In this article, we are going to focus on what migralepsy is and then discuss a way to care for it to give some relief to sufferers. Migralepsy is a term that blends the words migraines and epilepsy due to the fact that headaches often accompany seizures. The following are some interesting facts about migraines and epilepsy you may want to know.

• Migraines and epilepsy both have symptoms such as severe head pain, stomach cramps, fatigue, loss of consciousness, loss of muscular coordination, vomiting, and slurring of speech.
• Patients who have migraines with aura are 10 times more likely to have epileptic seizures than those without migraines. In fact, as many as 6 percent of migraine patients have some symptoms of epilepsy.
• Migraines and epilepsy have common triggers and both are neurological in nature. Both are also influenced by environmental factors like bright light, certain foods, lack of sleep, and stress.
• Both migraine and epilepsy patients suffer from chronic depression in many cases.
• Some scientists theorize that genetic makeup can possibly predict one’s chances of developing migraines or epilepsy.
• In a study done of epilepsy and migraine patients, it was found that there was a 20 percent higher rate of migraines in patients with epilepsy.
• Migralepsy is more commonly seen in children than in adults.
• Because there is such a strong link between migraines and epilepsy, migraine specialists often give their patients a prescription for anticonvulsants (like Topomax) to care for their migraine symptoms. This is especially true if the patient is having migraines with aura.
• The use of the term “migralepsy” was officially first used by Dr. Douglas Davidson, even though it was alluded to previously in other studies.

Taking a Closer Look at Migraines and Epilepsy

• Migraines: A migraine is a neurological condition that has a headache as one of its symptoms. It is also known for nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances, sensitivity to light, sound, and odors, touch and smell sensitivity, and numbness and tingling in the arms, legs, and face. Some people have what is called an aura with their migraines. These symptoms come on about an hour before the migraine pain starts and act as a kind of warning signal to those who suffer from migraines. Those with auras may have visual disturbances, water retention, problems sleeping, and poor appetite.
• Seizures: A seizure occurs when there is a change in the brain’s electrical activity. This may be due to chemical changes in the nerve cells and might cause too much or too little activity in certain areas of the brain. This can cause electrical surges in the brain, creating the right environment for seizures. Seizures affect how a person acts or what they do during the short time following the event. Seizures can be hardly noticeable at all or completely debilitating. In some cases, you may have what is called an absence seizure, causing a lapse in awareness. There is also something called a nonepileptic seizure, which looks like a seizure but is not due to faulty electrical brain activity.  A seizure is not an illness; rather, it is a disorder affecting the brain. The most common form of seizure disorder is epilepsy.
• Migralepsy: This is a combination of the words migraine and epilepsy. Sometimes, migraines and epilepsy get misdiagnosed because one often accompanies the other. Currently, medical doctors and researchers do not acknowledge the term migralepsy as a medical condition. Rather, it is an epilepsy-migraine sequence (and less often a migraine-epilepsy sequence).

Similar and Different Symptoms Between Migraines and Seizures

Migraine aura and seizure aura have these similar symptoms:

• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Nausea and vomiting
• Irritability
• Visual aura

There are major differences in migraines and seizures as well:

• Migraines
  • Appetite changes
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Water retention
  • Talkativeness
  • Pre-aura prodrome is more common in people who have migraines than in people who have seizures.
  • A migraine can last for as long as 72 hours.
• Seizures
  • Depression
  • Feeling of heaviness
  • Impending feeling a seizure is about to happen
  • After a seizure, the following headache is very brief.

Do Seizures Cause Migraines or Do Migraines Cause Seizures?

Seizures do not actually cause migraines to occur. They have similar symptoms and often coexist. Many people who experience seizures also have severe headaches afterward and get misdiagnosed with migraines.

On the flip side, migraines do not cause seizures. These are two separate neurological problems with overlapping symptoms. Many symptoms that happen just before a migraine are also symptoms that happen before a seizure. While it is true that people who have migraines are twice as likely to have seizures and vice versa, one condition does not cause the other to occur. It is not really understood why there is such a strong relationship between the two, but there is a clear correlation.

Migralepsy Relief Winona

How to Find Relief for Migralepsy

Whether you are experiencing migraines, epilepsy, or migralepsy, one area of care has been proven to be helpful. This is upper cervical chiropractic care. Migraines and seizures have been linked to a misaligned bone in the top of the neck. The C1 and C2 vertebrae lie in the same region as the brainstem. If they become misaligned, they put pressure on the brainstem, causing it to send faulty signals to the brain about what is happening in the body. The end result can be seizures or migraines, or both.

We use a gentle procedure that encourages the bones of the neck to move back into place on their own. By doing this, we do not need to resort to popping or cracking the neck to get positive results. Many people see a relief in their symptoms in a short time after their initial adjustment.

To schedule a complimentary consultation call our Winona office at (507)452-4490.

if you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.