Mary M. ([info]mushroom_maiden) wrote in [info]synaesthesis,
2006-04-01 16:21:00

Migraines

Recently I've been hearing bits and pieces about synaesthesia being related to migraines.

I found this odd and rather interesting. I have syn and I get migraines, but when I get a migraine I've never noticed my syn being more pronounced, if anything I notice it less due to being in considerable pain and feeling horridly sick!


Who here has increased or magnified syn during a migraine? Any other odd things to add? Other syn/migraine related stuff?

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  • 57 comments

[info]moggymania

April 1 2006, 07:38:01 UTC 6 years ago

I've got severe frequent migraines -- but I get no migraine precursors (like auras) because I have strong synaesthesia (all senses, including spatial & vestibular) and Irlen Syndrome.

I also am autistic, have hypersensitive senses, think in sensory terms that I can't distinguish easily from the synaesthesia, and my MRI scans show that my occipital-temporal/occipital horn brain structures are a little odd. I have chemical/drug hypersensitivity issues, which can produce some annoying sensory issues, migraines, and so forth.

I'm also hyper-empathetic -- which gets linked into everything else, since my emotions are linked into the syn and also easily provoke migraines.

Sorry for the information-dump approach... I'm actually on my migraine meds right now, and they can make me a little loopy. ;o)

[info]mushroom_maiden

April 1 2006, 11:51:51 UTC 6 years ago

Wow, that's a lot of stuff to put up with, how do you deal with it?

[info]naeko

April 1 2006, 07:55:03 UTC 6 years ago

me! Ugh, I notice mine way more with even a slight headache, and I start getting extra sensitive to patterns in songs (which make me nautious anyway, if they are of a certain type) and start getting really dizzy. My sister has a pair of pants that she's not allowed to wear around me because they make me really nautious when I look at (and consequently taste) them; with a headache, the effect gets much MUCH worse. :(

[info]mushroom_maiden

April 1 2006, 11:54:26 UTC 6 years ago

ooh, unpleasant...

[info]k_something

April 8 2006, 10:34:27 UTC 6 years ago

Your experience suggests that you may have an increase of the intensity of syaesthesia as a migraine aura symptoms ( http://www.migraine-aura.org/EN/Synaesthesia.html ). You jou have "just headaches", or migraine attacks with nausea, vomition, sensitivity to light and noise, aggravation by physical activity? And do you have (other?) migraine aura symptoms?)

[info]naeko

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

6 years ago

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[info]naeko

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

6 years ago

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[info]jaelle_n_gilla

April 1 2006, 08:33:40 UTC 6 years ago

I get no migraines (lucky me), and only rarely severe headaches, but when I do, the pain seems to have colors in itself. Other syn-activities don't chnange.
I had a friend once who, when he got migraines, only saw black-and-white any more. I have no idea if he was syn, though.

[info]k_something

April 10 2006, 17:21:40 UTC 6 years ago

Did you get a diagnosis from a doctor as regards your rare attacks of severe headaches, maybe they are attacks of "common migraine"? Are the headaches bilateral/unilateral? Associated with nause / vomiting / hypersensitivity to light and/or noise? Do they increase with physical activity? How long does an attack last? Anyone else in the family with recurring headaches/migraines?



[info]jaelle_n_gilla

April 10 2006, 18:08:56 UTC 6 years ago

I never got diagnosed. It happens when I'm in stress or didn't have enough sleep for some days. I seem to be more sensitive to sound and light, but it isn't increasing the pain. It's everywhere in my head, not on one side or in one point.
I doubt it's migraine. And it's not frequent enough and/or doesn't last long enough to see a doctor about it. Lots of coffee and a variation of painkillers usually helps.

[info]k_something

6 years ago

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[info]jaelle_n_gilla

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

6 years ago

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[info]jaelle_n_gilla

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

6 years ago

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[info]annamaryse

April 1 2006, 09:39:00 UTC 6 years ago

I get a type of migraine where I don't have PAIN at all, but my eyesight is disturbed by squiggly electric psychadelic 'light' patterns. And I'm synaesthetic... dunno if that counts.

When I get it, I can't see through the patterns enough to work uninterupted, and driving is not recommended.

My aunt used to get it so it might even be genetic.

[info]mushroom_maiden

April 1 2006, 11:55:37 UTC 6 years ago

I get the exact same type of migraines as you.

My mum gets them. but she's not syn.

[info]mushroom_maiden

April 1 2006, 11:56:40 UTC 6 years ago

oh, wait, no I don't. I get pain. and LOTS of nausea.

[info]shanmonster

April 1 2006, 18:19:57 UTC 6 years ago

That's exactly what I have, too. I've been blinded by squiggles (unable to read) for over a month at a time because of it.

[info]annamaryse

6 years ago

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[info]shanmonster

6 years ago

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[info]annamaryse

6 years ago

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[info]shanmonster

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

April 8 2006, 10:37:07 UTC 6 years ago

Does you synaesthesia change during these episodes of "migraine aura without headache" (that's the "official" name for the condition) with seeing the psychedelic light patterns? Could you provide me with an image of these psychedelic aura light patterns, I am a migraine researcher and would like to include it on our website www.migraine-aura.org where we deal with the feature of similarities between migraine aura and psychedelic experience.

[info]annamaryse

6 years ago

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[info]mots_fleuris

April 1 2006, 10:03:41 UTC 6 years ago

Oddly enough, I get migraines after bouts of intense syn.

Like... after I force it out, when I'm writing descriptive essays, for example. After that, if I look at everything and open up, the migraines will come soon.

Other than that... Hm. I'm not sure. My syn flares up just after a migraine, adn then dies out.

[info]k_something

April 8 2006, 10:40:14 UTC 6 years ago

Hi, your report suggests that you may have synaesthesia ONLY (?) temporally associated with headache/migraines, with the intense synaesthesia heradling the headaches, so that they could be a migraine aura symptom? I have created a webpage about migraine and synaesthesia (see http://www.migraine-aura.org/EN/Synaesthesia.html ) and would like to learn more about your experiences, to include a reference to them on our webpage, if that's o.k. for you.

[info]mots_fleuris

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

6 years ago

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[info]mots_fleuris

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

6 years ago

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[info]mots_fleuris

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

5 years ago

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[info]mots_fleuris

5 years ago

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[info]k_something

5 years ago

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[info]mots_fleuris

5 years ago

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[info]k_something

5 years ago

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[info]abigail_42

April 1 2006, 10:34:38 UTC 6 years ago

I don't get migraines so much anymore, but I used to get them a lot as a teenager, and I'll still get them if I go to a funfair - all the flashing lights seem to set me off. I get the classic migraine with the squiggles first and then headache and then sickness. Very related to hormone levels and food triggers mostly - if I avoided the food triggers I was OK, but every time of the month I'd get one just before regardless of whether I'd eaten any triggers or not.

[info]mushroom_maiden

April 1 2006, 11:58:10 UTC 6 years ago

Mm, I get exactly the same type of migraine as you, squiggles then headache then sickness. I don't know if I've ever had food triggers... mine were also occasionally triggered just before my time of the months but sometimes had nothing to do with that.

[info]abigail_42

6 years ago

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[info]lapetiteflower

April 1 2006, 15:10:50 UTC 6 years ago

i have classic migraines......i get the aura and all that "fun" stuff. i also have migraines where i just have an aura and no pain. when i have a migraine i go from hearing a noise and "knowing" or "perceiving" that it has a shape and color to actually seeing the shapes and color associated with the noise.
in addition to synaesthesia i have visual snow and flashies all the time (and i have as long as i can remember), tinnitus and bouts of alice in wonderland syndrome.

needless to say, nobody else sees the world just like i do ; )

[info]shanmonster

April 1 2006, 18:20:57 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you for making me know I'm not the only one! Whee!

[info]lapetiteflower

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

6 years ago

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[info]abigail_42

April 2 2006, 06:51:46 UTC 6 years ago

What is "Alice in Wonderland Syndrome" ? Explain please :)

[info]lapetiteflower

6 years ago

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[info]abigail_42

6 years ago

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[info]k_something

April 8 2006, 10:47:43 UTC 6 years ago

Dear lapetiteflower, I am a migraine researcher and I am currently researching about "visual snow" and other varieties of persistent visual disturbances/experiences, which may occur in relation to migraines as it may be the case in your experience. Please have a look at our website www.migraine-aura.org , see the section "Symptoms", about "Persisting aura symptoms". I would like to ask you whether you would be son kind to contribute with your experiences to the internet survey which can be found on the mentioned webpage.

[info]aesthesica

April 2 2006, 12:11:15 UTC 6 years ago

I get them quite often. I've got really really strong synaesthesia, and I have a mental system where I've got "shields" up that block out most of the synaesthetic sensation/whatever that I get; there's around 100 of those shields, and some fall when I'm sick, tired, stressed, hormonal, upset, etc. When there's a number that do fall, I get this huge overload of mental activity because of syn that leads to migraines that can last for up to a week - and that's where I'm able only to lie in bed or go to the bathroom to throw up. Not very pleasant...

[info]hearingincolor

April 2 2006, 15:56:16 UTC 6 years ago

My mother and I both get migraines (yay genetics) - she isn't synesthetic (that I know of), but we both get the same 'laser light show' effect right before they hit- my mom has described hers as a pinprick of light (like the imprint that the filament of a lightbulb leaves on your eyes for a while after looking directly at it) that grows slowly, when it fills her field of vision, the pain hits...
I actually get these massive, sometimes beautiful kaleidescopes of color and shapes for about 15 full minutes before the actual migraine sets in... I normally experience sound-color syn and sometimes shapes... but I've never noticed any connection to sounds during the migraine or the lightshow, so I've never personally considered that my migraines had anything to do with the syn.

very interesting, I'll have to pay closer attention to my reactions next time- maybe noticing heightened perception of the synaesthesia could act as an even earlier warning sign.

[info]k_something

April 8 2006, 10:32:24 UTC 6 years ago

Some information about possible links between migraine and synaesthesia (which may also occur quite unrelated in other cases) can be found here: http://www.migraine-aura.org/EN/Synaesthesia.html

[info]mushroom_maiden

April 8 2006, 11:34:12 UTC 6 years ago

hi, I got an email notification of your comment that started with "Dear mushroom_maiden" but I can't find it anywhere here and forgot what it said, sorry! Please post it again in reply to this comment!

[info]k_something

6 years ago

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[info]mushroom_maiden

6 years ago

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