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A small study published in June suggested that almost 9% of migraineurs have facial pain during an attack. Now this is of course another of those chicken-and-egg questions, because some of those patients likely have jaw issues that are triggering migraine attacks. But others simply have migraine attacks that cause the facial pain. Read about the study from Germany, Prevalence of facial pain in migraine: a population-based study.
In fact, in rare cases, there is something rare called isolated facial migraine, where the pain in the face is the main feature of the migraine.
Sometimes treatment for the jaw is needed, such as an NTI-tss device. In other cases, when the pain is coming from the migraine attack, simply treating migraine as a whole will solve the facial pain issue as well.
What about you? Do you have facial pain during an attack? What’s it like?
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{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
It’s interesting that you posted this today. My migraine pain has been, for the most part, under control for a while. But for the last 3 days my face has been tender to touch. I was wondering if it was sinus, but the pain goes beyond the sinus areas, plus, I’m not having any other symptoms of sinus trouble. I’ve had facial pain w/migraines before, but never without headache. Perhaps I’ll try treating it as a migraine and see it that provides relief. Either way, it’s better than the head-pounding, debilitating pain I generally associate with migraine.
Hi…just new here! i have had severe migraines for over 10 yrs now. Not fun… The last 2yrs they have become worse..the face pain, i have experienced alot of..during some of my migraines i loose all feeling in the left side of my face..then when all is done the pain starts.
Well, I took a Maxalt and the face pain went away. I’m shocked, but happy to be able to stand having anything touch my face again. Thanks for the tip, I’ll keep this in mind from now on, but at the same time, don’t want to jump right into taking medication anytime my face hurts. Always a balancing act…
I also experience face pain with migraines, mainly on the right side. Also twitches of eye lids, jaw pain and neck pain. I suffered with those symptoms for years as I had no idea they were related to migraines. Maxalt and Replax both relief those symptoms. I take Maxalt when I have time to lay down and nap. I take Relpax if I don’t have the opportunity to rest. Sometimes I only have face pain and twitching, but no accompanying “headache”. In those cases, I don’t take medication. Only if the pain is debilitating will I put strong meds in my body. The other symptoms are inconvenient, but not debilitating.
Thanks for the comments, everyone! Yes, it’s very important to “connect-the-dots” and realize which symptoms are actually connected to migraine. I’m glad this one could be of help.
Tricia – you pointed out something important. This is yet another reason migraine attacks can be mistaken for sinus headache. Important note!
For years I went to doctors complaining of sinus, jaw (tooth) and neck pain that would not arrest with over-the-counter pain relievers. The doctors thought I was nuts, as I didn’t have a sinus infection or bad teeth. I never imagined that those where migraine symptoms. I never experienced an aura, or upset stomache, or sensitivity to light or sound with my headaches. Finally my doctor put it all together and sent me to a neurologist when I complained of numbness in my cheeks, twitching eyes, and face pain. I hope you all are getting relief from your migraines.
My *eyes* hurt! I’ve been looking around the site and not seen this mentioned specifically — when I am getting a migraine, my eyes feel heavy like I want to cry. No pain initially, and no symptoms in my face or teeth (that comes later). But for years I thought I was depressed because I felt like I wanted to cry all the time. It wasn’t till I was diagnosed with migraine and noticed that the heaviness in my eyes was a precursor that went away when I took a Maxalt that I made the connection…
Hi i just recently had one of the worst migraine attacks in yrs! It lasted 8 days…hospitalized. I lost all function in my left side, was not able to speak without slurring or stuttering my words. Very scary!
They have put me on a new drug called Ralivia (tramidol). It is a pain reliever you take daily. Along with my other medication…Topomax i take daily.
Has anyone else experienced this loss of function before? Or has thier DR. mentioned this drug to you? I relize it is just release in Cananda and very new. thanks
Tramadol may be new in Canada but it’s been in the US for many years. (I googled and the way you spelled it only comes up as a “common misspelling of Tramadol”). It’s called Ultram here. It can cause dependence like Vicodin, so be careful. Here is some info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramadol
Yes, losing function as you mention Lisa is possible with migraine. However, as you probably know it’s important to rule out other possibilities (such as stroke) before giving a diagnosis of migraine (even if there is pre-exisisting migraine).
It would be wise to get another opinion – both on the symptoms and the treatment. There are a variety of treatments available, and I think you would be wise to get a migraine specialist to hear about your medical history.
I have an apt. with a nuroligist ( i know spelled that wrong) In two mths…..the doctor i seen in the hospital tried telling me i was too wrong to develope symptoms of a stroke, that brought an argument on….As a nurse i see stroke patients alot and age is not a factor.I have suffered from migraines since i was a child and seen many doctors….now my daughter is having them…do not want to see her go through what i am. Thank you Christine for the info….
Its good to realise I am not on my own. My migraines are definitely food related but not always sure which food – sometimes I can tolerate something and another time I can’t. I wonder if anyone has the same progression as me. If I eat something that will trigger an attack it takes about 8-12 hours before I start to feel the symptoms; first upset tummy and neck ache; then the headache starts and by 24 hours later using sick. Feel totally wiped out for the next 24 hours then start to come round. Does anyone else suffer for so long?
Yes, people do sometimes have a “delayed reaction” when it comes to food triggers. And yes, erica, the length of your symptoms is not at all unusual – I wish I could say it was! Sometimes things last even longer.
And yes, sometimes the same thing can trigger or not trigger an attack. This is likely because of the “full bathtub” – it’s not one thing triggering the attack, but a number of things. One the “bathtub is full”, it just takes one more thing for it to overflow….
It is hard to understand triggers. Some are very consistent at triggering a migraine, and some aren’t. I journaled pretty extensively for a year, and I’m still not sure what all my triggers are. James, that is a very good explanation about the bathtub being full. It makes perfect sense to me. I am a long time runner. That explains why running will sometimes trigger a migraine, and sometimes not. This site is very helpful to me – thanks everyone!
Thanks James for commenting on my posting. Bathtub effect sounds sensible. In this way of thinking I also think that eating too much can trigger a migraine. As if you can only tolerate one sort of food at a time and only a certain amount.
Thanks everyone for your post and information. Migraine is horrible but at least I don’t feel like there is something to be too scared about, not something happening only to me.
It hurts to see the right side of my face sagging; and sometimes it’s only my left foot that feels cold. The sagging started yesterday; I started taking Naproxen E- Mylan 500 (2x/day) on Friday and I don’t know if I am having some side effects; I have to have someone to read to the info inside the box–too small. I understand the spelling difficulties of Tricia because I am also haing them. My brain is telling me that I have typed that letter and find on the screen that I haven’t. I was a spelling champion at school and a fast typist, but now, sometimes I don’t care anymiore if my fingers aren’t punching the right keys.
Arora, you bring up a good issue – I have been experiencing noticeable memory loss the past 6 months or so. As a project manager, I work in a very fast paced environment. I’m in meetings all day and I have to remember a lot of details. I’m not sure if it’s side effects of medication (Maxalt and Relpax), or if the migraine pain distracts me, or if migraines cause memory loss. I have started to take notes extensively. Even looking back on the notes, I can’t recall hearing the information (who said it and in what context). I look back on emails that I sent and I honestly don’t remember sending them. I feel like I have Alzheimers. The memory loss is beyond what I consider normal and it worries me.
Hi all,
This is all very interesting reading, i recently began feeling strange sensations on the left hand side of my face, my mouth felt like it was sagging a bit and i felt like i was slurring my speech and my left eye felt watery, i think i have got it down to happening when i have fizzy drinks.
I spoke to my dad who is an optician and he suggested it could be migraine related, although i’ve never suffered from what i think of as a migraine – headaches, trouble with looking at bright light etc, from reading all of this it seems very likely now. Does anyone else get it but not get other effects like a headache? I’ve also had a few issues with my memory recently but dont know if this is down to just being busy at work, i’m not taking any meds that i could put it down to, but can this be an affect of a migraine that affects the face too?
Hi Everyone! I have just recently returned from the migraine pain clinic in Calgary alberta. Had med changes, I have been taken off the tramadol which i am very happy about…..had very bad side affects with these….d/c the t4’s, :0) and lowered my dose of topomax i am now on amitryplyne nightly BIG improvement on my daily migraines! and only for pain i am on an anti inflamitory called naproxen….helps alot…….no rebound headaches from this at all!!
i do want to thank Christine for your info I took that with me and discussed it with my specialist and she agreed with my concerns! so a big thanks to you!! Lisa
interesting reads forsure. I sit here for the last 2 days my right side is tingling and numb. Half right down the middle of my lips, nose etc. No headache. I get migrains that last anywhere up to 8 days. Just feel all doped up just to get through my headache which dibilitates me. I can get it on half of my face, starting the back of my neck then up and around. then i have a 24 hr reprive then bang on the other side. VERY frustrating. Have been suffering for 28yrs to my recollection.
My migraines are definitely related to food intolerances. Have just come across a brilliant book by Dr. Lamar Gibbons called Self Help Way to treat Colitis and other IBS. I know we don’t necesarily have IBS but the food intolerances are the same and I haven’t had a migraine for over a week!!!!! Certainly worth a look especially if food triggers your migraines.
This is so ironic. I live in rural central IL. I am about 3hrs from the
Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago. I have had migraines for about 20 years, finally ending up on disability. I talk about my headaches by year, because they change. The only consistency is that about March/April, usually around the time change, I get a migraine that lasts for about 2 months. This year, however, they never stopped. I have facial pain, but I have it all the time, especially in my forhead area. I finally made an appointment and had the awesome expreience of not only seeing a Dr. at the Diamond clinic, but he immediately put me in the hospital in Chicago. They have a 37 bed unit at a nearby hospital. I was there for 5 days. My Dr. changed all my medications. I have only been home for a couple weeks, but already my facial pain is gone.
He told me that some of the meds would take a few weeks to completly reach their level in my body. I have high hopes (and total faith in my Dr.) that I will finally find som relief. I would like to say that personally, I feel that when a person has suffered from severe migraines for a long period of time, there is something that changes in our brains. I don’t believe that I will ever be headache free, but I now have hope that I am being taken seriously and have a chance of a more normal life.
Sandra W.
I am so thankful I have found this forum. To be able to read everyone’s comments is so helpful. I have been having trouble for years (typically in the fall) that tends to be different but the same if you know what I mean. I had shingles in my right ear which spread down my face in 1978, which started a landslide of lifelong events. I had an allergic reaction to compozine and suffered lock jaw for 6 hours the next year. I now have constant ringing in my ears! I was institutionalized for depression several times over the next 10 years usually in the fall of the year. Not to list all the following years events, but in 2006 I had an heart ablation and was put on heart medications for an irregular heart beat. Last fall I had Bell’s Palsey on the right side of my face. The droopy face, slurred speech, slobbering, my eye would not close, was absolutely horrible. This fall it has been the migraine symptoms with dizziness that has lasted for over a month now. I can’t look up, I can’t look down! I went to the school nurse and she put me on an antibiotic for an inner ear infection and sinus infection. I wasn’t getting better so I finally I went to see my ENT and he said I didn’t have an infection, that it sounded like migraines to him. The light went on!!! I started putting the puzzle together. First, it is genetic! My mother and sisters have had them all their lives. The time of the year also seems to be a factor. This year I have been trying to work but I can’t concentrate. I just feel crappy! I just want to sleep! My face tingling is really beginning to bother me! In my 55 years, I have been diagnosed with a number of things but I think they all boil down to this: Migraines! The comment I read about foods rang true because the first symptom I had was I noticed my gut was bloated. I became constipated and things have gone down hill since. The more I research this, the more I realize I need to clean my system out. I read somewhere that when your stomach gets out of balance it can cause your brain to get squirrely too! Go figure!!!
I really appreciate all the helpful comments from fellow sufferers. I hope I can help some one however, I don’t really know much at this point.