Should you have an MRI scan WHILE suffering a migraine?

[michaelmacrae]

(tried posting this in General health but that board seems dead):

I have an MRI booked for next week, for my frequent migraines. If I have a migraine on the day should I cancel the scan, or will it be fine?

I want to get it over with but not so that I feel even worse afterwards. :( Anyone know if I should not do it?

IME an MRI is very noisy. Like someone clanging a hammer on a radiator
No way would I be able to tolerate one if I had a migraine.

Depends on how bad migraines you get. If you're lie down in a darkened room and don't move or you'll vomit, then no.
If you get migraines that you can just about get home safely when you know there's one coming, then I'd probably try and go ahead.
I get both, and one I couldn't possibly do it, but with the milder ones I would probably manage as long as I had someone to drive me home afterwards.

I don't know but if there's a number you can ring on the appt letter, it seems a sensible que to ask them.

I can't really drive with mine and wouldn't get on public transport/taxi for fear of vomiting.

If your migraines are the reason for requiring the MRI, definitely do it and you may get a resolution to the issue sooner. You'll be given headphones and sometimes there's a radio playing through them. Not enough to blank out the machine noise but something else to focus on.

I don't always get the vomiting thing but a very bad hammering, eye pain, neck pain etc. It varies a lot. I'll probably take tablets and do it anyway. I did have one years ago so I remember the loudness but I was wondering if there might be after effects from the magnets? Anyone felt sick after an MRI?

Never felt sick from them- there is no after effect but they are loud.
Maybe bring some earbuds with you? I have worn foam ones in and they take the edge off the sound.

I'd be surprised if you get given headphones for an MRI on your head... cotton wool in my ears was the best I got when I had one for migraines due to space. If you're able to tolerate it then it's probably an optimal time to have it but make sure you have a reward for yourself afterwards. I wish you well.

You definitely get them for head scans.

I've never experienced sickness from an MRI, magnets or otherwise. But if you're worried about that, having someone to drive you home could be useful (as well as for general reassurance beforehand).

That should say, you definitely CAN get headphones for head scans, not saying everywhere does it, I've had multiple with them though.

I have annual MRI’s I have had them with colds, Multiple Sclerosis relapses.

Not sure if I could cope if I was having a bad migraine though. I doubt it would make any difference to the scans themselves, but it’s depends if you will feel well enough.

Of course you can wear the hospital headphones when having a head MRI, I have done so many times, listening to music helps pass the time.

Head MRI is quick around 15-20 mins, if I am having head, cervical & whole spine it takes about an hour.

Good luck for the scan and the results OP.

Can be done with a migraine.

I've had them during hemiplegic migraines which hit in the waiting area that was fun moving to the bed as I lost movement and speech and trying to reassure them that I wasn't stroking out, also had one during a cluster attack.

Headphones on, earplugs in and deep breathing through it. Telling myself that it will help work out what's going on. This is temporary and I'll be out in 20 mins or however long.

Thank you guys, I'll take foam earplugs with me. @NotanotherboxofFrogs sounds terrible, I'm so sorry. It's horrible, isn't it?

I’ve had a few due to a neurological issue, not migraines so can’t comment on the pain side of things.

they are incredibly loud and the noise changes every now and then. They say to lay still but every time, and I do mean every time, the noise changes it makes me jump 🤣. I tend to take foam earplugs to wear as well as the headphones they give you. They generally play music but it has to be loud to cover the noises from the machine so the ear plugs just adds another level of noise protection.

@PinkingScissors thanks, good to know. Don't know why I've not been offered them when I know of others at the same facility had them when being scanned on other body parts. Will ask next time.

I've had the contrast stuff injected for an MRI and it made me feel very sick. Probably not a good idea with a migraine.

I had one during a hemiplegic migraine too. They were all quite new to me so they were trying to figure out what was going on. I had a weird mix of symptoms which swapped sides and the consultant was a bit wtf. Honestly it was fine. It was quite nice to close my eyes and not have to try and talk to anyone which was hard because half my face was frozen and the other half enjoying rhythmic twitching. It was loud ish but not awful.

Weirdly, I had my last ever migraine the day before a head and neck MRI and was still feeling rough, as though it was going to come back, on the day. They vanished afterwards.

I have no explanation for this at all - I did have a weird kind of sensation that the blood in my face was being pulled around during the MRI, but I've never heard of this actually being a thing, so maybe it was entirely a figment of my imagination and the cessation of my migraines afterwards was purely coincidental after twenty years (from age 7)?

If you can tolerate the scan, I'd try and still have it in any case, as it might show exactly what is going on.

I had a MRI for migraine too, the MRI machine actually caused one while I was in there

I have had MRI with contrast, didn’t make me feel sick, but it gave a strange sensation, like I had wet myself, consultant did warn me that might happen.

The scanners are noisy, the noises are like banging, vibrations etc. the best way I can describe them are like roadwork noise. I just close my eyes, keep very still.

You will have a squeeze button to hold whilst in the scanner, that will stop the machine. You should be able to see the staff in the room whilst you are being scanned, a cage type plastic device clips in over your head this is the camera, and it has a mirror so you can see the staff, the staff will talk to you, usually to say how long the individual scans will last for, to tell you stop swallowing for certain scans, ask if you are ok etc. sometimes if I am in for the full 3 sections they ask if I want a break, I never do, I just want to get them done tbh. They aren’t horrible, just boring and time consuming.

Ask your doctor(s). It's silly to expect medical advice of this sort from a bunch of internet randoms.

Yes you can.

DD was emergency admitted with a migraine and had an MRI in the middle of the night (whilst she was still suffering)

It's not medical advice. There enough people on this thread who have had MRIs with a migraine to say yes you definitely can

Most MRIs don't have a contrast or any injections.

There are no lasting effects after the scan. You just have to lie still in the magnet and put up with the weird noises.