Basilar migraine is a special kind of ailment. The disease is characterized by specific headaches. The cause of occurrence are pathological changes occurring in the area of blood supply of the basilar artery.
The disease is quite rare. What factors provoke its development? By what symptoms can you find out about its occurrence? And, most importantly, how is it treated? This is what we will consider in detail in the article.
About the disease in brief
Basilar migraine is a chronic neurological disease characterized by throbbing pain.
The name of the pathology was due to the fact that the symptoms of its manifestation are the same as those of lesions of cerebral structures. And they are known to be supplied with blood through the basilar artery of the brain.
Most often, the disease occurs in patients whose age ranges from 18 to 50 years. Less common in children andold people. As a rule, the disease is diagnosed in women.
Due to the peculiarities of the clinical manifestation and pathogenesis, it is quite difficult to diagnose this disease and prescribe competent therapy.
Predisposing factors
The causes of basilar migraine are no different from those that cause the same disease in other forms. As a rule, the prerequisites are one of the following:
- Abuse of energy drinks (including coffee).
- Nicotine addiction.
- Psychological or emotional overload.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Violation of sleep, work and rest.
- Chronic lack of sleep.
- Taking hormonal drugs.
People with the following physiological problems are at risk:
- Injury of the spine in the cervical region.
- Craniovertebral anomaly.
- Spinal instability.
- Anomaly Chiari or Kimerli.
But the main pathogenetic predisposing factor is vasomotor disorders. It is also believed that the occurrence of basilar migraine is associated with labyrinth hydrops. It is assumed that it is because of him that people suffering from this disease subsequently develop cochlear neuritis.
Manifestations of illness
Now you should list the symptoms of basilar migraine. These include the following manifestations:
- Dizziness.
- Hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Amaurosis.
- Ataxia.
- Dysarthria.
- Diplopia.
- Disorder of consciousness.
- Sensory Disorders.
- Visual bilateral phenomena (spots, flashes of light).
Each symptom is transient, lasting at least 5 minutes. Sometimes the symptoms occur sequentially. But, as a rule, such a state (it is called an aura) lasts no more than 1 hour.
But it doesn't end there. The aura is replaced by an intense headache - cephalgia. The person suffers from pulsating sensations in the back of the head. There may also be nausea and vomiting, sound and light phobia. Some lose consciousness for a while. Coming out of a faint is usually fraught with retrograde amnesia.
Basilar migraine attacks occur at different intervals, it all depends on the individual case. For some, this happens once a month. For others, every few weeks. Sometimes seizures do not bother for months.
Diagnosis
This is also a very important point to consider. The first step in diagnosing basilar migraine is an examination by a neurologist. The doctor finds out the patient's complaints, collects an anamnesis. It is important to exclude pathological changes outside the migraine paroxysm.
The key criterion taken into account in determining the disease is the absence of organic pathologies of the brain. These include:
- Cerebral cyst.
- Encephalitis.
- Abscess of the brainbrain.
- Intracerebral tumor.
- Hydrocephalus.
That's why the diagnostic process includes MRI, CT and a procedure such as electroencephalography. It makes it possible to assess the functional state of the cerebral structures. They can also prescribe an MRI and an ultrasound scan of the cerebral vessels, rheoencephalography.
Features of the inspection
It is important to mention that basilar migraine is the basis for the study of the cervical region. That is why, after its diagnosis, the patient is prescribed the following events:
- MRI or CT scan of the spine.
- X-ray.
- CT angiography or ultrasound of the vertebral arteries.
Audio function is also assessed. It is carried out by an audiologist, taking into account the results of electrocochleography and audiometry.
It is also important to examine the vestibular analyzer. To do this, do electronystagmography, video oculography, vestibulometry, as well as a caloric test.
As a result, many patients show impaired vestibular reactivity, sensorineural hearing loss, spontaneous nystagmus, and signs of hydrops.
Differentiate basilar migraine from the following ailments:
- Ischemic transient attack.
- Retinal migraine.
- Vertebral artery syndrome.
- Ménière's disease.
- Posterior cervical sympathetic syndrome.
Although the diagnosis is a certain complexity, but, nevertheless, none of the listed diseases is accompanied bysymptoms that are typical of a disease such as basilar migraine.
Approaching attack
He doesn't suddenly appear. You can find out about its approach - the body begins to give "signals". A migraine attack is most likely to occur if a person is under the influence of one of the following triggers:
- Physical labor.
- Major noise.
- Sharp, unpleasant odors.
- Bright light.
You can find out that an attack is coming by the following symptoms:
- Feeling of numbness in limbs.
- Loss of coordination of movements.
- Severe drowsiness.
- Decreased visual and hearing acuity.
- A condition resembling that which usually occurs before loss of consciousness.
- Weakness in the body, which provokes a decrease in muscle tone.
- Small shiver all over the body.
- Unreasonable panic and anxiety.
- Tachycardia attack.
A person must be guided by the symptoms himself in order to help himself in time. The occurrence of nausea will not allow the use of "Reglan". And taking opiates (if the doctor, of course, prescribed them) can save you from an attack of severe pain. As a rule, these are OxyContin, Demerol, Codeine and Morphine. If none of the above helps the patient, the doctor prescribes an even stronger drug - Butorphanol.
However, these funds can cause side effects. Therefore, experts prescribe them in extreme cases.
Specific therapy
The causes and symptoms of basilar migraine have been discussed above. Treatment also requires careful study.
Therapy of this disease is a difficult task. And here's why:
- "Diclofenac, "Naproxen", "Ibuprofen", "Ketoprofen", as well as other anti-inflammatory drugs that do not contain steroids, do not stop the paroxysm.
- "Eletriptan", "Naratriptan" and "Sumatriptan" are also powerless against the disease.
- Combined painkillers only at the time of a migraine attack relieve a person's condition, and then not for long.
An effective remedy is a mixture containing 10% carbon dioxide and 90% oxygen. With it, you need to do a 10-minute inhalation, and the attack of vertebrobasilar migraine will pass. But in ordinary life, this tool is, to put it mildly, inaccessible.
Treatment
Despite the above, there are some ways in which the patient's condition can be alleviated.
Effective is the treatment of basilar migraine with a drug such as Prednisone. But it must be taken in the first minutes after the appearance of the aura.
During the period when attacks do not bother a person, he should take drugs that strengthen the nervous system. These are Amitriptyline, Alimemazine and Tofizolam. They reduce emotional lability, increase resistance to stressful situations.
However, this is considered by specialists only as supportive, adjunctive therapy. The most important thing is to rethinkvalues, change attitudes and psychological reactions. This work must be done by the patient himself.
The result of such therapy will be much more benevolent and calm reactions to what is happening around. This is what will help to avoid the manifestations of basilar migraine.
Folk remedies
Their use may be appropriate as maintenance therapy. Here are some popular and effective recipes:
- In proportions 1:3:1, combine the juice of carrots, spinach and dandelion. To stir thoroughly. Take a glass three times a day before meals.
- Pour mint (10 g) with boiling water (100 ml). Insist for half an hour. Then cool, strain, add 1 tsp. honey. Take 50 ml three times a day.
- Elderberry (20 g) pour boiling water (200 ml). Let it brew for 20 minutes, then filter. Also add 1 tsp. honey. Drink 50 ml three times a day.
- Take 20 grams of oregano, plantain and rose hips. Pour the mixture with boiling water (1.5 cups). Let it brew for half an hour. Then strain. Drink every day 3 times in a volume of 100 ml.
And they say that the pain helps to eliminate the application of a crushed leaf of burdock or cabbage to the place where it is felt. Just keep it there for half an hour.
Complications and their elimination
A little attention should be paid to this topic, since we are talking about the causes and treatment of basilar migraine. This disease is fraught with many consequences, the most serious of which is ischemic stroke. But there is alsoother complications.
Vestibulo-cochlear syndrome often develops, as well as hydrops of the labyrinth. In such cases, the patient is prescribed a course of treatment with Betaserc - it has a positive effect on blood flow in the basilar artery, and also improves microcirculation, stabilizes pressure.
Also, electrosleep, hydrotherapy, reflexology, massage of the cervical-collar zone are also used to eliminate the consequences.
But all this will be ineffective if the patient refuses to comply with medical recommendations. In order to have a result, the patient must exclude mental and physical overload, sleep normally, establish a daily routine, as well as eat right and walk in the fresh air.
Diet
The principle of proper nutrition for basilar migraine is the exclusion from the diet of all foods containing tyramine. Most of this substance is found in the following products:
- Yogurt, curdled milk, kefir.
- Chocolate.
- Beer, wine, cognac, rum, champagne.
- Coffee.
- Avocado.
- Bananas.
- Beans.
- Raisins.
- Fig.
- Salmon.
- Any processed meat (kebab, salami, smoked meats, etc.).
- Herring and smoked fish.
- Cheese.
- Soya.
- Sour cream.
- Nuts.
The use of these products leads to a decrease in serotonin levels. This is what is fraught with an increase in pressure and the appearance of another migraine attack.
