Is there such a thing as a migraine without a headache?

On the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke web site www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/headache/detail_headache.htm  I found a paragraph under other forms of migraine that says:  Headache Free Migraine is characterized by such migraine symptoms as visual problems, nausea, vomiting, constipation, or diarrhea.  Patients, however, do not experience head pain.  Headache specialists have suggested that unexplained pain in a particular part of the body, fever, and dizziness could also be possible types of headache-free migraine.

Mom,

 

Yes, it's entirely possible to have a Migraine attack without a headache. For more information on this, see Acephalgic or Silent Migraine - The Basics.

 

The aura of a Migraine with aura can cause seizures, but that's not at all common. It would be important for seizure disorders to be ruled out.

 

Hope this helps!
Teri

Vestibular Migraine!!!!! I have them, 6 months straight, left blurry eye, tightness at bass of skull, nausea, vomiting, blocked ears, but mostly constant sickening dizziness, a 5 vodka later feeling. My Neurologist diagnosed me with this. I would rather the headache!!!!!!

Rebecca,

 

Migraine without headache is not necessarily "vestibular Migraine." A Migraine without a headache is termed an "acephalgic" or "silent" Migraine. You can read Acephalgic or Silent Migraine - The Basics for more information.

 

"Vestibular Migraine" is actually an old term that is not part of the the International Headache Society's International Classification of Headache Disorders, Second Edition (ICHD-II), which is the gold standard for diagnosing and classifying head pain disorders. The reason I tell you this is that when doctors use diagnoses that are not part of the ICHD-II, it can be very confusing. With no set criteria for those diagnoses, they can mean one thing when given by one doctor and something entirely different coming from another doctor.

 

The following Migraine diagnoses are defined by the ICHD-II:

1.1 Migraine without aura
1.2 Migraine with aura
     1.2.1 Typical aura with migraine headache
     1.2.2 Typical aura with non-migraine headache
     1.2.3 Typical aura without headache
     1.2.4 Familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM)
     1.2.5 Sporadic hemiplegic migraine
     1.2.6 Basilar-type migraine
1.3 Childhood periodic syndromes that are commonly precursors of migraine
     1.3.1 Cyclical vomiting
     1.3.2 Abdominal migraine
     1.3.3 Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood
1.4 Retinal migraine
1.5 Complications of migraine
     1.5.1 Chronic migraine
     1.5.2 Status migrainosus
     1.5.3 Persistent aura without infarction
     1.5.4 Migrainous infarction
     1.5.5 Migraine-triggered seizure
1.6 Probable migraine
     1.6.1 Probable migraine without aura
     1.6.2 Probable migraine with aura
     1.6.5 Probable chronic migraine

 

Teri

Yes, there is. In my family we have an inherited type of migraine. It doesn't happen often maybe once a year maybe less but we all fear it. We can have severe dizziness with severe nausea, sometimes a milder dizziness with nausea (but no headache.) I once felt fine at 2:00 p.m. but by 2:30 I was on the floor of the bathroom trying not to throw up (again).  The only thing we do is to take dramamine and lay down as long as it takes to go away, usually a whole day at least. We have never had a seizure.

 Debbie