Do Migraines Cause Eye Twitching?

Do migraines cause eye twitching? As a complex condition, migraine causes a variety of symptoms. Most patients only experience a pain behind the eyes, vomiting, nausea, and sensory sensitivity. However, others complain about eye twitching and headache which includes involuntary eye or eyelid movements in the list of uncomfortable symptoms. While it doesn’t pose a serious threat, eye twitching can most definitely cause inconveniences, not to mention discomfort. 

Most people note that their eye twitching appears simultaneously with other migraine symptoms. Others say that it triggers their headaches.

Do Migraines Cause Eye Twitching?

Many people think that a headache behind the eyes is the only hallmark symptom of migraine attacks. That’s why some feel a bit surprised and disoriented when they begin noticing other signs of a migraine attack, such as eye twitching. So, what causes this uncontrollable movement? It's unclear exactly what causes eye twitching other than it's just part of the neurological nature of a migraine attack.

Typically, a migraine eye twitch can last for a few minutes to an entire day. It rarely needs medical intervention, too, because it goes away on its own. Eye twitching can happen because of other types of headaches such as cluster headaches or retinal migraines.

It also can be the result of other health issues such as:

• Fatigue
• Stress or anxiety
• Excessive caffeine intake
• Meige syndrome
• Nystagmus
• Hemifacial spasms (HFS)
• Tourette’s syndrome
• Bell’s palsy
• Multiple sclerosis

When to Seek Help for Eye Twitching and Headaches

As we have mentioned, eye twitching usually goes away without the need for medical intervention. However, if they do last for several weeks accompanied by debilitating headaches, we highly recommend talking to our primary doctor. This is a necessary step to rule out problems that may be life-threatening. 

You should also consider calling for medical assistance if you notice the following:

• You can’t open your eyes when the twitching movement starts
• You experience muscle spasms on other parts of the body as your eye twitching occurs
• You notice swelling or inflammation around the affected eye
• You have droopy eyelids, or you notice a discharge coming out of your eyes

How to Cope with Frequent Migraine Attacks

Life can be extra challenging when migraine attacks become a regular part of your days or weeks. Imagine dealing with eye twitching and an unbearable headache behind the eyes while in transit for your daily commute. It can suck out the joy in your life and affect everything, including your social circle, extracurricular activities, and relationships.   

Sadly, this is the reality of many people. Therefore, we suggest trying some of the following self-care techniques to cope:

• Keeping track of your attacks – It’s good to establish migraine patterns because it might help you plan your day, avoid triggers, and curb your symptoms.
• Avoiding triggers – Patients have varying migraine triggers, ranging from eating processed food to not drinking enough water. Be sure to keep track of these triggers so you can avoid or manage them.
• Always eat healthy food – Nutrition plays a pivotal role in avoiding health concerns such as migraine attacks. In fact, some studies show that nutrient deficiencies (Vitamin D and magnesium) can sometimes trigger worse pain for patients.
• Avoid allergy-causing food or things – The last thing you want is to trigger an inflammatory response because you’re allergic to a food or item (pollen grain, dog fur, etc.). It will only cause you more pain as the inflammation adds pressure on the nerves, blood vessels, and brain. 
• Stay hydrated – Dehydration can severely impact your central nervous system, making you vulnerable to migraine attacks and intense headaches. We strongly suggest keeping tabs on your fluid consumption, especially during hot days. 

Is Migraine a Lifelong Condition?

Millions of people have migraine episodes. That’s why some wonder, is migraine a lifelong problem? Is there no hope for migraineurs? Studies continue to investigate these questions. As it turns out, while migraine affects a significant fraction of the population, it continues to be a mystery to many doctors and researchers. 

Its true causes remain largely vague, so studies only provide theories. One of the most convincing theories so far is that migraines stem from misaligned upper neck bones that change the flow of blood and CSF fluid to and from the brain. That’s why many sick and suffering individuals with migraines turn to upper cervical specialists for help.

Upper Cervical Care and Its Role for Migraine Relief

Countless patients turn to upper cervical chiropractic practices for help. Most of these individuals book a consultation because of their debilitating migraine attacks. This is mainly because case studies have long proven that neck alignment can affect your overall wellbeing. Here are some facts to help you understand the importance of neck cervical spine alignment:

• Your neck, especially the upper portion, encases the brainstem 
• Each neck bone supports cranial nerves, which control various functions like your five senses and eye movement control.  
• It also holds and supports your head, allowing you to move it in various directions and angles.

Naturally, when your neck alignment is out of whack, the bones interfere with your brain’s signal transmission. The misaligned bones can also impede the functions we listed above. Your nerves and the brainstem can potentially misfire and send confusing signals to the body. As a result, you experience a headache behind the eyes, confusion, spinning sensations, nausea, and other migraine symptoms.

Thankfully, with upper cervical care, you can correct all these problems. Once your neck chiropractor knows the misalignment's severity and the key points that require adjustments, you can start receiving upper cervical care. 

It may be a slow and gradual process at first, but you will notice significant improvements once the brainstem and nerves start healing and recovering.

Do migraines cause eye twitching? Sometimes. But the bigger question to ask is how can you get to the underlying cause of your migraines? If you are tired of experiencing nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, eye twitching, and a headache behind the eyes then it's time to take action. It’s possible to reduce or put an end to your debilitating migraine symptoms. Contact a nearby upper cervical specialist for help today!

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