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Welcome to the Puffy eyelid Forum

Does your eyelid swell during a Migraine attack?

Although not a frequent symptom of Migraine, a puffy eyelid can occur during an attack, usually on the same side as the pain. Often there is tearing of the eye, and sometimes that side of the nose as well.

It’s important to understand that a puffy eyelid during a “headache” may also signal that you are suffering from a different headache disorder altogether. Because treatments vary from one disorder to the next, it is vitally important that you get an appropriate diagnosis so you are sure you are treating the right problem.

For example, Cluster Headaches often result in swelling as well, but the most common treatment for them is high rate oxygen, which is not as likely to help a Migraine attack. If it is Cluster Headache and you are treating it as a Migraine, it’s not likely that your preventives or even most of your abortives are going to help during an attack.

This is one very good reason why seeing a headache literate doctor such as a Headache Specialist can be so important in gaining proper management of our attacks.

So the eye swelling could be thyroid? I get that and I have also noticed there is swelling at the back of my neck where my spine meets my skull. I have the puffy eyelid but that usually seems to happen in fall and spring when we are having severe weather changes and an imitrex will almost always relieve the severe pain. I am becoming tolerant to imitrex though and will need to find a new medication soon as they are not near as effective as they once were.

Maureen, swollen eyes is a hypOthyroid symptom, but there is no way for me to know if that is your problem. This is why seeing a headache specialist is so important – they are usually much better at diagnosing headache and Migraine related symptoms than a GP or neurologist.

Have you had anyone look at your neck?

The lower part of my eyelid swells, reddens, and burns.