Tongue Numbness after Headache

[mommahen]

I am a 27 year old female in good health. I had a migraine 3 weeks ago. The worst that I have ever had. It lasted 2 days. After the headache went away I was left with this numb tongue. It feels like I went to the dentist. I have no pain with the numbness but I have lost my taste bud. I wanted to find out if this is something I need to be concerned about.

[Migrainemike]

Did you ever find out the cause of your headache and tongue numbness?  My daughter had was was diagnosed as a migraine 5 days ago that was followed by some tongue numbness on the sides of her tongue.  The head pain is gone now but the tongue numbness is still present 3 days later.  Dr initially thought it was an alergic reaction to the migraine meds.  They are out of the system now and her tongue is still numb.  She has had 2 ct scans read by neurologists and they say migraine.  Not sue what the cause of the tongue numbness is????

[PhysTher]

A migraine like headache, with one sided tongue, and possibly lip, numbness can be caused by a subluxation of vertebrae in the upper neck.  I have both migraines with auras that vary, and severe headaches caused by cervical subluxation.  They are identical in the severity and general duration being up to 4 days long.  They both have sudden onset, cause severe pain, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, dizziness, sensitivity to cold, and are made worse by noise.  The difference, in me, is a migraine also has visual symptoms such as shimmering, sparkling, bright colors, or complete absence of central vision in one or both eyes.  The usual severe cervical headache, for me, also causes the numbness of half or less of the tongue, and sometimes the same side lip or jaw and shooting pains down one dermatome in the upper arm, or stabbing eye pain on the same side.

A way to check if it is possibly the cervical headache:  Lie on your back, have someone very, very slowly move your head (ear toward shoulder) without turning your face toward your shoulder.  Have them move your head from your left to your right.  If there is a clear area where your head pain significantly eases up, it may be a cervical headache and it would be a good idea to visit a Manual Specialist Physical Therapist or Chiropractor and have them look at your neck.  

After years of experience I have found that an ice pack applied to the upper back of the neck and head can help the pain of either kind of headache.  In a pinch, get a cold bottle or can from a vending machine and use it, or a bag of frozen corn or peas from the freezer.

Hoping you feel better soon.

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Was this your first ever migraine episode? Is there a history of migraine? Migraine headaches are known to be associated with face and tongue numbness. This is considered as aura of the migraine.

Migraine with aura is not as common as migraine without aura.

Regards

[charlotte7412]

I'm suffering with the same issues.  Can't find any answers!  Has anyone given you any clues?  Hope you feel better soon.