Hot off the press!
November 1, 2005 8:43 am
Congratulations to Teri Robert, long time health writer and migraineur advocate, on the release of her new book, Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches : What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know! This book is brand new, and I haven't read it yet. But from what I've heard, it's packed full of practical information. Teri writes from years of experience helping migraine and headache sufferers.
At amazon.com, the book is only US$10.17 (that's about CA$12), a great deal for yourself, or as a Christmas present for someone who is dealing with migraine disease (What? You're done your shopping??).
Some of the topics in the book include:
The Importance of Proper DiagnosisTrigger Identification and ManagementEmergency Care and Pain ManagementIf Your Situation Seems Hopeless
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Nasal cavities and migraine
November 3, 2005 4:28 pm
Here's yet another surgery for migraine. Of course, surgery is generally a long long way from your first options when it comes to migraine. Still, it may be that this will be the solution for some of my readers in the future.
The study was done at Christ Hospital in Jersey City, USA. The improvement? Number of days with migraine attacks cut in half, and the attacks were less severe.
The surgery? A simple one, called endoscopic nasal surgery. Apparently some people have nasal cavities that press on each other. Why would this cause problems? Well, it could be that a migraine is triggered because the trigeminal nerve is stimulated. It may be that certain chemicals are released that are triggering symptoms.
Dr Andrew Dowson, medical advisor of Migraine Action Association, believes that there may be a connection between nasal contact triggers and PFO triggers. "Conditions such as intranasal contact points and a hole in the heart probably generate added 'neurological noise'," he told BBC news.
Read more in this article from the BBC.
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Headache diary, Migraine diary
November 4, 2005 2:17 pm
This week Australian neurologist Peter Silburn made the comment that over a million people in Australia with migraine have not been properly diagnosed and treated. Silburn was reluctant to blame doctors, but instead was concerned about patients who were just "living with" the disease when there was treatment available.
There's a time to put up with things, and there's a time to fight back. One of the best things you can do to help your doctor diagnose and treat your symptoms is by keeping a headache diary. Some people don't keep a diary because it seems like an overwhelming task. But now available as a free dowload is Relieve-Migraine-Headache.com's exclusive diary, designed to make it easier to keep track. Read about the diary now! Then take this one small step toward health.
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Migraineur photographer
November 4, 2005 8:54 pm
If you haven't been introduced to Heather Powers yet, it's about time. Art is her thing, whether it be web design, print design, or photography. Heather suffers from headache and migraine, and sometimes it shows up in her work.
Recently one of her photos gained attention from the World Headache Alliance. When Heather had a migraine in the spring, she published a photo that many of us will relate to, entitled Blinding Migraine. She was waiting in traffic at the time, and having a hard time because of all the lights. So she attempted to capture on film how she felt.
Be sure to visit the Peloria Photoblog for more of Heather's work. Drop her a line of encouragement, or leave her a comment.
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Getting better treatment faster
November 9, 2005 7:57 am
You've been struggling with these strange symptoms for a long time. You've tried aspirin, Tylenol, and several other over-the-counter painkillers. You tried Aunt Martha's tea and Cousin Bill's stretching regime. Finally, it's time to go to the doctor. And what do you hear? "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning"!
It's not as cliché as it may sound. It seems many doctors still start treating severe headaches and migraine by prescribing low-potency over-the-counter painkillers. Not that there's anything wrong with them - they help a lot of people. But by the time most people go to the doctor, they've tried all the basic stuff, and need more careful treatment.
In their recent book Migraine and Other Headaches, Drs Young and Silberstein talk about a study that was done on the care doctors give right from the start. Some start with the cheaper, less effective, non-specific drugs. Then they move on to the more targeted treatment. Others start with the targeted specific treatment right from the start. For example, for migraine they would start by using migraine-specific medication and treatment.
So who had the better results? In this case, the battle seems to go to the bold. When targeted treatments were tried from the beginning, the eventual outcome was better. What's a targeted treatment? Well, for example, using Triptan medications for migraine, such as Maxalt or Zomig. These are designed specifically for migraine.
So when you go to the doctor, make sure they take the time to hear what you've tried and what your symptoms are. Why waste more time and money on what doesn't work?
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Spinal Cord Stimulation trial announced
November 10, 2005 9:27 pm
A number of electronic devices have been suggested and tried for chronic pain, including the symptoms of migraine. You can see a good example of one of these devices and how it works by watching the video available at www.controlyourpain.com.
This site reports on the Precision rechargeable Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) system. It's already being used for chronic pain issues such as back pain. But the company announced today in the US that the FDA has approved a new trial for migraine patients.
It will be interesting to see how the device works on the complex web of symptoms that make up a migraine attack. As you will see, the main purpose of the device is to deal with pain. Will it have other results? Of course, some of the other problems related to migraine must become worse when pain is present. Pain itself, although usually an important warning system in the body, can cause a number of problems its own when it goes crazy in the body.
As we've talked about here before, this is a quickly growing market, and new devices are being developed quickly. For a voice of personal experience with a nerve stimulation device, and an introduction to some of the major players, check out this post from Kerrie at The Daily Headache from August. Again, for a good video outlining a device in QuickTime or Windows Media format, click the link above.
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Should your doctor give you tests?
November 14, 2005 10:03 am
Quite often, when I get into a conversation about my migraine symptoms with someone, the conversation comes around to tests. What tests has the doctor given you? Have you ever had a CAT scan? Blood tests? Have you ever been tested for this or that disorder or disease?
Of course, if you know the nature of migraine diagnosis, you'll know that most often it's a matter of simply being honest with your doctor. And, of course, it's a matter of your doctor being properly informed about migraine disease. She'll ask you a series of questions, partly to rule out other causes and partly to see if you fit in a typical migraine profile. Tools such as ID Migraine use a series of questions to help diagnose migraine.
So this raises another question - are tests ever really required for migraine? When? Why? Well, to read a quick overview of how why and when you may be tested, check out the section entitled Are any tests needed? at Headache Network Canada. Click the links on the left hand side for answers to various questions.
» To reference this entry use this permalink
What your triggers may be telling you...
November 16, 2005 7:32 pm
As if you still had any doubt, your triggers may confirm whether you have migraine or a tension headache. Clinical Psychiatry News came up with a list of what triggers seemed to cause what type of attack. Tension and migraine have some in common. For example, if you're not getting enough sleep, or if you skip a meal, you could find yourself with either a tension headache or a migraine attack. Weather changes are also prime suspect for both.
But several triggers seem to hit migraineurs a lot worse. Take for example the sleep issue - oversleep is a killer for me and many others. But it rarely causes tension headache. Foods, odors and hormonal changes are also common migraine triggers.
These are reminders again that migraine is simply not just another headache (it's often not a headache at all, in fact!). There are very different things taking place in the body with either headache. This is why there are generally much better treatments for migraine than just your over the counter painkillers.
This study came to my attention in Elaine Magee's Tell Me What To Eat if I have Headaches and Migraines.
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Headache sufferer's Christmas wish list
November 18, 2005 7:00 am
It's on my wish list this Christmas. Check it out! This book, entitled Headache Through the Ages, was published this past August. It was written by Dr Seymour Diamond and Mary A Franklin. Of course, Dr Diamond is a well known headache specialist in the USA. Mary Franklin is a long time staff member at the Diamond Headache Clinic. She also worked with Diamond on Conquering Your Migraine.
Now we all know that lots of famous people have suffered from headaches and migraine attacks. This book gives you a sweeping view of history. How did people deal with their symptoms in the past? How did the great artists, writers, and poets express their struggles through their art? How have the headache sufferers of ancient Assyria, or Victorian England influence our modern culture? These are people who haven't endured in silence, but have left a legacy for the whole world.
So raise up your head and be aware that if you're a migraineur or headache sufferer, you're in respectable company. I think this would be a neat Christmas gift. Now I see over at the National Headache Foundation that they were actually preselling autographed copies. You might be wise to double check if that deal is still available now that the book is out. If so, the book will make an even more unique gift. It's on my list!
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Better faster info
November 21, 2005 7:39 am
There's a wealth of information now here in the Migraine and Headache News blog. You can search for every word through the search page. But now along comes something even better.
For the first time ever, you can browse the archives by category! Click on Category Index at the top of the main page, or scroll down to the bottom for a list of categories.
Great books and websites can be found in headache resources. Read the latest on various treatments. Need some pain-killing ideas now? Try the tips section. How about some actual painkillers, and all the latest news on drugs? See discussion and accomplishments of other headache, migraine and cluster sufferers. Look into the present and future with the statistics and discoveries section. Find out what new pages are popping up here with website information. And finally, when I don't know what else to do, I include the information in the Misc category.
So now there are more ways than ever to find the help you need. As always, you can browse by month, or just read the latest on the main page. Happy browsing!
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Computer users-this one's for you!
November 21, 2005 8:28 pm
Months ago I wrote about free software that encouraged you to take breaks while you're sitting at the computer.
Now we all know it's important to take a break. It just a matter of remembering, or of actually doing it, or of knowing how to do it. If you actually work at a computer, making good use of breaks really could make a huge impact on your life. Just think - even 4 hours a day at the computer is over 123 hours a month - over 5 solid days! And some people do that much after work...
Just the other day I discovered another clever free computer program to remind you to take breaks. This program has a host of great features. The little sheep sits quietly in your system try, reminding you to take long and short breaks. You can change the time intervals. It can use sound and displays. It comes in several languages. And it has some little features I'll let you discover yourself.
But here's where it gets really interesting. Workrave (that's what the free software is called) also has built-in exercise suggestions! How handy is that? It times you, and shows you a illustration of how to do it.
I've written about building exercise into your routine before, thanks to the excellent suggestions from Dr Arthur White. This is a great way to get started for free, cut down on headaches and Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Insomnia is not "normal"
November 22, 2005 8:47 am
You really should get some sleep. The report from Canada is that 1 in 7 of us don't get enough sleep. That 1 in 7 person has trouble going to sleep almost all the time. And a fifth of those are lucky to catch 5 hours. Canadians who were obese, heavy drinkers and frequent users of marijuana were more likely to have trouble sleeping, but that didn't explain the high numbers. Stress during the day also seems to be connected (no surprise there).
You really should get some sleep. And, might I add, popping sleeping pills is probably not the answer. Sleeplessness, or even sleepiness during the day, can have a number of causes. This may point to a more serious problem that can be solved or minimized with treatment.
One of the problems is that we often don't really realize how tired we are. It's those who brag that they only need 5 hours of sleep a night that have trouble staying awake during the meeting, or who must have a steady intake of caffeine to survive. In some of us this struggle to fall asleep or stay awake can lead to major swings of headache attacks, migraine attacks, and less ability to cope.
You really should get some sleep. If you can't, talk to your doctor and get to the root of the cause. You'll be glad you did!
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Goodbye to the Headache Doctor
November 22, 2005 9:20 am
He was going to school in Connecticut when he woke up one morning with a severe headache. He went to see the doctor, and was told it was migraine. But the doctor's attitude was,"So you have a headache - big deal! Live with it!"
The experience started a lifetime of research into the causes and treatments of headache and migraine. While still a medical student, doctors came to him for advice. When he started to practise, colleagues referred patients to him who had headaches. He became known as "the headache doctor", at a time when there were few who took headaches seriously.
The common belief back then was that headaches were due simply to stress or poor coping skills. But seeing so many patients that were stable emotionally, he became convinced that there was a deeper cause.
He worked with the drug ergotamine, started one of the first headache clinics in the USA, was a founding member of the American Headache Society, and its president in the mid-80s. The AHS awarded him with the Distinguished Clinician Award. He was also an associate professor of medicine at Hopkins, and was on the staff of the Johns Hopkins Hospital for 54 years. He retired 3 years ago.
The USA is mourning the loss of the headache doctor, Dr. William G Speed III, who passed away on November 15th. He was 87.
» To reference this entry use this permalink
Chronic illness and the internet
November 25, 2005 9:04 am
One thing people like about the internet is that you can use it on your own time. No need to wait for office hours, no need to wait until the holiday is over.
This is especially great for anyone with a chronic illness. Not only can you gain information, you can contribute - on your own time. This may mean actually sharing about your own struggles (and so reminding others that they're not alone!), or just developing a hobby, or even a business.
Do you want to be inspired? The Daily Headache posted earlier this month about how some doctors encourage their patients to blog. It's a way to talk things out and deal with what you're going through. If you do start a blog, let me know about it! If you post something I think my readers might appreciate, I'd love to point it out to the hundreds that visit this site each day.
In the arena of developing a hobby or a business, that can be therapeutic too. And again, it's all about doing things on your own time. This page gives examples of how a stay-at-home Mom might do it, but anyone who wants to express themselves on their own time might pick up a few ideas.
It's estimated there will be over a billion people online by the end of the year. Sure, the internet has its problems. But it has its advantages too. Wouldn't it be a better place if you contributed too? ;-)
» To reference this entry use this permalink
The Headache Screening Questionnaire
November 28, 2005 5:34 pm
The National Headache Foundation in the USA has a questionnaire that you can use to help your doctor diagnose you. It includes questions in four categories, designed to screen for tension type headache, migraine, cluster, and organic headache. It's a great way to think through some things before you go and talk to your doctor. Of course, it will also be helpful for your treatment if you can bring a headache diary.
Of course, the questions aren't fool-proof. There's a lot of cross-over when it comes to symptoms, not to mention the complications of having more than one type of headache. That's why this is only a tool for your doctor, not a computer program that will instantly tell you the perfect treatment.
You can find the questionnaire, including 54 quick questions (just circle "yes") in the education section of the website, under General information.
Thanks to The Daily Headache for mentioning this. As is pointed out there, it's easy to forget tidbits of information that may help your doctor with a diagnosis. Anything that will get key information to your doctor is helpful.
» To reference this entry use this permalink
|
