Most of you know what it feels like to have a migraine, but do you ever get the same symptoms with out the head pain? Symptoms like: Aura’s in one or both eyes, nausea, low tolerance for light, odors, or noises, circulatory problems, gastrointestinal woes like constipation, or cramps. Your stomach may even become paralyses (gastro paresis), making oral painkillers ineffective, behavioral changes and “more. If you do then you may have what’s known as Painless OR silent migraines. Please read on to find out more.
Things I was told I had before I found out about silent migraines.
Mini-stroke, hypoglycemia, Meniere’s disease, (primarily because of my unexplained vertigo) myofascial pain, fibromyalgia, (Which I do have but was put off as just being this.) depression and plus more. So watch out, I was put on meds for things I did not even have!
Symptom of Migraines #1 – Aura Though only 15-20% of migraine sufferers get an aura, ( I was told this by three doctors, One in Michigan, One in Tennessee and one in Arkansas. ) it’s one of the clearest signs that you have a migraine. (“I used to get them when I first started to get sick. That was April 17th 1999, I had auras and flashing in my right eye and no pain. I thought I was dying or at least having a stroke and going blind. “) Before you get a headache (though the aura may crop up during headache as well) you may get strange symptoms. You may see flashing lights or wavy lines, feel dizzy, or just not feel right. A migraine can cause any combination of these symptoms.
Symptom of Migraines #2 – Where’s the pain? (And when is it leaving?) You may have heard that a symptom of migraines is pain on one side of the head. This is a common but not always the case symptom, you may feel no pain and just think you are about to die. Its good to go to the doctor and make sure this is what you have and not something that can really hurt you. This is not meant to be a self diagnosis. Just something to let you know that if this is something you have you are not alone!
Symptom of Migraines #3 – Nausea and vomiting are among the most dreaded symptoms. Vomiting may be a sign that your headache is almost over, or that it’s just starting. (“LOL I know big help, but it’s what I have been told by my doctors.”) It can sometimes be so severe that it happens over and over in cycles and may cause dehydration. (I myself have never had the vomiting symptoms. “THANK GOD”) but it is very common.
Symptom of Migraines #4 – Low tolerance for: Light, odors, or noises. It is very typical of people with migraines to go and lie down in a dark, quiet room. If this sounds like you, you likely have a migraine as opposed to a cluster headache, where the sufferer may want to walk around. (Just because there is no pain doesn’t mean you don’t have the migraine. You may still want to lie down in a cool dark room.) No pain and all these symptoms are a sure sign that you are having a silent migraine. If new symptoms come up please see your doctor if just for peace of mind!
Symptom of Migraines #5 – Circulatory problem migraines seem to be related to changes in blood vessels and blood flow. Sometimes this can result in strange symptoms, such as changes in skin color, change in heart rate, or feeling like you have a fever “when you don’t. A migraine may also cause nasal congestion and watery eyes, leading some doctors to think you may have a sinus headache, or sinusitis, in which your sinuses become red and inflamed. Sinusitis, however, lasts for more than just a couple days, and may last weeks or months. (Look up sinusitis on yahoo to learn more) It’s been estimated (Can find these facts on yahoo by looking up migraine estimates) that half of migraine sufferers both with and with out pain, don’t know they have a migraine but think they have a sinus headache! Technically, migraines activate a nerve cluster which in turn stimulates tear ducts and sinuses. You may also have a fever, pain when your forehead or area under your eyes is touched, and perhaps even swelling around the eyes. If your headache is recurrent or just the symptoms and goes away in a few hours or a day or two, you likely don’t have sinusitis. As always, if you have new symptoms, talk to your doctor.
Symptom of Migraines #6 – Behavioral Changes You may be irritable not just because of your pain and / or symptoms, but because of the way migraine affects your brain, other changes may include: becoming more passive, lower mental ability, restlessness, and confusion. You may also have extra energy and euphoria, or even increased creativity! (Don’t you wish you could choose your symptoms?!) At the worst, migraine sufferers feel like they’re losing control, going crazy, and may even feel suicidal. (Info from online sites and doctors I have been seeing for over 5 years. Please if you are feeling suicidal, Call 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK there are people ready to help you 24 hours a day. If you are hard of hearing or deaf please call 1-800-799-4TTY (4889) ) Symptoms of silent Migraines are almost all the same only you don’t have the head pain, or maybe a little head pain that makes you think you are not having a migraine at all.
Diagnosis: ( http://headaches.about.com )
A patient who is diagnosed with migraines / silent migraines should be fully diagnosed as to what type of migraine they have, acephalgic or with the headache phase: migraine without aura, migraine with aura, abdominal migraine, basilar-type migraine, familial hemiplegics migraine, sporadic hemiplegics migraine, retinal migraine, silent migraines. Discovering that you have migraines / silent migraines and auras may be a partial relief, because the symptoms can range from the severe to the bizarre, and you may think they’re doing permanent damage. However, knowing what it is doesn’t take away from the problem itself! So what causes aura in the first place?
Aura refers to the symptoms that about 15-20% (As stated above) of migraine sufferers deal with before their headache begins (and sometimes during the headache as well). This is called the prodromal stage. On the positive side, aura can give someone a warning that a severe headache or the severe symptoms of the silent migraines is about to begin, “before” it hits full force. In some people though, the aura may be almost as bad as the migraine itself! Sometimes this is broken into two stages: prodromal, and aura. The prodromal stage may last a day or more, and the aura stage is usually but not always just a few minutes. (“My aura’s can last for a few minutes to a few days.”)
Migraine and aura may both include a number of symptoms or a combination of symptoms. If you’ve heard anything about aura, you’ve heard that some migraine sufferers have visual disturbances: they may see flashing lights, jagged lines, circles, squares, or distortions of things they see. Objects may seem further away or closer. Visual distortions due to migraine have been said to have inspired Lewis Carroll in his book Through the Looking Glass. You can get it from Amazon for a couple of dollars – it makes an interesting read if you suffer from migraines! (” Was told this by my doctor in Michigan, I have yet to read it lol “)
Aura can go beyond this to things like dizziness, ringing in the ears, trouble focusing, slurred speech or trouble finding the right word when you talk (aphasia). You may smell an odor that isn’t there (some migraine sufferers just will not be convinced that they don’t have horrible BO!). Some have numbness or tingling in hands, feet or lips (lasting about 20 minutes). Yawning, Thirst, Irritability or euphoria, Stiff neck can all be symptoms of a migraine. Some people just have a gradually coming on “not right” feeling, or wake up feeling like they’ve been “hit by a train.” In rare cases even amnesia or advanced hallucinations. You can imagine how many of these symptoms could be quite frightening if you’re experiencing them for the first time! Just remember to try and stay calm, write down what you feel everyday and bring it in with you when you see your doctor next.
“AGAIN”
This is not meant to be a self diagnosis, just something to let you know that if this is something you have you are not alone!! If new symptoms come up please see your doctor if just for peace of mind! A migraine is not something to take lightly and do not give up hope.
