Although hemiplegic migraine is still considered a very rare condition, a lot of people are interested in the strange phenomena attached to this type of headache. Over my 30 plus years dealing with the condition, I have had more than few dozen people turn to me for information.
One thing everyone inevitably wants is a specific list of symptoms to look for. Before I get into those, however, let me first explain that hemiplegic migraines are generally divided into two categories.
Some hemiplegic migraines are heredity. They run in families, usually for more than a single generation. They can include those with familial ties like parents, grandparents, and siblings. They can also include those with looser connections such as aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Hereditary hemiplegic migraines may be continuous, beginning early in childhood. In other cases, they may end abruptly upon the onset of puberty. Still others may continue well into adulthood.
Another category for these headaches is oftentimes referred to as sporadic hemiplegic migraines. These headaches can begin at virtually any age from childhood through any and all parts of adulthood. They may not happen in conjunction with every migraine suffered; hence the term “sporadic.”
Headaches in either category do, however, tend to have many of the same symptoms. These include, but are not necessarily limited to the following:
An aura that lasts anywhere from several minutes to several days. The aura most often exhibits itself in terms of a sparks that flash before the eyes. A graying or even a blackening of sight during the episode sometimes accompanies these localized fireworks.
Weakness, numbness, or even paralysis on one side of the body. Oddly enough, for reasons that can’t yet be determined, the left side of the body is typically the area affected. However, there are cases on file for those who have had the same problem with their right side.
The weakness may be localized to the one or both limbs on that side of the body. The numbness and/or paralysis can often be felt in all areas of the body on the affected side.
A sense of confusion. This may exhibit itself in a momentary loss of memory to something much more prolonged in nature. It is sometimes described as a localized amnesia since the struck individual may not be able to tell you who he (or she it), where they live, or anything about their lives.
However, some only suffer short term memory loss while remaining capable of giving out information about things that happened 10, 15, or even 20 years prior (assuming they have lived that long, of course.)
Tunnel vision and/or blackouts. Tunnel vision is exactly how it sounds. An individual’s peripheral vision begins to narrow their range of sight, like a tunnel. It begins with a normal site pattern and then changes as the peripheral blackness sets in, until sight is lost altogether, which often results in a blackout.
Blackouts, alone, can be sudden and without warning. Mine strike instantaneously; stopping me dead in my tracks wherever I am and whatever I am doing.
A ringing or buzzing in the ears. This is usually light in nature but may make it difficult for the individual to hear conversations over the phone.
Graying or blurring of vision. A little different from a blackout, this symptom may just put things slightly out of focus or insert a kind of gray tinge over everything, making it appear less focused or distinct.
Aphasia. Some people cannot communicate during a hemiplegic migraine because there is disconnect between the words formed in the brain and those that come out of the mouth. Although they can often speak distinctly, like before, the words that come out make no sense in the context of the conversation.
Other people can connect their words clearly but the speech is slurred as it comes out of the mouth, as though there was an impediment to the speech pattern. A few individuals have a combination of both problems.
Sensitivity to light and/or sound. Most migraine sufferers fall into this category. The slightest sound or light can send them running into a cold, dark, quiet room because everything is magnified, sound wise.
Some individuals experience a problem with light but not sound and vice versa. Still others can deal with certain types of lights, such as natural sun light, but not with artificial overhead lighting.
Nausea often accompanied by vomiting. While a few sufferers may avoid bowing to the porcelain god, others spend most of their time right there until the headache finally abates.
An individual suffering from a hemiplegic migraine, for the first time, will very likely not know what is happening. These headaches often hit quickly and simulate the symptoms of stroke; throwing the sufferer into an immediate panic.
Unfortunately, there are cases on file of accidents caused by the sudden onset of hemiplegic migraine. These can be caused by the loss of muscle control, the inability to communicate, or even the sudden onset of coma.
One individual suddenly lost muscle control and plowed his car into the front of a convenience store. Luckily, no one was hurt and his insurance covered all of the damages. Others, however, have not been so lucky.
One young mother’s onset of symptoms happened while she was cooking alone in her kitchen. She passed out for an extended period of time, allowing a fire to take hold in home.
She received third degree burns over a large portion of her body and her baby suffered lung damage. It could have been worse had a neighbor not acted quickly to call the fire department.
For these and many other obvious reasons, anyone who suspects that he or she might be suffering from this type of migraine should contact a physician as quickly as possible. Ignoring symptoms could prove fatal if ignored.
I wear a medical alert bracelet because of my condition, as should anyone who suffers any type of condition or disease that could render them suddenly helpless. Physicians who know what they are looking for have a much better chance of delivering quick and correct treatment. Those who must shoot in the dark could make some dangerous assumptions that could result in further damage to the body.
