Optical Migraine
Headaches are common occurrences that probably everyone has experienced at some time or other in their lives, and though migraines are generally much worse in terms of severity, there are important differences to note between a common typical migraine and an optical migraine.
An optical migraine involves the appearance of an aura before the onset of the migraine attack, with the aura potentially presenting itself as visual disturbances such as flashes, smell alterations, physical reactions causing numbness and even tinnitus which affects the ear on the side opposite to the side of the head the headache afflicts. The primary difference between an optical migraine and a typical migraine, on the other hand, that that generally in optical migraines no pain is initially experienced. Most migraines as opposed to optical migraines are intensely painful, recurrent headaches that typically presents in one side of the head only and sufferers may experience an aura around 30 minutes before the onset of the actual headache. The attack might also include such symptoms as double vision, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Unfortunately for sufferers optical migraines are less common than typical migraines that bring severe pain.
The aforementioned visual disturbances are always present in optical migraines and often manifest as flashing lights that appear on the edge of the sufferer’s vision and may seem to move across it in either a progressively growing manner or in a zigzag pattern. These manifestations typically start as small visual disruptions that march across the visual field before slowly fading away. The attacks typically last for anything between a few minutes to around an hour, and if a headache does accompany the initial visual disruption the pain normally manifests in an hour or so.
Sufferers can be certain that they are having an optical migraine if the same symptoms present again and again, including the same type of aura. If the type of visual disruption changes it may mean that something more serious is happening, in which case medical attention should be sought. The cause of optical migraines is, like other forms of migraine, largely undetermined, although there is wide agreement that the disturbance of blood circulation in the brain is a definite factor. The pain that sufferers experience is typically due to the initial narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain followed by their dilation.
Women are also more likely than men to suffer from optical migraines by a ratio of 3:1, a phenomenon that is common in virtually all headache sufferer cases. The condition is thought to be inherited, and it has also been speculated that hormonal fluctuations could be a possible trigger.
Treatments tend to include the administering of aspirin and sedatives as well as resting in a darkened room. These actions can relieve the symptoms and make the sufferer more comfortable, taking away possible environmental triggers. Experienced migraine sufferers learn to recognize the onset symptoms of the aura and learn to begin treatment at an early stage, as this can help to lessen symptoms significantly when the migraine sets in entirely.
