Trouble Swallowing

I've noticed with my latest bout of chronic migraine that I now seem to have trouble swallowing during the onset of the headache along with tinnitus. Does anyone else have this? Then I get anxiety because I feel like I'm going to choke!

I think I notice this, but there is so much going on right before my migraines come on. I also get anxiety for about 10 minutes as the migraine comes on. I can't tell if the swallowing difficulty is from the anxiety or from the post nasal drip I get as a migraine comes on - for some reason my nose gets stuffy and I get, not to be too gross, mucus going down my throat. Some nose spray helps with this. But by the time it takes effect my anxiety is already gone, so who knows which is the cause.

The most important thing is not to panic, as this will make things much worse no matter what is the cause.

I know that with migraine dehydration can be a big problem, so make sure that even if swollowing is difficult you keep taking some liquid frequently. Water or warm herball tea, is best as it will not irritate your stomach.

Also sometimes if you take some pills and do not take plenty of liquid they can stick in your gut and you can get that chocking feeling. If this is the case take abite of bread and some liquid to help the pills along.

Do you have trouble swollowing when you have no migraine as well?

But to be on a safe side, it is always best to have such things checked if this is happening more then once or twice.
I hope this might be of some help - do let us know how you are feeling.
And remember to drink lots of liquids with the onset of migraine, it is easy to forget.

yes i do have problems swallowing, i always remember my father drinking gallons of milk with his meal to help him swallowand he knew when he did that a migraine was coming.
now i find myself doing the same thing!!

Do you take triptans? I know when I tried them they made my neck muscles very tight.

How frightening for you! Yikes!

paradox wrote:Do you take triptans? I know when I tried them they made my neck muscles very tight.

Yep - triptans can definitely make your throat feel tight and can make swallowing difficult. I hate to think what they would do to someone who already has trouble swallowing.

This may sound strange, but have you ever been tested for a Chiari malformation? One of the women on here has educated us all about Chiari. It is basically where the back of you brain doesn't have enogh room so tt is pushing down into your spinal column. Two of the most common side effects are head pain and trouble swallowing.

Just a thought. I don't have the trouble swallowing with migraine but I imagine it could also be a symptom. It seems as though lots of us suffer from random neurological symptoms.

Good Luck!

Mary Anne