Facts About Migraine Ocular

Migraine Ocular, otherwise known as Ophthalmic (Eye) migraine, is a common yet maybe painless type of migraine known to man. Generally, a person may experience visual problems such as scotoma or a small blind spot, which may or may not be accompanied with a headache pain, and can be diagnosed as having an ocular migraine episode.

Other visual symptoms of migraine ocular are related to the scotoma. Some may have scintillations or flickering lights around the scotoma while others may have metamorphopsia or a zigzag line inside the blind spot. While some individuals would feel the throbbing pain on one side of their head during or at the onset of ocular migraine, others may not. However, even if the person with migraine ocular does not experience headaches, that person is not exempted from the typical reason behind migraine attacks. The inflammation in the nerves and blood vessels that surround the brain changes the blood flow which contributes to the visual symptoms of migraine ocular.

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Ocular migraine attack may last some few minutes to as long as 30 minutes. Even though the visual images that a person sees during migraine attack can be quite alarming, there is no permanent damage to the eye. However, frequency of visual symptoms as well as severity must be consulted to health professionals and specialists for proper check up, diagnosis and medications as necessary. It is possible that the person may have other conditions that may require treatments not associated with migraines. It is suggested that the person should seek medical help as soon as migraine ocular symptoms are experienced.

Since visual acuity is compromised during migraine ocular, the potential hazard increases. This may even reach dangerous levels such as when the person is driving or just crossing a busy intersection. Whenever episodes of ocular migraine pose threat to safety, it is always best to stop whatever task it is on hand and let the migraine take its course. Take medications only when necessary and as much as possible, do not self-medicate.

The cause of migraine ocular is still unknown, despite medical and technological advancement. However, studies and researches have shown that people can manage their migraines. This begins by determining what are their specific trigger marks and how can they be avoided.

As with most of the other types of migraines, ocular migraine is triggered by stress, fatigue, bad vices such as alcohol and cigarettes, some foods, caffeine and other contributors. When a person knows his (or her) definite trigger marks, it will equip him (or her) to deal better with migraines. To know which factors affect migraines, it is handy to keep a logbook, or any other form of journal, and record migraine ocular episodes as they come and what happened prior to the attack.

One way to minimize recurrence of migraine ocular is to do eye exercises, especially for those who perform close-up work for long periods of time such as working in front of a computer or from watching televisions. Roll the eyes, look up and down, and then from side to side to stretch eye muscles. It will also help to shift the vision to something green or other cooler shades or hue at regular intervals to relax the eyes.

Facts About Migraine Ocular

Migraine Information

Migraine Symptoms

You Think You Have Migraine? Check the symptom list.

There has been lots of research on a migraine field lately and now there is safe and natural solution to cure your migraine.Before you can understand how to cure your migraine, you also have to learn to understand what causes it for you and the consequences you may suffer because of migraine is something you just have to know.

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Do you ever wonder if your migraine episodes are dangerous to your health? Migraine has been underestimated for years even though it may damage your nervous system. Your brain may be in danger every time you have a migraine episode. So it is a big time to do something about it.

Here is symptom list for you to check:

Visual spots Blind spots in visual field Zig-zag lines in vision Visual hallucinations Eye-Ache Throbbing Head Pain Nausea Vomiting Neck /back pain Food sensitivities Sensitivity To Light Sensitivity To Sound Headache Keeping You Awake Low Self-Esteem Anxiety Depression Feeling "Doomed" Fear Of Migraine Attacks

Migraine symptoms can change over time. They can also get worse. If you find several of these symptoms fitting your condition you may suffer from migraine. If it contains visual and blind spots or zig zag lines in vision, you really need to do something for it. Not just suffer the attacks.

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Migraine Symptoms

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What Does A Migraine Aura Look Like?

Most people think of a migraine as excruciating pain, but pain is actually the third step of a migraine episode. Before the pain, a majority of migraine sufferers experience the pre-headache phase and the aura phase.

If you have ever heard of the aura phase, you've probably wondered, "What does a migraine aura look like?"

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Although many people speak only of the aura's affect on the eyes, the aura is much more than that. Migraineurs (those who have migraines) and their physicians know that some or all of the following may be part of an aura.

* auditory hallucinations - you hear sounds that aren't there

* confusion in thinking - things aren't making sense

* decrease in your hearing ability

* difficult finding the words you want

* dizziness

* increased feel and touch - or reduced feel and touch

* olfactory hallucinations - you smell odors that aren't there

* partial paralysis

* sight loss - partial or blurry vision

* tingling or numbness of your face

* visual hallucinations - you see sights that aren't there: flashing bright lights, wavy lines, spots, or zigzag lines

For now, however, we will look only at the last symptom in the list: visual hallucinations. What does a migraine aura look like in terms of its visual hallucinations?

Migraine Aura - Visual Hallucinations

The visual effects vary from person to person, although there are similarities. The changing activity of the nerves that coil around the blood vessels can produce partial loss of vision or intense colors and patterns.

1. For some people, the effects begin as a small dot in front of one or both eyes. The dot is a blind spot - a spot resembling the effect of accidentally looking toward a bare light bulb. Over a period of 30 to 60 minutes, the dot begins to grow. It flashes. Gradually, it changes shape, becoming an oval, a broken circle, or the shape of a V on its side. Off-center, the changing dot grows further and slowly moves to the peripheral vision. It creates repetitions of itself, chaining them together like linked circles, triangles, or other geometric patterns.

2. Other people describe a migraine aura as zigzag patterns in complimentary colors, such as red and green, yellow and blue. The colors look good together, and are pleasing to watch as long as the migraine pain has not begun. These people may also feel that they are look through smoke or smog. At times, it seems their eyes are shaded by a mini-blind with a crescent shape.

3. Artistically minded migraineurs are likely to say that migraine aura look like op-art paintings. They describe psychedelic, neon borders around a primary zigzag design in black and white. In fact, more than one sufferer has observed that, were it not for the onset of excruciating pain, the visual phenomenon would be very entertaining - something you might pay to witness!

4. One German artist, Delia Malchert, undertook to represent her aura's visual hallucinations in paintings. Her migraine aura look like scotoma: points in her visual field where vision is absent or reduced. They usually begin with a small spot near or at the centre of her vision. The spot grows gradually, darkening her vision and developing a jagged, zigzag rim of black and white. The rim emits quick flashes as it rotates rapidly around the darkening center. Before long, the scintillating and darkening increase to become a temporary visual disorder that is almost like legal blindness. At that point in the aura, the center part of what she sees is very blurry. To her, the hallucinations of a migraine aura are irritating and annoying rather than entertaining, even though they are not always followed by migraine pain. She does admit, though, that they can be aesthetically pleasing.

What does a migraine aura look like?

These phrases sum up some of the many visual perceptions migraine sufferers may experience.

* lightning bolts like jagged "Z" patterns - most common

* psychedelic patterns of bright colors

* sparkling zigzag lines that rotate

* random patterns of curved and straight lines

* spider webs in front of the eyes

* lattice work, grids, or mini-blinds in front of the eyes

* a spiraling tunnel

* kaleidoscopes of changing colors and patterns

* objects seeming to be larger, smaller, nearer, or farther away

* objects seeming to be tilted

* double vision - seeing two of everything

* stationary objects appearing to move

Migraine aura sufferers agree that whatever the visual effects, they cannot be escaped. Closing the eyes or trying to look around the effects does not help.

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What Does A Migraine Aura Look Like?

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Ways of Treating Visual Migraine

Visual migraine is a type of migraine known also as ocular migraine and ophthalmic migraine. Similar to the common migraine, its cause is vascular; that is, it involves the blood vessels. Whereas the typical migraine affects the arteries located in the surface of the brain, it affects the veins that supply blood to the vision center.

During a visual migraine episode, the sufferer experiences visual disturbances that typically last for fifteen to thirty minutes. It usually starts as a shimmering light with a semi-circular shape and jagged edges, seen in the peripheral vision and later expands to become more central. The ability to see is obscured within the jagged area. A headache may accompany the disturbance but does not occur in all cases. The more common symptoms that come with this are nausea and vomiting and a heightened sensitivity to light. Although the root cause of this particular migraine is not known, some of its common triggers are identified as fatigue, depression, dehydration, eyestrain, stress, alcohol, certain foods, and a shift in estrogen levels.

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Diagnosing visual migraine may require visits to the ophthalmologist and neurologist. This is to make sure that the visual disturbances are not caused by an underlying eye condition such as a detached retina or a blood clot in the brain. Once this has been established, then proper treatment can be provided.

Certainly, this is not fatal nor does it cause any damage to the brain or eyes. And since no pain comes with it, treatment is usually unnecessary unless a headache arises during an episode. However, if the attacks are frequent, medications may have to be administered. If the visual migraine occurs with a headache, over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen and naproxen can be taken to relieve the pain. In addition, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and aspirin are known to prevent these migraine attacks because they help keep the arteries in their normal size. Medications should be taken as soon as the first sign of the aura is felt. During the attack, the vision may be so hampered that doing other activities could be impossible. In these times, the patient should relax and wait for the said migraine to end. Bright lights and sounds should be avoided because they could potentially worsen the symptoms.

Having a visual migraine attack, though most of the times painless, can be frightening, especially for those who experience it for the first time. If anyone encounters any of the symptoms associated with this type of migraine, he should consult his physician immediately. This migraine, by itself, usually requires no treatment but the symptoms could be signs of a more serious condition. Knowing about a disease and how to deal with it is the best treatment of all.

Ways of Treating Visual Migraine

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