Cessation of hemiplegic migraine auras with greater occipital nerve blockade.

Prolonged migraine auras can be disabling and potentially can cause permanent neurologic deficits. Several medicinal agents have shown some efficacy in aborting prolonged auras, but results are inconsistent. Greater occipital nerve blockade can alleviate the pain of migraine and in 1 case report the migraine aura. Hemiplegic migraine attacks are marked by motor weakness that can last for minutes to days. Two case patients with a history of hemiplegic migraine with prolonged auras are presented, who both had complete alleviation of their aura symptoms with GON blockade. A hypothesis on how GON blockade may inhibit cortical spreading depression is also presented.