What’s ocular migraine?
30.October, 2008
Migraine involving the eyes, with or without headache. Ocular migraines usually affect only one eye at a time. Image distortion generally
Migraines are a neurological disorder of the brain. There are many different types of migraine. One of them is Ocular Migraine or known as Acephalalgic Migraine. The different types of migraine are classified according to the symptoms that a sufferer experience and their causes.
Ocular Migraine is a neurological syndrome characterized by abnormal visual sensations, sometimes accompanied by headaches, nausea and vomiting. In some cases, the person may feel heightened sensitivity to sound and light at the early stages of the attack. This type of migraine is generally seen in people with a history of classical migraine.
Like other migraines, ocular migraine spells occur repeatedly and irregularly. That is, patients may experience many spells of ocular migraine within a week and nothing at all for months on end. The spells may last from 15-30 min in general.
Ocular migraine is to be distinguished with classical migraine or migraine with aura. In classical migraines, the aura can be a visual sensation (called visual aura) or something non-visual such as smell, dizziness, vertigo, parasthesia, or extremities. Generally aura is experienced by the patient after the prodrome, 10-30 minutes before the onset of the headache. Statistics show that nearly 20% of the migraineurs experiences aura.
Like in other migraines, the exact cause of ocular migraine is still a topic of debate. The most nearest and convincing explanation is that it is caused due to vascular spasm that affects the ocular blood vessel supplying blood to the vision center in the brain. Changes in the blood flow in the vessels cause the severe throbbing or pounding effects of headache.
It is believed that ocular migraine is triggered by over stress, oral contraceptives, premenstrual changes, alcohol, and certain victuals such as chocolate, red wine, chicken livers, meats preserved in nitrates, and milk.
As mentioned earlier, the most notable symptom of ocular migraine is the unusual visual sensations that block the normal vision to a large extent during the spell. At the earlier stages of an ocular migraine episode, the patient may experience a visual disturbance in his/her peripheral vision, mostly in the form of a jagged, shimmering, semicircular light, pale pastel in color. Within minutes, it expands and becomes more centric to the area of vision, leading to temporary patchy vision loss. Eventually, in another 15-30 minutes, the zigzag pattern travels outwards of the visual field and soon out of the side vision before disappearing completely, leaving the field of view clear again.
After the episode, the patient may feel fatigued and with/without a mild headache, but the eye sight will be normal as it was before.
Ocular migraines, in most instances, do not require any treatment. But the doctor may diagnose the patient to ensure that there is no serious blood flow issue.
In some cases, doctors may prescribe some painkiller to contain the following headache, if the pain is unbearable for the patient. But such instances are very rare.
Tail Piece: Even though it is true that ocular migraines can be controlled to an extent by adjusting the diet and reducing stress, it cannot be prevented or cured forever. Once an ocular migraine episode starts, the patient will have no choice, but to see himself/herself through those grueling 30 minutes, preferably with a calm mind. There is no use in panicking or getting worried. Relaxation techniques can be put to good use at this stage.
begins in the center of the image and then moves to one side. Images “grey out” or look wavy, and
sight may be temporarily lost.
Ocular migraine is a term which may have different meanings to different physicians. Many times migraineurs will have just the visual warning signs or aura of their migraine attack without the headache. This occurs more frequently as one gets older and can be a frightening phenomenon. This is also referred to as acephalgic migraine, or migraine aura without headache. Some physicians refer to ocular migraine as retinal migraine, where there are repeated attacks of one-sided blind spots or blindness lasting less than an hour and associated with a headache.
While 80 percent of migraine sufferers never experience an aura, there are a few people who have the visual symptoms of a migraine but don’t experience.The visual changes that occur during a migraine aura can take many forms. They are usually described as flashing or scintillating lights. They may have a zigzag or “fortress-like” appearance, or look like poor reception on a television. Migraine auras typically start small, march across the field of vision, and then fade away. An attack will last for at least several minutes but usually no longer than an hour. If a headache follows the aura, it usually does so within an hour. Most people who have migraine auras will have the same type of symptoms with each attack.
Tips for Migraine Headache Sufferers
03.October, 2008
Tips for Migraine Headache Sufferers
..”Drink plenty of water!“
Hydration is paramount in the prevention of headaches and migraines.
And, although not a whole lot is known about the nature of migraines and their onset, it is a well known fact that many headaches can originate from dehydration. Drink More Water!
The data about migraine causing stroke runs all the way back to 1966. An interesting paper was published that pulled together data that examined the association between migraine and the risk of stroke. It showed that :
People who experience migraine are more at-risk of suffering stroke than people without migraines. If you see auras, you’re at even greater risk of stroke than if you don’t.
Some life-style behaviors for migraine patients can increase the risk of stroke.A woman migaine sufferer taking the birth control pill is 8 times more at-risk of suffering a stroke.
High stroke risk for migraine patients is caused by the reduction of blood flow to the brain which occurs when people suffer migraine attacks. The real condition, which is oxygen deprivation
The solution for both conditions (stroke and migraine) is to make sure you’ve enough good oxygen flow into the brain.
…Dark Rest
When you feel a migraine coming on, find a dark quiet place to lie down and close your eyes. Rest is the key to recovery here!
...Lavender
Get yourself some lavender oil and rub it on your temples it can help relieve some of the pain of your headache.
...Ginger
When you’re feeling queezy and sick, try just sucking and chewing a thin slice of ginger.If you prefer, you can make a ginger tea with lots
of honey. It’s much nicer.
…Exercise!
A little bit of exercise each day will be a great help in reducing severity and frequency of your migraines. Try walking around your block .
…Diet
You need to eat good foods. Some foods have a trigger that bring on
migraine episodes so if you can figure out which is causing them.,avoid them.
Avoid flavors, colors, artificial additives. Include in your diet; wholegrains, protein, seeds and nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables AND WATER!
Nobody knows for sure what exactly
causes migraines.
Does taking more than the recommended dose of two aspirin provide greater pain relief from a common headache?
31.October, 2008
In other words, will taking a third aspirin either make my headache pain lesser and/or make it go away faster, or am I simply wasting a pill by doing so?
I should note that I do not currently have a headache. I would also never take more than three aspirin regardless of how much headache pain I had. I would seek medical attention if the aspirin did not help. The question is based on curiosity. I've seen other people take three aspirin and always wondered if it would make any difference to do so.
Oh brother! Some of these answers. Actually, taking more than 1,000ml does NOT help. In fact in some cases it can cause a reverse effect and not help the headache at all. Stick with the recommended dosage. It has been determined by professionals who know what they are doing.
anyone have eye pain before or with migraine?
31.October, 2008
I suffer menstrual migraines,and for the past two days i have been having a dull migraine like pain along with tiredness and right eye discomfort.Has anyone else had this with their migraines?GOD-bless
Poppy,thanks,just knowing it isn't just me will help me relax,and hopefully get some relief.
Yes, I suffer from them, and unfortunatly I have the eye pain as well. It’s awful. Here’s an article from my favorite web site on how to deal with the pain www.familydoctor.org
Migraine Headaches: Ways to Deal With the Pain
What causes migraine headaches?
Migraine headaches seem to be caused in part by changes in the level of a body chemical called serotonin. Serotonin plays many roles in the body, and it can have an effect on the blood vessels. When serotonin levels are high, blood vessels constrict (shrink). When serotonin levels fall, the blood vessels dilate (swell). This swelling can cause pain or other problems.
Many things can affect the level of serotonin in your body, including your level of blood sugar, certain foods and changes in your estrogen level if you’re a woman.
What does a migraine feel like?
The pain of a migraine headache can be intense. It can get in the way of your daily activities. Migraines aren’t the same in all people. Possible symptoms of migraines are listed in the box below.
You may also have a “premonition” several hours to a day before your headache starts. Premonitions are feelings you get that can signal a migraine is coming. These feelings can include intense energy, fatigue, food cravings and mood changes.
Possible symptoms of migraines
Intense throbbing or dull aching pain on one side of your head or both sides.
Nausea or vomiting
Changes in how you see, including blurred vision or blind spots
Being bothered by light, noise or odors
Feeling tired and/or confused
Stopped-up nose
Feeling cold or sweaty
Stiff or tender neck
Light-headedness
Tender scalp
Are there different kinds of migraine headaches?
Yes. The most common are classic migraine and common migraine.
Classic migraines start with a warning sign, called an aura. The aura often involves changes in the way you see. You may see flashing lights and colors. You may temporarily lose some of your vision, such as your side vision.
You may also feel a strange prickly or burning sensation, or have muscle weakness on one side of your body. You may have trouble communicating. You may also feel depressed, irritable and restless.
Auras last about 15 to 30 minutes. Auras may occur before or after your head pain, and sometimes the pain and aura overlap, or the pain never occurs. The head pain of classic migraines may occur on one side of your head or on both sides.
Common migraines don’t start with an aura. Common migraines may start more slowly than classic migraines, last longer and interfere more with daily activities. The pain of common migraines may be on only one side of your head.
How long do migraines usually last?
Migraines may last from 4 to 72 hours. They may happen only once or twice a year, or as often as daily. Women are more likely to have migraines than men.
What things may set off a migraine?
Certain things that can set off migraines in some people include the following:
Strong or unusual odors, bright lights or loud noises
Changes in weather or altitude
Being tired, stressed or depressed
Changes in sleeping patterns
Certain foods (see the list below), especially those that contain tyramine, sodium nitrate or phenylalanine
Missing meals or fasting
Menstrual periods, birth control pills or hormones
Intense physical activity, including sexual activity
Smoking
What over the counter drugs work for migraines?
31.October, 2008
I have migraines usually about once every couple of months. I usually use prescription Imitrex, but does anyone use anything over the counter that works? I tried one once, but it didn't help too much. I get SERIOUS migraines - numbness in my fingers, vision problems, trouble talking and then the headache starts. I also get really, really sick to my stomach. The prescriptions are starting to get expensive so I would like to know if over the counter has worked for anyone?
I don't get sick because of the medicine I take. Its from the migraine itself. I can handle the headache - but being sick to my stomach for three hours! Its horrible. Do any of the OTC work for nausea?
Another thing - I don't know what causes my headaches. It used to be that I would get them after swimming (I was on the swimteam and a lifeguard) but ever since I had surgery they have been more frequent.
Today is your lucky day. I found a cure for migraines without medications. I suffered for weeks at a time with migraines. I was told that prescriptions didn't work, so I didn't go to a doctor. One night, my head felt so solid tight, I could hardly breath. I was so sick to my stomach. I could hardly stand. If only I could stick my head in a bucket of hot water to open the pores in my head to increase the circulation. Then I got the idea to get in a hot shower and let hot water hit my head. I was so sick to my stomach, I had to hold on to the walls of the shower. The pain was unbearable. To my surprise, the pain started to leave the area where the hot water was hitting my head. I noticed a pain in another place on my head, so I just moved the hot water to that area. Within ten minutes, all the pain was gone, and the water was getting cold. I got out of the shower with no headache. I figured that if the pain returned, I would wait for the water to heat up again and repeat this. I just left my hair wet. My hair got cold and the pores in my head that were opened with the hot water were now closed. The headache did not return that night.
The next day, I started to get another headache. I jumped in the shower immediately to repeat the previous days shower. This time, I did not have to wait ten minutes for the headache to leave. It was gone in five minutes. I again left my hair wet and my head got cold.
The third day, I waited for the headache to return. No headache came.
Months passed and I was ready for another migraine. I had one slight migraine ten months later. Now remember, I was having migraine headaches that lasted weeks at a time, would stop for a few days, and then repeat for weeks again.
I wrote to the Institute of Migraine Headaches of this discovery. The doctor warned me not to try things without a doctor and sent me lots of literature on the subject. This doctor was a specialist on migraine headaches.
Two year later, I saw a large article from this doctor telling that he had found a cure for migraine headaches that his patients had found successful and stopped migraines completely for over two years.
You guessed it..He told the readers about the hot shower. Everything was exactly as I had told him. The only difference was that he said to turn cold water on your head to close the pores. I just left my head wet.
I will be going for x-rays on Monday to have my spine x-rayed but everyday I still get tension headaches. Excedrin normally does the trick but I have heard of rebound headaches and I don't want to live my life on pills!
It's difficult answering a question like this with no knowledge about you nor you life. Normally a doctor would work his way to whatever it is that causes your problem through an anamnesis. It sounds to me like maybe your tension can be work related? If you spend many hours in front of a computer, sitting in the same position all day long… That can cause tension in the neck, which can eventually lead to pain/tension in the lower back region or headaches.
If that is the case, you need to do some exercises daily for your back and neck. Also try to sit upright, and at least once per hour you should get up and walk around for a while, also moving your upper body (shoulders, neck, arms) to prevent tensions from increasing. It's hard to avoid these problems if you have an office job with little or no physical movement during the day.
But again, it's hard to say more than this not knowing your job or having more information about you..
How to live with Chronic Migraine Headaches?
31.October, 2008
Suffered a trama in 1992 & now on disability due to Migraine Headaches. This trama was physical & very emotional. I was 45 years old & to start Migrains at this age is unusual. Didn't talk for six months after this trama & when I did start talking the headaches came on fast & fourious. I'm allergy pron. Extreamly sencitive to ALL sences; light, sound, smells, touch, taste. Always seek low light, quiet, clean, few people in motion. I do consentrate intently & this helps get me though pain as does physical activity. Tulane has been GREAT for me with Dr. Debra G. Elliott. However, Katrina sent her north to LSU in Shreveport. She knows her stuff with me. Yet, I still seek knowledge on this painful topic that has changed my life.
I feel for you !! I also suffer from chronic migraines , it started when I was 18 and now I'm 58 and it continues …I suffer 3 days out of four on a continues basis … I will tell you what I know and hope you can use some thing .
After all this years , I thought it was tension head aches , but little by little I narrowed it down … first I just found that the cause is from tight veins in the brain versus the ones that are swollown , so if blood does not rush through it hurts , I found that working and having the head down so as to increase the blood flow it relives my pain ( as bending over , working in construction ) .
Second I found that my migraine is the extention of a uncontralled headache , lets say a triger , each time there is a weather change between low and high presure, my sinuses begin to ache and I have to imidiatly take medicine to stop the triger effect , if I loose that window it will develope into a migrane …. for days .
My sistem of controling is somewhat lame , I take two pills of tylanoll for migrane , with a pill or two of sudafed advanced which is for the sinuses , a blue box , I have also prescription pills , but I find them with strong side efects and very expencive , the problem with over the counter pills is that after a wile it becomes headaches from lack of pills and have to bite the bulet untill the system flushes of the medicine rebound , then have to start the treatment again , and after that find some reason to live ,and good luck to you …
What headache pain reliever is okay to take during pregnency?
31.October, 2008
I am 4 weeks pregnant with my 1st child and have a killer headache! What can I take?
Tylenol. They say no medication is 100% safe if you are pregnant.
Do NOT take anything with ibuprofen in it because it could do a LOT of harm.
If you're having migraines you should talk to your OB. He or She can give you a prescription with low risks. I took fiorucet (sp?) for my migraines when I was pregnant.
Can anyone tell me why nicotine curbs migraine pain?
31.October, 2008
I have been suffering from chronic migraine pain for over 6 months. I've seen a neurologist, have had numerous tests run, and taken many prescriptions to curtail the pain. Nothing worked. One day, I was really frustrated with having to cope with this excruciating pain day-in and day-out, so I decided to buy a pack of cigarettes. I was up for trying anything at this point. Less than 2 days later, low & behold, the pain was almost completely gone. I was ecstatic! Now I am 98% pain-free. I informed my doctor that I was smoking again (I had quit 5 years earlier) & told him how it helped my pain virtually disappered. He said nicotine constricts the blood vessels, so that's most likely why my pain has subsided. He also told me to try the nicotine patch to get the same effect. I've been trying the patch, but it doesn't work as well. I've searched the web for info. as to why nicotine has helped me, mostly all I can find is negative statements. I appreciate any info. you can help me with.
Actually, nicotine has a long history of medicinal use, the native use, amongst certain tribes.
You're not the only one, a lot of people have found smoking to help with alot of their various problems. Once upon a time it was prescribed as an anti-psychotic.
Your doctor as the right idea. The difference between smoking and using the patch is the amount of nicotine you receive, the patch weans you off smoking thus gives you less.
Nicotine is not a bad drug and it's actually the act of inhaling into your system that causes problems. Nicotine can be found in alot foods like potatoes, and related vegetable.
I understand crippling migraines, I've had them too. But consider eating more potatoes and such, rather than smoking, you'll be much better off for it.
Edit: I just realized I didn't answer the first question. Nicotine can be dehydrating. Migraines are often couse by or prolonged by excess fluid in the brain. So, put the two together, and you've got a treatment.
What are the best herbal remedies for migraines?
31.October, 2008
I suffer from daily migraines. I have seen 4 neurologist and none have treated the causes of my migraines. I have taken just about every prescription and am now willing to venture into herbal remedies.
A chiropractor, like one poster mentioned, can do a lot of help, but there are tons of great homeopathic remedies that help with headaches and migranes. I really like the products on Dr. Angel's website. Her migrane formula combines a bunch of different vitamins so you don't have to take multiple things. Here's the link:
http://drjanetangel.mitamins.info/product_info.php?cPath=7&products_id=62
I hope it helps you out! I've used her skin/hair stuff, and muscle supplements for aches, etc, and always loved them.