Questions posted in the Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Question Title: Ocular Migraine and Tinnitus, any relationship?

Forum: Neurology Forum
Topic: Neurology - General

My 78 year old mother has occassional visual field disturbances, transitory in nature and sometimes accompanied by headaches. She has had carotid studies done and has also been seen by a neurologist and an opthomologist and from what she has told me, a vascular origin for this problem has been ruled out.....I have two questions for you....first, both my sister and I, both in our fifties, started to experience the same visual disturbances as we approached menopause, and as for myself, I've had carotid and optic artery doppler studies as well as an MRI/MRA, all of withich were negative. Is there a familial/hereditary component to this disturbance, and exactly what are ocular migraines? Secondly, my mother is now experiencing tinnitus severe enough to interfere with sleep, and now I am starting to notice vague "noises" in my right ear when trying to sleep......could there be any relationship between these conditions?
Also, my mother's tinnitus is really driving her nuts, and was wondering if you knew of a good MD/Clinic in the NYC area where she could seek treatment. Any info about both of these conditons would be appreciated.
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Hello Evelyn,

Migraine with aura is a condition where preceeding the onset of the migraine headache, the person has a typically 15-20 minute duration episode of visual disturbance. Often this will be a "positive" phenomenon like flashing spots or zigzags, however not infrequently the symptoms may be "negative", in other words, involve the loss of or graying of vision, again temporarily, and usually in only half of one's visual field. Tinnitus is a loud roaring noise in the ear, often caused by irritation of the eight cranial (hearing) nerve. The irritation can be due to disease of the nerve or sometimes can be caused by toxins or drugs, especially aspirin, certain diuretic drugs (like Lasix/furosemide) and certain antibiotics given intravenously (like vancomycin or gentamicin). There is no inherited condition consisting of migraines and tinnitus to the best of my knowledge, but migraines are strongly hereditary, especially from mother to daughter. Please remember that information we provide on the forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only, and that the actual diagnosis and treatment of your and your mother's specific medical conditions should be strictly in conjunction with your and her treating physician(s). We hope you find the information helpful. In New York City, Columbia University has one of the most well established departments of neurology in the country and may be a good place to seek help.




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