Silent migraines aka painless migraines
Posted , 5 users are following.
My ENT is suggesting that my imbalance, head pressure issues is being caused by silent migraine or migraine aura without headaches. Migraine medicines seem to make me worse i.e more dizzy and off balance. The symptoms are also brought and worsen by weather/barometric changes. My vertigo has been remedied by recent sac decompression surgery but I still feel as though I about to have an episode.
Has anyone experience this issue or have suggestions?
0 likes, 17 replies
M78952 Guest
Posted
while I'm unfamiliar with silent migraines.
you might want to think about this vestibular physical therapy. the vestibular system regulates balance, walking gait, dizziness, vertigo.
I just graduated from 9 months of vestibular therapy after a brain injury.
most all patients with vestbular issues that are caused neurologically or in my case traumatic brain injury report changes in weather such as cloudiness or storms or sudden drops in temperature can impact how they feel when it comes to being dizzy off-balance Etc
look online at vestibular or Balance Therapy. this may help answer some of your questions.
Good luck.
Guest M78952
Posted
Thank you for sharing and very sorry to hear about your condition. I'm on my third round of vestibular therapy. I helps to a point and then I'm there again . I expect to be doing it for the rest of my life with BPPV and menieres disease.
br26190 Guest
Posted
I had BPPV in 2016, ENT administered EPLEY maneuvering to put the crystal back in place.. however, ever since this incident I feel pressure in head, dizzy & off balance. Many things can induce dizziness
I had MRI of brain, ears, neck, spine.. all look good. Agree, medicine prescribed by neurologist to treat migraine made things worse. I stopped after one month .. I now kind of learn to live with symptoms. Symptoms are more in the morning.. so I get up from bed very slow, walk by wall just in case I need support . As the day goes by, I get better but not completely off though ..
I am curious follow this thread
Guest br26190
Posted
Thank you for sharing. Having menieres disease and BPPV with vertigo has been a challenge. I have had maneuvers for two different canals. Nothing was found in second canal. Eply has been quite helpful. I'm on a low sodium diet and a diuretic. Very helpful for vertigo that is caused by menieres disease. They do nothing for BPPV. I agree migraine medicines are tough. I use advil migraine ( it's liquid gel pill and no caffeine) or and tylonol as needed. It's at least something until I find something else.
Best to you....
Lolasmom Guest
Posted
Oh My gosh, I had to read this twice as it sounded like I had written it.
My neuro tells me I have silent migraines.
He suggested daily meds, and I refused. Then he mention botox. I went for the consol but have just put it off. Kinda creeps me out.
I have on a daily basis, My face from my forehead down past my cheeks fill with pressure. It plugs my left ear, and I am all off balance. I have to constantly hold my nose and blow out to relieve the pressure in my ear. I sometimes have it in the morning, but always in the afternoon. For some reason it starts between 3-4 pm in the afternoon.
I also get the ocular migraines but never a headache after. I just never get headaches. These auras seem to come seasonally thougheither Sept/Oct and then again March/April.
Also, I get BPPV. that seems to be seasonal as well. That is nasty. Sometimes it lasts 2 weeks but this past spring it held on for 6 weeks. I did go to a therapist this past time to perform the manuever. I was to afraid to do it myself as I have read that if you are not tested for which canal the crystals have dislodged from you can mess things up. It depends on which way your eyes move for which canal is involved. The therapy did help, but for many weeks after, I felt off balance and had quick dizzys. Actually I still get those.
Back to the migraine thing, I had an mri and all was good.
I am just so tired of feeling this crazy pressure thing in my face daily. And the off balance feeling really gets to me. I also have become a barometric crazy person. I have also connected this to the weather. Cloud cover and movement, and it can also be bad when the barometric changes when weather changes from clouds to blue skies.
I went to 3 ENT's and they are completely useless. They tell me TMJ, deviated septum. I think they just makes stuff up
This has really imoacted my life as I have had this daily for about 5 years
Guest Lolasmom
Posted
Thank you for sharing. I was actually holding my breath as I was reading the account of your experience. We definitely mirror each other. I have symptoms almost exactly the same as yours. I don't know what to try since so little has worked thus far. Every day is a challenge. This is in addition to menieres and BPPV vertigo issues. I cannot perfrom eply maneuvers without assistance. My husband and daughter were also shown how to perform them by ENT and vestibular therapist.
I am monitoring barometric pressure through a phone app. It's excellent, accurate, and easy to follow. Not that I have much in the way of medicines too address the affects. I take advil migraine and tylonol for a small relief without side effects. I take as lower dose as I can. Don't want other issues as the result of taking them. I also have available low dose diazapam for vertigo or if pressure gets unbearable. I'm mindful of addiction avoidance.
Recently, my ENT suggested that I explore botox, acupuncture, oxygen treatments, & medical marijuana for my painless migraines. My head is spinning and not from vertigo!
Best to you.....
Lolasmom Guest
Posted
Can I ask you what the phone app is called.All I use is an inside device that shows you outside barometric.
Also I would be interested in where you live to see if that has any connection. I am in Canada
Guest Lolasmom
Posted
Hi. I live in the US. APP is the barometer and altimeter pro by Steffen Bauereiss. It is used on iphone 6 and up, etc . Barometric pressure can be monitored via the weather apps.
Lolasmom Guest
Posted
thank you, I will look into it.
If you find anything interesting or that has helped you, could you please let me know. I will certainly keep you in mind if |I find or figure it out
Guest Lolasmom
Posted
Thank you. I certainly will.
Paula2019 Guest
Posted
Hi Rubye
I get silent type migraines, have also been diagnosed with hemiplegic migraines and am getting clusters of them at the moment. So get two types although no head pain with both, just pressure in the right of my head.
With the silent ones, Light and Noise also sets me off, my head goes fuzzy I start to zone out, then I lose my balance, and my speech goes slurry, normally passes after an hour, and am just left with a thick head and tiredness for a week. I hate them because people assume I am drunk, and when I try and explain to them that they are auras they havent got a clue what i am saying, had an attack at a club within the last two weeks, knew I shouldn't have gone.
I had an emergency ct scan this week and bloods which were clear thankfully. I have refused all meds and spent the last year tapering off them all, I took my last med two days ago, and want to see what symptoms I am left with. Docs want to test me for MS.
Guest Paula2019
Posted
Thank you for sharing. You are right about some of the triggers. I sometimes experience the same. For example, I'm constantly adjusting cell phone lighting and avoiding loud music. I use ear decibel reducers in noisy places. I get the pressure in my entire head. Very hard to focus and function with it. I try to slow down my movement when my balance is off to get better control. Does always work but have to try . Also attending vestibular therapy can help with righting balance issues to some degree. It is very difficult for many others to understand the challenges that we face in trying to maintain a quality life.
I hadn't heard of hemiplegic migraines. Just looked it up. Sounds rare. Good luck tapering off your meds and with the MS test.
Best to you......
Paula2019 Guest
Posted
Thank you, Hemiplegic Migraines mimic a stroke, and doctors have a hard time distinguishing them, hence the emergency CT scan They can come on suddenly, I go numb down one side, vision is affected, I slur, and the one I had on Sunday this week, my eye drooped, I get pressure in my head, and sleep alot afterwards. The aura and numbness/tingling should go after an hour, mine didnt, hence the ct scan. I have had so many stroke tests, I dont panic anymore, but am aware that I could have an actual one, one day and not realise. The one I had the other week, wasn't so bad, they vary in intensity. If you have any similar symptoms, its best to get checked out. Am convinced the meds I was given for something else caused these, and that I do not have MS, will know within the next few months.
Paula2019
Posted
forgot to mention, I get balance issues, short term memory issues, concentration problems and confusion with these too, and that lasts longer than the initial aura.
Guest Paula2019
Posted
I'm very sorry to learn about your condition. It sounds extremely challenging. It's good that you are being diligent about getting it addressed quickly. I don't have stroke-like issues. Again, I wish you the best in finding a cure. Continue to share your experience. It can benefit others as well.
Paula2019 Guest
Posted
Thank you Rubye, How are you feeling now?
Guest Paula2019
Posted
Hi. I'm doing about the same. I live in the northeastern part of the US. The weather/barometric changes are practically daily so therein lies head pressure. It's a matter of how frequently and much it changes. I continue to address it as best I can. I don't have actual pain. I'm glad for that at least.
How are you?