Could my severe headaches with visual symptoms be migraines?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a 32-year-old male who suffers from unbearable pain in one side of the head, which happens three to four times a month. This headache disables me for four to 12 hours. Due to the pain being very unbearable, I am forced to rest in a dark, quiet room, and I end up vomiting due to the intensity of the pain.

Approximately half an hour before I get this headache, I experience flashes of zig-zag lines in my vision. This condition is impacting my work life as a software developer since I keep missing out on some important events.

The over-the-counter drugs do not reduce the pain. Could this be migraines? Are there any prescription medications that can help reduce or prevent such headaches?

Please help me with this.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concerns.

The described symptoms, i.e., throbbing headaches on one side along with visual aura, nausea, vomiting, and desire to have rest in a dark room, are typical for migraines with aura.

Migraine is a neurologic condition associated with hyperactivity of the nervous system and blood vessels that causes transient changes in vision and a very painful headache. Aura itself is represented by zigzag lines and flashes of light and acts as an alarm signal for the upcoming attack.

I would recommend the following therapy for you to prevent attacks:

Triptans (Sumatriptan, Rizatriptan, and Zolmitriptan) are most effective in the case of early administration during an attack.
Antiemetic drugs may help to relieve nausea and vomiting.

You can adopt the following measures to avoid migraines:

Use of daily preventive medication, which includes beta-blockers like Propranolol, anti-seizure medicines like Topiramate, or the more recent CGRP blockers.
Use of CGRP monoclonal antibody injections like Erenumab and Fremanezumab, or even Botox injections on occasion.
Making lifestyle changes such as keeping proper sleep hygiene, eating regularly, drinking enough water, and avoiding migraine triggers such as stress, certain foods, alcohol, and screen exposure.

By using the right combination of acute and preventive treatment, most individuals will be able to cut down on their migraine attacks and therefore gain reliable control of both their career and social life.

I hope this was enlightening and helpful.

Feel free to ask me any more questions you may have.

Thank you.