Is there a link between migraines and seizures? I have classic migraines and some of the auras I get sound suspiciously like the auras that accompany seizures. My 6 year old son was diagnosed with migraines in March 2011 and now has been diagnosed with Rolandic Epilepsy. I just can't help but believe that there is a connection.
Migraines/seizures
- Thread starter englishp
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The two disorders are very close cousins, and it can be very hard to distinguish a migraine aura from the kind that is considered to be a simple partial seizure. One line of thought is that a predisposition for migraines and some kinds of epilepsy can be a shared or similar genetic trait, one that is expressed differently (or not at all) depending on environmental stresses or triggers.
The underlying brain process is different in migraine compared to epilepsy, but this is difficult to measure unless you are hooked up to the right kind of equipment. There ARE some general rules to distinguish migraine auras from epileptic ones: A migraine aura tends to last 15 minutes to an hour, whereas a simple partial seizure is often less than a minute. The most common migraine auras are visual, whereas in epilepsy they are usually limbic (i.e. nausea, fear, deja vu, etc.). Migraines may have one-sided weakness, whereas epilepsy will produce twitching. Unfortunately, there are plenty of exceptions to these rules (as CWE members can readily attest), and some people have both migraines and seizures, just to make it extra-complicated.
Best,
Nakamova
The underlying brain process is different in migraine compared to epilepsy, but this is difficult to measure unless you are hooked up to the right kind of equipment. There ARE some general rules to distinguish migraine auras from epileptic ones: A migraine aura tends to last 15 minutes to an hour, whereas a simple partial seizure is often less than a minute. The most common migraine auras are visual, whereas in epilepsy they are usually limbic (i.e. nausea, fear, deja vu, etc.). Migraines may have one-sided weakness, whereas epilepsy will produce twitching. Unfortunately, there are plenty of exceptions to these rules (as CWE members can readily attest), and some people have both migraines and seizures, just to make it extra-complicated.
Best,
Nakamova
I can really see the similarity as I get a spectrum of auras with my migraines. I get nausea, vomiting, tingly hands-feet-mouth along with the visual dancing stars/lightening bolts and absolutely miserable headaches. I just don't feel like it is coincidence that my son was diagnosed with both. 
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