Migraines/'increased central sensitization'

[Jenny Wren]

Doc, its me again.  You answered posts from me last week. Could you tell me if this increased central sensitization can happen ALL THE TIME, without the headache?  These strange feelings that I feel, facial tingling and skin sensitivity are there everyday, I do get the headache/migraine a few times a month.  I haven't had the usual aura w/ migraine for about 3 years now, but my eyes seem to be sensitive before migraine attack, all the time, sometimes even without the headache.  My mother has had migraines, along with her father since they were young, and my mother always has sunglasses on, she said that the sun hurts her eyes, and also flurescent lighting.  Is this common?  Everything that I have read since I posted last, seems to me that these things only happen before a migraine.  I have noticed that certain times of the month when I usually get the migraine and don't, I end up with "irritable bowel", could this actually be a form of migraine?  Sorry for the confusion, but I would just like to be able to understand this better, then I could try to stop worrying all the time.
1.  Could these feelings be migraines or anxiety?
2.  Can migraines affect your stomach, instead of headache?
3.  Do you think this could be MS?  Would the feelings only be present with MS when I have my clothes on?
Normal brain MRI in April, 8 years w/ migraines, 6 years w/ weird feelings.  Lyme-neg Sed Rate-neg. Could you please explain this to me better? I thank you for your cooperation, I just can't understand why these feelings are here almost everyday, Thank you kindly, Jennifer.  God Bless!

[dog therapy]

I have found the use of vitamin B-2 and Magnesium Oxide to be helpful in reduing the effects of these headaches. The use of opiates really is a waste of time and money.                  Insofar as increased central sensitization cold compresses may be of help. Cold slows down nerve action. That it only a short term help. I wish I could offer more, but that's all I have for now.

[migraine]

hello doctor I am new here.  I am suffering from severe migraines for the last 3 years.  I have seen 3 neurologist;  I had a ct,mri,mra, spinal tap, lubard pucture.  I been to a pain management clinic, no one seems to help.  I have my graines 24/7 severe ones I wake up with them.  I started having them during my menstrual cycle and then they became everyday.  I went on the pill which I take it 3 months and then off a week.  I been to the denist to see if it was tmc, and it wasn't.  I have did everything even tested for ms.  I have been on pain killers for a long time,  I went into the hospital for detox to get rid of the narcotics.  My doctor took me off all of my medication so when I arrived home I was in so much pain I started popping tylenol.  The next day I went back to the hospital for blood work.  The lab work came back and now my liver is damaged, my enzimes are at 153.  What I am asking what can I do,  I have talked to a few people and they said they had migraines everyday too.  Then they went to thier obgyn and had a hysterectomy, and now they might have a migraine 1 or 2 a month. what do you think.  I have 3 kids and we are done.  Plus my mother just had one and it was cancer.

[ploggin]

Jenny,

I also have a lot of strange symptoms, kind of like a migraine, but not really.  Connected to stomach it seems and very dehabilitating at times.  Lots of what feels like nerve pain which is causing severe muscle tightness.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-SH]

First of all, keep in mind that I am unable to diagnose you because I am unable to examine you, this forum is for educational purposes.
   Your story is typical of a patient with migraine equivalents (migraine with out the headache), this typically invloves long time migraine sufferers whose migraine changes from an aura prior to migraines to symptoms only with out headache.  I would recommend that you start a migraine preventive medication such as Elavil, Topamax, Nadolol, Neurontin, etc. (takes 3 weeks or so to work).  Photo-phobia (light hurts the eyes) is one of the classic symptoms of migraine headaches and should not raise concern.  Your symptoms are very unlikely to be MS (multiple sclerosis) based on the symptoms you have described, but if you have not had an MRI of your C-spine with contrast, a lumbar puncture and visual evoked potentials, you could complete your work up.  Migraines can affect the stomach in that they often cause nausea and decreased appetite.  The "aura" of a migraine can happen prior to, during or even after the headache phase of a migraine. Increased central sensitization due to migraines is one possibility for your complaint of allodynia (pain/tingling with a sensation that normally does not cause problems (like wearing clothes)).  Anxiety can also cause these symptoms, but I would try the migraine preventative first to see if it helps (Migraine is more easily treated). Some people also require IV medications for 3-5 days to break the cycle of their migraine.
I hope this has been helpful.

[SherryDenice]

Jenny:

I have posted on here before in the past.  I have similar symptoms to you w/o the headaches.

Could you e-mail me?

***@****

Thanks....

Sherry