# Migraine preceded by physical skin crawling sensations - WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 2, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraine-preceded-by-physical-skin-crawling-sensations-wtf/770442 "2016-11-02T14:11:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraine-preceded-by-physical-skin-crawling-sensations-wtf/770442/1 "2016-11-02T14:11:58Z")
I’ve suffered Ocular Migraines a number of times in the past - typically manifesting as a sparkly dot that expands into a sparkly crescent covering most of my visual field, then turning into an intense, sickening headache if I haven’t dosed up on painkillers by the time it spills off the edge of my visual field. Last couple of weeks I’ve had something different - I didn’t at first regard this as a set of connected symptoms, but it happened more than once in the same pattern, so I’m not inclined to suspect it’s a new flavour of migraine. It begins with sudden fatigue and an overwhelming itchy, twitching, crawling sort of feeling around the eyes and eyelids, making it hard to keep them open or focused. That subsides after about 10 minutes and is replaced by headache, a high-pitched ringing sound, and is a little later followed by two large, kidney-shaped pale green blobs in my visual field (like the visual aftermath of looking into an overly-bright light). Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Am I about to die? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraine-preceded-by-physical-skin-crawling-sensations-wtf/770442/2 "2016-11-02T14:41:48Z")
IANAD, but I occasionally get mild ocular migraines (the optical effects only), and I’ve learned that migraines are absolutely bizarre phenomena that can cause a vast range of sensations. Probably the root of most “visions” and “possessions” over the centuries. If you’re having stronger physical sensations and reactions, you might want to get checked out. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraine-preceded-by-physical-skin-crawling-sensations-wtf/770442/3 "2016-11-02T14:42:39Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I’ve suffered Ocular Migraines a number of times in the past - typically manifesting as a sparkly dot that expands into a sparkly crescent covering most of my visual field, then turning into an intense, sickening headache if I haven’t dosed up on painkillers by the time it spills off the edge of my visual field. > > Last couple of weeks I’ve had something different - I didn’t at first regard this as a set of connected symptoms, but it happened more than once in the same pattern, so I’m not inclined to suspect it’s a new flavour of migraine. > > It begins with sudden fatigue and an overwhelming itchy, twitching, crawling sort of feeling around the eyes and eyelids, making it hard to keep them open or focused. > That subsides after about 10 minutes and is replaced by headache, a high-pitched ringing sound, and is a little later followed by two large, kidney-shaped pale green blobs in my visual field (like the visual aftermath of looking into an overly-bright light). > > Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Am I about to die? ObDisclaimer: I am not a doctor. If I were, I would still not be your doctor. Therefore, none of this is medical advice. [Formication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formication) is a known [prodrome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prodrome) (precursor symptom) of [classic migraine](http://www.neuroportalen.com/english/headache/headache-migraine.php): > [@](#): > > Another common symptom that precedes migraine attacks is numbness and formication in one side of the body. These symptoms last about half an hour and are followed by the hammering migraine attack. As hellishly shitty as a migraine episode makes you feel (and I know… suffered crippling migraines for years), that alone won’t kill you. But you have to ask your own doctor whether you’re dying. This is not a diagnosis, just pointing out that the migraines you already have can cause the symptoms you describe. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/migraine-preceded-by-physical-skin-crawling-sensations-wtf/770442/4 "2016-11-02T18:57:52Z")
Migraines are a weird thing all the way around. It took me **years** before I knew that when I am struggling to remember words/stuttering, I am heading for a migraine. Which is so handy as a communications professional :dubious:, but at least I know there is a reason.