Why do I get sick to my stomach and vomit when I get a migraine headache?

Question

Happens every time, I throw up when I feel a headache coming on and when it's a flow blown migraine. why does this happen? Is it just because I'm in so much pain? I can't even keep any medicine down so my headaches last for a day or two.

Answer 1

This is a pretty technical explanation below. Basically it all has to do with neuroreceptors and neurotransmitters in the brain. I too am a migraineur so I understand the symptoms you describe. If you cannot keep medicine down, you can get various triptan-type medications that are inhalers, injectable or sublingual (you put them under your tongue to dissolve). I usually can take Imitrex tablets but occasionally must use an injection if the migraine is very severe. Imitrex works on the 5-HT serotonin receptor. Talk to your doctor about these alternate forms of medication.
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Vomiting is coordinated in the vomiting center in the lateral medullary reticular formation in the medulla. Receptors on the floor of the fourth ventricle of the brain represent a chemoreceptor trigger zone, stimulation of which can lead to vomiting. The chemoreceptor zone lies outside the blood-brain barrier, and can therefore be stimulated by blood-borne drugs that can stimulate vomiting, or inhibit it.

There are various sources of input to the vomiting center:

The chemoreceptor trigger zone at the base of the fourth ventricle has numerous dopamine D2 receptors, serotonin 5-HT3 receptors, opioid receptors, Acetylcholine receptors, and receptors for substance P. Stimulation of different receptors are involved in different pathways leading to emesis, in the final common pathway substance P appears to be involved.[1]
The vestibular system which sends information to the brain via cranial nerve VIII (vestibulocochlear nerve). It plays a major role in motion sickness and is rich in muscarinic receptors and histamine H1 receptors.
Cranial nerve X (vagus nerve), which is activated when the pharynx is irritated, leading to a gag reflex.
Vagal and enteric nervous system inputs that transmit information regarding the state of the gastrointestinal system. Irritation of the GI mucosa by chemotherapy, radiation, distention or acute infectious gastroenteritis activates the 5-HT3 receptors of these inputs.
The CNS mediates vomiting arising from psychiatric disorders and stress.

The neurotransmitters that regulate vomiting are poorly understood, but inhibitors of dopamine, histamine and serotonin are all used to suppress vomiting, suggesting that these play a role in the initiation or maintenance of a vomiting cycle. Vasopressin and neurokinin may also participate.

Answer 2

Many patients with migraine get abdominal pain and vomiting. In fact there is even a specific type of migraine called 'abdominal migraine' , where headache may be absent.

See your GP, there are a number of soluble migraine preparations, some that are available as tablets that melt on the tongue. Also nasal sprays and injectables. If your GP confirms the diagnosis he will I am sure be able to discuss these options with you.

Answer 3

Because the excess serotonin bombarding your neurons in the brain also affect the Chemoreceptor Trigger Zone.
It's a classic symptom of migraine.
That's why some of the triptan drugs come in sublingual and injection form- because you can't keep them down adequately if taken by mouth.
Talk with your doctor about changing the formulation of the drugs you are using for abortive treatment. It's not doing you any good if you can't take them/keep them down. Also, consider prophylactic (preventive) migraine treatment, such as the beta-blocker propranolol. If you have a lot of migraines, it may make sense.
Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

Answer 4

It used to happen to me too- vomiting on top of feeling like you're hit with a baseball bat. The pain causes the vomiting. Fortunately, mine stopped after I got off hormonal birth control, but I feel your pain (literally). Talk to your doctor- for some people, hormonal therapy actually helps alleviate migraines (for some it makes it worse), and there are some new medications that you can take before the real headache starts, at the first sign of pain.

Answer 5

Because they do go with many migraines.

I saw similar questions so many times in other places that I simply wrote an answer and saved it to my hard drive. Here goes.

For now, get to a natural food store and buy a bottle of feverfew capsules. Make sure that the feverfew used has been freeze-dried, so that the essential oils are still there.

Feverfew is a member of the chrysanthemum family. It's an attractive plant, easily grown from seed or sets. It's a self-seeding annual, and the seeds can get into the lawn, but it grows at about the same rate as does the grass, so just mowing the lawn as usual keeps it in check.

When you do grow it (and you can also grow it indoors in pots, so you're covered for the winter), and you have the beginning of a migraine, grab a few leaves, rinse them off well, and eat them. You can also eat some leaves daily, and it will work prophylactically. It works for more than 80% of migraine sufferers. When it does work, it takes care of all of the migraine symptoms, in about 20 - 30 minutes.

People who don't get migraines find it far too bitter, and generally spit it out. Migraine sufferers seem not to be bothered by the taste, or they simply don't care about it because it works for them.

You can purchase seeds or sets from Richters, on-line, at www.richters.com

There apparently is an old wives tale that if a house has feverfew planted all around, no one in the house will become ill. Yeah, right, but, as I said, it's an attractive plant, so why not plant a lot.

If feverfew isn't helping you, then you might ask that neurologist about meds called beta blockers. They are a type of hypertension med, but because of the way that they work, that are also useful on a prophylactic basis for migraines. (I'll bet you never thought you'd hear or see the work prophylactic and have it associated with real headaches!)


Go ahead and check that, of course. Look for anything about feverfew by Earl Mindell, PhD. That's were I got much of that information.

Answer 6

This is just part of migraines. I believe in the phrase,"Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food." We need to stop eating all the processed and junk foods that we are poisoning ourselves with and eat what is as close as we can to the way GOD made them. Look into a book called "Back to Eden." There has been a study of people with migraines who took "fever few," which is an herb you can get at a health food store. After taking fever few for two years they no longer got migraine headaches. even when they stopped taking fever few. And there are NO side effects from fever few when taken properly. But you must get with your doctor to get you off the medicine you are trying to take, because medicines origins are from these plants and not the whole plant. and tho herbs and spices have no side effects when taken properly, medicines can cause adverse effects when taken with them.

Answer 7

Heat a wet hand towel in the microwave for 30 seconds and put it on your face while laying down, reheat and put on the back of your neck.

I always found this extremely helpful. I also couldn't keep meds. down. Mine were hormonal headaches. After the hysterectomy I ceased having migraines.

I hope this helps for you.

Answer 8

I appreciate the fact that you don't have any health insurance, but unfortunately, if you're dizzy and you cannot move then you should get looked at by a qualified doctor, whether you go to the emergency room or if you go to a doctor. There are some areas that probably have services for people who are on lower income.

Answer 9

I don't know why it happens, but it's a classic symptom of migraine headaches.

Answer 10

yes it does make you sick if you are having bad migraines
see your Dr about it