Ok but in fairness to your patient, migraines can be "silent," can they not? I had no idea I was having migraines without pain until my opthalmologist figured it out one day......
There is an interesting phenomenon with many patients I have seen. They will tell me about a pain they have behind their eye, or in the back of their head or in there temple, etc. I will then ask how long they have been getting the HA's, and they will answer I don't get HA's I just have this pain. I don't understand it but it happens all the time
I think it doesn't help that there is so much cultural argument over what is a headache, what is a migraine. I've been told (by people who are not doctors) that if I can stand up it can't be a migraine.
Kind of like the same people who say if you can get out of bed it can't be the flu, as clearly any parents who have ever had flu have just let their children starve to death...
Clarification: if you have nausea, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, throbbing pain that may or may not be on one side of the head, and it's triggered by stress/lack of sleep/food, etc, then it fits the criteria for migraine (you don't need to have all of the above).
If you're a teenager, and you're texting your buddies in emerg while simultaneously watching tv and then tell me your pain is 10/10, you don't have a migraine and have no idea what a real migraine is.
Ha, ha Shellye. It's that soreness that I feel inside my head, or the inexplicable pattern of exploding red after-images I can see inside my eyes, or the absence of a similar relief I don't seem to feel when I continue banging my head with a hammer.
Hmm well maybe because there are different kinds and he thought tey had different names? I don't know. Sometimes my whole head feels achy, and sometimes it feels like someone is trying to rip one of my eyeballs out from behind.
Ok but in fairness to your patient, migraines can be "silent," can they not? I had no idea I was having migraines without pain until my opthalmologist figured it out one day......
ReplyDeleteAs opposed to that crushing pain caused by the (x) growing inside my skull?
ReplyDeleteSome people understand the doctor's desire for precision.
stay safe.
"If you look in a mirror, you can see it."
ReplyDelete"If your family history includes a girlfriend or neighbor with headaches, you're at high risk for them yourself."
ReplyDeleteThere is an interesting phenomenon with many patients I have seen. They will tell me about a pain they have behind their eye, or in the back of their head or in there temple, etc. I will then ask how long they have been getting the HA's, and they will answer I don't get HA's I just have this pain. I don't understand it but it happens all the time
ReplyDeleteHmmm interesting. What is head ache?
ReplyDeleteI think it doesn't help that there is so much cultural argument over what is a headache, what is a migraine. I've been told (by people who are not doctors) that if I can stand up it can't be a migraine.
ReplyDeleteKind of like the same people who say if you can get out of bed it can't be the flu, as clearly any parents who have ever had flu have just let their children starve to death...
Clarification: if you have nausea, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, throbbing pain that may or may not be on one side of the head, and it's triggered by stress/lack of sleep/food, etc, then it fits the criteria for migraine (you don't need to have all of the above).
DeleteIf you're a teenager, and you're texting your buddies in emerg while simultaneously watching tv and then tell me your pain is 10/10, you don't have a migraine and have no idea what a real migraine is.
I'm having one right now and I don't have to ask you how I know if I'm having one.
ReplyDeleteHa, ha Shellye. It's that soreness that I feel inside my head, or the inexplicable pattern of exploding red after-images I can see inside my eyes, or the absence of a similar relief I don't seem to feel when I continue banging my head with a hammer.
ReplyDeleteHmm well maybe because there are different kinds and he thought tey had different names? I don't know. Sometimes my whole head feels achy, and sometimes it feels like someone is trying to rip one of my eyeballs out from behind.
ReplyDelete"I'm getting one of those things! You know, a headache with pictures!"
ReplyDelete"An idea?"
"Mmm hmmm!"
Moose, that was awesome! Thanks for the laugh!
ReplyDelete