Has anyone in fact been sent for a Brain or head scan due to their Migraines?.

[teadrinker]

Well, sort of. I was referred to ENT for dizziness and they diagnosed migraine-without-headache (although it then occurred to me that I was having them with the headaches as well, but as I was sufferring from chronic facial pain all the symptoms had got a bit mixed up). ENT did refer me for an MRI scan of my brain but that was only because I'd had one a few years before when the facial pain started and it showed up a very tiny tumour which wasn't harmful and had nothing to do with the pain. They did the second brain scan just to check that the tumour hadn't got bigger and wasn't giving me any problems - it wasn't.

I'm sure that if my first scan had been clear they wouldn't even have bothered. The second scan showed nothing which is quite common for migraines. I know lots of migraine sufferers and none of them have had scans.

[sozzy42]

I had a MRI scan in February this year due to migraines for 10 years. It showed scaring which is supposed to be normal with people who suffer from regular migraines and I was told it was nothing to worry about. I requested this MRI as u wanted peace of mind and it has given me that at least.

[lcb1]

Yes, normal results. Migraine is said to be a neurological condition. So when it's common for frequent sufferers to have normal brain scan results, I've had to wonder what neurologists know about the brain. I suppose they'd be the first to admit they don't know very much, but in the last few years the press has always been on about the massive strides in knowledge about the brain within the last two decades. I suppose this comes from knowing very, very little, however, and now some things are known.

I suppose there's a great danger, though, of thinking medics can know anything much, anyway, about such a complex thing as the brain, with potentially dangerous consequences. I suppose they have to be very restrained indeed about what they can think they may know.

The other point I wanted to ask is, if migraines can be commonly thought to be caused by inflammation in the brain making tissue hit against the skull (as my old G.P. had told me a few times), have any sufferers had much fortune in their medical care by being referred to more general bodily investigations to see what particular malaises or condition(s) or even diseases the migraine may be the symptom of? I have not, while I thought this is something that would have been done. My migraines have been so frequent, constant nearly, for years, I've not been able to work for over a decade. Indeed, now it's gone into chronic fatigue (M.E.) and possible narcolepsy and major difficulties concentrating on anything but the simplest tasks. Physical awareness is now very poor, from any bodily feeling to balance and anything more than the very most basic spatial awareness.

All I know is the neurologist I saw last told me that, based on knowledge of people with my symptoms, I should expect to get worse. However, a year later since that meeting, I'm still waiting for even basic C.B.T. when I was told I would need much deeper psychological help than that and the neurologist referred me for that.

[teadrinker]

I don't know much about the brain but I know a little bit, and I do know that brain tissue "hitting against the skull" is pretty serious - for example it's what happens when someone sufferers a head injury. I really don't think this is what happens during a migraine! Sure, there might be some inflamation but not to the extent that the brain swells up against the skull. Otherwise we would not be here to talk about it.

Man still does not know a great deal about the brain.

I'm sorry you're still waiting for CBT. It's frustrating that treatment such as this is so hard to come by.

[elliott]

I've had 3 MRI scans in 22yrs for my migraines . The only thing they found was a brain thank god lol sorry , they also found some white patches but said this is normal for people who suffer with migraine a lot . X x

[Hidden]

That is actually quite scary as i did not even know until a while ago that your brain actually gets scarred due to Migraines or that people who have Migraines are more likely to have a stroke.

[teadrinker]

I asked a stroke consultant about the connection between migraine and stroke - was told that it was a very small risk in comparison with other risk factors for stroke such as smoking, high blood pressure and poor diet. I have decided to stop worrying about it as my stroke risk factors are low.

[franb16]

Had 3 scans, all normal. 2 on GP requests, 1 for neurologists before they would medicate- insuring themselves I think rather in great hope ( sadly the scans were more entertaining than the medication) Nothing found - even when having major migraine during the scan - I think Pah! sums it up.

[smileyday]

I have had regular MRIs and CATSCANs for my migraines. My CATSCAN show white matter lesions which is common for migraine sufferers but a large amount can be misread as MS so I had to be tested for that also. It came back negative. One annual MRI showed I also had a Chiari 1 Malformation and had to have surgery for that. It aleviated some tingling in my hands, feet and the tip of nose also helped with my eyesight, some initial migraine activity was alleviated in the first 6 months but then went back to suffering after that.

Each neurologist I went to the first question they would ask was whether or not I had received either a CATSCAN or an MRI for my condition. Due to the level of pain I had.

At one point my doctor had me receiving an MRI annually.

[Islandgiirl]

I've also had an MRI scan but nothing abnormal discovered. I only got mine when I saw a neurologist privately and I presume it was to rule out any kind of brain tumour