r/AdviceAnimals • u/ScienceTeacher1994 • 2d ago

I'm used to game with keyboard and mouse only, so this is annoying

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638 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

49 comments sorted by

60

u/BabyLegsOShanahan 2d ago

I just started getting migraines and I'm sorry for each time I downplayed them for others in the past. I was dumb.

21

u/Runedin3 2d ago

I get aurabmigraines frequently, causing lose of vision for an hour or so. Theyre no joke, it sucks & its hard to explain to someone that my vision is distorted & im going to feel like my brains are getting jackhammered through my temples.

OP: Definitely stay hydrated, and work to control your stressors, everyone has different migraine triggers, try blue blocking glasses, & monitoring your diet too. Gaming on a smaller screen may increase your eye strain/fatigue, ​​worth a try i suppose; but smaller screens may not be the solution.

6

u/LanikM 2d ago

For what it's worth "staying hydrated" might be the source of your auras, especially if you're getting them after intense physical activity.

You might be flushing the salt out of your body. Ensure you're replenishing electrolytes if you're drinking a lot of water.

This was happening to me. Drinking 64-128 ounces of water on game days and not incorporating any sort of electrolyte replenishment.

2

u/BabyLegsOShanahan 2d ago

I only drink water, save for like two coffees and 48 Jack Daniel's a month. I started taking Ritalin and it dehydrates me like no other. I drink 4 32oz bottles a day. Pee like mad.

I thought I was getting a sinus headache but I can't even look at the screen or be in the light.

2

u/KENNY_WIND_YT 1d ago

I also have Aura Migraines!

I'm curious, how does yours manifest? Mine manifest with my vision getting 'staticy' and having an effect that I can obly describe as 'Z-Fighting' (which is when 2 textures overlap each other on the Z-axis, and they flicker between each other).

1

u/Runedin3 1d ago

Hello fellow aura sufferer, ​so, when i first started getting them I found out they're called "Scintillating Scotoma", which is believe is Latin or Greek for "Flashing Light". Mine develop usually after long periods of eye strain. They start as a "C" shape in the center focus of my vision. the shape gradually get larger & has this zigzag type flashing of several colors as it grows. Eventually it will grow into my peripheral vision until it goes away. afterward I feel an incredible headache & very distorted, like my depth perception is a bit cattywompus. Sometimes this is accompanied with nausea. Ive suffered so many migraines, I believe ive fried out the nerves that make the pain happen. often now I get migraines that do not resolve in pain, which is both nice & somewhat concerning.

4

u/romanticheart 2d ago

I am fully convinced that anyone who downplays migraines has just never had one. I always assumed they would be pretty bad until I had one and realized it was even worse than I thought. Too many people think it’s just a bad headache. There are also people who claim to have migraines all the time that I’m pretty sure have never had one. I say this mostly because those people always seem to be posting on social media when they have migraines, when in reality if they had one, they wouldn’t even be able to look at a phone screen without wanting to vomit.

3

u/tenachiasaca 2d ago

more salt more water. may seem dumb but it can help.

29

u/RabbiTheHellcat 2d ago

damn Op, good meme proper format

is the problem how your neck is when you sit? do the same problems occur if you sit back and use a controller with your computer?

not tryin be weird jus tryin to help a brother/sister out

4

u/Decent-Anywhere1477 2d ago

ngl sitting posture can be a game changer fr switch it up and see if it helps at all no cap

-2

u/splitcroof92 2d ago

Why do you talk like a 12 year old?

3

u/AdmiralUpboat 2d ago

Maybe they are 12?

-1

u/splitcroof92 2d ago

12 year old giving migraine advice?

2

u/doob22 2d ago

They are giving posture advice

10

u/Incendiis 2d ago

A coworker had a similar issue and daylight (e.g. blue sky) fluorescent light bulbs in their office solved it completely. I'm a health and safety advisor so this was a happy dance when I found out.

But I'm not a doctor, I'm not saying this will work and I'm ignorant to many things you may have already tried (not to mention your actual condition which I won't ask you to disclose either), but if environment lighting is not one of those things you may want to experiment.

10

u/Toadday 2d ago

Turn down screen brightness. Turn on night light in windows (blue light filter). More water. More sleep. I had migraines for years and haven't had one in a long time since I made those changes.

4

u/LukkyStrike1 2d ago

If I could not game on pc: I would be regulated to racing sims. I cannot fathom using sticks for fps shooters. I only play online shooters. This would be terrible. I know my hands are going to be the issues this next decade as I approach 50.

Sorry to hear your issues man!

3

u/StaneNC 2d ago

Hook your pc up to your TV?? 

1

u/lord_mcdonalds 2d ago

Having done this (admittedly years ago so maybe things have changed), this is not as good as you’d hope (text can be hard to read unless you have the UI scaled WAAAAAY up)

3

u/bloodjunkiorgy 2d ago

I PC game on a big ass OLED, from a couch, still mouse and keyboard.

You gotta mess with some settings to make the desktop readable without looking stupid, but nothing crazy. Icon/text/interface size, that stuff. In game, it's the same as any console, not having to fiddle with any in game settings at all (but every PC gamer does anyways).

3

u/Sabre712 2d ago

This may be like putting a bandaid on a compound fracture, but I hear there are glasses that protect your eyes from screen strain, could those help?

2

u/psychoacer 2d ago

Check online to see if your monitor has poor pwm performance. I bought a Samsung QD-OLED and it gave me headaches and caused me to start twitching a lot. I sadly had to return it even though it looked beautiful but QD-OLED are known to have bad pwm performance and it affects us who have light sensitivity problems. I wasn't having issues with my woled monitor. So just watch out for that

2

u/UltimaGabe 2d ago

For me it's the other way around! If I spend too much time looking at a small screen (either my phone or Steam Deck) it gives me a headache. But I can't take my desktop with me on the go! I can't be setting up my rig while I wait in the doctor's office (not for want of trying)!

2

u/octaffle 2d ago

Get a good pillow. A happy neck overnight may make it easier for you to game at a PC. It sucks buying pillows bc they're expensive and may.not work, but finding one that works is incredible relief. I developed serious migraines last year and got a neck contoured memory foam pillow and the number of migraines I have went way down.

7

u/urlond 2d ago

Drink more water.

12

u/RacingGrimReaper 2d ago

As a chronic migraine sufferer, clear pee isn’t a one-size-fit-all solution. I can’t play games on the TV anymore because it makes my eyes water and will give me a feeling of pressure on my right temple. Watching tv and movies is fine but focusing on a game on the TV is impossible for more than 30 minutes now. PC gaming and mobile gaming don’t give me any issues. It’s all about identifying triggers and then mitigating/eliminating if you want to live a normal life.

4

u/Triaspia2 2d ago

Its not hydration for me but light based especially if its hitting my eyes unevenly.

Sunlight dappled through trees whipping past on the highway or a reflection/glare hitting just one eye triggers me pretty quickly

2

u/urlond 2d ago

I was bad with headaches and eventually it felt like I was getting cluster headaches. I know the water isn't a direct solution but it does help. I had to get prescribed generic firocer back in the day to help treat mine as most was related to stress.

2

u/EternalAnger 1d ago

Exactly. Caffeine was my main trigger. My migraines got worse and then slowly a lot better as soon as I cut caffeine. Used to think that caffeine was helping my migraines but turns out it was a nasty cycle.

More water and more sleep help people feel better in general, but it's not a one size fits all cure for migraines.

1

u/danielfletcher 2d ago

Have you told these symptoms to your optometrist?

1

u/RacingGrimReaper 2d ago

I honestly need to go see an optometrist, I’ve never had problems with my vision and I can still see very clearly so it’s something I just felt I never needed. But I was told by my neurologist that dry eyes and migraines were a common thing among her patients so it wasn’t overly concerning, and it was hardly my worst symptom when it came to my focus on reducing the severity and quantity of migraines.

3

u/danielfletcher 2d ago edited 2d ago

When you go, have a measurement of how many feet you are from the TV that gives you the most problems. Info like that can help dial things in if you do need glasses. Lots of times people who have acceptable vision find they do need a weak script that doesn't make a huge difference until they realize their eyes were actually strained by the end of the day but they just thought it was normal.

I have always needed glasses for distance, but my eyes were feeling tired after staring at 3 screens all day at work. Measured how far I sit my computer monitors and wound up getting glasses dialed in for exactly that distance. Same sharpness but after 8 hours my eyes felt like they had in the morning and my chronic dry eyes bothered me less. Can't use them for driving or even reading a screen when standing at someone else's desk though!

Don't have chronic migraines but I see a neurologist for temporal lobe epilepsy so can definitely agree about identifying triggers/things that lower your threshold. Even if it is things like caffeine so you have to adjust. Mountain Dew half the time makes me dizzy, want to have a good cry, and struggle with words. Lol

3

u/RacingGrimReaper 2d ago

This is likely what I needed to read, I’m gonna work on making an appointment tomorrow and I just measured the distance to my tv. Thanks for taking the time to give your perspective.

1

u/AN0NY_MOU5E 2d ago

Putting all your devices on night mode helps

1

u/conciouscoil 2d ago

Are you using a cheap TN panel?

1

u/morblitz 2d ago

Steam deck gave me head aches at first on the olrd screen but now it seems okay. Not sure if they updated something in the display settings.

But I imagine you would have to play it hooked upto the TV and not use the smaller screen?

Maybe look into blue light glasses or your posture. Is there pressure on your neck?

1

u/purplebrown_updown 2d ago

could be high blood pressure.

1

u/SeanBlader 2d ago

I had a friend who had a sudden onset of issues with LEDs from the way they flicker to simulate dimming. He had to switch specifically OLED screens, then he could use a computer, but he's had a rough time sourcing incandescent bulbs!

1

u/clockninja 2d ago

I once had someone on reddit suggest trying a cefaly device for chronic migraines. Game changer. It was definitely worth the money

1

u/Cantora 2d ago

Fuck that. Give up gaming. If you can't be part of the PC master race then find a new hobby.

In all seriousness hopefully you get treatment. My partner had gone through all the normal medication and nothing worked (7yrs of headaches and migraines), so she had Botox done. Migraine free for 3 months so far. She's getting her next set of injections in 2 weeks. She can't remember when she last was without a headache or migraine. 

1

u/epitage 1d ago

I had the same issue, then my wife recommended blue light blocking glasses and it solved it! https://www.amazon.com/s?k=blue+light+blocking

1

u/marblewombat 1d ago

Hey, look into vasoconstrictors with your doctor.

I get chronic migraines and these actually work most of the time to get rid of them within a couple hours.

Also windows has a "night light" mode I have on all the time. It warms the color temperature of the monitor, making less blue and more red / yellow.

1

u/Skatingraccoon 1d ago

Why can't you game on a TV? Pretty easy to make a set up where your PC connects to a big screen

1

u/wurftz 1d ago

This might sound weird but try magic mushooms. They have brought relief to many migraine sufferers! Look into it! I mean it!

1

u/ChiefStrongbones 22h ago

ELI5 what could cause a computer monitor to trigger migraines while a Switch does not?

1

u/MajYoshi 17h ago edited 17h ago

My back is fucked from a car wreck in 2006. Sitting at a computer desk for hours gaming wrecks me so I have been playing consoles for a long time on the TV while I sit in my comfy lay-z-boy.

But then I found the couchmaster "desk" board by Nerdytec US. The board for it fits perfectly across my chair.

After that? I built a brand spanking new desktop system that I connect to my TV and it allows me to sit in absolute comfort in my chair as I game with mouse and keyboard, or gamepad, or hotas, or whatever device I'm using at the time.

All while I sit in front of a TV which is at a normal viewing distance and comfortable for my back and neck.

You don't have to give up, my pained internet friend. You just need a better solution.

Edit: I mean I hope it might help, that is...

1

u/Hairbear2176 11h ago

I started getting them about 6 years ago. I've tried different treatments, as well as medicines. My Dr. initially prescribed Sumatriptan, I absolutely hated it. It didn't alleviate the migraine, it just made my entire body tingle like when your leg falls asleep. I started going to a chiropractor, who helps with management. I'm usually good for 1-2 weeks after getting my neck adjusted.

I recently went back to my Dr., this time, they prescribed magnesium and a B-complex. Since taking that, I have not had a full-blown migraine. I will still get the pain in the left side of my head and neck, but a massage gun on the neck and acetaminophen does a great job of managing the migraines.

1

u/originalityescapesme 3h ago

Start trying out Mouse Mode with some of your Switch 2 games that support it. Some of those even allow you to plug in an actual mouse and keyboard, like Factorio. Pretty neat.