Migraine or Poor Circulation?

Updated on December 20, 2008
M.S. asks from Clawson, MI
16 answers

I have had left-sided headaches at least once a week. They are not so extreme that they cause nausea but can last sometimes 2-3 days. I often wake up with them and will have them all through the night.

My feet have always felt cold so I wear socks to bed. Lately they have been freezing. I sometimes put a heating pad at the bottom of my bed to warm it up before I go to bed. Could this be related??

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A.D.

answers from Detroit on

I also suffer from headaches :(. I find that they are more frequent when I eat lots of dairy or sugar. For me diet plays a huge roll. I would also recommend drinking lots of water and get in for a massage when you feel a headache coming on.

For me Massage Therapy and Chiropractic adjustments help with my circulation and headaches. I am a Myomassologist, please let me know if you have any questions about Massage Therapy.

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D.H.

answers from Detroit on

M. ~
The cold hands or feet tends to be Reynaud's syndrome in women. It's not really a big deal, I don't think they even do anything for it. It's VERY common in women.

The headache is deffinitely a migraine. (the coldness is not related). I have suffered headaches/migraines for most of my life. Try taking 2 excedrine (regular & for migraines are the same ingredients - tylenol, aspirin, caffeine), drink some coffee or tea, and rest. Caffeine can be a trigger, but it's also a cure. I take Fioricet for mine, but it's more of a tolerance thing since I've been taking stuff for headaches for 30 years. The other thing I do that helps is to see a chiropractor.
good luck!
D.

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D.S.

answers from Detroit on

M.; yeah migranes are a pain, litterally, i dont know if its affecting your feet, however i would get them on one side in the middle of the night, sometimes i roll over and have an instant headache on one side, ifi roll over i feel it, if i roll back to where i was, i dont feel it, its maddening, and hard to talke, since im sore and need to roll over, however, i did link my headaches to my monthly cycle, then i had my uterus removed due to complications, and the headaches went away, this lasted for a while, then i got some back again, but this time i linked them with food, sometimes chocolate would do it, but then i found if i eat late at night, i would get a migrane by morning, so keep track of what you are doing and what you are eating, it may help to know what is triggering them, its it monthly there may not be much you can do about them, just take your time, enjoy life and do the best you can, sorry if its not much help, i know how you feel, except the cold feet thing, hand in there, D. s

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H.S.

answers from Detroit on

Talk to your doctor ... I started getting migraines my senior year of high school and I am still plagued with them, though they are now mostly stress related, but there are medications that they can prescribe that will help whether it is a circulation problem or migraines. Good luck.

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N.B.

answers from Detroit on

I would definetly see your Dr. When it comes to headaches you always want to be safe than sorry. If they are indeed migranes take magnesium. I suffered with headaches from the time I started puberty. I would get a mild headache everyday and a migrane 2 a month. They diagnosed me with cronic headache sydrome. I sawa bunch of Drs and tried lots of medicine. Nothing really worked. It wasnt until I was prego with my first child and I wasnt ale to take anything that my OB (of all people) told me take magnesium. I have taken everyday for the past 5 years and rarely have a headache and alsmot never a migrane. It works so well and it is all natural. I guess the magensium eases muscle tension (which makes sense when it comes to headaches becuz essentially that is what it is. Try it after you spak to your Dr. It works so well!

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C.B.

answers from Detroit on

Migraines are triggered by all sorts of things. Hormones (I could write a book on it), foods, stress, weather.

Try and keep a diary of when they hit, what you'd eaten, just have a period or not, stressful situations, etc. Then you might begin to notice a pattern to go by.

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C.H.

answers from Detroit on

do they get better when you get up in the morning? I went a couple years ago and had the whole workup...MRI's, I went to the allergist, had my wisdom teeth removed...all in the name of getting rid of migraines.

One thing I've found on my own is that if I wake up with them and they get better during the day and worse when I lay down, it's my sinus's. The MRI I had done showed that I did have sinusitis and the allergist didn't even pick up on that, the neurologist did.

The other thing that helped was this:
http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Migrelief-60-tablets/dp/B00...

You need to find the cause and then treat that and not just the headache.

I almost never have to take migraine RX's anymore and when I first went to the Dr. I had to chart my headaches for a month and I had 17 days of nauseating headaches.

Best of luck!

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D.S.

answers from Detroit on

Here's some things to consider: First, 80% of headaches are caused or due to a lack of proper hydration, start drinking plenty of water daily. Secondly, do you know if you might be clenching your teeth at night? Grinding or clenching of teeth while sleeping can cause sore jaw muscles, ringing in the ears, and many forms of headaches. Third, does your family have any history of headaches, migrianes, strokes, aneurysms, or tumors (any form)? If so, please consider calling for an appointment for a physical and discussion with your medical doctor. Fourth, what are your hormones like on a monthly basis? Depending on your situation (periods, pregnancy, menapause) your hormones could be changing thus causing a wide range of chemical triggers for headaches (but should not last each week). Please consider these as only a few ideas and not medical advice. I am not a doctor, but am a biologist with a specialty in Human studies, and I also suffered from unexplanable headaches for years. Several things were/are triggers for me.

Best wishes!

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L.M.

answers from Detroit on

Hi M., You have got alot of advice and different remedies for headaches here. I also suffered from migraines. I tried everything over the counter for them. I finally went to the DR after suffering for along time. I would have them constantly. Dr ordered a cat scan and found I had an anyourysm. I had brain surgery in December of 99 and have hardly had a migraine since. Still get one every once in awhile but not very often. I dont want to scare you, but before you try all the things suggested go to th Doctor first and make sure everything is ok. Over the counter drugs and Chiropractor cant help if there is something wrong in your brain causing these headaches you are having! Dont try and diagnose yourself like I did. I am very, very lucky to be alive! My anyourysm was 8mm and it could have ruptured at any time.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Good Luck....

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E.A.

answers from Detroit on

I get one-sided headaches that sometimes last 2-3 days as well. Migraines run in my family and my mom even sees a specialist every six months for her migraines. My sister gets the same one-sided headaches and we have always thought they were sinus-related and caused by changes in weather and air pressure, since we have noticed that the headaches coincide with periods of snow or rain or hot, humid weather.
One thing my mom learned at the specialist is to keep a daily log regarding the headaches and after a few months, go back and look at the log to see if there are any patterns, or triggers. The one-sided headaches I get are usually behind one of my eyes and helped by heat (I use a rice bag, or a small pillow or clean tube sock filled with white rice and heated in the microwave for 2-3 minutes) and taking Sudafed and Ibuprofen or Tylenol. I had one of these headaches from Sunday to Monday and was able to get rid of it by laying down for half an hour with my eyes closed after taking a Sudafed and Ibuprofen.
Hope this helps! Good luck to you.

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C.M.

answers from Detroit on

It could be nerve related headaches also. Is the pain sharp, or throbbing when your heat beats? I get migraines and also just began getting nerve headaches. The migraines are more of a throbbing and I can't stand light or noise, headlights when driving at night are the absolute worst. The sharp pain is more of a nerve headache. I would see your doctor or a chiropractor. My chiropractor has done wonders for my nerve headaches.

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A.M.

answers from Detroit on

M. - Please get it checked out with a doctor! The cold feet may not be related to the specifically located headaches. You did not mention how long you may have been experiencing these headaches.

I would suspect that a localized headache that can last for 2-3 days absolutely be checked out.

Good luck.

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S.B.

answers from Detroit on

Hi M.,
I have similar headaches with chills and cold hands/feet.
Those are additional migraine symptoms. I would check with your doctor, get you blood pressure taken and an exam and consider medication if over the counter medications don't help. I am currently taking Relpax, which helps with the migraines, but leaves my skin achy the day I take it. The benefits definitely outweigh the side effects.

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E.M.

answers from Detroit on

I too have left side headaches but I am finding that mine are related to neck and shoulder pain and/or sinus problems. I went to physical therapy a couple years ago and it really helped but then it came back because I stopped doing my exercises. It is amazing how everything in your body is connected.

Think about what you do during the day that can be affecting your left side. I answer phones on my left side so the muscles are inflamed and hitting a nerve causing horrible headaches almost daily. If I sleep on my left side it is worse.

I would keep track of what you do and when your symptoms get worse, then go see your doctor. It could be many things, but you want to go there with info before you start testing.

I am not sure if the cold feet is related, but of course note that as well.

Good luck.

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K.M.

answers from Detroit on

It may be a costly but will do you well. Find a good massage therapist! I actually am one. But try getting massages once a month maybe at first once a week. It will help with your stress and your circulation. Once you start feeling ok than go to once a month. Drink lots of water and stretch. If your interested let me know and I can take on another client. I work out of my house. I am state certified plus have all my hrs to sit for the national to be nationally certified. If it becomes worse with a massage a suggest seeing a dr. But I think if you treat yourself to massage they will help!

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J.L.

answers from Detroit on

I am a migraine sufferer my self and all of these suggestions are great. But just out of curiousity when is the last time you had your iron checked?????? You may want to do that the next time you go in.

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