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What Are The Symptoms Of Migraines?

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Posted on Fri, 20 Mar 2015
Question: My son is who is turning 8 next month has been having headaches/migraines since he was about 6. My pediatrician told me not to worry. I had his eyes checked dr told me slight astigmatism nothing that would cause a migraine. This winter he got a bad headache that resulted in vomiting so i got nervous and went to the ER. They did a ct scan that was normal except the dr told me he had some of the worst sinuses he had ever seen. He took an antibiotic for sinuses and has been fine for almost 2 months. Yesterday he woke up with a bad headache and nausea that lasted all day and eventually resulted in him vomiting. Please help me. What could be causing it? Is it migraines? Could it be something more serious even though he had a normal ct scan?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Migraine vs recurring sinusitis.

Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.

Let me start by saying that it shouldn't be anything serious. Yes it can happen at times for a CT scan to miss something, but I don't think that is your son's case. His headaches have started since almost two years, so CT scan was performed after over 18 months and serious brain involvement of any kind would have had plenty of time to grow and become visible on CT. Also it would be a persistently growing headache not in the form of attacks as you seem to be describing.

The two most probable reasons which could be causing headaches corresponding to your description are migraine or recurrent sinusitis.
Migraine while more frequent in adults is also often found in children. Treatment consists in medication to address the pain like over the counter painkillers acetaminphen, ibuprofen, naproxen etc. It is important to realize that they should be taken early in the course of the headache, don't wait until pain reaches its peak. They could be accompanied by antiemetics (anti vomiting drugs) like Perchlorperazine. There are formulations containing painkillers with antiemetics in the same pill as well.
If patients have frequent headaches (over two attacks a month) regular prophylactic treatment is considered.

The other possibility is recurrent sinusitis. That is the most likely diagnosis if your son has also nasal discharge, nasal congestion, feeling of pressure and pain in the face etc. Also if the pain persist it is also more likely as a migraine attack by definition lasts less than 72 hours (in children usually less). If that is the cause nasal decongestants and antihistaminics to facilitate evacuation of the sinuses are the first measure. Painkillers for headache (acetaminphen, ibuprofen) can be taken to alleviate the pain. If persistent for several days or in case of fever another course of antibiotics may be needed. Also in recurrent chronic cases it must be looked about predisposing causes like nasal polyps, allergic conditions which can be addressed.

I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Olsi Taka (1 hour later)
We did just return from a trip to the poconos which is up in the mountains. His head started hurting on the way home. He went to bed and got up with a bad headache and nausea which persisted all day. He vomited once yesterday evening and i put a hot pack on his head then he slept all night. This morning he woke up with a headache thats less painful which was relieved with motrin. He told me he often wakes up feeling like he has something in his throat (post nasal drip from sinuses maybe?) his nose is stuffy when he breaths in but theres nothing green/yellow coming out. Also would recurring sinusitis cause the vomiting with the headache? Or is it a migraine trigger? Thanks
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (30 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Sinusitis is more probable.

Detailed Answer:
Those symptoms could be consistent with both alternatives. Vomiting while more frequent in migraine can be caused by sinusitis due to the post nasal dripping which you yourself suggested. Migraine apart from headache with nausea and vomiting is often accompanied by photo and/or phonophobia (increased sensitivity to light or noise) while sinusitis has the nasal discharge. However the lack of those features doesn't exclude the diagnosis so it can be difficult to distinguish between the two.

The length of the attacks in time and presence of residual symptoms in between, is a good indicator. The shorter a time course these attacks have, being free of pain in the intervals between them, the more likely they are to be migraine attacks. Meanwhile if they are persistent, over 48-72 hours, or are relieved but only partially, then sinusitis is the likely cause.

I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Olsi Taka

Neurologist

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 3673 Questions

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What Are The Symptoms Of Migraines?

Brief Answer: Migraine vs recurring sinusitis. Detailed Answer: I read your question carefully and I understand your concern. Let me start by saying that it shouldn't be anything serious. Yes it can happen at times for a CT scan to miss something, but I don't think that is your son's case. His headaches have started since almost two years, so CT scan was performed after over 18 months and serious brain involvement of any kind would have had plenty of time to grow and become visible on CT. Also it would be a persistently growing headache not in the form of attacks as you seem to be describing. The two most probable reasons which could be causing headaches corresponding to your description are migraine or recurrent sinusitis. Migraine while more frequent in adults is also often found in children. Treatment consists in medication to address the pain like over the counter painkillers acetaminphen, ibuprofen, naproxen etc. It is important to realize that they should be taken early in the course of the headache, don't wait until pain reaches its peak. They could be accompanied by antiemetics (anti vomiting drugs) like Perchlorperazine. There are formulations containing painkillers with antiemetics in the same pill as well. If patients have frequent headaches (over two attacks a month) regular prophylactic treatment is considered. The other possibility is recurrent sinusitis. That is the most likely diagnosis if your son has also nasal discharge, nasal congestion, feeling of pressure and pain in the face etc. Also if the pain persist it is also more likely as a migraine attack by definition lasts less than 72 hours (in children usually less). If that is the cause nasal decongestants and antihistaminics to facilitate evacuation of the sinuses are the first measure. Painkillers for headache (acetaminphen, ibuprofen) can be taken to alleviate the pain. If persistent for several days or in case of fever another course of antibiotics may be needed. Also in recurrent chronic cases it must be looked about predisposing causes like nasal polyps, allergic conditions which can be addressed. I hope to have been of help.