Health

Study Shows Link Between Migraines, Stroke

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Some migraine sufferers experience spots and flashes of light before pain. New information out Wednesday suggests a possible link between those types of migraines and stroke.

Sometimes the symptoms of both are similar -- vision problems, loss of balance, even weakness of the arms and legs are common. So researchers wondered if one could lead to the other, and what they found was in certain cases they can.

"It's frightening because you don't know what's happening and I've never experienced that type of visual problem before," patient Nora Carton said. "I thought I was probably having a mini stroke."

But it wasn't a stroke. Carton had a migraine with aura.

But there is a link between migraines and stroke. Research from the American Heart Association shows young women who have migraines with visual symptoms are more likely to have a stroke than those who don't have the debilitating headaches.

And that risk goes up if the headaches are new and if you smoke or take birth control pills.

Bright zigzag lines, flashing spots and even temporary blindness are examples of visual aura, and for many they happen right before a migraine.

Dr. Jesse Weinberger is Director of the Neurology and Stroke Center at North General Hospital. He says there's no need for migraine patients to be alarmed.

"The overall chance of a young person having a stroke is still very low, even if they have visual migraine," Weinberger said.

Even though the risk is low, if you have migraines with visual aura, you should minimize the risk factors, including high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. And if you suddenly start having headaches, call your doctor.

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