MS, migraines/headaches and brainstem lesions

[saveone]

I have wondered if my migraines or headaches could be tied to my lesions.  I wondered because I have no known triggers.  They occur anytime...anywhere.  Sometimes the headaches will come 10 to 15 times per day, each one lasting from a few minutes to hours.  The migraines usually occur later in the evening after I am fatigued ( I guess that would be a trigger).  Anyways I found this interesting and thought I would share it.

Where am I? Home › News › MS in the Media ›
Multiple sclerosis seen associated with headache

04 December 2008

Summary: The increased risk of headache in MS patients "supports the hypothesis of a common pathway between these conditions; as suggested by other studies, the higher frequency of headache in MS subjects could be related to brainstem lesions," Zappia's team concludes.

"However, it should be noted that the role of brainstem in migraine pathogenesis is still controversial, and other types of study are needed to confirm this hypothesis."

http://www.   mstrust.org.uk/news/   recentstories/article.jsp?id=2731

[singinalong]

I also get that kind of headache. I have been diagnosed with Migranes, I have had them all my life... But they seemed to ease up after I had my kids. Now, I get this sharp stabbing pain in the top of my head, like someone hit me over the head, it goes away...then comes back. I also get an "auora" I guess.. I lose the vision in my left eye. Its like someone shut the lights off in that eye. the visual thing lasts about a day, I am usually in the ER cause the pain ***** so bad. They treat me for a normal Migrane, then I go home.
I have also had severe back pain at times. I cant sit for long periods of time. And if I do a lot of work, like basic stuff, like sweeping the floor, or standing for a long time... My back hurts so badly that I cant stand up straight.
Interesting article. .. Thank you for posting.

[saveone]

My headaches are as you described, on and off all day with a migraine thrown in a couple of times a week.  The on and off thing I can tell when one is coming.  It starts slow and builds to a crescendo then it eases, only to return minutes later or even hours later.  I now take a Depakote ER 250mg per day and a 2mg zanaflex.  I have fewer headaches and only a few migraines.  When the migraine comes on I take Maxalt 250, for me half a tab does the trick and the migraine doesn't reach full blown, it goes away in minutes.  Before I started taking the meds, I didn't realize how much they were interfering with my life.  I guess that was because they had become normal for me.

Merry Christmas

terry

[doni54]

Thanks for the article, it is very interesting.  I have the weird, top of the head and back of the head, headaches.  Seems they happen off and on all day, everyday.

My brain MRI was clear, so I just don't know what the cause is.  You've made me curious about this though so I'm gonna try to see what else I can find on the subject.

Have a Merry Christmas!!!

doni

[Erin0313]

I was just scrolling through "old posts" and came across yours. I have MS and one of my biggest complaints is headaches in the back of my skull. I have suffered migraines in the past and these are not like them.
  
I don't think I have any brain stem lesions (I have lots of other brain lesions) but I do know of 2 drugs that have helped my headaches. I'm sorry I don't remember the name of the 1st one, I can look it up or ask the doc but it made me lose my hair (not all of it) so I wouldn't want you to go through that. The one that I am on now is Baclofen. They actually prescribed it for leg spasms and maybe a week later I realized my headache was much improved.

  Good Luck with your post and your headaches

Erin :)

[JonM]

I have MS and I have some level of headache almost constantly, and I wasn't this way before the DX.  They could very well be related to the medicines I take, so it may be hard to differientiate.  From what I'm told brain stem lesions are hard to DX and difficult at best to see on MRI image.

Jon

[wonko]

That is a really good question.

I've not discussed it much, but I've experienced migraines with auras and sometimes just crazy auras (with no migraine pain) at various times starting last summer.  

Usually the auras are short lasting, though I had some of longer duration recently.

I don't have MS, but I do have brain lesions.  None are observed in the brain stem, though, and I'd never had migraines or auras before getting sick.

Hopefully other folks who know more about migraines / lesions etc. will chime in.