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.
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