The members of our community here at MyMigraineConnection.com seek current, correct, compassionate information and support. That's what I love about being part of it - everyone gets to help one another with care and encouragement. I especially enjoy being able to bring you updated tidbits when I come back from scientific headache and Migraine conferences. What I don't like seeing is information "out there" on other web sites about Migraine disease and headache disorders that isn't accurate.
Recently, a piece on "ocular" Migraines caught my attention. Let me first say it had some good points. For instance, Migraines can be triggered by certain foods such as aged cheeses, caffeine and MSG. There are certainly plenty of other food and non-food triggers such as; red wine, nitrates, hormonal fluctuations, weather changes, and inconsistent sleep schedules. Recognizing and managing our triggers is one important step we can take to help combat our Migraines. We have a free Migraine diary you can download as an accompanying tool to our article Your Migraine and Headache Diary. If you need help identifying food triggers, you can find information and a free downloadable food trigger workbook in Managing Migraine - Migraine Trigger Foods.
Some not-so-good information in the blog talks about how visual symptoms of a Migraine "are related to activity in the visual cortex in the back of the brain. If you experience an ocular migraine take safety steps immediately." Ummm, what? The visual cortex is in our occipital lobe and connected to our eyes by our optic nerves. We don't know that aura or its symptoms have anything to do with the visual cortex, but maybe future studies will reveal different information. On the other hand, cortical spreading depression may affect Migraine aura and there may be neurophysiological events where visual or sensory symptoms can result in activation of trigeminal/cervical nociceptive neurons. On the "immediate safety steps," mentioned in the blog, driving while you have a Migraine is a bad idea because your reaction time is reduced, your vision may be blurry and you may be nausea and vomit if indeed these some of your Migraine symptoms. Pathways of a Migraine will show you what we think are the steps involved in a Migraine attack.
"Ocular" Migraine is used by different people to describe different things. I know, I know; your doctor has told you over and over again that you have this type of Migraine. But really, you may have 'Migraine with aura'; or 'typical aura with Migraine headache'; or 'typical aura with non-Migraine headache'; or 'typical aura without headache'; or 'Retinal Migraine'. That's a lot of different Migraine types and/or headache types! It's a bit confusing I know, but these are all diagnostic terms that The International Headache Society's International Classification of Headache Disorders, second edition (ICHD-II) has in place for Migraine specialists and doctors to use. If everyone were to use this classification system it would make things easier for patients and doctors alike.
