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What Causes Severe Headaches, Dizziness, Sensitivity To Light And Sound?
Question: My daughter is 17 and has really bad headaches for the last two years she gets sensitive to light and sound she has also been dizzy while walking and lately she is dizzy all the time to the point if she doesn't sit down she starts to black out however the second she does sit down she is fine. Tonight this happened and two hours later her nose started bleeding for no reason on her right side.
Brief Answer:
Migraine/Dizziness may be associated/Tell details.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.
If your daughter would have presented to me as an outpatient with these complaints,my clinical explanation would have been-
Episodic severe headache which increases on exposure to bright light and sound are typical for Migraine.In addition,migraine headache is throbbing (pulse like),may be associated with nausea and some visual aura like seeing flashing zig-zag lights at the time of headache.Besides,migraine headache is typically precipitated by some trigger factors like stress,sunlight,some food items like cheese,tea,coffee or chocolate.
Please observe and tell whether headache is associated with some of these factors?
Please tell whether dizziness is episodic, occurring at the time of headache or is it a separate entity?
Migraine can frequently accompany headache with dizziness.However,if dizziness is persistent,then it needs an evaluation.
If persistent,does it increase on certain neck movements?Any history of tinnitus or hearing loss?These questions are pertinent as it can result as an ear pathology also.
History of dizziness improving on sitting and increasing on lying down can happen if brain blood perfusion pressure decreases on standing.It can result sometimes due to autonomic function.She needs to be examined by a physician for postural drop in blood pressure.
Please follow up with the issues I raised here, addressed in your query.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Migraine/Dizziness may be associated/Tell details.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.
If your daughter would have presented to me as an outpatient with these complaints,my clinical explanation would have been-
Episodic severe headache which increases on exposure to bright light and sound are typical for Migraine.In addition,migraine headache is throbbing (pulse like),may be associated with nausea and some visual aura like seeing flashing zig-zag lights at the time of headache.Besides,migraine headache is typically precipitated by some trigger factors like stress,sunlight,some food items like cheese,tea,coffee or chocolate.
Please observe and tell whether headache is associated with some of these factors?
Please tell whether dizziness is episodic, occurring at the time of headache or is it a separate entity?
Migraine can frequently accompany headache with dizziness.However,if dizziness is persistent,then it needs an evaluation.
If persistent,does it increase on certain neck movements?Any history of tinnitus or hearing loss?These questions are pertinent as it can result as an ear pathology also.
History of dizziness improving on sitting and increasing on lying down can happen if brain blood perfusion pressure decreases on standing.It can result sometimes due to autonomic function.She needs to be examined by a physician for postural drop in blood pressure.
Please follow up with the issues I raised here, addressed in your query.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
She has episodes of just being dizzy without the migraine. When she has these episodes, as long as she is sitting or laying down she is fine. However, if she gets up to walk she becomes dizzy and it increases with labor of walking until she sits down. Also while she begins to walk she also feels her face become cold and sometimes clammy then the dizziness increases to the point of feeling that she can no longer stand because things begin to get dimmer and dimmer. During these episodes I have tried to give her glucose to raise her blood sugar. However, it does not work. I have tried water with electrolytes. No results. She exhibits no signs of dehydration or malnutrition. No neck or tinnitus problems either. The dizziness is separate from the migraines. She does complain of constant fatigue. And this time she feels like she is slowly swaying in circles even while lying down. And it us accompanied with nausea.
Brief Answer:
Autonomic function tests need to be done.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being in follow-up and providing elaborate description.
Dizziness seems unrelated to migraine with the description you have provided.Classical history of clouding of sensorium in standing posture along with the prodrome of coldness/clamminess of face and dimness of vision goes in favour of autonomic dysfunction.
Please get her checked for postural blood pressure drop by a physician.Also,Autonomic function tests like-
Tilt table test
Susomotor reflex
should be done in order to evaluate for autonomic dysfunction. Electrocardogram(ECG) should be done for any cardiac rhythm abnormality.
Drug history is important.Please tell whether she was on any specific drugs?
Meanwhile,if she is having typical features of migraine,anti-migraine therapy should be started along with avoidance of trigger factor which is supposed to trigger migraine headache.
Hope I have answered your query.If you have some follow up queries,I shall be glad to answer else,please close the thread-rate it and write a review.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Autonomic function tests need to be done.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being in follow-up and providing elaborate description.
Dizziness seems unrelated to migraine with the description you have provided.Classical history of clouding of sensorium in standing posture along with the prodrome of coldness/clamminess of face and dimness of vision goes in favour of autonomic dysfunction.
Please get her checked for postural blood pressure drop by a physician.Also,Autonomic function tests like-
Tilt table test
Susomotor reflex
should be done in order to evaluate for autonomic dysfunction. Electrocardogram(ECG) should be done for any cardiac rhythm abnormality.
Drug history is important.Please tell whether she was on any specific drugs?
Meanwhile,if she is having typical features of migraine,anti-migraine therapy should be started along with avoidance of trigger factor which is supposed to trigger migraine headache.
Hope I have answered your query.If you have some follow up queries,I shall be glad to answer else,please close the thread-rate it and write a review.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Answered by
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