Re: Migraines

Posted By CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS on January 11, 1999 at 18:04:12:

In Reply to: Migraines posted by Nancy on January 11, 1999 at 14:14:10:






My 15 year old daughter has complained of dizziness with a visual aura(zigzaggy lines,etc.) and headache following.  She was diagnosed as having migraine headaches, which, I , her mother also have. My question is that on two separate occasions, she has complained of numbness in an extremity. The first time she had nunmbness in her arm and today she complained of numbness in her right leg and the same time she complained of being extremely dizzy. Is dizziness and the numbness part of the migraine? Thanks for your time.
Dear Nancy:
Sorry to hear about your daughter (and also your) migraine headaches.  It is unclear to me whether the dizziness and paresthesias go together with you daughter's migraine.  Yes, both can be associated with migraine, but usually the headache appears with these symptoms and if your daughter doesn't have a headache with the symptoms then they may not be part of the migraine problem.  It is difficult to say when I have not examined your daughter nor do I have her history.  What medications is she taking for her migraine headaches?  Are her headaches well controlled.  The most likely explanation is that yes indeed her numbness and dizziness are a part of the migraine problem.  In addition, the medication that she is taking might be causing the numbness.  I would tell your pediatric neurologist and see what she/he says about these issues.  Sorry, I can't give you a better answer.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro[P]MD