The Los Angeles Times reports that Serene Branson's doctor, a neurosurgeon at UCLA, says the television reporter suffered a "complex migraine" that caused her to garble her speech as she delivered a report from the Grammy Awards on Sunday.
The medical community had been at pains to explain what happened to the reporter, with some doctors suggesting that Branson might have suffered an on-air stroke. Video of Branson's report went viral in the hours after it ran.
Surge Desk dug a little deeper on the phenomenon commonly known as complex migraines and learned the following.
1. They're easily confused with stroke
In fact, the complex migraine, also known as a complicated migraine, has many symptoms that are similar to stroke, such as slurred words, paralysis of the eye muscles and loss of vision.
2. The name may be outdated
A paper published in Harvard Health Publications reports that the term "complex migraine" has fallen out of favor, because the treatments for, and causes of, migraines are the same regardless of symptoms.
3. Triggers and causes
The Mayo Clinic states that the causes of migraines are not generally understood, but a variety of factors can trigger them, including changes in hormone levels and blood chemistry, alterations of sleeping patterns and stress.
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4. Take two aspirin, but quicklyThere are a variety of treatments. WebMD suggests using analgesics, such as over-the-counter pain medications, to handle pain after onset of the headache, and a wide variety of possible preventive medications, including anti-depressants, anti-seizure medicines and high blood pressure treatments.
5. Prevention
The migraine can be avoided by being aware of typical triggers. The National Institutes of Health recommends keeping a food diary to trace whether a change in your diet might prevent migraines.
More about Serene Branson from Surge Desk:
Reporter Stroke: Serene Branson Video
Meet Serene Branson
Did the Serene Branson Video Show the Reporter Having a Stroke or What?
The Serene Branson Clip and 4 Other Memorable Moments From the Grammys [VIDEOS]
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