Dealing With Headaches

In the early 1990’s, my doctor told me that ocular migraines were a myth. This was as I was having one. “How did you come to that conclusion?” He snorted, shaking his head at me as if he was trying to pity me, but really couldn’t care less about me.

“Your partner in this practice diagnosed me with ocular migraines a couple of months ago. Don’t you guys ever talk?”

Apparently not. So that shows you how much doctors know about migraines, when two doctors across the same hall in the same building have different points of view. I never went there again.

However, things are a little better in 2008. At least there is a general consensus now int he medical community that ocular migraines (also called eye migraines or ophalmoplegic migraines) are not a myth but (sadly) do exist.

What Are They?

Well, now we come to the fun part about ocular migraines. It is unknown what they are as opposed to other migraines or even how they are caused. There are many theories, however, including a weak nerve, palsy and constricting blood vessels. Now, recently the constricting blood vessels theory for any migraine pain has been challenged by new studies about serotonin levels. But, in the end, we just don’t know yet.

It is also unknown whether ocular migraines are seperate from other migraines or are a symtom of a migraine triggered by caffeine withdrawal (for instance). I’ve been putting off writing a post about ocular migraines for a long time because I could not find any general consensus as to what they are, let alone what causes them.

I have, however, had no problem finding a general consensus about the pain.

What Do They Feel Like?

Ah, here’s the fun part. If you have a sensitve stomach, then perhaps you should skip this part and we’ll see you tomorrow.

It feels like blood is dripping from out of your eyes.

Now, granted, I’ve never actually had blood drip from my eyes (knock on wood) but an ocular migraine is how I imagine what blood dripping from your eyes must feel like.

The pain is centered in your eyes, or just one eye. You often have other symptoms like dizziness, double vision and head pain, but the eye pain just becomes your entire world. It usually begins with an aura and ends with you vomiting in a dark bathroom (you hope it’s a bathroom, anyway). The first time you have one is a very frightening experience. It’s not as bad the next time, because you know that the pain will eventually end anywhere from twelve hours to two weeks. (Your attack might be less or more.)

When To Go To The Doctor

If you have never had any history of migraines or headaches and suddenly get felled by an ocular migraine, then you better go to a doctor. There is a fun condition called retinal artery thrombosis (a blood clot in your eye, basically) that also gives off the same symptoms and pain as an ocular migraine. Also, symptoms of funky vision and extreme head pain (literally blinding pain) and extremem nausea and dizziness may be the sign of a stroke.

If you know you have a history of ocular migraines or just plain old migraines, then you can usually assume it’s an ocular migraine. However, you really should go to the doctor just to rule out stroke.

Your doctor will probably recommend you see a nuerologist or eye doctor to rule out other problems. Other times, they’ll give you a prescription or cocktail of prescriptions to try and take it from there. We’ll look more about treatment tomorrow.