Dear Dr. Roach: In a the latest column, you wrote that migraine of any sort starting off in a person’s 60s is uncommon. I am a 66-yr-aged male in comparatively decent wellbeing. I have managed blood strain and cholesterol. In the past six months I have begun adhering to a “plant-centric” diet plan and my blood tension and cholesterol are nicely in just suggestions. My heart amount is in the 43-47 beats for every moment variety and I have lost more than 29 lbs . since October 2019. I weigh 217 and am 6 feet, 3 inches tall.
I not too long ago went for my once-a-year eyesight look at at my eye health practitioner and explained to him about seeing a shimmery, jagged, 50 %-moon blur in my vision, largely on in my still left eye, but present in equally eyes once in a while.
He did a comprehensive retina examination and located no abnormality. He speculated that I was dealing with a migraine. I questioned why there was no headache involved with the migraine. He stated that due to the fact I am more mature and my blood vessels are not as flexible, there is no suffering connected with the affliction. We chuckled and moved on. The challenge is not continual and I have not had signs in about a few months. Is this some thing to be worried about?
—R.F.
Dear R.F.: Your eye doctor may possibly be ideal. There is a ailment termed ocular migraine, also termed acephalgic migraine, where by individuals have the aura of a migraine headache but do not create headache. Most people will get headache from time to time, but a minority of folks have never had a headache, only the aura.
Nonetheless, what I stated is also valid. Migraines beginning in your 60s are much less typical, and even though this may be the prognosis, I would be concerned about a transient ischemic assault, which is induced by a loss of blood flow to the mind. Your eye health practitioner may possibly not have been ready to see just about anything abnormal in the retina, but I would be concerned sufficient to think about a appear at the blood vessels of the neck and even the brain, an evaluation of your heart rhythm for atrial fibrillation, and some blood screening, to be absolutely sure. TIAs occur generally in people with danger elements, and despite the fact that it sounds like you are doing very nicely now, you might have been at risk in the previous. Even individuals with no threat can get a TIA or stroke.
A neurologist will have experience in the analysis of probable TIA, but you can start with your family members medical doctor or internist.
Dr. Roach Writes: Several readers wrote in following a latest column on heel cracking to inform me what worked for them. The most well-known had been urea-centered and ammonium lactate lotions. A wound care nurse emphasised the will need for a podiatry referral, particularly in diabetic sufferers. Individuals who advisable steroid creams may possibly have had a element of eczema, and numerous wrote in that keeping the callous more compact, with an emery board or pumice stone, kept it from cracking. As usually, I recognize viewers producing in with their own activities.
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