Migraine with Unilateral Motor Symptoms (MUMS) is a relatively new subtype of migraine and very few people have been diagnosed with it. It is referred to as ‘super migraine’ because people with this kind of migraine are often highly sensitive to triggers and experience very severe symptoms.

In addition to the normal migraine symptoms, MUMS patients may experience:

• Unilateral head pain

• Weakness in limbs

• Giveaway weakness - where you can initially provide resistance against the examiner, but suddenly no longer can, and provide no muscular resistance

• Weakness between attacks

• General sensory symptoms

• Symptoms often occur in a head-to-toe manner

Because it is a newer subtype of migraine, there is not a lot of research and there are not a lot of people that have been properly diagnosed with MUMS.

MUMS is similar to hemiplegic migraine, but the symptoms are generally more severe, longer lasting, and happen on both sides.

Whereas hemiplegic motor weakness completely resolves between attacks, for about 60% of MUMS patients some level of weakness in their arms or legs persists between attacks.

Weakness in the arm or hand is most common.

MUMS cannot easily be diagnosed by a GP or in the emergency room: only an experienced neurologist who specialises in migraine will be able to confidently and correctly distinguish it from other disorders.

MUMS is also very challenging to manage. You will likely need a combination of medications and treatments, including more extreme options such as ketamine or lignocaine infusions in hospital. You will need to have a really great support system at home and a really good care team.