Headaches and Migraines: Vision, Vertigo, and Dizziness
The symptoms and discomfort from migraines can
go far beyond excruciating head pain. Many people who get headaches, especially those who get migraines, also experience vision problems, dizziness, and vertigo.
What Causes Migraines?
There are more than 20 million people in the
U.S. who get migraines. Despite their common occurrence, experts still don't
know what causes some people to experience these often debilitating headaches.
Scientists once thought migraine headaches
resulted from the constriction of arteries in certain parts of the brain.
Experts now believe that migraines may be caused by problems in the nervous
system. The problems ultimately lead to swelling of blood vessels on the brain
surface, which may lead to migraines.
Changing levels of some hormones, especially estrogen, may also be related to the development of migraines. That may
explain why more women than men experience these headaches. Changes in the
amount of neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain have also been implicated.
Blood vessels can swell when levels of serotonin fall.
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Migraines and Vision
Problems
Roughly 20% of migraine headaches are preceded
by an aura. The aura often includes visual symptoms. Vision problems usually
appear 20 minutes to one hour before the headache starts. They may include
blind spots or the appearance of flashing lights, spots of light, or wavy lines
in the field of vision.
Migraines without aura -- the most common type of migraine -- do not produce aura
symptoms to warn of their onset. They can, though, still cause vision problems
and dizziness.
The International Headache Society also
recognizes a type of migraine known as retinal migraine. This type of migraine
produces a variety of visual symptoms. People with retinal migraines may suffer
from blindness in one eye before and during the headache. Other serious
conditions, such as optic nerve problems or a tear in the arteries that supply
blood to the brain, may cause one-sided blindness. Therefore, it's important to
consult a health care professional immediately to rule out other causes.
Fortunately, the blindness or visual deficits caused by retinal migraine
resolve completely when attacks subside.
Migraines & Headaches Health Center
Tools & Resources
Headaches and Migraines: Vision, Vertigo, and Dizziness
Migraines, Vertigo,
and Dizziness
Migraines are one of the leading causes of
dizziness. More than 25% of the 20 million people in the U.S. who suffer from
migraines experience this uncomfortable symptom. The dizziness caused by
migraines may include feelings of lightheadedness or unsteadiness as well as
true vertigo. Vertigo makes you feel as if the room is spinning.
Even though spinning sensations may appear to be
vision problems, they're actually related to your inner ear. In fact, some
people who experience migrainous vertigo also experience other ear and hearing
problems. That includes sound sensitivity and ringing in the ears.
Dizziness and vertigo are more common in people
who have migraines with aura, including vision problems, than in those who have headaches
without aura. One particular type of migraine -- basilar migraine -- is the
most likely to cause vertigo. It's also likely to cause ringing in the ears, hearing loss, and coordination difficulties.
Some people who experience migraine-related
vertigo don't develop this symptom until several years after their migraine
episodes begin. The headache-induced dizziness may precede or occur at the same
time as the headache. In some instances, the symptoms of dizziness and vertigo
develop in the absence of headache. The dizziness symptoms may last anywhere
from a few seconds to days.
It can be difficult for a doctor to make a
diagnosis of vertigo caused by migraine. That's because people who have these
headaches often have other conditions that may cause dizziness. This can
include anxiety, depression, and positional low blood pressure.
Treatment for a
Migraine's Vision, Vertigo, and Dizziness Symptoms
The vision symptoms and dizziness caused by
migraines are scary and troubling. But they usually improve significantly or
even disappear with medical treatment.
There are a variety of options for addressing
migraines and their related symptoms. They include lifestyle changes, medications, physical therapy, and complementary therapies.
·
Lifestyle
changes. Many people can reduce
or eliminate their headache-induced vision problems and vertigo by making
changes in their lifestyle. One step that may help is to avoid trigger foods.
Foods known to cause migraines in some people include chocolate, peanuts, and red wine. Stopping
smoking, reducing stress levels, and getting regular exercise may also help
reduce the occurrence of migraines and related vision problems.
·
Medications. There are no surefire migraine medications
that will work for everyone who gets migraines. There are, though, a variety of
options that may be used alone or in combination to relieve headaches and the
associated vision problems, dizziness, and vertigo they can cause. Therapies
may include:
o
Preventive
drugs. These medications,
including the antiseizure medication topiramate and the antidepressant amitriptyline, can help block migraines before they start.
o
Abortive
medications. These drugs, referred
to as triptans, such as sumatriptan and rizatriptan, are used to stop migraines
quickly before they become full-blown.
o
Symptom
relievers. Pain relievers and
anti-inflammatory drugs -- both prescribed and over-the-counter -- may alleviate
headache and lessen related symptoms.
·
Complementary
therapies. Biofeedback and acupuncture may reduce migraine-causing stress levels and help eliminate
headache symptoms, including pain, vision problems, dizziness, and vertigo.
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