A kind of migraine also called

Migraine with aura

There are no actual cures, because the conditions that trigger the actual migraine are not completely understood. There are some claims, that it is caused by:

• Stroke-like condition.
• A spasm of the ocular nerves.
• Brain blood vessel clutter.
• etc.

The aura 10 minutes after onset.

But the actual conditions that trigger the migraine, can also be external:

• Specific strong odour.
• Very bright light.
• Loud noise.
• Stress or shock.
• Medications.
• Not enough sleep.
• Irregular eating.
• Low blood pressure.

There are lots of speculations of what does trigger the migraine. They are most probably different in all people that suffer from it. The only common thing in the migraine with aura is the effect it has on your vision. It starts like a small point of disturbed vision and spreads in a wide area in front of your vision. Often you see only part of the person in front of you or only half his face.

What to do when ophthalmic migraine starts?

• Don’t panic. It’s not life threatening condition.
• If you are driving – stop. Pull over and turn off the engine. (part of your vision will soon be useless, don’t kill another person because of your condition)
• If you are speaking in front of people – ask them politely to excuse you and walk away. (You don’t want to embarass yourself. As soon as the aura starts to spread, you will probably forget basic words and start speaking a bit slow and incomprehensible. It is a condition that mimics a stroke)
• If you are at home, go to a dark room and lay down. You will need some time to calm yourself. It just happens. Some people get migraines twice per week. Some happier people only once in the hot summer months.
• If you can, grab a wet towel and put it on your forehead or behind your neck while laying down. The cool towel will constrict some of the blood vessels in your brain and the pain will be milder.
• Once the aura starts spreading in front of your eyes, you can’t prevent it. Don’t struggle. It takes 20-30 minutes. Be patient. Just rest a bit. No need to burst in anger and dilate your brain blood vessels even more. Any exercise is bad. Just rest.

Soft tissue between thumb and index finger

What can you do to lessen migraine pain?

• Wet towel on your forehead will calm the pain
• Put your feet in a basin or laver of warm water. The big blood vessels in your feet will dilate from the warm water. This way the blood pressure in your head will be less and you will feel less “pounding pain”  on every heartbeat.
• Avoid bright light and loud noise.
• Tender massage with round motions on both temples of your head. *(the temples are the soft area between your eye and the top of your ear) Keep massaging until you feel calm.
• Apply pressure in the soft tissue between your index finger and your thumb. This is a (supposedly calming) acupressure point LI-4 that will suppress the headache and calm you if pressed firmly. I am not a real acupressure believer, but at least once have tried this and it did make the pain go away. It does not hurt to try it yourself. *(to find the exact LI-4 point location, press your thumb in the base of your index finger as if you are making “salute”. The hardest point of the small muscle that bulges between the two fingers is the LI-4 point).
• Put pressure with thumbs on the two points where the back of your neck and your head meet. *(on the two sides of your uppermost spine bone)
• Drink herbal teas. I’ve found Camomile and peppermint to be very calming and pain relieving after the aura has gone away and only the pain remains.
• Use pain relieving medication only in case the pain is very strong and you cannot do anything else to relieve it. (see below for a list of pills I’ve seen to help)
• Use aromatherapy incense sticks or oils. I’ve tried with success Eucalyptus and Peppermint oils in oil lamp. Few drops and some water to make the vapors mild. Just stay in the room and let the smell of forest soothe and calm you 😉
• You may also use one drop Eucalyptus and Peppermint smeared on your chest to inhale the aroma directly. It helps not to vomit when the pain is severe. Just don’t touch your eyes with the hand you used to smear the drops. The sensation will not help you at all.
• If you don’t have those 2 oils, you may try breathing over a glass of water with 1 tbsp of vinegar. This also helps nausea and constricts brain blood vessels.
• Another way to calm the pain in the hot summer days is to put your face in front of a slow fan. The air flow will cool your head and the humming noise will help your mind turn-off for a while until the pain starts fading.
• And I can’t stress this enough – VISIT A DOCTOR if you are not already!!!

Some migraine prevention lifechanges

… are always welcome.

The healthy migraine menu.

• Enough liquids.  If you feel bloated by mere tap or mineral water – drink tea. At least 8 cups per day.
• Calcium and magnesium rich foods (or supplements). Various types of seeds such as pumpkin seed and peanuts. Calcium rich foods are all the green leafy vegetables.
• B12 (folic acid) rich foods. (most of the nuts again)  Fish, caviar, crabs, oysters, red meats. Avoid eggs and aged cheeses. Sometimes they trigger migraines.
• Most citrus fruits and pineapple are said to help.
• Caffeine may OR MAY NOT be good for you. Some people say a coffee triggers migraine. Others (like me) say that a coffee + Coke help to suppress the pain and focus.
• The same is valid for Chocolate, bananas and turkey meat. They are very rich on the enzyme L-tryptophan. This enzyme is a precursor of the neural transmitter Dopamine. Some say that those foods help greatly. Some say that those foods are the actual enemy. You should decide it yourself.
• Red Wine is also controversial. If your migraine is triggered by low blood pressure – the wine helps not to have another migraine. But it also is reported to trigger migraines. It is again – up to you.

It is something specific for everyone. Be aware. Explore. Have a diary. Write down every time you have migraine onset and try to remember what you eat and drink before it started. If it is a food – You will figure it out.

Some medications that help migraine pain go away.

• Aspirin, if your migraine is triggered by blood clot in the brain – Aspirin will dissolve it. (again – visit a doctor if you have that kind of migraines, you may be prone to strokes)
• Ibuprofen or Paracetamol = no pain.
• Most sodium metamizole based analgesics such as Benalgin, Analgin, Sedalgin, Paracofdal etc. They help only after the aura is gone.
• Some herbal Butterbur and Feverfew extracts claim to help. I’ve never tried them, because they can’t be found in Bulgaria – but give them a try. Most of the forums I’ve read say they are good.
• Ergotamine based drugs. This has to be prescribed by your doctor. Don’t take them on your own. They have so many side effects that actually beat the benefits. I’ve tried this injection shot only once. The effect is a complete abortion of the migraine, but you have to pay after this. And my M.D refused to prescribe a recipe.
• If you have high blood pressure, the beta blockers such as Atenolol or Propranolol that you take for high blood pressure, can actually make the migraine disappear for months. Again – Speak with your doctor. Don’t self medicate because of the pain. This is side effect of blood pressure pills. Not the exact effect you seek

You are not alone in this. Explain to your beloved one and your relatives you have this condition. They may panic if they hear you speak slow and unintelligible and collide with the furniture while walking half blindly.

Find other people with this condition and share experience. You may find something new or save someone’s life with a good advice.

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