Dataset Information

Migraine Symptoms Induced by an Auricular Piercing in a 27-Year-Old Female: A Case Report.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Migraines are common and debilitating, and have high direct and indirect costs. They can be difficult to treat, and many patients make use of alternative medicine techniques. One of these is acupuncture applied to locations on the auricle thought to modulate migraine symptoms. Some patients obtain piercings in these locations in hopes of relieving their symptoms; however, the literature does not address the possibility of migraine symptoms being worsened or even induced by such piercings.

Case presentation

We present a case of a 27-year-old female with a history of transient hemiplegia without headaches who developed headaches, visual disturbances, and nausea after a piercing of the inferior crus of her left antihelix (known as a rook piercing). No abnormalities were found on workup, and symptoms were treated with supportive care. After removing the piercing 9 months later, the patient's symptoms resolved.

Conclusion

The mechanism linking the piercing with the migraine symptoms is unclear, but may involve modulation of trigeminal or vagal pain pathways, as both of these cranial nerves innervate this area of the auricle. Regardless, in patients presenting with migraine symptoms, history and physical exam should not overlook piercings as potential contributory factors.

SUBMITTER: Uddin S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10849747 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Migraine Symptoms Induced by an Auricular Piercing in a 27-Year-Old Female: A Case Report.

Uddin Sophia S Terry Jordan J

Case reports in neurology 20240131 1

<h4>Introduction</h4>Migraines are common and debilitating, and have high direct and indirect costs. They can be difficult to treat, and many patients make use of alternative medicine techniques. One of these is acupuncture applied to locations on the auricle thought to modulate migraine symptoms. Some patients obtain piercings in these locations in hopes of relieving their symptoms; however, the literature does not address the possibility of migraine symptoms being worsened or even induced by s ...[more]

PMID: 38327543

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Project description:The International Headache Society (IHS) defines ophthalmoplegic migraine (OM) as recurrent attacks of headache with migrainous characteristics, associated with paresis of one or more ocular cranial nerves (commonly the third cranial nerve), and in the absence of any demonstrable intracranial lesion other than MRI changes within the affected nerve. According to the IHS criteria, it is diagnosed when at least two attacks with migraine-like headaches are accompanied with, or followed within 4 days of onset by, paresis of one or more of the third, fourth or sixth cranial nerves. Parasellar, orbital fissure and posterior fossa lesions should be ruled out by appropriate investigations. It is unlikely that OM is a variant of migraine, since the headache often lasts for a week or more and there is a latent period of up to 4 days from the onset of headache to the onset of ophthalmoplegia. Furthermore, in some cases MRI shows gadolinium uptake in the cisternal part of the affected cranial nerve and this suggests that the condition may be a recurrent demyelinating neuropathy. In general, patients demonstrated a: (1) prolonged time for symptom resolution to occur (median time 3 weeks); (2) tendency for recurrent episodes to have more severe and persistent nerve involvement; (3) evidence of permanent neurological sequelae with recurrent episodes (30% of patients); (4) rapid improvement and shortened duration with corticosteroid therapy and; (5) transient, reversible MRI contrast enhancement of the affected cranial nerve (86% of patients). Different pathogenetic mechanisms, which include compressive, ischemic and inflammatory, have been suggested for OM. Here, a 15-year-old Ethiopian with recurrent attacks of headache and third nerve palsy is presented. The subsequent discussion focuses on current evidences with regard to the clinical characteristics, possible pathogenetic mechanisms and treatment. Finally, a brief discussion of the situation in Africa will be presented.

Dataset Information

Migraine Symptoms Induced by an Auricular Piercing in a 27-Year-Old Female: A Case Report.

Introduction

Case presentation

Conclusion

Publications

Migraine Symptoms Induced by an Auricular Piercing in a 27-Year-Old Female: A Case Report.

Similar Datasets

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