Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
DOI: 10.1177/0333102411423315
Keywords
Migraine; aura; olfactory aura; olfactory hallucinations; phantosmia
Categories
Funding
- Allergan, Inc
- St Jude Medical
- OrthoMcNeil Pharmaceuticals
- GlaxoSmithKline, Inc
- Merck Co, Inc
- Advanced Bionics
- Proethics
- Pfizer, Inc.
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Background: Olfactory hallucinations (phantosmias) have rarely been reported in migraine patients. Unlike visual, sensory, language, brainstem, and motor symptoms, they are not recognized as a form of aura by the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Methods: We examined the clinical features of 39 patients (14 new cases and 25 from the literature) with olfactory hallucinations in conjunction with their primary headache disorders. Results: In a 30-month period, the prevalence of phantosmias among all patients seen at our headache center was 0.66%. Phantosmias occurred most commonly in women with migraine, although they were also seen in several patients with other primary headache diagnoses. The typical hallucination lasted 5-60 minutes, occurred shortly before or simultaneous with the onset of head pain, and was of a highly specific and unpleasant odor, most commonly a burning smell. In the majority of patients, phantosmias diminished or disappeared with initiation of prophylactic therapy for headaches. Conclusions: We propose that olfactory hallucinations are probably an uncommon but distinctive form of migraine aura, based on their semiology, timing and response to headache prophylaxis.
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