#what does migraine feel like.(Distinguishing from "other" pain)

Ok me again, sorry, but I need to get back to the osteopath.
He has told me the pain I describe doesnt sound like typical migriane pain (whatever that is).

I get pain usually on one side. It will throb and stab when I am to my mind in migraine.
The daily (well almost) pain is just there, it doesnt throb. It is like toothache in my head.
Often on the brow bone and can be in neck and top of head as well.

Should it be throbbing, stabbing??? Is that how yours is please?
I have been diagnosed with migraine, and dont doubt I have it, but no triggers, no nausea.
I am sure there are a lot of different ways to feel the pain (lucky us)

He sounds like he doesn't know much about M.

For starters, the pain is only ONE of the symptoms in M and doesn't even have to be present.
It can be located in the abdomen, for example, and it still is MIGRAINE - it's called abdominal M.

Osteopaths are NOT qualified to deal with M, medical doctors and neurologist are.

But to answer your question, the most classic but one of the rarer (only up to 15% all M has it) symptoms of M is M with aura, which mean visual disturbances before head pain, more common is M without aura (70%) (the rest are other types of M)

then a head pain itself the most typical is yes one sided pulsating and throbbing pain.

But M can also hurt at the top of the head, in the back of the head, it can resemble tension headache, it can resemble sinus infection, trigeminal neuralgia, an ice pick headache,
also the entire episode can be very well all other symptoms (nausea, vomiting, tremors, exhaustion, chills,sweats, an aura, MINUS a head pain.

Tell your osteopath that he should stick to osteopathy, not the other stuff.

Risa

I am on my way to bed, but just to say he is a medical doctor.
Osteopath too.,
Not sure we will be friends very long if I speak to him like that.

May I add - the many different pains we Migraineurs experience are explained by the nerves that are located and connected in the head:





because of that, we can experience M in practically any place, even ear (which I sometimes do! during M) :

http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/c/9924/52665/preceding-migraine
or in the teeth, for that matter.

Now I am not saying that is for sure for you Pen - just that it can BE.


Risa

He may be a medical dr. but that doesn't make him an expert, or even particularly knowledgeable, about migraine or headaches in general.

My migraines are similiar to yours, and they don't always or even often have specific triggers, either. I've been diagnosed by 2 nuerologists, one pain specialist, and one GP with chronic migraine.

Must go to bed, it is 1am here.
I must clarify. First I am referred to him by the neuro....and he does understand migraine.
Second.
He is trying to find what the other pain is, or if it is all migraine based.
It is the opinion of the neuro that I have a problem with my neck which is exacerbating everything.
So I see the osteopath who is qualified. I wouldnt see anyone who wasnt, especailly at these costs.

He isnt disputing, I have migraine, nor what migraine is. and I was trying to find out if any of you identify with the pain not throbbing or stabbing, as I posted.

He is asking me about the other pain I have and i was endeavouring to see if any of you have a good despcription of your migriane...not all migriane, that might cover my other pain. The city of London Migriane clinic ...yes they are big here..... told me I had mensturally related migraine and muscle contraction headache. 2 different pains which can intertwine...

I am sorry I put it so badly. ~Boy I have a hard time explaining myself lately.
But thats it, what does it feel like for you.

Maye it is different outside the UK, but here we get sent to osteopaths by GPs etc for many things. We are referred,I hope they do that responsibly.

Risa, nice diagrams, about the best I have seen,thank you.

And now ladies, Good Night

Not at all Pen, you put it quite well it's the osteopath who didn't.

Once again, please keep in mind there is not one description of M pain, or perhaps better - that there is the most typical pain everybody knows about plus there are less common symptoms most doesn't know,
and these less common symptoms are by no means STILL MIGRAINE,
but to know that one must be well knowledgeable in Migraine disease.

I for one am because I have M for 27 years and gosh I read everything I could put my hands on about the matter. And I am not trying to blown my own horn here, either, just saying as it is. I spent years researching magazines, books, internet.

Well experienced in M disease doctors such as dr Krusz whose expert response I linked for you Pen in previous post knows that one does not have to have only a one sided throbbing pain in order to have M, it could very well be what you describe.

Your osteopath, on the other hand, who in my book is NOT a real medical doctor but doctor in complimentary medicine and certainly NOT an expert in neurology, might be very well qualified in "know-how" about muscle-skeletal system and how these may trigger a headache in general,
but definitely is not oriented in complicated neurological world of M headache. He just doesn't have the necessary education for it.


All I am saying, he might be useful if you have indeed some problems in your neck or other area. If he can help with that, and in turn you will experience relief with your headaches, that's great.
But that doesn't mean he was right about the headaches, or knew anything about them - because in M anything can be a trigger, and all he did was removed the trigger.

Risa

I've been diagnosed by countless doctors as having intractable chronic migraines (chronic daily migraine).

My pain changes from day to day, from hour to hour, up and down in intensity. Changes from stabbing, constant, throbbing, electrical shock-type, ice pick, pressure--all kinds of variants. All of it is considered migraine.

Pen, my neck issues have been diagnosed as degenerative joint disease. Any traveling really exacerbates this. Sometimes the neck problems precede the migraine, and sometimes they follow after. It's all so difficult to figure out.

Hope that is the type of information you were looking for. If not, let me know and I can give you more information.

Please take care,

Becky

And Pen just so you understand better where I come from, and indeed I have tendency to sometimes come too strong because I am hotheaded person, sorry - my response related to this not you:

He has told me the pain I describe doesnt sound like typical migriane pain (whatever that is).

All I am saying he simply doesn't know enough about M to know what it should sound like.
He only knows what most people know about M, which is the basic.

Why this worries me, though? because, you see, now you aren't sure whether or not what you have is M or not.
Now you are confused even more, by a person who shouldn't be confusing you.
Now you see my point?


Risa

I agree with Risa, that's how I interpreted it also.
But, to answer your question, I have intractable chronic migraine as well, and more than half the time, I'm not able to identify an actual trigger, unless its just stress, which I don't know how to eliminate. Life is stres, you know?

To describe the migraine pain, the more intense migraines: focused one one side, usually the right, and usually behind my eye, feels like a hot poker behind/stabbing into the optical nerve, and the pain spreads from there. But more often the pain is a steady all-over pain that isn't localized, its just intense pain all over my head. Sometimes its worse at the base of my skull, but its still felt all over and can get pretty agonizing. Those are the daily migraines.

Don't usually get an aura, only sometimes get nausea, and only sometimes have triggers. I also get menstrual migraine.

Don't know if that helps.

No, sometimes it is not stubbing/throbbing. It's more like a burning ache that affects my teeth, my jaw and the base of my skull.
Bye

I had a neuro said I was not having M because I do not get Auro or light sensitivity !!!

He also said it was not M because the pain was not on one side of my head !!

I once had a doctor tell me that what I had was not a migraine as they only last a few hours. Reaaaaaaallllly..... I've had them last two weeks to three months with no let up. I wanted to smack his little pinhead.

I have seen many doctors and neuros and complimentary therapists in the 20+ years I have had migraine.
To be honest, the worst regarding migraine and headache knowledge and empathy (and I am speaking personally) have been neuros,. The best have been the neuros who are headache specialists (any old neuro just wont do they need to be into headaches)

The complimentary people have varied. Some have been perceptive more than knowledgeable.
Others have been totally clueless but sadly dont believe that of themselves.

My Osteopath is informed, and works within an entire clinic of varying therapies.
He may not be a neuro, but to me, who has had all the necessary checks, that is an advantage, I dont need to be patronised again thank you. He may no longer work in main stream medicine, although he does work in NHS hospitals. But he is errudite and empathetic, and conscientious. He wants to try to help me sort out any element of my pain that he can. He makes no promises. He doesnt dispute my migraine, he just feels in his professional opinion that my neuro is correct and I have at least two pains. He tries to determine (because he is not an expert in migraine) which might be which, but either way he is going to be working on my neck as there is certainly something not right with it. I had to stop driving 5 years ago because I couldnt turn it quickly enough.

I just wanted to clarify my post because I feel I wasnt getting across properly by the replies some made.
I have not had a Triptan today, so hopefully, this one is better constructed and articulate.

#Thanks everyone for all your input.

My Osteopath is informed, and works within an entire clinic of varying therapies.
He may not be a neuro, but to me, who has had all the necessary checks, that is an advantage, I dont need to be patronised again thank you. He may no longer work in main stream medicine, although he does work in NHS hospitals. But he is errudite and empathetic, and conscientious. He wants to try to help me sort out any element of my pain that he can. He makes no promises. He doesnt dispute my migraine, he just feels in his professional opinion that my neuro is correct and I have at least two pains. He tries to determine (because he is not an expert in migraine) which might be which,

Well Pen, looks like you always know better and certainly believe more what your doctors tell you over what we can tell you from our own experiences - why then even ask here?

Risa

Oh Risa, please dont misunderstand me. I have made no suggestion of knowing better than anyone.
How on earth did you get that form my post. It stated the total opposite.

I made it abundantly clear that I speak for myself and pay all respect to everyone else and appreciate their comments. That's why I ask!!!

Isnt that why we are all here, to exhange info, ideas and help each other.
We cant always be coming from or in the same place because we are all so different.
I love this forum, I hope I have managed to input something helpful here and there.
I dont think you need to be rude to me Risa, I am not to you.

My Osteopath is informed, and works within an entire clinic of varying therapies.
He may not be a neuro, but to me, who has had all the necessary checks, that is an advantage, I dont need to be patronised again thank you.

Pen, since you asked questions like "shouldn't my hormonal M be over now" and " what's M pain should be like" - well excuse me for assuming you don't know much about M,
so when in addition to that you wrote that your osteopath is giving you opinions about your headaches, I grew concerned.
And this is why I launched into lengthy explanation why most MD-s, neurologist not specializing in headaches including, but especially any other profession is not equipped to deal with headaches particularly M.

I simply believe that any doctor who doesn't deal with only M patients on a daily basis does not have enough CASES to have necessary experience.
To convey this picture better, imagine what a difference might make seeing 20 -30 headache patients a day comparing to 2-3 a day - if that much.
Looks like we have difference in opinion here, let's agree to disagree and that's that.

By this I am not saying you do not have two types of headaches, or two (or more for that matter) different conditions - I don't know that. You very well may. I was only concerned about you listening to someone IMO not quite qualified.
.
I don't know why would you ever think I was patronizing. (btw you certainly have no problem expressing your displeasure)
I just got passionate about making you see this, which you obviously must have perceived as patronizing.
That wasn't my intention, and just for the record I wasn't rude I was frustrated.



Risa

Can I just add into this mine is like toothache sometimes and yes I've been to the dentist countless times expecting to have work done and there is nothing there to do. The neuro in hospital told me that the pain could deffer all over the place and of course if you have any pain caused by something else there's no reason why it couldn't antagonise things. My neck is also an issue and despite being active don't move it about as much as most people as a reaction to the migraine. Pain that I get is so not typical of migraine I sometimes don't even accept it as migraine till I have my other symptoms too.
I have recently being reffered to the london migraine clinic from my neuro in the main hospital for our area. I have seen one of the experts from there having travelled and stayed over night to get there but it is yet early days. Perhaps our shared experiences might be helpful to each other? Especially seen as it seems that my problem is purely migraine so perhaps I could be like a control for comparison to help work things out.

I hope this is of use.

Best wishes

Di

Di,
I have lost count of how many times I have been to the dentist because of "toothache".
I have quite a fear of dentist since a messed up root canal and subsequent wisdom tooth extraction in 1999.
I never had daily pain in my head before that.
So this takes a lot to go. But each time he tells me it isnt my teeth, but my nerves and sinuses.
Apparently (I have seen the xrays) I am unlucky, mine almost touch.
I know I have sinus problems, have done most of my life, so I can see how any swelling there, touching on the nerve can give me toothache.

I truly dont know how many pains I have. I had IBS first, then problems with my neck, then pain in back of my head and difficult headaches. Then migraine and finally a diagnosis of FMS, but I think I had it before the migraines.. My dad had fibrositis so this might be where the fibro comes from. My mum had what was then called a spastic colon. But the headaches and migraines are a total mystery to me. No one in my family which includes no siblings but 30 cousins, has migraines, no grandparents parents or their siblings. I am the first.

I cant get a straight answer out of the migraine neuros I have seen. Perhaps they just dont know. I am thinking it is different here to the American continent. I have seen 6 GPs. a crap neuro, an ok neuro, a good neuro, Ann McGregor, and had a long chat with one of the best in the country last year. I have collated all I hear and combined this with the wonderful exchange of info on here.

I havent come to any conclusion. I cant. My latest clues are
1. I never had a migriane in my life before peri menopause.
2. In the beginning I only got migraine with my period.
3. I have two co morbid conditions IBS and FMS which include migraines in their symptoms
4. I have been treated for thyroid imbalance.

I have been discussing on line the amount of people with Fibro who have migraines and neverpreviously had one, nor have a family history. They have all come on since the fibro. I am persuing this when I feel well enough because I do honestly feel for us CFS people this might be a trigger, if not a cause. When I read Candice Peart "Molecules of Emotion", it really opened my eyes to the possibilities of the gut brain issue too and with IBS this is also of interest.

I would love to share experiences. We are in the same country, which helps as ideas differ so much, as do medications.
We have at least one shared experience too.
Please feel free to email me anytime, and lets discuss this further.

I hope today is reasonable for you.
Pen

I always have neck pain with my migraines. In fact, sometimes I think that if I could have a deep massage right at the onset of one, I might not even get one, but that isn't going to happen. My pain starts on one side but if it goes full blown it can take over the whole head, neck, shoulder's. I sometimes have nausea but that is also only when it is a doozy.

I am the same Linda, only sometimes have nausea. Never thrown up.
I am beginning to notice more and more how much my neck, and also my digestives seemto be played ot in this.
I cant help it, I have to find what I can that might help. How awful it would be, expecially at my age, to find retrospectively that there was something I overlooked. Life is too short.
I hope I dont drive myself nuts, but talking to people on here is usually very helpful, and the realisation of not being alone, even if in a diferent place is conforting.
Hope you are having another good day.
P

Pen, I did wake up with one today after a nice break from them. I didn't actually think they had gone away completely but if I can have longer breaks between them, that would be nice. I took my DHE and aborted it.

estre004 wrote:Pen, I did wake up with one today after a nice break from them. I didn't actually think they had gone away completely but if I can have longer breaks between them, that would be nice. I took my DHE and aborted it.

Oh thats a shame Linda, but as you say longer breaks is great. And at least your abortive works. Wish mine would work better.
I keep hoping for longer breaks. I managed 6 days in November, but this month 3 is the best I have done.
Spring has usually been better for me....fingers crossed.

P

Well said, Risa.

Thanks, AuntieBubbs

Risa