Migraine Headaches Without the Pain

Migraines are usually associated with debilitating pain on one side of the head. But there is a type of migraine that does not inflict pain in the head, but rather in the abdomen, leading to a period of vomiting that can last for a few hours or a couple of days. These are called silent migraines, abdominal migraines or acephalgic migraines. These mostly victimize children, but can happen to adults.

Auras

• People suffering from silent migraines often experience auras, but even for the same person, auras may come for some attacks but not for others. Auras come in the form of visual hallucinations such as flashes, spots or half of one eye being blurry. Auras can be regarded as a warning sign that a silent migraine attack will begin in less than a half hour. They're also experienced as sound hallucinations, where a person hears a ringing or hiss that is not there (to any objective evidence). Rarely, people have olfactory auras where they smell things that are not there too. If an aura occurs, this is the ideal time to take medication and perhaps avoid an attack.

Medications

• According to MAGNUM, the National Association for Migraines, silent migraines are treated with the exact same medications as for other types of migraine that bring on head pain. These fall into two types of medications--preventive and abortive. Preventive medications are taken every day in the hope of preventing silent migraine attacks. These medications are prescribed off-label, meaning they're being used for a condition for which they are not typically prescribed. They include blood pressure medication, antidepressants and antiseizure medications. Abortive medication tackles the pain once an attack or an aura hits. These include over-the-counter painkillers, triptans, ergomatine and opiates. If you've received no relief from over-the-counter painkillers against your silent migraines in the past and you do not have abortive medication, go to the hospital. They will have medications in nasal-spray and injectable forms that the body can absorb better than pills. Antinausea medication may also be administered.

Warning

• If the silent migraine is accompanied by numbness in the limbs, facial paralysis, dizziness, coordination problems or extreme confusion, this could be a stroke. Get to a hospital as soon as possible. If the silent migraine is accompanied by diarrhea, this could be a sign of food poisoning. Again, go to the hospital. If the silent migraine happens when you are just starting a new medication, contact your doctor immediately.