A migraine headache can be one of the most excruciating illnesses a person can be afflicted with. Unlike typical headaches, a migraine is often accompanied by ultra-sensitivity to light and sound and the individual suffering from one may feel dizzy and nauseated. A chronic migraine headache can disrupt one’s daily routine, efficiency at work and leisure activities with family and friends. Sometimes the pain can be so intense as to incapacitate the sufferer and render him weak and unable to function normally.
If you suffer from a migraine headache that occurs consistently and regularly over time, it is considered chronic. Dealing with it requires seeing a doctor for advice and medication. This offers relief from the pain of migraine and enables you to go about your daily habitual activities normally. If you are hesitant to take medication for fear of becoming dependent on it, your fear is unfounded. Most medicines for migraine headache are not habit-forming. To further allay your fears, speak to your doctor about them. He is the best person in authority to explain to you the mechanism of action and possible side effects of the medication.
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
Sunday, 17 May 2009
What to Do When You Have a Severe Headache
At some point in their lives, the chances are just about everyone has had a headache. From virtually crippling pain to a dull throb or stabbing pain, a headache can be a minor inconvenience or in some cases can stop a person in their tracks. What can you do when you have a severe headache, and what might be the cause of such pain?
300 or More Causes of Headache
Pinpointing the cause of your headache is very difficult. Doctors have identified some 300 or more causes of headaches, so to . Obviously tension and stress can give someone a severe headache, as can allergies, heatstroke, or sleep apnea during the night. Getting to the root cause of your headache may very well be part of fixing the problem, as it does no good to take medications for allergies when your headache is caused by sleep apnea. But even if you do know the cause of your severe headache, fixing it is often easier said than done. However there are some things that you can do to get some relief.
Don't Dismiss A Severe Headache
For one thing, don't dismiss a severe headache. While it may be frustrating to try and deal with your headache when you need to get some work done or take care of other responsibilities, you do need to recognize a headache as the medical condition that it is. If you twisted your ankle you'd probably make some accommodations for that, wouldn't you? And so it is with a severe headache; you may need to at least make some accommodations for the pain until it subsides. This means turning down your music and turning off the television if you're at home. At the office, dim your lights if you can and close the blinds. Take five minutes to sit someplace quiet, even if it's the restroom. If you work near someone that wears strong cologne or deodorant, take a few minutes to step away and get some fresh air. These things can help to ease the pain of a severe headache which may just need a quiet or dim space to subside.
Have You Tried A Good Massage
Sometimes a severe headache will also respond to the basic techniques of a cold cloth on the head or a good massage. When muscles get cramped and tense this can cause the head to hurt and massaging them gently can help to ease the pain.
Visit Your Doctor
If you notice that you get a severe headache on a consistent basis, it may be time to visit your doctor for some more specific treatment options. There are more and more medications being developed for migraines and tension headaches every day, and they are becoming more effective and safer as well. You might not like the idea of taking medications but if it means getting some relief from a severe headache then it may very well be worth it. Remember too that you can discuss your concerns with your doctor so that he or she can reassure you of the medication's side effects, addictiveness, and anything else you may be curious about.
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Have you got a Migraine Personality
Is there such a thing as migraine personality?
According to a practicing Physician Assistant in neurology, Mary K. Betz, MS RPA-C, there may be some truth in this idea. Certainly for many years, there is a certain personality type thought to be prevalent with patients who suffered from more than their fair share of headaches.
The stereotype of this person is described as "a thin, white upper class female who was neurotic, anxious and controlling". Although making generalisations like this seems a little unfair, when you look at the underlying situation, many doctors believe that there is a high association of depression and anxiety with people who also suffer from headaches.
A recent study said that anxiety and depression problems are experience by a massive 85% of migraine sufferers, which indicates that these people may have insufficient coping skills. This means that when they are confronted with stressful situations, they tend to try to control the problem and get embroiled in it, rather than taking a step back and trying to rationalise the situation or take a bit of time to relax and not let it dominate their thinking.
According to Mary, the result is a headache which is the brain's way of trying to distract you from the situation. Contributing factors also include the actual receptor sites in the brain responsible for both anxiety and migraine which are basically the same. When one fires off, the other one fires off. So with more and more migraines, you end up with more and more anxiety.
This means by spending some time on your coping skills, you can deal with life's stressors more effectively and handle the problems more successfully. Also spend some time working out how to reduce the stress in the first place.
For example, if your job is overwhelming you, ask yourself if it is worth doing? Would your health be better if you tried a different job.
If a medical practitioner recommends medication for anxiety and you have migraine, recognize that it is part of the pathology of migraine and NOT your fault. You can come off the anxiety medication once the headaches are under control.
According to a practicing Physician Assistant in neurology, Mary K. Betz, MS RPA-C, there may be some truth in this idea. Certainly for many years, there is a certain personality type thought to be prevalent with patients who suffered from more than their fair share of headaches.
The stereotype of this person is described as "a thin, white upper class female who was neurotic, anxious and controlling". Although making generalisations like this seems a little unfair, when you look at the underlying situation, many doctors believe that there is a high association of depression and anxiety with people who also suffer from headaches.
A recent study said that anxiety and depression problems are experience by a massive 85% of migraine sufferers, which indicates that these people may have insufficient coping skills. This means that when they are confronted with stressful situations, they tend to try to control the problem and get embroiled in it, rather than taking a step back and trying to rationalise the situation or take a bit of time to relax and not let it dominate their thinking.
According to Mary, the result is a headache which is the brain's way of trying to distract you from the situation. Contributing factors also include the actual receptor sites in the brain responsible for both anxiety and migraine which are basically the same. When one fires off, the other one fires off. So with more and more migraines, you end up with more and more anxiety.
This means by spending some time on your coping skills, you can deal with life's stressors more effectively and handle the problems more successfully. Also spend some time working out how to reduce the stress in the first place.
For example, if your job is overwhelming you, ask yourself if it is worth doing? Would your health be better if you tried a different job.
If a medical practitioner recommends medication for anxiety and you have migraine, recognize that it is part of the pathology of migraine and NOT your fault. You can come off the anxiety medication once the headaches are under control.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Is Your Headache Treatment Not Working?
Dr. Lawrence Newman, director of the Headache Institute at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City gives 6 reasons why you might still be suffering
Wrong Diagnosis
The patient may be labeled by their practitioner as an anxious person who has tension headaches if the migraine is precipitated by stressful situations, even though the problem may be a real migraine caused by an overly sensitive brain. If this happens, the treatment prescribed will not be the right medication.
There are other ways problems may be incorrectly diagnosed. Many times a patient will tell his or her doctor that they get migraines when it rains and automatically the doctor labels the person as having allergies or sinus headaches, Newman said.
Right Diagnosis, Wrong Treatment
Dr Newman advises
“If you have a migraine and are nauseous, an over-the-counter medicine like Tylenol is not going to be strong enough,” he added. “You are more likely to respond to an anti-inflammatory like Aleve, but the overwhelming majority needs a prescription for a medicine that will treat the associated symptoms (light sensitivity, nausea).”
Right Medication, But Wrong Dose
Dr Newman believes that patients should be started at the highest dose, since this is often how the most successful treatments work best. Only if there's side effects should you consider lowering the dose. Studies have shown low doses are unlikely to solve the problem.
Right Dose, Right Medication, Wrong Formulation
If you're struggling keeping an oral medication because of vomiting, a nasal spray for instance, may be a better way of delivering the medication instead.
Delaying Treatment
Often, migraine sufferers think they can wait and see if the symptoms develop into a full blown migraine. They attempt to ride it out, altogether or delay taking the medicine for as long as possible. Dr Newman thinks this is dangerous for 2 reasons.
I) The drug might work for a short period of time, but then the headache will come back.
II) You run the risk of the drug not working at all.
Newman sags always treat your migraine within the first 40 minutes of onset.
Over-reliance on Medication
It can actually cause more headaches if you are taking acute medication for migraines or tension headaches more than two times a week.
This can easily turn into a long-running period of constant pain because certain drugs, including those that treat migraines, can actually trigger rebound headaches.
If you think this is happening to you, consider talking to your health care provider about taking a preventative medication.
Wrong Diagnosis
The patient may be labeled by their practitioner as an anxious person who has tension headaches if the migraine is precipitated by stressful situations, even though the problem may be a real migraine caused by an overly sensitive brain. If this happens, the treatment prescribed will not be the right medication.
There are other ways problems may be incorrectly diagnosed. Many times a patient will tell his or her doctor that they get migraines when it rains and automatically the doctor labels the person as having allergies or sinus headaches, Newman said.
Right Diagnosis, Wrong Treatment
Dr Newman advises
“If you have a migraine and are nauseous, an over-the-counter medicine like Tylenol is not going to be strong enough,” he added. “You are more likely to respond to an anti-inflammatory like Aleve, but the overwhelming majority needs a prescription for a medicine that will treat the associated symptoms (light sensitivity, nausea).”
Right Medication, But Wrong Dose
Dr Newman believes that patients should be started at the highest dose, since this is often how the most successful treatments work best. Only if there's side effects should you consider lowering the dose. Studies have shown low doses are unlikely to solve the problem.
Right Dose, Right Medication, Wrong Formulation
If you're struggling keeping an oral medication because of vomiting, a nasal spray for instance, may be a better way of delivering the medication instead.
Delaying Treatment
Often, migraine sufferers think they can wait and see if the symptoms develop into a full blown migraine. They attempt to ride it out, altogether or delay taking the medicine for as long as possible. Dr Newman thinks this is dangerous for 2 reasons.
I) The drug might work for a short period of time, but then the headache will come back.
II) You run the risk of the drug not working at all.
Newman sags always treat your migraine within the first 40 minutes of onset.
Over-reliance on Medication
It can actually cause more headaches if you are taking acute medication for migraines or tension headaches more than two times a week.
This can easily turn into a long-running period of constant pain because certain drugs, including those that treat migraines, can actually trigger rebound headaches.
If you think this is happening to you, consider talking to your health care provider about taking a preventative medication.
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Is Being Unemployed and Looking for a New Job Causing Tension Headaches For You?
This week, CNN.com reported that was precisely what was happening to Lucille Jaesson.
In the article, Lucille described the pain as starting near her temples and radiating down the back of her neck into the shoulders. "Your muscles feel like a taut rubber band and then it feels like a vise, like someone is pressing inward," Jaesson said.
Lasting around half an hour, with women suffering more than men, doctors estimate around 80 percent of the population will suffer from a tension headache at some point in their lifetime.
The article goes on to describe some non-drug remedies proposed by Dr. Noshir Mehta, chairman of the Craniofacial Pain Center at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
Mehta recommends his patients try everything from acupuncture to exercise and good nutrition to wearing mouth guards during sleep, as over time, some medical experts believe the effectiveness of a drug based treatment can wear off.
View the full cnn.com article
In the article, Lucille described the pain as starting near her temples and radiating down the back of her neck into the shoulders. "Your muscles feel like a taut rubber band and then it feels like a vise, like someone is pressing inward," Jaesson said.
Lasting around half an hour, with women suffering more than men, doctors estimate around 80 percent of the population will suffer from a tension headache at some point in their lifetime.
The article goes on to describe some non-drug remedies proposed by Dr. Noshir Mehta, chairman of the Craniofacial Pain Center at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
Mehta recommends his patients try everything from acupuncture to exercise and good nutrition to wearing mouth guards during sleep, as over time, some medical experts believe the effectiveness of a drug based treatment can wear off.
View the full cnn.com article
Thursday, 16 April 2009
Three Tips for Reducing Tension Headaches
It's believed by many doctors that tension headaches are the second most common types of headaches, right behind migraines. While you can take headache relief, sometimes it's best to consider how to treat tension headaches at the source. That is, you may want to think about addressing the actual tension itself rather than simply trying to get rid of the resultant headache.
Here are some headache tips and pointers to consider.
Time for a New Perspective on Problems?
Sometimes an attitude adjustment can also be in order. It's very easy to dwell on things that we wish were different about our life, our partner, our job, our looks, or anything else. This obsession with so-called imperfections can be bringing on those tension headaches as we get upset and irritated at what we want to be different. This isn't meant to chastise anyone, but sometimes we all need to work on accepting the things in our life that aren't going to be different and to develop that "attitude of gratitude" that's often talked about. Dwelling on the negative is just going to cause more tension headaches as we get locked in that eternal struggle over what we want to change; and when it doesn't change, we get even more upset and irritated. But learning to accept certain things and learning how to be appreciative of the positive can cut down on those tension headaches and bring about a more positive outlook overall.
Exercising Regularly
Of course there are times when none of these things will work to ease those tension headaches. In some cases it's good to consider regular exercise, taking care of one's health, and doing things like volunteer work to help encourage a better attitude overall.
In a recent study article on http://www.sciencedaily.com/ said that exercise was helpful for migraine sufferers.
The report stated:
"We could see that those who participated in the study were much fitter after the training period, since their ability to absorb oxygen increased considerably," says physiotherapist Emma Varkey, one of the researchers behind the study.
"Only one of the patients suffered a migraine attack that was directly linked to the training session. "Now that we've been able to show that the risk of increased frequency of attacks in connection with this type of exercise is extremely small, we can study whether exercise can be used to prevent or alleviate migraine attacks. "We have already initiated a new study in which we plan to compare the results against a control group," says Mattias Linde, neurologist at Cephalea Headache Centre and researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy."
How We React To Problems
Everyone has problems and stresses but not everyone gets tension headaches; ask yourself why your concerns may be creating such pain for you above your neck. Often it's not just the problems themselves but how we react and respond to them that causes headaches and specifically tension headaches. One such reaction is the feeling of being helpless against these problems. What can help in this regard is to take the time to sit down and come up with a "plan of attack" for how the stresses or concerns can be addressed. If you're job is suffering, make a plan for how you can change it or learn a new skill. If you're afraid for your finances, it's time to work up a budget and to start recording every dollar you spend. Sometimes doing this won't actually solve your problem, at least not right away, but just attacking your problems can make you feel less helpless and therefore ease your tension headaches as well.
Still Suffering After Trying This
And if all these things don't work, it might be time to see a doctor about your tension headaches. He or she can recommend certain medications or other treatment options that are available.
Here are some headache tips and pointers to consider.
Time for a New Perspective on Problems?
Sometimes an attitude adjustment can also be in order. It's very easy to dwell on things that we wish were different about our life, our partner, our job, our looks, or anything else. This obsession with so-called imperfections can be bringing on those tension headaches as we get upset and irritated at what we want to be different. This isn't meant to chastise anyone, but sometimes we all need to work on accepting the things in our life that aren't going to be different and to develop that "attitude of gratitude" that's often talked about. Dwelling on the negative is just going to cause more tension headaches as we get locked in that eternal struggle over what we want to change; and when it doesn't change, we get even more upset and irritated. But learning to accept certain things and learning how to be appreciative of the positive can cut down on those tension headaches and bring about a more positive outlook overall.
Exercising Regularly
Of course there are times when none of these things will work to ease those tension headaches. In some cases it's good to consider regular exercise, taking care of one's health, and doing things like volunteer work to help encourage a better attitude overall.
In a recent study article on http://www.sciencedaily.com/ said that exercise was helpful for migraine sufferers.
The report stated:
"We could see that those who participated in the study were much fitter after the training period, since their ability to absorb oxygen increased considerably," says physiotherapist Emma Varkey, one of the researchers behind the study.
"Only one of the patients suffered a migraine attack that was directly linked to the training session. "Now that we've been able to show that the risk of increased frequency of attacks in connection with this type of exercise is extremely small, we can study whether exercise can be used to prevent or alleviate migraine attacks. "We have already initiated a new study in which we plan to compare the results against a control group," says Mattias Linde, neurologist at Cephalea Headache Centre and researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy."
How We React To Problems
Everyone has problems and stresses but not everyone gets tension headaches; ask yourself why your concerns may be creating such pain for you above your neck. Often it's not just the problems themselves but how we react and respond to them that causes headaches and specifically tension headaches. One such reaction is the feeling of being helpless against these problems. What can help in this regard is to take the time to sit down and come up with a "plan of attack" for how the stresses or concerns can be addressed. If you're job is suffering, make a plan for how you can change it or learn a new skill. If you're afraid for your finances, it's time to work up a budget and to start recording every dollar you spend. Sometimes doing this won't actually solve your problem, at least not right away, but just attacking your problems can make you feel less helpless and therefore ease your tension headaches as well.
Still Suffering After Trying This
And if all these things don't work, it might be time to see a doctor about your tension headaches. He or she can recommend certain medications or other treatment options that are available.
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