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Migraine or Headache?

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:49:48 +0000

Nick Kanellopoulos asked:

Migraine and Headaches are two terms that are sometimes used without knowing which is what! In this article it seems to me really important to make sure that when we say “apple” we do not mean “orange”!

Both of the above situations refer to a simple fact: PAIN in our head! Since headache means exactly that – pain at your head- migraine is a condition where there’s pain in your head among other symptoms.

To make things even clearer migraine does have headache, but also has aura-or not- nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light (photo phobia) and, less often diarrhea, fluid retention and even losing your senses.

The term “aura”, that you just saw, means that there are some symptoms of your nervous system: not seeing the half of your sight field in one eye (hemianopsia), seeing black spots, even wavy lights that move in front of you. Normally the aura is what happens before the actual episode of migraine headache starts.

Migraine can occur without aura or auras sometimes evolve without pain.

Another important step in telling if migraine is what we experience or not, is the character of the pain. By that, it is observed that pain of migraine is throbbing in nature. It feels like having a small rubber pump at your head. One time it’s filling up, the next it’s pumping away. In simple headaches the pain usually it is not like that at all.

While the cause of migraines is not known there are some factors that can trigger a migraine attack. These factors can be certain foods- cheeses that contain an amino acid called tyramine-, wine, chocolate and meats with preservatives in them.

There are some other situations that are known to cause migraines to certain people.

Not having eaten for a long time (fasting), menses, emotional situations and certain drugs like contraceptives and nitroglycerin (yes, some people instead of blowing things up are prescribed nitroglycerin for their health!)

This is a brief description of some of the characteristics of migraine and I think that now, you could answer the question headache or migraine with success!

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Stop Migraine Headaches With Feverfew

admin — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 09:13:56 +0000

Christian Nilson asked:

Feverfew is a medicinal herb most commonly used in the treatment and prevention of migraine headaches. Migraines are very common and can be difficult to treat. Because conventional treatments have been unsuccessful for so many people suffering from migraines, many alternative treatments have been explored. Studies have been conducted and have proven what many herbalists already knew: Feverfew is the most successful form of alternative treatment for migraines and a great tool for preventing migraine headaches.

Even though feverfew had been used a long time for treating headaches, the popularity of the herb declined with the advent of modern medicine. Feverfew has resurged into medical interest after the wife of a doctor who worked for the British National Coal Board had been suffering from migraine headaches and was told by a coal miner to try chewing on a couple of feverfew leaves a day. The wife noticed improvement after trying the herb, with fewer and less severe migraines. Her husband then asked a migraine specialist in London to test feverfew, with the results of several studies showing it to be an effective treatment.

The specialist agreed to test the herb because he had many patients who had been suffering from migraines for a long time and had for years tried to find a successful treatment. In the beginning, he tried the herbal remedy on only ten of his patients. The results of this trial were so promising that it led to a study of another 270 patients, with seventy percent reporting that they noticed a significant improvement when taking feverfew for their migraine pain.

After this, a group of researchers in the City of London Migraine Clinic conducted a study, which was reported in the British Medical Journal, investigating 17 patients who had already been using feverfew for at least three months. All patients were asked to stop using feverfew as their treatment method. Eight patients were given a capsule of feverfew, and the other nine were given a placebo.

Those patients that were given a placebo noticed an increase in frequency and severity of their migraine headaches, while those that were given feverfew capsules had no increase in frequency or severity of their headaches. Many other studies have been done to further test the effects of feverfew. This has led to the belief that feverfew is effective in the prevention of migraines. In all studies there were always definite improvements in the group that used feverfew. Additionally, no serious side-effects appeared to exist.

Feverfew seems to have similar properties as anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen. Also, the parthenolide that is found in feverfew is the main inhibitor for the formation of compounds that causes inflammation. Parthenolide reduces the secretory activity of blood platelets and white blood cells. This is important because migraines are thought to be associated with abnormal platelet behavior, as they are responsible for the release of serotonin, which constricts blood vessels and leads to migraine headache.

Feverfew is now recognized by the Canadian and British governments as a migraine treatment and is often prescribed by physicians. The interest among doctors and pharmacists in herbal remedies is beginning to increase, especially since patients are becoming more interested in natural methods of healing.

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My Best Migraine Relief Ideas

admin — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 03:42:14 +0000

Shannon Giblett asked:

I have lived with migraines for over 20 years and often spent days in hospital or laid up in bed in unbearable pain. During these years I have come up with a list of ways to control or reduce the instances of migraine and I would love to share them with you.

First up natural therapies, there are many options available to choose from if you prefer to keep things drug free. The most popular are Feverfew tablets this is a natural preventative and has shown to reduce instances in some people also the smell of mint as oil or grown naturally around the house seems to reduce the pain. If you are unable to obtain mint or the oil most Chemist’ will sell something called a migrastick which has the oils in and all you need to do is dab it on when you get a migraine.

Stress is often a cause of migraine and there are many ways to reduce it, the best ways I have found are taking time out to read a good book, having a massage or going for a stroll down the beach. Of course many people work hard and often do not have time for these activities, but how effective are you at work when you are in pain? surely half an hour a day on a stress reducing exercise could be seen as a sound investment.

Also diet can have an affect on migraines and can often cause them to come on, if you are unsure of your trigger and you think food may be involved keep a food diary and jot down everything you eat and when you get migraines. You may be able to find a trigger and removing that food from your diet may just remove your migraines, the most common food causes are chocolate, wine, caffeine, peanuts and many others.

If these options are of no help then the only option may be to get professional help from a Doctor who will no doubt ask you try the natural options first, so please do. If you already have your Doctor will give drug options, I highly recommend you try and avoid drugs with Codeine in them as this can cause nausea, something that migraines can also cause.

The most common option given will be Imigran which comes in tablet form or as a nasal spray, I found the very best way to use this drug is to get both options. I would use 1 tablet and 1 spray at the same time as the spray kicks in fast but is often weak but the pill takes longer but works better giving you an even spread of relief over time.

The second drug I know well is Naramig which I am currently using, I would only recommend it to those who have a precursor as the pills can take up to 45 minutes to effectively start working. They are best taken with a pain killer as the drug seems to halt the pain getting bad but it wont get rid of it completely.

There is of course many other drug options if these 2 do not work for you as they all work slightly different to each other and you just need the correct one for you, just persevere relief is out there.

I hope at least one of these options work for you.

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Chronic Migraine Treatment – Treat the Underlying Causes of Chronic Migraine Headaches

admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:18:33 +0000

M. A. Ryan asked:

Chronic migraine treatment can be difficult since effective treatment will vary according to the patient. The best treatment will not solely rely on medication and conventional medicine but will also include lifestyle changes and alternative therapies for a well rounded approach. While medication at times can be wonderful at preventing migraines it does not improve the underlying reasons for migraine headaches.

Diet

Most people who suffer from chronic migraines know about triggers, which are the precursors to the symptoms they suffer. One category of triggers is nutritional meaning they are caused by different types of food. One theory of why this is happens is that we acquire a buildup of toxins from the food we take in, which in turn causes a hypersensitivity to an assortment of other stimuli such as physical, emotional, physiological or environmental.

The idea then is to rid yourself of foods that cause a buildup of toxins. Try a diet of organic fresh dark green vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Avoid meats and eat only small portions of cold water fish, nuts, and organic eggs.

Beyond diet some other ways that have been truly effective for me in regaining control over my own severe chronic migraine headaches was to implement two other alternative methods of wellness. First I started an all natural migraine headache home treatment. By follow the exercises laid out in this program I have reduce tension in my head and neck area. Secondly I have also begun meditating recently which has made me feel amazing emotionally and physically. I cannot recommend these steps enough and with both of them if you are serious about getting control of your pain it is a good idea to stick with it for a few weeks to really give it a go.

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Frequency of Depression in Migraine Headache

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:46:01 +0000

INTRODUCTION:

“Migraine is a mysterious disorder characterized by pulsing headache (feeling of weightage,fullness over forehead),usually restrictedto one side,which comes in attacks lasting 4-48hours and is often associated with nausea,vomiting,sensitivity of light, and sound, vertigo,loosemotions and other symptoms.”(Tripathi-2006)

“Migraine is very common type of headache,with a prevalance of 10-12%,migraine ranks 19th among disease” (cephalalgia 2004)

“migraine is a complex disorder inwich many psychological,inviromental,biochemical,neurophysiologic,and genetic factors play a role to tiger attacks. The diagnosis is based on headache characetrized and associated symptoms specified internationl headache society” (westermanCJetal 2003)

“The typical headache is unilateral,throbbing and may be severe.If untreated, the migraine attacks typically lasts 4 to 72 hours. The attacks are usually associated with nausea,vomitting, or sensitivity to sound,light and or movement.In addition to this, migraine with aura is characterized by transient focal neurological symptoms,which are usually visual,and may precede,accompany, or flow the headache attacks.”(stewart WF et al 1994)

“Thereare two types of migraine headaches.The first migraine without aura(previously called common migraine) is severe,unilateral,pulsating headache that the typically lasts from 2 to 72 hours.These headaches are often aggrivated by physical activity and accompanied by nausea,vomiting,photophobia(hypersensitivity to light) and phonophobia (hypersensitivity to sound.Approximately 85% of patients with migraine do not have aura.In the second type migraine with aura (previously called classic migraine),the headache preceded by neurological symptoms called auras which can be visual, sensory,and or cause speech or motor disturbances. Most commonly these prodromal symptoms are visual, occuring, approximately 20 to 40 minutes before headache pain begins. In the fifteen percent of migraine patients whose headache is proceded by aura,the aura itself allows diagnosis.The headache itself in migraine with or without auras is similar.For both typesmigraines,woman are three folder more likely thanmen to experience either type of migraine.

Migraine-there is chance for family tenency,females are more affected than male,it develops unilateral,variables in onset,characterized by pulsating,throbing.Cluster-ther in family chance,males are more than females it develops during sleep,at behind or around head,characterized by sharp,steady.

Tension-Type-there is family history,it develops understress,bilateralcharacterized by dull,persistentent type.(Richard D etal 2006)

” Depression may means the symptom of feeling of said, meloncholic or low in spirit, or it may mean the syndrome of depression as characterized by low mood,lack of enjoyment, reduced energy and changes in appetite, sleep and libidpolic.(A.W.CLARE 1998)

“Clinically significant depression is often reffered to is as major cause of disability and of succide.Medically unexplained symptoms that may result from depression include chronic fatigue,chronic wide spread pain,weight loss and conginitive impairment (deprssive pseudodementia).Dpression comorbid with a medical condition magnifies any associated disability,diminishes adherence to medical treatment and rehiltation, and may even shortet life expectancy.Recent research suggests that patients who have a major depressive disorder soon after myocardial infarction or stroke die sooner than who do not even when disease severity is controlled.(lloyd& sharpe MC 2002).

“It is widely accepted that the limbic system has a role in control and expression of emotion.These structures from a reverbrating (papez) cercuit inwhich inputs from various cortical areas,especialy those involving in perception, are fed in together with other inputs from the brain system and spinal cord.Output is mainly from the hypothelmus,through releasing hormone, and the reticular formation and autonomic nuclie of the brain stem. The hypothelmus plays a part in hormonal disturbabce in depression.The reticular formation and autonomic nuclie contol aroused and autonomic function,both of which are often altered in depression.The limbic system also contains sructures involved in the control of memory,depressed patients often express their disorder in terms of adversely disorted recollection of past events.The limbic system may act as a regulatory system for emotional states.Noradrenergic and 5HT neurones abuond in these areas of the brain,and the system’s close link with the LHRA axis provides a pictures how disturbance of these systems might be linked in depression.”(cantopher1991).

‘Types of depression.Major depression-It is probably one of the most common forms of depression,lack of interest,walk around with weight of world on his or her shoulder, hopeless atate,lack of interest in sexual activity and less appetite and weightloss.

Atypical Depression-individuals somtimes experience of happiness, but fatigue,oversleeping,overeating weightgain.typical depressio can last for months or a suffer may live with it forever.

Psychotic Depression-Individual of psychotic dpression begin to hear and see imajinory things-sound,voicesand visual that donot exist.

Dysthymia-Individual characterized by sad,blue,or meloncholic.it is a condition that people are not even aware of but just live with daily,feel life is unimportant,dissatisfied,frightened and simply donot enjoy their lives.

Manic depression:It is highly exuted,emotional disorder people who suffer from manic depression have an extremely high rate of succide.”(Any Berhman 2004)

METHODS:

We interwiewed after informed consent one hundred and two patients reporting atMedical and the psychiatric outpatients Department at Muhammad Medical College Mirpurkhas sindh,between March 2007 to to April 2008.These patients were screened for presence of depression symptoms in concomittently with migraine/half headache in head.Depressive symptoms were measured through depression scale and clinical interview,weeping,lonlelessness,sadness,confusion main questions were asked during interviewed in cases of migraine.

RESULTS

:There were thirty seven males (36.27%)and sixty five females (63.72%)who were examined during attacks of headache,17(45.9%)patients were manifested depressive symptoms and 43 (66.1%)females were developed symptoms of depression in cases of migraine.

Case Processing Summary

Cases

Included

Excluded

Total

Percent

Total cases of study * Presence of depression in migraineous female patients

42.2%

57.8%

102

100.0%

Femal patients in study * Presence of depression in migraineous female patients

42.2%

57.8%

102

100.0%

Male patients in study * Presence of depression in migraineous female patients

36.3%

63.7%

102

100.0%

Total cases of study * Presence of depression in migraneous male patients

16.7%

83.3%

102

100.0%

Femal patients in study * Presence of depression in migraneous male patients

16.7%

83.3%

102

100.0%

Male patients in study * Presence of depression in migraneous male patients

16.7%

83.3%

102

100.0%

DISCUSSION:

It was proved that females were more than male in our study.There were 66.1% females,45.9% male depressive symptoms in diagnostic cases of migraines.Majority females patients were malnourished and weeping during taking history and these were main parameters considered depressive symptoms in cases of migranious patients.From summary tables and diagrames it was proved that females were more affected than male in this study.It means that depressive symptoms were more presence in females during interview in this stydy.

“A recent research findings indicated that treatment for both migraine and major depression may benefit patients with both disorder.Astudy was conducted on people with migraine or sever headahes aged between 25to 55.When their psychiatric combordity was assed,resaercher found that the risk of migraine in individuals with pre-existing mjor depression was three times highet than in individuals with no history of major depression.More ever major depression the risk of major depression in people with pre-existing migraine was more than fivefold hiher than in people with no history of headaches.However there were no relation between major depression and other types of severe headaches”(MrMARY Ayres2003)

“Many migraines sufferes have noticed that at times,migraine and depression seems to go together and there is strong evidence to support this,However it is not known whether treating migraine affects depressive symptoms or treating depression affects migraine symptoms”(MMA2008)

“Throbbing migraine headaches and major depression may be related.Infact having one may increase the occurance of other.Migraine sufferers were five times more likely that the headache-free individuals to develop major depression in the study conducted by the Henrry ford Health system.Those who started the study with depression were three times more likely to develop migraines.With major depression was more at risk of suffering a first time migraie than non-dopressed individuals. And people who live with migrains seems to br more at risk for an initial bout of depression.Both disorders are biological linked,possibility with brain chemical or hormones.”(PT Staff 2007).

“The overall frequency of recurrent headaches didnot very significantly with age, but girls had headaches are common soatic complaints among Norwegian adolescents,especially among girls”(ZwartJA etal 2004).

“Researchers survey 949 woman with migraine about their history of abuse,deprssion and headaches characteristics,forty percent of woman had chronic headache more than 15 headaches in month,and 72%reported very severeheadache related diability.Physically and sexually abuse was reported in 38%of the womanand 12%reportedboth physical and sexual abuse in the past.The association between migraine and depression is well established, butthe mechanism is un certain.The study found woman with migraine who had major deprssion were twice as likely as a child.If thebabuse coninued age 12 ,the woman with migraine were five times more likely to report depression”(science dily2007).

“Major depression increased the risk of depression,migraine as well same.This bidirectional association,with each disorder increasing the risk for onset of other,was not observed in relation to other severe headaches,both were considered direcly proportional to eachother.”(NBreslaw,et al 2003)

It was proved that migraine type of headache bases of depression if it untreated,same mechanism follow the severe cases of depression could lead to migraine type headache.Females were more affected than males.No doubt migranous corelated to depression.

REFERENCES:

Any Behrman (2004)electroboy:a memoir of mania;published by Random House ,16sep2004 types of depression,medical review board.

Nbreslau,schultz,stewart,RBS lipton (2000)’headache and major depression is association specefic to migraine? Neurology 2000 54,308.American Academy of neuology.

Mrs marry ayres ;to relieve the burden of headache by facilitating informed awareness and encouraging resaerch’

Mary kay betz ;having headache-advisor.

N breslau RB lipton stewart 2003,;comorbidity of migraine and depression investigating potential etiology and prognosis,neurology 2003,60-13-12 American Acadamy of neurology.

Science daily(sept-6-2007)’childhood abuse is more common in woman with migraine who suffer depression than in woman with migraine alones’American Acadamy of Neurology.

Zwart JA,Dyb,Hotman TZ,Stovener LJ,SandT 2004’The prevalences of migraine and tension-type among adolsent in Norway.Cephalalgia2004 May,24(5).373-9

K.Dtripathi2003’migraine drug therapy,essentials of medical pharmacology,5th edition,

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Stewart WF, Schechter,AR rasssmussin BK’migraine prevalence, a review of population-based studies-neurology 1994-44 817-23.

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Lloyd GG SHRPEMC Davidson’s priniples and practics of medicine 19th edition 2004 affective mood disorder

T Cantopher Neurology of depression neuroanatomy of depression medicine digest 1998 7-8.

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