Headaches while riding in or driving a car!
I get bad headaches whenever I go over 20 minutes or so in a car. I'm ususally riding as my husband usually drives, but it doesn't make any difference. I'm wondering if the scenery that goes by as the car goes down the road could be a trigger for a migraine?
We just went on a little trip, I actually put on blacked out glasses and put my seat back and just rode a lot of the time, but I missed a lot, and then I did have to look some to help hubby find our way when we came to turn offs and such. I ended up with headaches most of the time. I usually felt better in the morning after sleeping, then we would start out and soon I'd get a headache. I took a lot of Tylenol but it didnt' seem to help much. My headaches are not awful painful, just a nagging headache, and pressure in my head that makes it feel like it is going to explode. And, I get grumpy! Which I don't like. Also, get symptoms in my face, and is on one side, kind of numbish feeling.
I've just got to find answers to this problem. It is wrecking havoc with my life. We are retired and my husband would like to travel, and so would I if I felt good.
I do have a serious eye problem. I have had weak eye muscles, and had surgery on them years ago. It left me with double vision to the sides, so my eye dr. has me wearing a patch which is a contact lens colored black to block out the vision in one eye. That helps a lot, but I'm still having these headaches. I also get visual migraines from time to time. No headache, just the geometrical things in front of my vision. That lasts 20 minutes or so. I can't read or anything when that happens. Sometimes, that does lead into a headache. Sometimes, I can't think clearly and have trouble finding the words I want to say.
Any advise or help you can give me would be most appreciated.
Blessings,
Bonnie
Hello, Bonnie,
Are you talking about headaches or Migraines? You've hit on a possible answer -- the scenery going by. The flashing scenery or the flickering of sunlight through scenery is a common Migraine trigger just as strobe light and some animations are.
The "visual Migraines" you mention may well be Acephalgic or Silent Migraines. Not being able to think of the right words is also a common Migraine symptom called aphasia. Here are a couple of articles that address your questions:
• Acephalgic or Silent Migraine - The Basics
• Anatomy of a Migraine
Have you talked to your doctor about this? Depending on how frequently this happens, he may suggest taking a Migraine abortive such as a triptan when this happens. Some people who tend to get Migraines in the care have told me that taking a medication for motion sickness, such as Dramamine, when they start out keeps them from getting Migraines in the car. That's something else you can suggest to your doctor.
Hope this helps!
Teri
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I found polorized "blu blocker" sunglasses help me a lot when driving, they are even great in daytime fog. I can't have the windows open any more. The violently changing air pressure kills me. I have to use the air conditioning even on beautiful days. Have you tried motion sickness medication? Good Luck.
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