For a few years I’ve occasionally experienced what my doctor calls “headache-less migraines” - I’ve had the auras, but not the pain.
Last night my luck ran out. After a visit to the dentist for the replacement of a couple of fillings, my jaw ached all afternoon and evening. I experienced the auras (like prisms or a kaleidoscope in my vision). At about 3 in the morning I woke up with agonizing pain in my cheekbone - it was like someone was sticking a knife into that spot … Then after about 20 minutes, the pain migrated to the top of my head.
It felt like someone was repeatedly hitting my head and face with a sledgehammer - it was excruciating. I took some ibuprofen (the only painkiller I had handy) and after a couple of hours it subsided enough for me to fall asleep - waking up every 30 minutes or so when the pain would flare up again for a while.
By 7 a.m., the pain mostly subsided, but all day I’ve been sensitive to light, and especially sound. I wasn’t able to get in to see my doctor today, and they don’t sell Excedrin - Migraine in Canada yet, so I bought some Advil for Migraines, and the pharmacist also recommended something with acetaminophen, codeine and caffeine in it.
So far the latter has been keeping the pain at bay.
Dopers - any advice? Yesterday I didn’t have any of the ‘trigger foods’ - cheese, chocolate etc.
It sounds like your headache was more the result of your dental work than a migraine - too much tension in your jaw.
I also started by getting headache-less migraines - jagged saw-tooth line across my vision and loss of field of vision - rarely more than a very mild headache afterward. The headache comes as the other symptoms go away. What causes the vision disruptions are blood vessels contracting in your brain. When those vessels open again, symptoms disappear and the rush of blood causes the headache. It is usually only on one side of the head - the side opposite the field of vision affected.
It may not necessarily be tension. I noticed that I’d get a killer migraine whenever I had dental work done. My dentist tried an anesthetic that does not contain epinephrine and I didn’t get the headache. The one time he forgot, I did. From what I understand, epinephrine allows the anesthetic to last longer but it causes vasoconstriction of the blood vessels.
This works for me. Find some pure Peppermint Oil. Soak a washcloth in hot water and add a few drops of oil. Lay in a dark room with washcloth over eyes. Make sure the side of the washcloth with the oil on it isn’t touching your face. Lay back and smell the peppermint.
I always try to think about feeling the hot washcloth turning cold. It takes my mind off the pain. Either I fall asleep or feel much better after 30-45 mins.
I’ve been getting migranes for 15 years now, so I feel I can add something useful somehow. My migranes have changed over the years for the better, from 1st grade on up to 8th grade or so I used to get them once a week like clockwork. Mine were ALWAYS accompanied by severe nasuea/vomiting. Once I puked once or twice (or three or four times) it would start to make me feel quite a bit better, but unless you’re naseaus to begin with I wouldn’t count on it making a difference. If you start to get them regularly, the best advice I can give is to get Imitrex, it’s a lifesaver. If you’re feeling particulaly bold (or the headaches are so bad that you don’t want to wait 10 mins for a pill to kick in, or the nasuea is so bad you can’t swallow a pill) go for the injectable. It’s the best stuff in the world, a quick shot and within seconds you can feel it working and within mins the headache is gone. (All though in both my sister and I, it makes our shoulders, jaw and chest very stiff, it’s kinda scary the first time, but worth it). Oh, don’t get the kind that you inhale though you’re nose, the drip taste HORRIBLE.
One thing my doctor told me to try if I ever find myself without medicine:
As soon as the aura starts, drink a coke or other caffeinated beverage as quickly as possible. This sometimes will keep the pain at bay. (I usually have about 30 minutes between the aura and the start of the pain.)
It’s strange, though, because caffeine can also be a trigger FOR migraines, or can cause rebound headaches that occur after the migraine is gone. I’ve tried it on a few rare occasions when I’m without my meds, and it often does work, at least to hold me until I can get to some meds.
There has been a few threads on migraines this one has some good suggestions.
I haven’t had much success with caffine but seems to work well for some people. Peppermint oil helps a little as does a hot shower but Imigran works wonders for me. I prefer the nasal spray to the needles. Both these work very quickly but the tablets take around two hours to take effect.
The quiet, dark room is a big factor for most migraine sufferers.
I haven’t had one in a long time. OTOH, I’ve been on fairly heavy pain meds for some years now (chronic pain from old injuries, degenerative joint disease & arthritis). However, I have several friends who still have them, so I keep track of what developments are being reported. Since my pain doctor also treats a lot of migraine patients, I also meet some in his waiting room (he’s slooow, but so good that his patients merely groan and make jokes about it).
I still get what I now call “tension” headaches (no aura, very little light sensitivity, not much sound sensitivity). When I feel one coming on, I get the frozen (blue gel pack) out of the fridge, put it in the little slot in my pillow, put an extra layer of cloth over it (too much cold too suddenly can make things temporarily worse), and lie down. If I can go to sleep fairly quickly (usually), I will wake up in a couple of hours with the headache mostly gone. Prompt action is the key.
In more than 20 years of comparing symptoms and strategies, I’ve only encountered two other migraine sufferers who didn’t find the ice (or “ice”) to the back of the neck at least helpful. In an emergency, a bag of frozen veggies (peas, corn, or something else not too lumpy) or a succession of cold cans (beer, soda, whatever) from the fridge will also work. For the cold drink cans to work, however, you need a helper who will trade them off (silently) about every 15-20 minutes.
The meds they have now (and more coming out all the time) are wonderful, but if you don’t have migraines regularly, they may be more trouble/expense to keep around (expiration) than they’re worth.
BTW, the people who mentioned vasoconstriction have it backwards. The headache comes on because there’s too much blood being pumped into the brain (which is in this rigid protective package). The migraine is the brain saying “Help! I’m being squeezed.” The ice (or the Imitrex, or whatever) causes the blood vessels to constrict, thus allowing the painful brain inflation to subside.
Oh, yes. I just remembered that there was research published last year that seemed to indicate that some migraines were related to TMJ (and possibly other jaw problems), and that there are now treatments being devised that are administered by dental specialists. IIRC, there were a lot of sites with info when I Googled it at the time.
For those not afflicted who are suddenly presented with someone claiming a migraine, the kindest thing you can do is speak as little and as quietly as possible. If you are in a public setting, and can find ways to provide dark, quiet, and some analog for the ice bag, it would be most charitable of you to do it.
I hope you feel better
about every 15-20 minutes.