Detecting The Early Onset Of Optical Migraine

Optical migraine is also known as vascular headache and this kind of migraine can be incredibly uncomfortable. People who suffer from migraine-ocular problems know this and yet the exact cause of this condition is still unknown. It is also an interesting thing to note that people who suffer from this kind of migraine may feel migraine aura but they will not experience any headache may it be mild or severe.

So what is migraine? Migraine is a condition that is usually accompanied by extremely painful headaches. This headache usually affects one side of the head and in most cases of a migraine attack, an aura is felt prior to a headache. This aura usually manifests in seeing zigzag patterns and visual flashes. Other symptoms may also include vomiting, dizziness, nausea and double vision.

An optical migraine is a type of migraine condition wherein a person may experience an aura but without the painful headaches. This problem is usually less common as compared to a typical migraine which has intense, painful headaches. Other terms for this condition are ocular migraine and visual migraine. Episode like this can often last for minutes to hours.

Ocular migraines usually start to act up during the mornings, although this may not prove to be the situation to all sufferers. Ocular migraines are often thought to be triggered by endocrine problems, allergies and temporary edema. This also happens because of the constriction and disruption of blood flow in the brain.

There are several reasons to this kind of migraine. Optical migraines can only affect one eye at a time and this can happen with or without a headache. It is also important to know that people who suffer from optical migraines can experience the regular migraine as well.

One way to detect an optical migraine is to cover one eye, if the symptoms continue to manifest then cover the other eye. When the symptoms stop, then it is safe to say that an optical migraine is happening. If the symptoms continue to manifest after both eyes are tested, a regular migraine aura might probably be the cause of this.

Some causes of this condition followed by a regular migraine can include excessive drinking, inappropriate eating habits that may lead to hunger, stress, hormonal imbalance and the use of contraceptives.

Food products could also trigger the symptoms for a visual migraine. It is recommended that these should be avoided as much as possible to lessen the occurrence of visual migraines. Food containing MSG, nitrates and chocolates are some examples of migraine triggering food. Long exposure to the sun can also be a cause of sudden visual problems.

The usual medications used for the prevention of this condition are sedatives and pain relievers. Your doctor can also issue a prescription of triptan injectables, beta blockers and anti-depressants to lessen the intensity of ocular migraine.

One important thing to note is that ocular migraines cannot result to permanent eye damage or loss in vision. If in doubt, go to a doctor so that your situation can be professionally assessed and other complications can be ruled out.