Mine seem to be triggered by changes in atmospheric pressure. I had my first one after a flight from the northeastern US back home to Louisiana. I didn’t have another one for a while, but now I have one every time a cool front comes through. Like I said, they are only on the right side of my face. It’s a throbbing, pounding pain that seems to be centered just above my right eye in the middle of my right eyebrow. My whole face swells up and droops and my vision is affected. I also experience nausea and vomiting and light sensitivity as well. It hurts to open my eyes and to blink. It feels like the whole right side of my mouth on the top and bottom are full of cavities and it hurts to chew. You could literally draw a line down the center of my face as to where the pain is. It involves the entire right side of my face. The last time I had one, I couldn’t get out of bed no matter what medicine I took. I lost an entire day due to the headache. I don’t see auras and don’t hallucinate, although I know that not everyone who has migraines experiences those symptoms either. They also seem to be triggered my hormones and seem to occur more around my periods. I went to the dentist and my teeth were fine. I really am not sure if it’s sinus polyps or facial migraines.

I have been alternating Allegra D and Zyrtec D, which I have to get from behind the pharmacy counter. I take one for a month and then switch to the other when one stops working. I take one every day with breakfast and my headaches are much more manageable. I only have one on occasion as opposed to almost daily and they are nowhere near as severe. I am able to function normally while taking these meds. In Louisiana, the weather is always changing and little fronts, whether warm or cool, always seem to be passing through.

I have been reading these blogs and I find them helpful. I just went out and bought a whole bunch of produce to give the diet change a try. I don’t eat a lot of meat anyway, so cutting that out isn’t that big of a deal. It’s cutting out the sugar and milk that will be more of an issue. I’m becoming a lacto ovo vegan (I think that’s what they call it)–not eating eggs, wheat, msg, wine, milk, soy protein, sugar, or meat of any kind. If a food lists sugar, wheat, or soy in the first 3 ingredients, I won’t eat it. It’s gonna be tough though, especially during my period when I crave chocolate like crazy. I know I should give up coffee, but I’ve had it every morning for the past 30 years and that’ll be extremely tough. For now, instead of using a dairy creamer or milk and sugar, I’m gonna try goat milk and truvia. Hopefully it won’t be too hard to stick to, I would like to stop taking the Allegra D and Zyrtec D altogether. I feel foggy-headed all the time and am not sure if it’s from the meds or the migraines or both. I find it hard to concentrate. I have always loved to read and now find that I have to re-read the same things over and over to comprehend it. My mind seems to wander a lot.

Hopefully the change in diet will help. Thanks to everyone for your comments.

I’ve lost function in the left side of my face. I went to see the doctor and he confirmed it was migraine. For those who have experienced it, will my face come back to normal? Thank you.

I get facial pain with my migraines (my jaw hurts, feels almost like an ear ache or toothache), but what you’re describing could be a sinus infection or maybe even TMJ. You might want to see a doctor to have it confirmed. I often get a rapid heart rate with my migraines (I have high blood pressure and take a beta blocker). Nosebleeds can be an indication of a sinus infection, but they can also indicate blood pressure problems. Both of these issues need to be looked into by a physician. Most medical experts suggest that, even if you’ve experienced regular and even chronic heachaches, if you are experiencing new or different types of headaches it’s important to be seen by a doctor asap. Best of luck to you!

I realize I’m coming in very late in this thread, but just found your article after a quick search. I have suffered with migraines since childhood and experience intense accompanying facial pain. It’s always on the right side, goes from the neck area along the jaw, eye socket, temple and up to the top of the head. It’s excrutiating at times. I’ve only taken Imitrex for my migraines and that gets rid of the migraine within an hour. Since losing my health insurance, I’ve been taking the generic version…not fun. The side effects are pretty awful (body/flu-like aches, weird panicky feeling), but it does get rid of the migraine after about an hour or so.
Thanks so much for the article! I

Is it this face migraine you guys are all talking about here?
Is there a nerve running close to the nose which could trigger this pain? Please advise, I really don’t know what I got, and haven’t met anyone who had the same symptoms.
Thank you very much!

30 years on, I still suffer terribly from this affliction. I had several migraine episodes where the right hand side of my face went numb … scary thing is … when I went to lie down, I went blind in my right eye for 6 minutes.

I was referred to a neurologist but I have never gone. To afraid to find out if it’s something more then just a migraine. Yes they have gotten extremely bad, and I can be bed ridden for months.

I know wear sun glasses inside and out as my eyes as so sensitive to light. Maximelt doesn’t work, nothing does. To tired now. Just tired of this constant pain.