先兆（英语：aura）是指癫痫开始发作之前患者的最先感觉。此时患者仍意识清醒，记忆完整。先兆的具体表现因人而异。根据患者事后描述，先兆常包括看到怪异的光、闻到难闻的气味或出现各种错觉和幻觉等，持续时间从几秒钟到几分钟不等。可以将先兆分为以下几种：

不同先兆的先兆常代表不同的痫灶部位，因而可以为判断痫灶提供重要线索，具有重要的临床意义。同时，先兆的出现也是给患者的警告信号，以供患者及时采取必要的保护措施。

An aura is a pe****tual disturbance experienced by some with migraines or seizures before either the headache or seizure begins. It often manifests as the pe****tion of a strange light, an unpleasant smell, or confusing thoughts or experiences. Some people experience aura without a subsequent migraine or seizure (see silent migraine). Auras vary by individual experience; some people experience smells, lights, or hallucinations. Less known symptoms of the eye include disturbances, where the eyes roll in the back of the head caused by photosensitivity. A sufferer of this type of aura may experience tearfulness of the eyes and uncontrollable sensations of light followed by reduced symptoms after approximately 20 minutes; it is the rarest type of aura.