Those Quirky Migraine Symptoms...

By Editorial Team

February 16, 2015

We know that migraine is so much more than just head pain - nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light... the list of possible symptoms seems to go on and on. While certain symptoms can be managed with an overall migraine management plan, sometimes it's helpful just to know you're not the only one experiencing that "quirky" symptom no one seems to talk about!

Here are a few of the less common symptoms discussed within our community. How does your migraine experience compare to that of others? Vote in the polls to see how others responded:

Clumsiness

Do your movements become less refined during an attack? The Migraine Girl recently started wondering if her clumsiness is migraine-related or not.

Community Poll

Do you feel especially clumsy during a migraine attack?

Ear pain

If you've had a doctor look at your ears and tell you there’s no sign of infection, migraine could be the culprit. Learn more from Kerrie in this post.

Community Poll

Do you experience earaches (pain, burning, etc)?

Sensitivity to touch

If even the light breeze from a ceiling fan is painful during an attack, you're not alone. Learn more about migraine, alloydnia, and central sensitization.

Community Poll

Are you sensitive to touch (ex: your skin or \"hair\" hurts)?

Puffy eyelid(s)

Although eyelid edema - is rarely discussed in medical literature, many of the members here at Migraine.com have mentioned experiencing this potential symptom.

Community Poll

Do your eyelids get puffy with a migraine attack?

Mystery smells

Many people have noted experiencing olfactory hallucinations (phantosmias) - smelling things that aren't there - during an attack. This type of "mystery smell" is thought to be part of migraine aura.

Community Poll

Do you ever smell things that aren\'t really there during an attack?

What other symptoms would you like to see more discussion about? Please share in the comments!

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Join the conversation

winifred53
February 16, 2015
It's so helpful to know I'm not alone. These are symptoms you rarely hear discussed. I have all of them every time. Took me years to convince any doctor, especially the ENT specialist that my left ear had major problems. He finally did a small incision (like they do for ear tubes in young children) to equalize the pressure. It's better now but still aches and pops during migraines. My only trigger is weather/temperature swings/barometric pressure so I'm used to headaches that last 4 to 7 days.
1. tom84
 February 17, 2015
 Absolutely convinced my migraines are down to barometric pressure too - I left the UK to go to indonesia for four months - the weather stayed stable for the first three months and I was migraine free, on the fourth month it was approaching the rainy season and in the space of 3 weeks I had two of the most severe migraines I have ever had - both of which were the night before gigantic thunder storms (the only two which occured in my time out there). A quick look at the pressure charts indicated a sharp drop in pressure the days before. Since returning I invested in a watch that has a air pressure gauge - and can correlate most migraines with a suddent drop in air pressure. Whilst it's nice to finally have some idea about what causes my migraines, it's a bit deflating as unlike trigger foods etc I can't change the weather!
2. nannysmith
 February 19, 2015
 Weather and temperature are a trigger for me. Just before the change I gey a migraine.
jdecorse25
February 16, 2015
Numbness. My hands, feet, and some of my face is always numb now and then when I get a migraine, it extends down to my shoulders, up to my elbows and my knees/hips. I need a thermometer to tell if the bath water is too hot for my daughter...
1. loueez
 April 7, 2021
 <inline-mention username="Jenn516" user-id="4124857"/>Experienced same during ER visit. Neck/head pain, weakness, all the same symptoms as stroke. (age 74) May I ask you if you have always been sensitive to light, sound, weather, skin sensitivity. I believe I am too sensitive for society and have withdrawn. 
2. Cheryl Picerno Moderator
 April 7, 2021
 @loueez going to the ER while experiencing those symptoms is always scary. People who suffer from migraine disease often have a problem with getting over-sensitized to their surroundings. My husband says it's like his brain gets overloaded and it brings on a migraine attack. He's on a monthly preventative called Emgality now and that has helped tremendously with the pain aspect of his attacks. Even with that he is still rather withdrawn from society. I pray that you can still enjoy many of life's sweetest moments while you are attack-free! Warmly, Cheryl <a href='http://migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>migraine.com</a> team
apbiolinstructor
February 17, 2015
Does anyone else experience confusion with their migraines? I'm a biology instructor and I have a hard time teaching when I have them because I can't recall information. I have also gotten lost and confused driving home from work when I've had a bad one. Can anyone relate?
1. jennl
 February 23, 2015
 Hi APBiolInsructor, Thanks for your comment. You're certainly not alone. We thought you might appreciate this article on what some migraineurs call "brain fog" - <a href='http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-symptoms-brain-fog/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-symptoms-brain-fog/</a> as well as ideas for dealing with it: <a href='http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-and-brain-fog-tips-and-tricks/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-and-brain-fog-tips-and-tricks/</a>. We hope these prove useful! Best, Jenn (Community Manager, <a href='http://Migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>Migraine.com</a>)
2. whorl
 February 25, 2015
 Reading Tom's post about having confusion as he speaks, I just had a moment of discovery--um, after the age of 60. As a child I had a great deal of trouble speaking in school, even though I was reading far ahead of my grade level. Often the other children said that they didn't understand what I was saying, and I would get tangled up and not be able to finish what I started. I was teased a great deal, of course (urg). And had very painful headaches, and chronic dailies all the time, for which I was blamed, of course (double urg). I didn't have an aura until I went to university--um, at the age of 15--maybe I wanted to escape childhood?--and that was the only certifiable proof of a migraine condition at the time. But now my daughter has symptoms at 27, and is worried that she is showing more symptoms earlier than I did. Actually, I started pretty damned early. And thank heavens for all of you for the support that is there for her when she is collected enough to seek it. I am SO GLAD for this site, and the chance it gives everyone to share their experiences and support each other.
tom84
February 17, 2015
A couple of odd ones I experience, which I haven't heard much about. . . memory loss - sometimes I can't even remember close friends and family names when I'm talking to them, this comes in bursts and lasts only 15 minutes or so. A few times people have told me about conversations I've had whilst having a migraine - and I have absolutely no memory of the conversation the next day - to the point of refusing to believe it actually happened (but it did) vision moves in 'frames' - like when playing a computer game that your computer isn't good enough to run and it goes slowly...like the 'refresh rate' on my vision is too low would be interested to see if others experience these
1. marjieoc
 February 21, 2015
 Yes, Tom, I've had that happen with my vision, but only once. It's called "cinema effect," and you know why if you've ever had it. I would have thought I was having a flashback to a bad acid trip ... except I've never done acid or anything stronger than a few puffs of marijuana. Well, illegal stuff, anyway.
2. jwh1949
 February 26, 2015
 My vision sometimes moves in "frames". I used to regard it as a prodromal symptom, but I eventually realized that it is really a migraine symptom. I am certain that the "framing" originates from nystagmus. When I start having "shakey eyes", one of two outcomes will occur in the next two days: 1) recovery to "normal" or 2) descent to "crisis", which means total loss of balance, spinning, vertigo. Regardless, I will afterwards feel emotionally and physically beaten another day or two.
annequin-harkin
February 17, 2015
I can't remember people's names or my own address during a migraine attack. My left eyelid always gets puffy - sometimes when I wake up and look in the mirror, I know an attack is coming by how puffy my eyelids are. Other weird things - one side of my body sometime hurts after an attack, like I'm bruised all over, and, after a really bad attack, it feels like my blood is poisoned - I just feel unbelievably sick.
1. 9isr2
 March 19, 2015
 Jenn, is there any way we can get this info to doctors? Just a list of these! Over 50 years I have been told I don't know what I am talking about. If it doesn't fit their explanation, it isn't real. Thank goodness my family dr who has never had a headache is compassionate and I am in a pretty good place now. Seems there is so much more out there now about migraines and so many more people realizing that they have them.
onehsancare
February 18, 2015
I get stupid. I can't think logically or remember words. I'm a lawyer, so my ability to work is severely affected, even with a level two or three migraine, where the pain is low enough that I can "work through it" but my brain makes everything take six times as long--and even then, I better check it when I'm not migraining.
1. nancat7
 February 19, 2015
 I get this symptom also and having a challenging, stressful job really makes me aware of it. When I am not pre/migraine/post I am right on the ball and feel good about my decisions. When a migraine is around I dumb down and can't problem solve anywhere near normal.
annhewitt
February 18, 2015
Confusion is one of my worst symptoms. Sometimes it's the only way I know I'm having a migraine. A couple of weeks ago I got into my car and thought the "R" on the gearshift meant "run". Gheez!!! The saving grace is that I also move really slowly when I'm in a migraine, so no harm done. I'm in my early 60s and only realized my life-long weird episodes of confusion and fog had a physical cause.
1. jennl
 February 23, 2015
 Hi Migraine1000, You're not alone! Thought you might appreciate these articles: <a href='http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-symptoms-brain-fog/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-symptoms-brain-fog/</a> and <a href='http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-and-brain-fog-tips-and-tricks/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-and-brain-fog-tips-and-tricks/</a>. Best, Jenn (Community Manager, <a href='http://Migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>Migraine.com</a>)
2. jean
 December 28, 2015
 Jenn L- That brain fog tips and tricks article is great except I don't think it would work in knowing what the R on the gearshift means or how to put on a bra. There are times that the fog is too dense for tips and tricks to work. Trying to keep a sense of humor is best when you can remember what that is.
dandilion13
February 18, 2015
I have a constant buzzing in my head that sounds like a small engine sound. The worse part is I'm noise sensitive also when a migraine starts life is just one loud mess! I'm temperature sensitive when I get a migraine- very hot (sweating and stripping off clothes) when it starts then I'm freezing with goose bumps all over and shivering the next minute. I also have get the numbness everyone is talking about! My face is always numb... ALWAYS during migraines; whether it's my left cheek or the center of my lips. Most people look at me like I have three heads when I tell them I'm experience numbness in my face, hands or feet. I've been told I should go the ER and that's SSSSOOOOOO not normal. It gets exhausting most times explaining my symptoms to people who don't understand migraines, so I don't say much anymore. It's nice to see others here with the same symptoms. Maybe I'm not a freak!
vanny62
February 18, 2015
I'm not sure if this is a variant or symptom.... I would show up in my dentist's office with a lot of pain in one tooth.I would tell him that I had a dental abscess. The X-rays showed.....nothing. My dentist had another patient that would have the same pain, and no abscess. In the end, my dentist realised that we were having " migrainous toothache". That sort of blew my mind. Hope this helps someone out there....
1. mrst53
 March 12, 2015
 I have that same problem
2. vickstir
 March 19, 2015
 I get migraines/sinusitis headaches that can make all my upper teeth ache, or only a couple. About 10 yrs ago I realized I was avoiding chewing on one side because the teeth hurt; the x-rays didn't show clear infection (roots extend into sinus cavity). Antibiotics didn't help. Oral surgeoon agreed to do root canals, reluctantly, which helped overall altho those same 2 teeth can still really hurt. Even tho they're "dead"! I was told that's why many of our grandparents' generation had their teeth pulled: due to chronic headaches and the fear of infection.
lollyjosh83
February 18, 2015
Having suffered with Hemiplegic Migraine for 4 years now apart from the 'normal' migraine symptoms plus left sided paralysis and facial droop which is a regular occurance for me with every attack. I experience several other symptoms too. From memory loss, word finding difficulty, continual yawning and difficulty swallowing. These vary depending on the severity of the attack. The strangest for me which I have never understood and one I always forget to ask my neurologist about is the constant yawning! It starts before the attack a bit like an aura phase so I can't blame it on fatigue. My fingers and lips become cyanosed (blue tinge) prior to an attack. Does anyone else suffer this symptom? x
1. bethbarnsley
 February 18, 2015
 I yawn constantly and can't stop even when consciously trying to.
2. nannysmith
 February 19, 2015
 I not only yawn a lot but I get very hungry and can't stop eating.
mummarandall
February 18, 2015
Has anyone ever experienced their ears being plugged up? Maybe it has something to do with teeth clenching ..but whenever I have a bad migraine my ears feel blocked.
1. tracynick
 February 20, 2015
 When i get a migraine triggered by dairy food Bobbie, I get that blocked ear and puffy eyelid going on. Menstrual migraines do not seem to do that to me. maybe a possible dairy allergy for you going on?
paulaff
February 18, 2015
Two things that haven't been mentioned that I've now associated with migraine are: 'tripping' over words when I speak--either can't get them out or they come out wrong, as if I can't pronounce them, & being light sensitive ALL the time now that I'm chronic, not just during the migraine.
1. jennl
 February 23, 2015
 Hi Paulaff, Thanks for your comment. As you can see from the responses, you are not alone. We thought you might find this article useful, as it's on aphasia (difficulty with speech in regards to migraine) - <a href='http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-symptoms-transient-aphasia/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-symptoms-transient-aphasia/</a>. Best, Jenn (Community Manager, <a href='http://Migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>Migraine.com</a>)
2. 9isr2
 March 19, 2015
 When our kids were small & I had a 8+, would call my husband at work to tell him. He would only ask me yes or no questions or just tell me when he would be home. Very little thinking. Worked pretty good since I couldn't think and we raised very self sufficient kids.
painsucks
February 18, 2015
Popsicle toes.
1. rae-wood
 February 19, 2015
 Yes me too!
bethbarnsley
February 18, 2015
Does anyone else get twitchy eyelids?
1. marjieoc
 February 21, 2015
 Yes, but only on the left eyelid. It doesn't matter which side of my head has the pain; only the left eyelid twitches and sometimes closes involuntarily.
2. knshell
 May 15, 2019
 Eyelids and several other muscles in my face. The most annoying one right now is the little muscle right by the ear. ><
carolyn8
February 18, 2015
I get most of the symptoms mentioned in the other comments... But no-one else has said temperature?! I get waves of being really hot and freezing cold...
1. jennl
 February 23, 2015
 Hi Carolyn, Thanks for you comment! Thought you might appreciate this recent article on temperature and migraine: <a href='http://migraine.com/blog/its-getting-hot-in-here-so-hot/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/blog/its-getting-hot-in-here-so-hot/</a>. Best, Jenn (Community Manager, <a href='http://Migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>Migraine.com</a>)
2. pscarrier
 February 26, 2015
 My family knows if I have a migraine and I start freezing it's a bad one. It can be 90 degrees out and I'm in a hoodie, fuzzy socks, wrapped in a quilt, hiding in a dark bedroom. Awful!
jules2dl
February 19, 2015
My quirkiest symptom is that I often hear music, usually big band music, when none is playing. If anyone else hears music I'd appreciate you speaking up, as this makes me fear I'm crazy!
1. annieinacworth
 March 11, 2015
 I smell matches burning where none are around... The interesting thing is ordinarily I have the worlds WORST sense of smell and would not smell a match if it were under my nose. But during the occasional Migraine I have smelled matches quite strongly.
2. February 15, 2017
 ROFL! I thought it was some sort of imaginary thing. My family believes in 'the spirit world' so I just chalked it up to dimensional spirits. I hear big band music, or like an old tyme saloon setting. I've even heard a card game playing before. Those episodes usually happen in the evenings when I'm about to have a nighttime migraine.
rae-wood
February 19, 2015
I have strong feelings of depression before a migraine attack. Usually for half a day before the migraine.
1. marjieoc
 February 21, 2015
 I often do, too, Woody. I assume it must be the serotonin levels in my brain, which cause both depressions and migraine.
2. jennl
 February 23, 2015
 Hi Woody, Thanks so much for sharing. We thought you might find this article on mood swings as a migraine prodrome symptom useful: <a href='http://migraine.com/blog/mood-swings-a-warning-sign/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/blog/mood-swings-a-warning-sign/</a>. Additionally, there is a list of articles that address the connection between depression and migraine, if you're interested: <a href='http://migraine.com/?s=depression&submit=Go' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/?s=depression&submit=Go</a>. We hope this proves helpful/informative. Best, Jenn (Community Manager, <a href='http://Migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>Migraine.com</a>)
erdington5
February 19, 2015
I am suffering cluster migraines right now and I find I can't think of simple words and explanations. I am struggling at work and my boss thinks I am an idiot because I can't always remember simple things to do. My husband thinks I forget what he tell me on purpose at time especially when he tells me something during an attack. He travels a lot so it is difficult to remember when and when he will be back. All I want to do is try and sleep in a dark room no sounds.
1. marjieoc
 February 21, 2015
 I started writing down everything my boss told me. Of course, then I'd have to remember where I wrote it down. 😉
2. jennl
 February 23, 2015
 Hi Jackie, Sorry to hear about struggling at work. We thought you might find this article useful on difficulty with speech (aphasia) - <a href='http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-symptoms-transient-aphasia/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-symptoms-transient-aphasia/</a> as well as this one about cognitive difficulty in regards to migraine - <a href='http://migraine.com/blog/cognitive-dysfunction-migraine/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/blog/cognitive-dysfunction-migraine/</a>. We hope these are useful. You are not alone. Best, Jenn (Community Manager, <a href='http://Migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>Migraine.com</a>)
nancat7
February 19, 2015
My quirky migraine symptom is a bowel attack. I will wake up with an incoming migraine and I know if I have to "jump up and go", it's going to be a bad one and I will probably be vomiting within the hour. Milder migraines do not cause this symptom. It's like an indicator of severity for me. I have heard of abdominal migraines, so I wonder if this is connected?
1. marjieoc
 February 21, 2015
 I have the same problem, Nancy. I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome years before my diagnosis of migraine. My migraine doc told me that he and his colleagues refer to IBS as "migraine of the gut."
2. 20h0r
 June 1, 2016
 The first time I experienced what the doctors termed an intestinal migraine, I had been admitted to the hospital by my neurologist. I never knew of such a thing!I was in the hospital for 4 days. During an MRI my neurologist told me that she saw signs of two strokes. One was a severe one caused by a medication interaction. The other I never knew about. She said the the 2nd appeared to be a minor one & it isn't all that unusual not to know when it is happening.
mackintosh
February 19, 2015
For years, the worst of my migraines have been accompanied by extraordinary thirst in their early stages; I start drinking tons of Gatorade/H2O and get short of breath from chugging it so fast! It feels like I just can't get enough let alone fast enough...and afterwards, as you can probably imagine, I usually vomit it back up and get momentary relief from the pain. I have heard of intense cravings or eating binges (?) prior or during an attack, but this kind of incredible thirst as a symptom I have not stumbled across yet. Very abnormal for me as I am normally more of a 'sipper' most of the time. I rarely drink a can of soda even in just one sitting! Anyone else ever experience this?
1. laurievincent
 February 21, 2015
 Yes, when I drink too much water at once. Then my face swells up really bad and the Migraine headache starts. So knowing this, I try not to drink too much water. When I get a Migraine, I have good luck when drinking about half a glass of Gatorade, or up to 12 ounces. It helps to get rid of the Migraine.
nicola
February 19, 2015
I'm interested in how people can work or drive during an attack. I find that as an attack starts it's like I am hit by a wall of exhaustion. Even getting out of a chair seems like a momentous effort. This extends for a few days after an attack as well, meaning it's not unusual for attacks to last 10 - 14 days. I also get quite depressed after the intense pain has gone and feel sorry for myself. I have no support whatsoever from friends or family. No-one seems to understand. Feel isolated and rejected. Am unable to make plans as I am not able to do much.
1. 9isr2
 March 19, 2015
 Ginny commented about an article being against the law to drive w/ a migraine. Then this would have to be recognized as a disability because you sure can't prevent them.
2. February 15, 2017
 Nicola, hang in there! I've been where you are without an understanding support system. When my migraine first started getting really bad the first time (i had a hiatus of about three years) I lived 1500 miles away from all my family, had just separated from the military, so i was distanced from my friends... and i was miserable. But it does get better... and you can always reach out here! We get it all to well. You are not alone!
piglet
February 19, 2015
My husband says I look "old" during a migraine. To be fair, I asked him if I looked old after seeing a recent photo of myself that at first I thought was my mother ... He replied that I look old during a migraine but not otherwise. Smart guy.
1. andreak
 February 20, 2015
 I take photos of my face to help me determine whether to agree to have a visit, to drive or even to attempt a knitting pattern. Somehow the image is clearer than looking in the mirror. The blandness and droop of the face is off putting and sometimes doesn't match how I feel inside. But it is a reliable indicator that "now may not be the best time" to attempt challenging tasks. I certainly look dreary if not older.
2. February 15, 2017
 Oh wow! I have never encountered ANYone else who heard crickets or cicadas as tinnitus! This one I just attributed to definite weirdness. Of course, I also have constant smell hallucinations - burned food, cigarette smoke, doggie poo (I literally ransacked the house thinking my pups were that sneaky), and sour beer. It makes me feel crazy even though I know it's just the migraines. I have chronic migraine and on the days it's really bad, the sounds/smells are out of control! It's finally come to a point that I've had to concede that I need to retire. My coworkers and fellow Veterans have suggested it for a few years, but as stubborn as I am, I refused to give in. I've now been on Intermittent FMLA for two years and have exhausted all my leave options. I fought it for as long as I could - I deserve the time to focus on me now.
nannysmith
February 20, 2015
During a migraine I get a buzzing in my ears and it gets louder when I blink my eyes. I also have a pain that feels like someone has pulled my hair. Does anyone else have painful hair? What about stiff necks? I know a migraine is coming when I get a stiff neck.
1. franniep1126
 March 4, 2015
 Yes, I have severe neck pains and painful hair. I hurt above my left ear and afterward it feels bruised. Euphoria has never happened, kind of think I would enjoy that one. Before a migraine, I feel washed out and have a hungry day, nothing can fill me up, hard to keep from overeating. During and after, I feel heavy and washed out.
2. vickstir
 March 19, 2015
 My neck/shoulder pain has been linked to migraine, but only since a "minor"car accident. The pain can start in my neck or in my head, and travel to the other... Tinnitus comes and goes - one summer night I couldn't tell if I was hearing the crickets or it was all in my head - turns out my tinnitus is exactly the same as the cricket chorus, it was equal volume if I put my hands over my ears or not.
laurievincent
February 21, 2015
Severe facial swelling during a Migraine.
1. pscarrier
 February 26, 2015
 I get facial swelling with my more severe migraines. When I first started noticing it I freaked out and thought I was having mini-strokes or something. My neurologist assured me, after tests just in case, that this is sometimes a migraine symptom. It still worries me a bit but I trust my doctor.
marjieoc
February 21, 2015
I'd like to learn more about dizziness and vertigo-like symptoms associated with migraines. I'd also love to learn about the changes in the brain that result from chronic daily migraines. I recently had an MRI that showed changes in the white matter in my brain, which the radiologist and/or my PCP attributed to hypertension. However, I haven't had hypertension until very recently, so I doubt that's the cause.
1. marjieoc
 February 23, 2015
 Hi, Susan. Yes, I get head rushes before or during a migraine. Some are so bad that I temporarily lose my vision and feel like I'm going to faint. Fortunately these spells are short: maybe 45-60 seconds. The balance problems are relatively new. I feel dizzy and can't trust my sense of balance, especially on uneven surfaces. I have considered keeping a cane in my car in case I'm out running errands and the dizziness hits. I hate to do that, tho; I just finished using a cane after having both hips replaced. But if it can keep me from falling and breaking a bone or two, it would be worth it. And I have lots of canes!
2. thisisendless
 February 25, 2015
 Interesting. My migraines are of the almost daily chronic type and my symptoms have always primarily been a sense of dizziness and vertigo with nausea. Sometimes it just feels like I am getting motion sickness just from moving my head around normally. If I move too fast to get up or get out of the car or turn around it triggers a loopy sensation like I just got off of a roller coaster. I don't get the pounding head pain that most people describe. Just a pressure like someone is inflating a balloon inside my head. Then I just feel "sick."
rosiebelle
February 24, 2015
I'm interested in finding out if I have three or four different types of migraines. I try and explain it to the Dr but he lumps everything together. I get "real" migraines where I lose vision, numbness on one side, problems speaking, nausea and light sensitivity. I get a "three day" headache every 10-14 days where I feel like I have an ice pike through my neck in to my temple. These seem to be the most painful because my whole back has a migraine( if that is possible!) but I work through them because I'd never work otherwise. I have a morning headache, every morning. Sometimes it lifts and sometimes it turns in to a three day headache. It is always my neck and right side of head. I can go 7 or 8 days with no meds and be ok except for the morning headaches. I also get woken up at 2am with severe headaches and they always turn in to a very bad migraine without aura. Are these all different kinds of migraines? Many of my headaches are due to storms, snow, rain any change in pressure. Any clue anyone?
1. rhondagrensberg-smith
 March 26, 2015
 I have woke up with a "headache" everyday since I was 11 or 12. Mine never go away they just go to the background. These are different I think from the ones that knock me on my rear with pain. I always keep a bottle of peppermint essential oil with me. If it doesn't fade in the first hour or so. I put that on my temples. This usually doesn't yotally get rid of it. Ir just makes it manageable.
2. tlovell
 March 28, 2015
 Your "three-day" headaches are called Status Migrainous and are actually more harmful than normal migraines as they are a leading cause of strokes. 33% of all strokes experienced by women are related to these types of migraines. I recently read about this while trying to research my 3 or 4 day migraines. In the last couple of years I have developed this syndrome and it is horrible. I used to go through so much of my meds trying to alleviate the pain, but everything I tried would only work for about 2 hours, then the pain would be right back, even worse than before. During one of these, I actually used 6 sumatriptan injections and 10 sumatriptan pills in the space of 4 days. I have since realized that this is a great way to give myself medication overuse headaches, and since the pain comes right back anyway, it is also a huge waste of my meds.
swiftee
February 24, 2015
I have suffered with migraines with aura for years. My newest symptoms which is a bit scary is fainting. Happened twice now.I was admitted to hospital was went to a rigorous check up including a CT scan and everything came back normal, seems I'm very healthy, the doctors concluded that it was another symptom of my migraines. Does anyone else experience fainting as one of the symptoms of migraines?
1. bluesky
 March 28, 2015
 Yes. It may be a sign of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). On the two occasions you did faint, did you stand or change position quickly? This can cause a vast drop in blood pressure leading to loss of consciousness. If this was the case try to rise slowly from a seated or prone position. There are many other possible causes including heart valve issues, medications and blood sugar. I always carry an ampule of smelling salts in my emergency kit.
2. 20h0r
 June 1, 2016
 People think I am faking what I am about to say. Sometimes when I am feeling a migraine coming on I can't be touched. It causes sensory overload for me & I want to throw up. I tried to explain this to a friend who thought he was one who could "break through" & would make everything ok. He reached out & grabbed my arm. I immediately fainted. I felt myself going down but couldn't stop it.
dkrt
February 25, 2015
My hips feel like they are painfully bruised, very tender to the touch. When I start to feel a bit off, I poke my hips a bit and can tell by how sensitive they are if a migraine is on the way.
demoore4
February 26, 2015
My quirkiest symptom is fairly new. When I have a bad migraine, I can *feel* sound. It's like I can feel the sound waves hitting my body. Has anybody else experienced anything like this?
1. 20h0r
 June 1, 2016
 This may sound odd; but not only does it seem that I can touch & feel sound, but I can feel light & taste words. I know that may sound odd, but depending on the tone of the conversation around me, I taste it's essence. If it is calm, I taste sweetness or nothing, if it is anger, my taste is sour. If it is technical & business like I experience a chemical taste. All of this makes me dizzy.
2. ayl88joanie
 June 20, 2019
 Yes I do too. We have a washer and dryer on main floor. When I don’t have migraine no problem. When I do have a migraine it feels like the washer is right beside my head and yes I feel it not only hear it.
andreak
February 26, 2015
My quirky question-Has anyone noticed a shift in the sense of time with migraine?? Sometimes I grossly underestimate/ or overestimate how much time has passed. These episodes feel different from ordinary "losing track"....more like a sense of being "out of time" and returning to it. It is not uncomfortable while it is happening. Sometimes it happens when my brain feels like it is slowing and thinking has become difficult. But sometimes I feel like my thinking is fine....and it can still happen.
1. 9isr2
 March 19, 2015
 Oh, no sense of time! Agree!! I have a hard time keeping up with what meds I have taken because of the time thing!
2. 20h0r
 June 1, 2016
 Oh my gosh! I thought, perhaps, I was imagining it. When the migraine is coming on, time feels like it stands still for a while and then speeds up tremendously!
lauriecallihan
February 26, 2015
After 35 years of increasing symptoms I can pretty much say there isn't any of the symptoms listed here that I haven't experienced. I didn't see excessive yawning in the list . . . usually a precursor - has happened a few times - currently I struggle with facial and arm novacaine-like semi-paralysis. Also went colorblind in one eye for a few months once with migraine. Had a stabbing pain in that eye for the duration. Got misdiagnosed with some eye issues and MS until a fabulous neuro-opthalmologist (later the president of The National Headache Foundation) diagnosed it as migraine - treated with amitryptaline and it went away within 2 wks. Parade of symptoms through the years - always something new to keep me on my toes. Love the burning marshmallow smells on occasion and the faux ear infections. Fabulous. Nice to have compadres in misery. Blessings to all.
1. abridge98
 February 26, 2015
 I just read your comment and I've started experiencing the yawning. At first I thought I just needed more sleep or was lazy but I only yawn like that right when a migraine is starting.
abridge98
February 26, 2015
Has anyone had these symptoms: excessive yawning, frequent urination, or body just feeling heavy and weak? I am 34 years old and I've had migraines since middle school but these symptoms just started a few years ago.
1. migrainemom
 March 26, 2015
 Yawning and "wet blanket over the shoulders" exhaustion.
2. February 4, 2016
 I get the yawning and frequent urination. Sometimes I get the weakness symptom too but it seems to be directly related to my medicine (Relpax).
pinniey
February 26, 2015
I have weird symptom and wonder if anyone else has. Started when I was a very young girl. Often I can not put object into other objects without getting migraine pain. I call it my chubby hole problem as chubby holes where you would put mail, books, coats, etc are often impossible for me. The actual migraines started when I was 11 or 12 but this problem is much older. It isn't all the time but once it starts it doesn't go away for a long time..
1. February 15, 2017
 I get something that sounds similar. I've heard it referred to as 'Alice in Wonderland' syndrome. Things become visually disproportionate... I first remember experiencing it when I was a teenager. I had abdominal migraine as a child (elementary school age) that progressed into full blown headache migraine by the time I hit my teens which is when the AiW set in. The headaches dissipated for a number of years - I think I had about five years of minimal attacks. Then I joined the military... and they were back full force. It took the Air Force almost six years of trial and error before they gave up on me and the migraines.
kathyb
March 3, 2015
Does anyone have strange tastes? Food or drink tastes funny a lot of the time.
billo
March 4, 2015
I get the strange tastes. I get headaches but my main symptoms are ringing in the ears followed by blurred vision and vertigo. Also have cold sweats and feeling of eyes rolling to the back of my head. Usually takes about a half hour for the vision to return to normal. Pain sometimes lasts for 12 to 24 hours.
bluesky
March 5, 2015
Weird taste that makes me cringe; droopy eyelid.
leedyklaiber
March 7, 2015
I am brand new to <a href='http://Migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>Migraine.com</a>. I don't know how I never tripped over the website before now. I have been feeling crazy and weird for having all these 'quirky' symptoms and what seems to be almost constant headaches and migraines. Reading through your comments have made my experiences seem not so odd or strange. I found an article called "14 Migraine Prodome Symptoms" and found that a lot of things that I thought were just my own weirdness (the olfactory hallucinations, hearing things, the temp changes, the eye twitches, I could go on and on) were related to my migraines, not just me. I really appreciate everyone sharing their stories; it can be hard to explain what it is like to those who have never experienced anything like a migraine. Thank you. I look forward to reading more and hopefully working toward some real relief soon.
March 12, 2015
The first signs for me is that I normally have spotty vision. I think these are what is referred to as auras. Then I have a hard time forming words and speaking in general. After this, my hand often goes numb or tingles.....it is always the oposite side of where my headache/migraine turns out to be. Ruins my day...
1. March 27, 2015
 Hey ladies! That is called "aphasia" or "word salad" in migraine speak (the mixing or forgetting words). It happened to be for the first time this fall and I was terrified; I assumed I was having a stroke. Apparently it's moderately common, but awful and embarrassing 🙁. On my bad weeks (like this one, I've been having a hard time since about Tuesday) I take my time speaking and try to mind my diet, as less processed foods help me.
2. 20h0r
 June 1, 2016
 My words get "jumbled" & I can't find the right word - for anything. This happens frequently at work, either as a migraine is coming on or on the last day as it leaves. These are actually the only days I have any chance of being physically able to work. I try to work through it, but often can't. I am passed over at work for promotion or special assignments. I am given some excuse as they try the "management tactic" of try to make her think you are doing her a favor & is needed for something else'. I find it quite demeaning, yet on some level I understand. I hate it, but can understand.
jdarcie
March 12, 2015
Dies any suffer from heniplegia migraine. I have differed from migraines for the last 16/17 years and for the last 11/12 years my daily headache has been at a 5 of on a scale of 1-10. Since last October 2014 I have suffered drink hemiplegic migraine where the muscles are affected in the arms and legs usually in one side and only on one side. My problem is that the paralysis has not gone away and neither is the headache. Also I developed chest pains along with the migraine as the chest muscles go into spasm as well as arm and leg. My daily head now is between a 8/9 every day and like a hang over head with out the booze. I don't drink or smoke. Any help please on how to handle this would be appreciated. Thanks
ae0gow
March 12, 2015
Does anyone else experience severe dizziness with their Migraines. I don't here it mentioned anywhere but I get it so bad that my head feels like it is constantly spinning whenever I get a Migraine. When I get an onset my legs get weak and I will often stumble and that's when I know I am going to get a bad Migraine but not usually for a few hours so at least I usually have tome to get home first or take Nurofen as it has time to take affect before the Migraine hits. Nurofen is the only thing I have found that works and I have had Migraines since I was 7 however due to Colitis I am not suppose to take it but I have a son to look after and don't want a Migraine to interfere with that. My son is 9 and was diagnosed last year as getting Migraines as well sadly.
1. lizflynn
 August 15, 2016
 I get vertigo/dizziness with a migraine sometimes. My doctor gave me meclizine which helps alleviate the vertigo and the extreme nausea (vomiting) to a degree.
2. February 15, 2017
 Yep! I get really bad dizziness within 45 minutes of a full blown attack. I also get vertigo too - especially when I am still for a while. I close my eyes and it feels like everything is spinning around me. Then I open my eyes, get up to walk to another room and suddenly, the world shifts on its axel and I have to hold onto something to stay upright. It's happened a number of times while I was at work. Fortunately, most of those I work with know about the migraines... and some of my more frequent-flier patients do too. Imagine being the only patient advocate for a government hospital... with more than 30k patients... and dealing with chronic migraine with aura.
bh2kuf
March 15, 2015
ANGER! In addition to the yawning, lethargy, aura, and prior to pain I get very angry and irritable and it's not just from the pain. What a curse....
1. bh2kuf
 March 15, 2015
 This one may sound odd-- what about a VERY high sex drive?
2. February 15, 2017
 I think that's my most annoying prodrome - I yawn constantly. Sometimes it's just back to back yawning which makes my sainted husband crazy because then he's yawning too.
9isr2
March 19, 2015
I have the weirdest feeling in my head, like an out of body experience. My doctor said it is an aura. Sometimes I feel totally exhausted before a migraine. Or I have insomnia.
1. migrainemom
 March 26, 2015
 I have the exhaustion as well. I describe it to others as having a wet blanket draped over your shoulders. Very exhausting..
rhondagrensberg-smith
March 25, 2015
My temperature spikes. Usually 99.0 - 101.5. This may not seem odd but my temp typically runs 97.9, so th this much of a temp is really concerning.
1. February 4, 2016
 I've never taken my temperature, but I also get chills sometimes before or during a migraine. I'll have to check next time to see if I'm actually running a fever.
2. February 15, 2017
 Oh wow! I'm so relieved to hear it's not just me! My normal temp is between 97.6 and 97.9 but a couple hours before all the way up to a full blown attack, I get HOT - as in I've run as hot as 101.7 for no obvious reason aside from migraine. It starts about the middle of my back and just creeps forward. Everyone says I'm just weird, but I've been fortunate enough to find a Primary Care Physician who doesn't discredit my thoughts/feelings/beliefs and is actually VERY helpful and open to us trying unorthodox treatments.
grebelguf
March 27, 2015
Help? I've had Migraines for over 40 years and within this past year or so have a NEW weird visual effect. I've seen Neurologists, Cardiologist...all stumped. You see I can SEE veins in my EYES throbbing and when I check my pulse...its the same!! Yes I can SEE my pulse? Initially was rare and now DAILY. Is this a "Migraine thing"?does anyone else experience this?!!!
1. lcoutsy
 July 15, 2017
 not in my eyes but I will feel my pulse beating in my ear.
treeflower71
April 5, 2015
Along with Sarah and Chelsea, both my sister and I experience the inability to form sentences, recall names for every day things, and stutter when a migraine is about to hit. We recently gave it the name "migraine brain". However, it's extremely frustrating to look at something you use every day and not be able to find the word for it. My mom actually tipped me off to this symptom a few years ago. I hadn't realized I was struggling that badly. I remember a time last year, before my mom passed, that I became so upset that I couldn't label something as "pen". I could see the word in my head, knew that's what I was supposed to say, but I would say "shoe" or stare or stutter while pointing at the object. I was in tears just trying to say PEN. Now I know to look out for that symptom, and any time I lose coherency, I immediately take my migraine medication and go to bed. It makes me feel stupid when I'm out in public and it happens. People stare at me, and I just try to explain that I'm getting a migraine. Then they try to tell me about their worst headache and someone's friend's sister who had immediate curing of her migraines forever by drinking something Dr. Oz said to. Well, first off, I completely doubt your story. Second, Dr. Oz is a quack selling junk science and one day he's going to get someone killer. Third, I don't take advice from someone who has known me for all of 5 minutes and I'll never see again, cuz I will make sure of that. My doc and I have a good relationship, and I am looking into migraine clinics to help me figure out why I get 4 to 5 a week.
1. lcoutsy
 July 15, 2017
 migraine as usual, I keep 2 insulated cooling headbands in the freezer. They are wonderful. I found them online.
2. jstjokin
 July 28, 2017
 I habe these same problems and my chronic migraine can ladt up to 2 weeks at a time. The only thing that has hiven any relief is Botox for migraine, Relpax, zofran and percocet
jojiieme
December 29, 2015
I'm new here, and as you'll read elsewhere, not in the USA. So thank you for letting me join in. So much of what I'm reading here is familiar, and for different reasons. I have Raynauds (thanks to my Dad), so my fingers, feet and lower legs are always feeling cold even in the middle of summer - especially just before my period, when I'm most susceptible to pain! A very clever podiatrist (of all Allied Health specialties) said it was probably because of connective tissue stuff, not the just circulation system, especially because I also have psoriasis (thanks to Mum). There's a 'magic triad' of asthma, allergies and psoriasis/eczema which are connected through auto-immune and collagen "things" (genes? Proteins? Enzymes?) ... So, I have these sensory quirks from other conditions and in migraines. And I also live with an Acquired Brain Injury, from a car accident in the mid-80s. So I sometimes am aphasic anyway, my face is semi-paralysed anyway, I have some swallowing issues sometimes, there are times I just can't coordinate my body or figure out how to walk... In migraine, I'm not so likely to forget my words as to repeat them, or the thought, or (more likely), have 'thick tongue' so that I actually can't form the words to speak them... My brain feels it's boiling, sometimes; I can't cool down fast enough. I feel sounds, light, colours as knife cuts or drill soundings right through my skull or my chest. I feel as if I'm moving through sludge, and inside my 'invisible space suit' time has slowed down...I seem to lose hours without realising it, just reading the news after breakfast on a day off (I can only work part-time). I'm taking courage from your shared wisdom and experiences. Thank you!
1. Joanna Bodner Admin
 February 5, 2016
 WELCOME JOJ!!! We are thrilled that you have found our community. Thank you for sharing your very emotional story living with these conditions. We hope that this community will provide you with information, support and serve as a platform for you to continue to share your experiences and questions. We would also encourage you to connect with us on <a href="//www.facebook.com/MigraineDotCom/" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> where you can interact and connect with many other members of the <a href='http://Migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>Migraine.com</a> community. Warm regards and once again, welcome!!! Joanna (Migraine.com Team)
2. tphreh
 June 21, 2017
 JOJ, I would like to ask you about the "boiling feeling" you get in your head. It's like your brain is boiling from the inside out. I have searched this symptom time and time again and no one seems to know what or how to treat this. I'm wondering if you have had any luck with this symptom?
drclift
February 14, 2016
I have a very strange sense outside if all that were listed on the quirky list: I call it my fizzy head aura. My neurologist laughs a bit and probably doesn't believe me...but alas, it is what or is It feels lile mu scalp has been peeled back and a carbonated beverage has been poured in to just fizz and tickle and itch and bubble away. I also get a HORIZONTAL double vision in my left eye - (I have hemiplegic migraine- left sidedweakness /paralysis) - that is akin to how the Yello Submarine album cover looks for the Beatles. My neurologist on Wednesday, explained that "double" vision occurs with both eyes...blah, blah, blah....and then listed for a minute to my aura story and how long it's been going on (399 days today) amd said, "oh, my, that's so strange". LOL good thing I can chuckle, because my life has become a big fat mess. Peace to you all, DAWN
moosie
February 24, 2016
mine usually start out with sudden stuffy nose and nasal pressure along with headache nausea sensitivity to smell and sometimes sounds or eyesight sensitivity. i also get severe muscle tension mostly neck and upper back but often it is all over my entire body even the muscles in my hands and feet get severe tension and hurt. muscle relaxers barely help. i was having great results with the imitrex but head a reaction to it and can no longer use it. in following days after the attack passes i am often very sore due to how extreme the muscle tension gets during the attacks.
TrishaP
December 26, 2016
I thought it was just me. The other night before a migraine started I woke up out of a dead sleep and swore that I smelled something burning in my oven. My husband was in the living room watching tv because he is a night owl and he asked what was wrong and I gave him the the business about cooking late at night and he said he was not cooking. So I stomped off to the kitchen and there was nothing there. I was embarrassed. I went back to bed and less than an hour later I had a full blown migraine. As far as the clumsiness, partial sentences, ringing ears, little hallucinations in my peripheral vision and the sensitive scalp I have those with every migraine.
1. DonnaFA Admin
 December 26, 2016
 Hi TrishnaNP! Thanks for sharing your story, and I want to assure you that you are not alone. I have woken my guy up a few times in the wee hours because I swear I smell wires burning (and then wake up a few hours later with a migraine). I guess it's just one of the joys of having amazing women like us 😀 -Warmly, Donna (Migraine.com team)
dcwhite
December 26, 2016
My eye waters. Pours. But only on the right side where the pain is. My headaches are constant so it looks like I'm in tears all the time. My sixth graders always start the year worrying about me and checking if I'm ok. Then after about a week, they handle it better than anyone else. Bless them.
1. DonnaFA Admin
 December 26, 2016
 Hi dcwhite! Thanks for being here and for joining the conversation. You're not alone, we actually have a few discussions <a href="https://migraine.com/?s=%22eyes+water%22&submit=Go" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">that speak to eyes watering</a> as a symptom. Kids are awesome, they are adaptable and empathetic and can be very in tune. -All Best, Donna (Migraine.com team)
lillady1968
January 19, 2017
I almost always have auditory hallucinations and vivid dreams that a family member is calling my name. I can have bits of conversation with people that I think are in the room with me, when I'm really completely alone. (I live by myself now) This always happens when I'm having my worst migraine attacks, which happens about once a week. The weaker I get from the vomiting and pain, the more I have the auditory hallucinations. It took me coming to this site to realise so many of the things I experience happens to other people as well.
lillady1968
January 19, 2017
Oh, and I forgot. I have almost all the symptoms listed above and then some. Including, dizziness, hot and cold sensations, even changes in my thinking processes. I get really stupid before, during and after a migraine. When I am actually able to make it back to work, I have to be very careful, as my balance and thinking are still so out of whack. Just got over a mild attack today, and that means a bigger one will soon be on its way.
minamu
March 20, 2017
I get extreme chills and later feelings of fever, on top of debilitating nausea. I have yet to have the energy during one of these attacks to actually take my temperature to see if it's low or high or if my brain is just fooling me.
1. rbex
 October 23, 2018
 Yes happens to me the couple of time I check usually thanks to someone else taking it my temperature was normal or just slightly elevated.
April 19, 2017
I'd like to hear if others wake with migraine based solely (as much as you can tell) upon the position you sleep in (especially on one's side).
1. femmenicola
 May 12, 2017
 Yes, but I also have back conditions that contribute to this.
2. jstjokin
 July 28, 2017
 Yes! All of the time but it is usually followed by either a manic episode or insomnia.
femmenicola
May 12, 2017
I lose all short term memory when I have a migraine. I cannot tell you how many things I have lost.
halbutler46
June 11, 2017
Ear pain may actually be TMJ pain ( Tempro Mandibualr Joint pain ). This is a less common type of pain many people experience, that is often confused with ear pain because they are so anatomically close to each other. TMJ pain is often caused by grinding your teeth together at night when you are asleep, un bekown to the individual, which can be in turn caused by stress.
lcoutsy
July 15, 2017
I get so many symptoms, but not usually all at once. Forgetfulness, foggy thinking. nausea or stomach pain, blurry vision, weakness in arms and legs, hot sweats, clumsiness, dizziness, moodiness and of course the usual ones.
jstjokin
July 28, 2017
Sometimes things will not look familiar and I will feel lost even though I know that I know where I am at. It is like reverse dejar vu.
1. badbrain
 February 21, 2019
 Alice in Wonderland Syndrome?
2. knshell
 May 14, 2019
 I get this too. I tend to refer to it as confusion because I don't have words for it at the time.. but you described it perfectly. I also find it really hard at these times to understand what is being said to me. Like hear them, I know the words, but my brain can't parse the meaning.
hammy
August 15, 2017
Has anyone had chocking and hacking as a symptom? Not exactly nausea.. more like dry heaves? Also uncontrolled mucus and tears?
400lbfallingdoor
October 18, 2018
Does anyone experience a sensitivity to motion with a migraine? Sometimes I feel as tho the migraine intensifies if I have to move any part of my body. If I lay perfectly still it seems to almost drop the intensity.
1. briantaylorhill
 December 16, 2018
 Yes. My mom had the same need to lie still while it was going on.
jo89
October 23, 2018
I have a lot of weird symptoms. But I have one weird thing I do that seems to give some relief. I listen to really loud bass music. Nothing high pitched. Just loads of bass. Even the neurologist says I’m weird, but just wondering if anyone else has experienced this?
1. lotfreak42
 November 7, 2018
 I always crave carbs when my attacks are over
2. christabaker820
 December 7, 2018
 I have the same thing, I always crave sweets. I always wondered if it was due to low blood sugar because I go a long time without eating when I have a migraine.
lollypopz
October 26, 2018
Vertigo. Big time
1. bowlergirl
 December 17, 2018
 Vertigo here too and I pass out a lot. The vertigo will make me very nauseous.
erwin669
November 8, 2018
I have belching during migraines almost always and have neck and shoulder tension that will last for several days after the head pain goes away. I got a daith piercing a few years ago and this past month I've noticed pain in that area during several migraine episodes. Mine seem to be triggered by so many things weather, food, smells, sounds, lights. I can't remember a day without some kind of headache.
1. Joanna Bodner Admin
 November 8, 2018
 Hi @erwin669, I wanted to chime in to ask if you by take triptans? If so, you might appreciate this article as it discusses burping as a side effect. - <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/triptan-side-effects-chest-tightness-hiccups-burping/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>https://migraine.com/blog/triptan-side-effects-chest-tightness-hiccups-burping/</a>. We appreciate you sharing your experience with us. I am truly so sorry that you experience nearly daily pain due to migraine. We absolutely understand how difficult it is. Thanks for being here & sharing your support. -Joanna (Migraine.com Team)
wappaw
November 9, 2018
My migraines always start with discomfort in my right side back / shoulder blade area. I start to feel nauseated as this ball develops in my back. My right eye will also start to blur and hurt just on the right side of the orbit. Within an hour my neck starts to cramp; muscle relaxers do nothing to release the tension. The pain runs up my neck into the back of my head, and radiates down my right shoulder. My right side jaw and teeth start hurting. My right sinus plugs and feels as if a wire is being pulled through it sometimes. The final thrust of pain is the right side of my head temple area and stabbing pain in my right eye. Once the medication kicks in, Sumatriptan Succinate, I am left sick to my stomach and extremely sore in my neck and shoulder area. I feel crappy for the next 24 hours.
1. poschspice
 February 1, 2019
 Me too. If you have access to a hot tub you could try that. It doesn’t always completely knock out the migraine but a lot of times it can give me enough relief to go about life. I also found a CBD lotion that helps with neck muscle knots and tension.
2. enoto15
 June 4, 2019
 holy crap this is mine to a T....it's awful, sometimes my meds don't even touch it and I feel like I've been hit by a bus for more than 24 hrs. Did your doctor prescribe the muscle relaxers for you? I never thought to ask before, I just usually ride that part out...
laurap
December 12, 2018
I always have a cold nose during a migraine.
1. veelopez
 December 14, 2018
 Me too! And cold feet
veelopez
December 14, 2018
I will get cold feet and or a cold nose.
1. ezlivin1
 December 18, 2018
 Yes I get cold feet and at times cold all over. I’ll usually put Sox on and a bathrobe.
dbrx
December 16, 2018
I’ve been having more optical migraines- like having a smudge on your glasses or someone’s finger is blocking vision of one eye, but only in a spot. My neuro says should only last about 10 minutes or so, but mine last for hours or days. Anyone else?
1. bowlergirl
 December 17, 2018
 Yes I get them too that last like that. Optical migraines are odd and no fun. You are not alone.
briantaylorhill
December 16, 2018
I have been diagnosed with abnormal aura migraine with strokelike symptoms. Weakness on one side. Mental fog. Extreme difficulty speaking. Hospitalized three times until it got somewhat under control.
1. badbrain
 February 21, 2019
 Holy crap that sounds really scary.
deadeyes
December 16, 2018
Cold nose
bowlergirl
December 17, 2018
Dizzyness and passing out are Frequent with my migraines. I get vestibular cluster regular and migraines that last more than a week. (Forget name) I get aura sometimes.
bowlergirl
December 17, 2018
Does anyone find that, if bipolar and on daily medication like I am, you get bipolar mood swings that worsen around the time of...during or after a migraine?
1. kathrynfw
 March 2, 2019
 I sometimes get profound mood crashes before a migraine that lift as the pain sets in. I started associating the crashes with migraine and treat with meds and the depression lifts. I was once given the dx of type II bipolar. I was triggered by msg and related “chemicals.” I eliminated most. Still get migraines but the BP dx has been stricken from my file and no mood meds for ten years. I had to figure all this out on my own. To be fair, somewhere in there was menopause ( had partial hysterectomy so not sure when) so some mood stability may have come from that, but my depression crashes ARE migraine
ezlivin1
December 18, 2018
Yes I think we all wonder what comes first but either way we end up with head and neck pain. I also had bad stomach problems last year after taking imitrex for many years. My doctor said I had a digestive disorder and gave me meds and a diet. I told him that I thought it was caused by imitrex. He said none of the literature says anything about that. So I took the meds and went on the special diet but didn’t get much better until I changed from imitrex to maxalt that melts under your tongue. Not long after switching to maxalt my stomach symptoms began to clear up and I got off the stomach meds and off the diet. So maybe you ought to consider taking maxalt instead of imitrex.
ezlivin1
December 18, 2018
How to treat neck and shoulder pain caused by migraine.
1. knshell
 May 14, 2019
 I get the really bad neck/shoulder pain up onto the back of my skull even. I'm going through physical therapy to help it. It doesn't take it away, but attacks have been less intense since I started.
2. ayl88joanie
 June 20, 2019
 I have shoulder and neck pain. I can only go on short shopping trips or just the movement of looking side to side walking down the aisle will cause a migraine plus the bright lights, noise etc.
elneclare
December 18, 2018
I haven't had any sleep since 10 am yesterday but does anyone else get swishy noise when they move face muscles before they get a migraine. I been sick for two days and thought I was having a heart attack this morning due to chest pain, but got sent home with just order to see my doctor in two days. I was up all night due to IBS but now realize some of the pain I been having is a migraine coming on, as everytime I close my eyes I can hear my facial muscles moving. Even small movements bring on the swish noise. Closer to full blow migraine the more I can hear every movement. I also will hear my heartbeat before the pain come on. With Fibromyalgia and IBS I only started paying attention to my pre-migraine symptoms when my daughter's migraines became so bad she had to quit her job and now may have to give up on getting her BA in Theater.
1. poschspice
 February 1, 2019
 Hi there. It’s possible you might have something called Semicircular Canal Dehissence (SCD). It’s a vestibular abnormality that not many people / doctors know about but often your symptoms (like hearing your muscle movements, eyelids, heartbeat) are common in those of us that suffer from it. Check out <a href='http://vestibular.org' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>vestibular.org</a>
ggcc
December 30, 2018
I always have a sensitivity to some flavors. I think it’s mostly sour foods. The first bite will cause this sharply painful feeling in the spots right behind/beneath my ears. It doesn’t last very long, but is sort of like brain freeze, but in a different area. I can’t find any info on this.
ggourgues
January 16, 2019
At some point during the attack I get really cold and I shiver. It doesn’t matter what the weather is or that I am in my warm apartment in the winter. I have to get under blankets and warm up for about 1h.
1. badbrain
 February 21, 2019
 I alternate between chills and much too hot. It's like I can't regulate my body temp.
2. knshell
 May 14, 2019
 I was having really really bad chills. I still get them mildly sometimes, but for me it turned out not to be migraine causing it. It was low Vitamins D3 and B12. It might be worth getting those checked just in case if you haven't.
3clyn
January 27, 2019
I'm mildly dyslexic, but it becomes profound immediately before and after a migraine. After a particularly bad attack, I may not be able to read for 2-3 days.
house-of-pain
February 8, 2019
This might be similar to clumsiness, but I have a had time talking, typing and communicating when I have a bad migraine. It's very frustrating!
1. macbeck
 February 20, 2019
 The difficulty in communicating is Functional or Temporary Aphasia. I get that too, and yes, it's very very frustrating!
drmadden
February 10, 2019
I am so glad to see this group first of all. I have had olfactory hallucinations all of my life, not always directly associated with a migraine event. I also have what seems to be more sensitive sense of smell than most people. The recent popularity of Essential Oils and scented candles/room aromas and Pumpkin Spice everything has made parts of my life almost a living hell. I would like to see discussion of Migraine Induced Vertigo. I’ve had that for about 20 years. Also, I have infrequent but very inconvenient “spells” that can result in my ending up paralyzed on the floor for brief periods of time. I don’t know what that is called but my doctor said it’s related to my migraines.
1. ayl88joanie
 June 20, 2019
 I have migraine induced vertigo too. Only 4 years. My life changed because of an ear infection. The more I turn my head the faster the migraines come. I go to regular massage (RMT) works on back of neck, pulsed biofeedback and acupuncture. All help but not for long so I keep going. I don’t have insurance but I am lucky money is no problem. Together with the meds it’s expensive.
crazyb2
February 19, 2019
Brain fog, vertigo, light sentivity,cold runny nose, crave Coke (the drink), smell things nobody else does, either can't sleep or lately sleep for days!
macbeck
February 20, 2019
Chills!!! I'm fine with that during the summer, but I've always chilled easily so during the winter I get really tired of being cold.
badbrain
February 21, 2019
Audio hallucinations, jaw/tooth pain and body aches
badbrain
February 21, 2019
I've had chronic migraines for more than 20 years. Rescue meds aren't effective for me anymore. I've tried alternating between meds, but they just don't work anymore. I've tried imitrex, maxalt, zomig, beta blockers, jeez everything on the market. Does anyone else have this problem? I now just have to wait out the migraines.
mrs-kalemamahen
March 7, 2019
40+ years of migraine. Sound sensitivity, everything is so loud and so jumbled. I can hear everyones conversation and can't follow any of them, including the one I'm supposed to be in. Just moving my head and eyes is agony. I can "see" my migraine, like a living being. I get both irritated by being around loved ones and clingy for their company all at once.
petmigraine
March 7, 2019
Bones in my head hurt. Not just the jaw but cheek bones, all facial bones and skull; I imagine it's the pressure from my brain expanding and wanting to explode...with the allodynia and hurting bones that makes it hard to put my head down on a pillow 🙁
four-eyed-widow
March 11, 2019
Along with a lot of what was mentioned in this article, I also have a difficult time finding the correct words when I try to talk. Yawning constantly right before one hits is also annoying.
1. knshell
 May 14, 2019
 I can't talk at all sometimes. If I can manage any sound at all, it's usually just gibberish.
jndorsey
March 13, 2019
I get a SERIOUS creativity streak! Crafting, planning out decorating schemes, brilliance at work, and creTive writing. All for about a week before the head pain hits. Even then, my brain keeps working. I’ve come out of migraine cocktail stupor with ideas for crochet patterns, what color to paint the front door - even short stories and essays pre-written, just waiting to get out of my brain and onto paper.
kateymac
May 4, 2019
Along the sensitivity spectrum: I’d like to know if others find that the mere presence of another person in the room, even in silence and non-interaction, feels physically overwhelming to their skin.
island
May 13, 2019
Sometimes I get nerve pain that runs through my body. I’ll get like a migraine in my thumb or my teeth will ache and my gums bleed. Sometimes I see my pulse in my eyes and that’s a sure sign to hold on, a bad one is coming!
lunytunz
May 14, 2019
I yawn even when I've had plenty of sleep. It's a sure sign an attack is coming on. Occasionally I'm having a minor asthma attack and need to use my rescue inhaler. (Without early intervention, that may develop into a migraine later.) I'm finding the more I pay attention to the cues, the more likely I can take my medication and avoid the worst of the pain. The other side effects such as exhaustion, word finding issues, dizziness, etc. are still there, but my ability to function is much better getting the medication earlier rather than later.
knshell
May 15, 2019
A weird one I get is heat on the spine. From the base of the skull to just under the shoulderblades (usually, though I have had it go all the way down the spine). It is hot to the touch and it feels like the spine has turned to burning embers. >< Ice helps while it is in place, but the heat flares right back up once I remove it.
becca59
May 15, 2019
Chronic migraine 50+ yrs. My ears go numb before and durning a migraine attack especially if it’s severe.
heatherbarr
May 19, 2019
With migraines that laat several days. I get very emotional, and anxious. Cry easily and ruminate about dying, feel that i am a disappointment to everyone, that sometimes think i should die. This is NOT my normal non-migraine state of mind, and it alarms me.
laurievincent
May 30, 2019
Severe aching pain all underneath the ears and chin area, with a Migraine.
srkennerley
May 30, 2019
Taste sensitivity! Any mild flavor is overwhelming. Juices are nearly unbearable.
sandhill
June 12, 2019
Dizziness/disequilibrium and vertigo
ayl88joanie
June 20, 2019
Bright lights Noise Head movement Chocolate Craving sugar Tinnitus gets worse I hear music sounds. It’s different then hearing a popular song over and over. I can’t understand the words but sometimes it sounds like opera (don’t like it never listen to it) hymns etc. I hear ringing sounds like a phone. It gets louder closer to migraine. Has anyone heard of this? Not much info from my Dr., ENT specialist, or neurologist.
tabby72761
July 13, 2019
Yawning! Persistent yawning.
1. kimbo650
 January 24, 2020
 Me too. Uggg
louisediffey
August 2, 2019
Muscle pain. Migraine always leaves me with back pain.
1. Peggy Artman Moderator
 August 2, 2019
 <inline-mention user-id="3920676" username="willow"/> , I understand the back pain! Some times I use ice and sometimes heat. I hope this gets better for you. ~ Peggy (Migraine.com Team)
kimbo650
January 24, 2020
Extreme sensitivity to heat (hot water in shower feels like it's scalding) Numbness in joints
ruth-fitzpatrick
March 18, 2020
The bottoms of my feet hurt - like they've been burned badly
stephmurphy
March 18, 2020
I replay the last song I heard or conversation over and over. I call it my migraine loop. Drives me bananas, like a bad dream
medeuxsa
March 22, 2020
Sometimes with a migraine I get an aching soreness in my throat and ears (eustachian tubes). The head pain in these cases is mild. It’s a kind of aching, slightly queasy feeling. For me it can be triggered by eating something sugary. I know it’s migraine and not something else because it 1) comes with other common migraine symptoms I get, like teeth hurting, and 2) it responds to the triptan I take. Is this vestibular migraine? Any help would be much appreciated!
1. Allyson.Ellis Admin
 March 23, 2020
 Hi medeuxsa, thank you for reaching out! I hear how disconcerting the throat and ear pain that sometimes accompanies your migraine symptoms can feel for you. You are not alone experiencing ear pain with migraine! I thought this article might be of interest to you: <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/unusual-migraine-symptoms-earaches-ear-pain/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>https://migraine.com/blog/unusual-migraine-symptoms-earaches-ear-pain/</a> I would certainly encourage you to discuss these symptoms with your doctor! Vestibular migraine is typically characterized by vertigo symptoms of severe dizziness and/or ringing in the ears. This article gives an introduction to vestibular migraine that might provide a frame of reference to compare to the symptoms you are experiencing: <a href='https://migraine.com/migraine-types/vestibular-migraine/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>https://migraine.com/migraine-types/vestibular-migraine/</a> Again, I would encourage you to discuss it with your doctor! Please keep us posted on how you are feeling and what you learn. Wishing you a gentle day. ~Allyson (Migraine.com team)
socali
September 21, 2020
There is a spot at the top of my head a little to the right that I call my migraine button because it gets hot and painful- something like when you part your hair differently and your head hurts later from that. But this is way more severe.
kristeen
April 1, 2021
For me its not always the same thing every time, sometimes its visual things, like visual snow, or I cant look at pinstripes because they are moving, or there is a colored orb on the ground or in the corner of my vision, or the lighting is flickering, the monitor seems too bright even with my filter set on the dimmest of settings, the world looks wrong, even hazy to me. Sometimes there are smells, or I am hyper sensitive to smells around me, does anyone smell smoke? Those flowers are too strong. Or there is too much noise, too many people talking at once, or someone has the radio and television on at the same time and I cant take it, too much input and someone is speaking over it all, I cant stand it, its too much to take. I get irritable. Other times I have abounding energy and a sudden desire to clean and do things but then get struck hard with an attack, as if the energy was the warning to get things done before the attack. The warnings are never the same but the one thing that is constant is my ever changing vision or blurry vision most often, when I can no longer read the street signs I know a migraine is coming. Over cast skies, headlights, even street lights at night are all too much for me... Other strange symptoms... Tingling, face, lips, mouth, sometimes to the point where I feel as if im wearing a veil over part of my face and its touching my skin. Balance issues, I tend to lean to the left a lot when I am having my migraines, I fall sometimes, my muscles also become very weak. This and digestive issues sometimes. Sleepy a lot, yawning, sometimes sleeping an entire day away or falling asleep far too early. Drained. There are so many ways the migraines affect my body, my emotions, and the world around me... time is lost to this condition, days, weeks, months... but this is my world and I am glad I have some understanding people in it right now.
1. kristeen
 April 3, 2021
 <inline-mention username="Cheryl Picerno" user-id="3673232"/> yes I am on a preventative, it seemed to have helped minimize the ocular migraines in the beginning but they are back now. I no longer have insurance due to covid messing with my industry for a year but I will deal with that later. I think over time we learn a lot of ways to try and cope with the pain and other symptoms, I failed with triptans, the side effects were too much for me, botox helped but again no insurance so thats over for now. For the time being its mostly over the counter pain relievers and whats left of my prescriptions medications. Many people struggle without insurance, thats why places like Cove exist now, thats an option I might explore later. 
2. Cheryl Picerno Moderator
 April 5, 2021
 @kristeen I'm glad you are on a preventative. I'm sorry to hear how Covid has affected your life. I hear about far too many people that have negatively been affected by Covid. I hope you are able to find some stability soon in your fight against migraine disease as well as just some peace, and stability in your life. I'll be praying that things improve for you! Warmly, Cheryl <a href='http://migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>migraine.com</a> team