Almost everyone has experienced a headache. Some get them less often, others have the misfortune of having them frequently enough to be debilitating. In any case, whenever someone comes in to see us with headache as one of their symptoms, we want to see if we can help.
One of the most frequent types of headaches encountered by our patients in Southern Alberta is migraine headache. Someone experiencing a migraine may have moderate to severe pain lasting from hours up to several days. The triggers are light exposure, stress, fatigue, or weather changes (typically Chinooks will bring about a migraine for a significant number of Albertans).
If a migraine is preceded by a visual sensation that obscures vision, this is called a "migraine with aura". This is described as an arc-like pattern of moving lights. The lights will obscure vision, usually peripherally, for up to 30 minutes. Some of our patients experience the aura without a headache - this is called an "ocular migraine". An ocular migraine is harmless, however if you are experiencing one while driving you should pull over until it goes away, as your peripheral vision may be temporarily impaired.
A headache that increases as the day wears on may be caused by eye strain. Computer users often experience eye strain related headaches. The pain is usually in the forehead region or behind the eyes. A thorough eye exam can uncover a need for glasses as well as counseling on "visual hygiene" - varying your focus and a discussion on proper reading posture and computer viewing distances. Such headaches may also be caused by muscle tension.
Headaches that started weeks or months ago and are steadily increasing in severity should be evaluated immediately. Headaches that wake you up at night may be due to problems like high blood pressure or other vascular disease.
If you are suffering from headaches, or experiencing any unusual vision symptoms, be sure to make an appointment for an eye exam. Special testing may be performed depending on the type of symptoms you are experiencing, such as a computerized visual field or a detailed examination of the retina and optic nerve through dilated pupils.
