I have been diagnosed with basilar type migraines. Monday I saw my neuro because I have been having ongoing problems with walking, both in strength and stability. He ran me through the battery of tests and several of them showed neurological changes that would indicate damage to the nerves in the upper motor neuron region, more predominant on my right side, so he ordered a new MRI. One of the things he mentioned was clonus, and I didn't feel the pin sticks as sharp, only pressure, on my right side. He also said there was something different with my tapping my two index fingers to the thumb, but he didn't say what. Then I went into a migraine immediately after he finished poking and prodding, so I question whether those responses could have been due to the migraine and not actual nerve damage? I know you can't tell me what is the case for me in particular, but can a migraine cause those changes? Thanks for your help, Mary.

Answer:

Dear Mary;

The items you describe can be changes in the nervous system that we neurologists can detect on exam, but examination as a cause of migraine, I don’t think so. Unless the stress of being examined was very high for you. I won’t presume to guess what your neurologist thinks is going on, but that is between you and her/him. Basilar migraines are quite rare and usually seen in the very young, so if you are over 30, that would be an unlikely item. I’d suggest seeking out a headache and migraine expert on these symptoms and for treatment of your migraines.

Good luck,
John Claude Krusz and Teri Robert

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