migraine without a headache?

[slw182]

Is it possible to have a migraine without a headache?

[zenport]

I'm 38 and get "migraines without a headache". The symptoms minus the actual head hurting are called "auras". Aura refers to the symptoms one experiences before or during the migraine.

I experienced migraines as early as I can remember or about the age of 4 years old. They always were the head hurting kind until I got into my 30's. I experiece "retinal migraines" where I am blind in about 80% of my field of vision. This usually goes away in a few hours. I also experience extreme nausea, tingling in one side of my face or arm.

The symptoms or auras are usually very intense and distinct. I will usually experience 1 or 2 symptoms during an episode but not all at the same time. A couple of Advil and sleeping in a dark cool place is the only way for me to recover.

They are very frightening - especially the first time they are experienced. Mine are brought on by stress and bad eating habits but even with being careful I cannot avoid them completley.

They've given me the ability to really appreciate my health all of the "good days" :-)

[gyps29]

I have what is called ocular migraines....headaches as described by you and without the pain.
These were diagnosed by my opthamologist.  Have had them for several years now and for past year I began with just dull throbbing headache to left eye area but Topomax stopped that.  I know when am going to have one if I get really tired and stressed out from shopping like during Christmas etc.
The good thing with these are that you don't have to have pain with every one of them but the vision problem can be a pain in the rear!!  lol...I frankly hate driving with halos so bad.  Sometimes the halos are so bad I can barely see the car because of the halos of their lights.

Hope this helps you to understand now.  Oh the doctor said that this type migraine usually will hit ones that had typical "pain" migraines in the past.  I did.  
Hope this helps you.

[dar202]

Wow, you guys and gals are great!, I feel like I am finally getting some information thank you all!!:).I just had dizzy spells and blurred vision for the last 7 years without headaches (always chalked it up to low blood sugar or something), now I have these seizure like episodes (not seizures) where I lose speach, shake, and my eyes rolls back in my head and my eyes lids futter.  I also get tunnel vision and double vision.  I have had headaches with them ONLY during them, but I had them recently with no headaches.  I have not made it to a specialist yet, just a ER nuero who gave a blank statement "it's migraines".  So, I don't know what kind I have.  Anyone have a clue?

[Cowser]

I have them about once a week.  Mine are  inability to speak, right eye slamming shut, right side of face tingling, right arm going numb, fuzzy thinking, and sometimes my body jerks involuntarily(not seizures).  I sure wish I could stop this but no medicine has worked yet.  Any ideas on what can help?

[sunny78]

I suffer from vertigo/dizziness as well and they think it can be migraine related. I am just curious what do you take for the vertigo and does it help?? Because I am in desperate need of something! It really is overcoming me!! Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. You can email me ***@****.

[littlerose]

Yes, I have been getting migraine without the headache for some time now.  I can't seem to pinpoint just what triggers them, but I have the aura for about 30 minutes.  It begins with blindness in one spot and gradually grows larger and larger with bright, shiny/zig zag lines.  It leaves me exhausted and I must lie down in a quiet dark place until I recover.  The first time I had them I thought I was having a seizure.  It is quite disturbing.  I also have vertigo and must take meds for that.  I wonder if the two are related.  I am 68 years old in good overall health.

[need]

yes!! My daughter has them, They  are called basilar migraines.She has double vision,sudden roller coaster feeling,weakness on her left side.It is actually quite scary!!!

[jcverive]

Yes - according to a book I have on migraines, what most people call "migraine" is more correctly referred to as "migraine with headache".  Many migraine sufferers recall having migraine without headache many months or years before the pain accompanied the aura (sensory disturbance, most often visual [tunnel vision, wavy vision, etc.], though some people experience unusual smells, sounds, or feelings of impending harm/doom).