Do you have debilitating bouts of visual symptoms, dizziness, and tingling in your limbs? These may actually be migraines, even though you don’t have headaches. Although for many people, a migraine is synonymous with a very bad headache, it’s actually a distinct condition that has many different effects. Without the headache, it is still classified as a migraine, though it is called a “silent” migraine.
What Silent Migraine Attacks Are Like
Only about 98% of migraine sufferers get headaches as part of their condition. The other 2% experience a number of other symptoms, including:
- Sensitivity to light
- Visual disturbances
- Sensitivity to sound
- Loss of concentration
- Nausea, dizziness, and vomiting
- Neck pain
- Sensitivity to smell
Sometimes, these sensations occur just like the aura before a migraine attack, but then no headache results. Other times, these sensations take the place of the headache. Overall, these sensations may be just as debilitating as the migraine headaches, and may occur several times a day.
Distinguishing Silent Migraines from TMJ
Although TMJ can trigger migraines, TMJ is a very different condition from migraines. TMJ and silent migraines can result in many similar symptoms, so they can be confused. Here are some tips for distinguishing the two conditions.
In a silent migraine, symptoms come on suddenly. The symptoms often occur together all at once for a relatively short duration (up to three days, but usually less than one day).
Silent migraine may respond to certain triggers, and may follow a predictable pattern.
In TMJ, symptoms can be very long-lasting, going on for days or weeks at a time. They often aren’t predictable, and some symptoms may come and go while others remain constant.
Of course, the best way to learn whether TMJ may be the cause of your symptoms or may serve as a trigger for your migraines is to be evaluated by a neuromuscular dentist.
To schedule an evaluation, please call (303) 691-0267 at the TMJ Therapy & Sleep Center of Colorado in Denver.
