Migraine sufferers know how debilitating a migraine headache can be. The head pain can be excruciating, nausea can last for days, and the aura may affect vision. People who suffer from migraines often miss out on the fun things in their lives, like attending the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze with their families, due to pain and nausea.
Migraine headaches are difficult to diagnose. Many people refer to their headaches as “migraine” without being officially diagnosed. The word “migraine” is associated with crippling headache pain that forces you to stay in bed, in a dark room, sometimes for days. There are other symptoms of a migraine, however, that occur much less frequently. Regardless of whether you’ve been “officially” diagnosed with migraine headaches, you know the symptoms of this medical condition are unpleasant. Let’s look at some of the odd symptoms of migraine that lead people in Westchester, New York, to seek our neuromuscular dentist for migraine treatment.
1. Body Chills
In the hours and days leading up to a migraine headache, some people will experience body chills. Changes in the blood vessels and brain during a migraine attack may cause chills, shivering, or even sweating. Why? The areas of the brain associated with migraine also control body temperature and muscle movement. Changes in the brain during a migraine may cause body chills, and people often don’t even put the body chills and headaches together because body chills don’t seem to be the product of a headache.
2. Phantosmia
Phantom smells are a rare type of migraine aura. An aura is a change in vision or another sensory change that occurs before a migraine. An aura can also cause a person to hallucinate scents. Migraine-related phantom smells are usually unpleasant. The most common is a smoky or burning smell. Not everyone who gets migraine headaches will experience an aura before the pain.
3. Brain Fog
Many people experience confusion when their migraine headache comes on. You may have difficulty concentrating or focusing on the tasks at hand. Brain fog can also happen during a migrane’s prodrome and postdrome phases. These are the hours and days before and after the headache.
4. Insomnia
What is worse than a migraine? Having a migraine and being up all night with insomnia may be the answer! Lack of rest can be common migraine triggers.
5. Sinus Issues
Congestion, runny nose, and other sinus symptoms, like watery eyes, are common with migraine headaches. Because of the sinus-related symptoms, 90% of self-diagnosed sinus headaches are classic migraine headaches.
6. Allodynia
Many people report sensitivity to light and smell during a migraine, but some people even experience a sensitivity to touch. For people with allodynia, a light touch of skin, combing/brushing hair, and temperature changes outside can feel painful.
7. Mood Changes
It is hard to be in anything but a foul mood when you are suffering from migraine pain. A migraine attack can make a person feel various mood changes, including anxiety, depression, and even giddiness. Mood changes may also occur during a migraine’s prodrome and postdrome phases.
8. Vertigo
Dizziness may accompany your migraine headache. People with migraines may have issues with their sense of balance or vision. Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or unsteady on your feet can be signs of a migraine. Attacks or episodes of dizziness or vertigo can be a sign of what is called vestibular migraine.
Get Migraine Headache Relief in Westchester, New York
Conservative treatments for migraine are available with our neuromuscular dentist, Dr. Wanda Mejia. Please contact the office by calling (914) 594-6854 or fill out our online contact form. One of our dental team members will be in touch to answer any questions you may have or schedule a new patient evaluation so Dr. Mejia can provide the proper treatment.
Dr. Mejia understands these headaches are not just in your head and can provide you with safe, effective migraine treatment that works. If you are tired of losing several days a month or year due to debilitating migraine headaches, please contact Dr. Mejia, as she has provided decades of migraine relief to the residents in and around Upstate New York.
