Flowers
February 2, 2005 2:27 pm
Migraine tip of the day: Go buy some flowers. No, better yet, go to your local grocery store and buy a potted flowering plant. I realize that these plants are designed to die after a few weeks. If you've got the energy, go to a garden centre and get some advice from them. Potted plants are generally cheaper than a bouquet, and they last longer.
The therapeutic powers of flowers and plants are well known though not fully understood. For the moment, let's not bother with all the specific therapies that have developed over the years surrounding flowers and essential oils - the fact of the matter is that plants clean the air, they smell nice, and they look nice. It's powerful to have something alive and growing around. They give you something to take care of. If it dies, it didn't cost much. Perhaps you dug it up yourself - that's free (just don't steal it!).
If you're dealing with migraine, you may want to watch out for the scent. You might not want something overpowering - just something with a gentle scent. We have some daffodils at the moment - good example of a gentle scent. But everybody likes something different. Give it a try - you might be surprised how much it does for you!
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New at Migraine News...
February 3, 2005 8:44 am
Do you have a website? Looking for good free content? Now the Headache and Migraine News Blog is syndicated!
You might have a site on a health theme, or even just a personal site where you want to show your visitors a little more about migraine - so they can understand what you're going through! Why not put this news blog on your site? It's easy and it's free.
Your visitors will learn things like how to travel with migraine, what new clinical trials are going on, what new medications are coming out, and much more.
To learn more about how to put this news on your website, visit our syndication page!
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Migraine and stroke - more clues...
February 3, 2005 2:33 pm
Reports coming out of the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2005 today provide more clues about the link between migraine and stroke. Past studies have shown a link between migraine with aura and stroke. But some migraineurs have severe symptoms, such as vision loss. The study showed that women with visual aura such as seeing spots and lines had a 25% increased risk of stroke, while those with vision loss due to migraine had a 70% increased risk. Researchers believe that the vision loss may have more of an impact on the brain than the less severe aura.
Another study investigated the risk of stroke (caused by low oxygen levels) in patients from 16 to 44. The study found that migraineurs had 2.7 times the risk of stroke, and if they also had high blood pressure, the risk sky-rocketed. The study carefully ruled out factors such as smoking and contraceptive use.
These studies are very important, because they give us little glimpses into what's really going on in the brain during migraine. They also remind us to watch our risk of stroke from other factors if we're migraineurs.
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Sinusitis
February 4, 2005 8:43 am
It may be more common than you think - or, perhaps, less common. The culprit? Sinusitis. There has been concern in Central Florida recently about the number of sinusitis cases showing up in hospitals. It has been estimated that as many as half the people who believe they have sinusitis or sinus headache may actually have migraine. Migraine often has similar symptoms, such as congestion and facial tenderness (see this article on migraine and sinus headache)
Though often related to allergies, bacteria and viruses, researchers in 1999 began theorizing that sinusitis may actually be an immune response to fungus. In fact, there are a number of very similar problems with similar symptoms that are often confused. It's wise to talk to a doctor and get more than one opinion if you're not comfortable with her diagnosis or treatment. For more on sinusitis, read this new article.
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Genetics and the stroke migraine connection
February 5, 2005 11:15 am
You want to know more about the genetics of migraine? So does Lyn Griffiths. Lyn and her team have been studying migraine for over 9 years from a genetic standpoint. If you want to read a really good article on her research, check out this one from July. It gives a great summary of some of the methods used, and where Lyn believes the research is heading.
One interesting thing that is not mentioned in the article is their research into the link between stroke and migraine. Of course you've heard a lot about that recently, but way back in September 2003 Lyn's team discovered a genetic link. Interestingly, the biochemical imbalance that this genetic flaw causes may simply be treatable through diet. "By increasing folate levels in the diet, such as eating green leafy vegetables, this biochemical imbalance decreases, which consequently may reduce the risk of stroke and possibly migraine."
Everybody's telling us we're not eating enough leafy greens anyway, here's another good excuse. Folate has been in the news again for other reasons - a January issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a study that showed heart benefits from folate (a B vitamin). Excellent sources include oranges, dark leafy greens, wheat germ and legumes. Of course, we've known about vitamin B for a long time - it's in the successful natural supplement for migraine, Migrelief.
Read the 2003 press release from the Genomics Research Centre where Lyn Griffiths works.
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Get knowledge!
February 7, 2005 9:43 pm
It's still in "beta", but it is online - the new Migraine and Headache Dictionary. Now don't get too excited - there are only a handful of words so far. But there are some articles in there that might be helpful.
Take for example, this definition of migraine - a great summary of what it is, and how to tell if you have it. And what are those weird symptoms before you actually get a headache? Well, you know about the visual aura, but what about the wider symptoms that are commonly called the prodrome? Here you can read a little about the stages that a typical migraine goes through.
Watch for more and more to be added. And, if you're a subscriber to HeadWay, you can visit the HeadWay Mailroom to suggest words for the dictionary or for the "Say what?!" section of our free newsletter.
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Misdiagnosed with tension headache?
February 9, 2005 8:29 am
You might be taking the wrong medication, if you are trying to treat the wrong kind of headache. We've written here before that sinus headaches are often confused with migraine, but the same is true of tension headache. This past July, at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Dr Robert Kaniecki reported on a study that showed just that.
423 patients from Canada and the USA were enrolled in the study. Some believed that they had tension or stress headache, while the rest had been diagnosed with tension or stress headache. When their symptoms were studied, guess what? A whopping 84% actually were suffering from migraine, according the the International Headache Society criteria! An additional 4% were diagnose as probably suffering from migraine. This report was in the Ob.Gyn. News. That's likely 88% that were misdiagnosed!
Many patients are limping along with painkillers, with no understanding that there are special, targeted drugs and treatments just for migraine. But if you don't know you have it, how can you treat it?
To do a quick check to see if your headaches are really just a symptom of migraine, check out this article on migraine diagnosis.
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Genetic defects and serotonin
February 10, 2005 5:21 am
Problems with serotonin in the body can cause a wide variety of problems. Research into some of these other disorders (such as depression or ADHD) may help us understand what's happening in migraine sufferers. In the body, serotonin must first be produced using certain enzymes. It then acts as a messenger, and once the message has been delivered, the signal is dampened to prepare the cell for the next message.
We now know that at least two slightly different enzymes are involved in creating serotonin (TPH1 and TPH2). Researchers at the Duke University Medical Center reported in December that they had discovered a genetic defect in some people that causes a decrease in serotonin production, due to a defective TPH2 enzyme. This defect seems to increase the risk of some forms of depression, and may also explain why some people are resistant to, or even react to some serotonin related drugs.
The research team believes that they may discover other similar defects relating to serotonin levels. These may lead to a better understanding of how to specifically treat migraine or even different sub-classes of migraine. Read more about serotonin and its role in migraine here.
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Questions raised by the Cox-2 inhibitor frenzy...
February 16, 2005 5:03 pm
Cox-2 inhibitors continue to be at the forefront of the news, partly because of the huge economic impact that pulling them will have on some drug companies, partly because of the impact it will have on patients (they were generally prescribed for arthritis, but sometimes for headache), and partly because of the chance it gives us to look into the inner workings of how drugs are tested and promoted.
Many countries around the world have put out warnings about Cox-2 drugs as a class, restricted their use and or enforced new rules regarding what warnings must be on the labels. It may be that in some places they will be banned altogether. It will be interesting to see in the United States, for example, what the FDA decides.
Now that concerns have been brought to light, important questions are being asked that hopefully will not die out after this particular class of drugs is dealt with. How does advertising effect the sale of a drug? How and why should specific drugs be promoted to doctors? How can drugs be trusted when so many studies are funded by the drug companies themselves? What further testing should be required?
For us humble consumers, it highlights the need to be cautious about new drugs, to do our research, to ask questions, and to take warnings seriously. Almost every drug has its drawbacks, and the same goes for many so called natural or non drug treatments.
For a little balance on the topic of Cox-2 inhibitors themselves, read this article from Dr Jasjit S. Bindra. True, he himself is a former employee of the drug company Pfizer Inc., but he still makes some excellent points about the current state of research.
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Scuba diving and migraine
February 17, 2005 8:32 am
It's time to escape the winter doldrums and fly to Mexico for a holiday (if you already live in Mexico, insert another country here!) - great idea. But have you planned ahead? Specifically, have you planned how you're going to minimize your risk of headaches?
This site is packed full of ideas to avoid headaches when you travel. But if you're planning to take some scuba-diving lessons while you're there, there are some specific problems that you'll have to deal with. It's not just the change in pressure - there are other issues when it comes to headaches, including some of the medications you take. Some medications that you may take could increase the risk of nitrogen narcosis. Nitrogen narcosis is caused by high levels of dissolved nitrogen in your blood, and it can cause confusion. Also, think twice before you take that cold or flu medicine, or something for nausea, and so on.
So before you go to Mexico (or Belize or Australia or South Africa or...) be sure to talk to a doctor and let her know what you intend to do. Better yet, talk to a doctor who is specifically trained in the issues surrounding diving.
Thanks to the blog at Dive South Africa for this reminder.
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Royal chocolate
February 18, 2005 2:51 pm
Just for fun (ok, so there was some practical information in there too!) I did a study on chocolate just in time for Valentines Day, in Headway. I also wrote this related article, in which I recommended Galler chocolate for those that were able to eat it.
Now I got some chocolate for my wife (and myself!) for Valentines Day. What I actually got was Galler Noir Extreme, which is 70% cocoa, and let me tell you, it was fabulous. Now what I didn't know when I wrote the article was that, not only is this Belgian chocolate, this is the company that actually supplies chocolate to the Belgian royal court! Unbelievable. I also learned that this is a "fair trade" company, meaning that they're committed to making sure that people are treated fairly all throughout the production of the chocolate. So if you're looking to have one great chocolate experience in your life, I would highly recommend Galler Noir Extreme.
For those of you who know for sure that chocolate is a migraine trigger, I apologize for belaboring the point. As someone once reminded me in a newsgroup, why is it that our triggers are always things we like? That doesn't seem fair. In a better world, migraine triggers would include (for me) brussel sprouts. Now that would be more like it! :-)
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The world decides the fate of the Cox-2s
February 19, 2005 10:05 am
I hate to bring up the topic of Cox-2 inhibitors one more time, but I did want to let you know in brief what has been happening. In various places in the world, the judgment has been much the same. For example, Europe and the USA seem to be both deciding to allow Cox-2 inhibitors for now (these include brands like Dynastat, Prexige, Bextra, Celebrex and Arcoxia), but with restrictions on their use and labeling. Many other countries, such as India and Australia have done the same thing. In the USA's FDA proceedings, both Bextra and Celebrex "passed", although the vote was extremely close in the case of Bextra.
And for the surprise twist, Vioxx itself may be reintroduced to the market. It's not that the risks on these drugs have suddenly vanished. The question is, do the benefits to some patients outweigh the risks. So be reminded again - educate yourself, talk to your doctor, keep track of your medical history and tell her about it, get a second opinion if you feel you need one, and don't take drugs you don't have to. What you "have to" take is where the difference of opinion lies - but it's your responsibility to make an informed decision.
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The limits of the PFO solution
February 21, 2005 12:30 pm
A couple of weeks ago I heard a radio interview with one of the people researching patent foramen ovale surgery (PFO) as a treatment for migraine. Listening to the interview, you would think that this may be the long sought for "cure" for migraine. And so, people are lining up to get the surgery as soon as some of the current trials are completed.
Before we get too excited, we need to be aware of some of the limitations of this possible treatment. All migraineurs do not have the heart-flaw that this surgery deals with. Therefore, this is not the ultimate cure for migraine. As I see it, there are two limited benefits that may come from this research:
1. It may, in some cases, greatly diminish or eliminate migraine symptoms in some people. This is a great thing to hope for!
2. Learning more about why this surgery impacts migraineurs may give us important insights into what exactly migraine is and what triggers it. This is a long term benefit, but a very important one.
In other words, we can all have hope for this research, even though it may not mean a sudden solution to all our problems. If you want an excellent overview of the PFO treatment and migraine, read this article in Science News Online from February 19th, entitled Against the Migraine. Here's my last post on PFO and migraine for more.
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The poll so far - you're not alone
February 25, 2005 6:08 pm
It's been a rough few days headache-wise for me! If it's been that way for you, you might like a little reminder that you're not alone. After a few weeks online, the results of our poll are starting to come in. For those with chronic headaches, how long have you had them? With over 200 responses so far, here are the results:
2.5% I don't know
5% 1 year or less
14% 2-4 years
19% 4-10 years
20% 10-20 years
40% Over 20 years
I'm probably in the "I don't know" category, but it's probably been 10-20 years. Hopefully, as research continues, those on the low end of the scale will never have to get to over 20 years! Let's keep looking for answers!
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Migraine website for kids
February 28, 2005 11:41 am
It's not easy being a child with migraine! I was reminded of this while reading an article from the Migraine Action Association in the UK. They've done some studies to estimate the impact that migraine has on children in the UK. They estimate that 10% of school age children are dealing with migraine. The problem is that, as with adult migraine, the problem is often misunderstood and under diagnosed. Many people still think that migraine is just another word for a bad headache.
About 85% of children with migraine are missing about 13 days of school, which is a significant amount. Over half of the children felt that their doctors didn't understand their migraine problem, and even more felt that their teachers didn't understand.
The Migraine Action Association has launched a website about migraine just for kids! This UK based site is called Migraine 4 Kids, and it has lots of great information for children, and also their parents and teachers. Even if you're outside the UK, this site is worth checking out. I know it's one I'll want to spend more time investigating.
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Migraine and creativity
February 28, 2005 2:04 pm
If you've read the article on migraine symptoms here, you've read that sometimes migraine seems to enhance creativity. Today I got a letter from Germany, from Dr Klaus Podoll at the University Clinic Aachen, who is trying to pull together information about the migraine creativity connection. He asked if I myself have experienced this, and as a matter of fact I have. Here's my letter in response to Dr Podoll:
Dear Dr Klaus Podoll:
Thank you for your letter, which I received today. You are welcome to use the quote from my website. Thanks for your interest in this topic!
As a matter of fact, I have had personal experience with migraine and creativity. As I'm sure you realize, this is a very subjective thing, and I'm a long way from understanding exactly how this works in my case. I do know that my mind tends to work quite differently, depending on whether I'm migraine free or depending on the type of headache I have. This effect seems to be something apart from the effect of medications.
It does seem that, with certain types of headaches, my mind is more liable to take those "creative leaps". I remember when I was younger actually writing music when I had migraine symptoms. At times it's almost as if some barrier falls and things in my brain are connected in a different way.
The symptoms are not all positive. There are times when migraine symptoms are flaring up when I have difficulty bringing the right word to my mind, or trouble with my speech. I've heard of others with a similar experience. With some types of headache my brain is so foggy that I have trouble even making simple decisions, and if I'm able to work, I prefer it to be something predictable.
I hope these few thoughts are a help. I hope your collection of information is helpful as we look for solutions for other migraineurs. Thanks again for taking the time to write!
All the best,
James Cottrill
www.relieve-migraine-headache.com
To see the site Dr Podoll was referring to, see the Migraine Art page.
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