Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Suggest Treatment For Severe Migraine Attacks Along With Eye Pain
Question: I have been having severe migrains for years. For the past few weeks they have gotten much worse, I am having them daily now. I have a lot of trouble talking and understanding anything when I am having the migrains. I went for an MRI and it said I have a few scattered foci of flair hyperintensity. I went to an opthomologist because I am having a lot of eye pain with the headaches. He said I have a pale optic nerve and insisted on an MRI because he thinks I have MS. What do you think? MS or just migrains? Also Im 41 years old.
Brief Answer:
Migraine more likely.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
It would have been useful if you were able to scan the MRI report and upload it here, perhaps there is some more info regarding the localization/distribution of those foci, what they looked on other MRI sequences and whether they enhanced after contrast.
Have you had other symptoms (even back in the past) like weakness, numbness in the limbs, double vision, balance and coordination issues etc. If not it is unlikely to have MS, unless the optic nerve issue is the first manifestation, usually MS has episodes scattered in time of those symptoms I asked about.
On the other hand migraineous headache is not a common symptom of MS, even if those foci were related to MS they are certainly not the cause of your migraines.
Migraine patients have been shown in studies to often present changes on MRI, changes which are not related to any impairment of function and represent no risk. So it's not surprising that you have some foci if you've had migraine for some time, doesn't indicate MS.
So while a MRI report scan and a nerological physical exam for neurological signs would give more certainty, I don't think MS is likely, or at least your migraine wasn't caused by MS and it's common for migraine patients to have MRI changes.
I remain at your disposal for further questions
Migraine more likely.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
It would have been useful if you were able to scan the MRI report and upload it here, perhaps there is some more info regarding the localization/distribution of those foci, what they looked on other MRI sequences and whether they enhanced after contrast.
Have you had other symptoms (even back in the past) like weakness, numbness in the limbs, double vision, balance and coordination issues etc. If not it is unlikely to have MS, unless the optic nerve issue is the first manifestation, usually MS has episodes scattered in time of those symptoms I asked about.
On the other hand migraineous headache is not a common symptom of MS, even if those foci were related to MS they are certainly not the cause of your migraines.
Migraine patients have been shown in studies to often present changes on MRI, changes which are not related to any impairment of function and represent no risk. So it's not surprising that you have some foci if you've had migraine for some time, doesn't indicate MS.
So while a MRI report scan and a nerological physical exam for neurological signs would give more certainty, I don't think MS is likely, or at least your migraine wasn't caused by MS and it's common for migraine patients to have MRI changes.
I remain at your disposal for further questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
