Archive for the 'Migraine' Category
August 10th, 2011 -- Posted in Migraine |
Migraine is really a headache type. It’s widespread in the population. 6% in men and 18% of women report having a migraine episode in the US. It afflicts over than 30 million people in USA. 75% of migraine patients are women. Migraine can occur at any age, however it usually diminishes after the age 50. Some people experience only a few migraines throughout the lifetime while other have several migraines per month.
Migraine triggers vary widely. The easiest treatment efficacy is employing coolness or warmth towards the head affected region. This many times may worsen migraine because it varies between persons. Migraine is classified as either ‘ without aura ‘ and ‘ with aura ‘. It is a neurological illness which involves recurring pain. It is classified depending on whether they contain an earlier episode called ” an aura “. Visual disturbance aura is a common characteristic of the neurological events.
There are many medicines can avoid the intractable headache such as topamax ( topiramate ), carbamzepine, valproic acid, calcium chanel antagonists, methysergide, clonidine, cyproheptadine, ergonovine, amitriptyline, propranolol along with other ergotamine tartrate preparations.
Treatment tips:
^-^ Ergot drugs may be used as abortive or a preventive therapy because of their relative expense.
^-^ Triptans are suitable for many typical migraine patients because they are mild line treatment.
^-^ Sumatriptan and serotonin receptor agonists drugs are now the choice therapy for chronic migraine attacks.
^-^ Anti emetics by injection or suppository may be used in case where vomiting occurs.
^-^ Intravenous chlorpromazine is very effective in treating unremitting and intractable migraine.
^- ^ Amidrine can be utilized in headache treatment.
^-^ Physical therapy and massage therapy is also extremely effective in reduce the intensity and frequency of migraines.
September 22nd, 2009 -- Posted in Migraine |
Children and teenagers also suffer from a variety of headaches, with most of the headaches caused by viruses, such as the common cold or flu.
When to Seek Help
Most parents might be concerned that their child’s headache could be due to something more serious, like meningitis or a brain tumor. To help ease your worries, a visit to the doctor is required if your child has a headache with the following symptoms:
- continuous vomiting
- irritability
- confusion
- lethargy
- breathing problems
- weak or rapid pulse
- not hungry or thirsty
- a stiff neck
- difficulty in walkingpersonality changes
When a child who regularly suffers from headaches and has already been checked by a doctor suddenly complains that a particular headache is worse than usual, it is time for another visit to the doctor, especially if the child seems more ill with it. Common causes of headaches in children could be the following:
Upper Respiratory Infection
It is possible for a headache to be present if your child has a cold, sore throat or infected sinuses. If the headache becomes intense or worse, and the child starts to develop a fever, consult a doctor.
Migraines
Children can have something called a Classic Migraine, which doesn’t start off with headaches. Rather, your child can first have frequent bouts of vomiting and an upset stomach, known as a gastric migraine. Over a period of months, this gastric migraine then develops into the classic headaches.
Similar to adults, children with classic migraine have the following symptoms:
- Feeling sick
- Being sick
- Blurry vision
- A headache on one side of the head
- Changes in sight and smell that signal a migraine is coming on, known as an aura
Children can also have Common Migraines, which may appear like ordinary headaches without the changes in vision or getting sick. Common migraines can be remedied with sleep. It is also quite common for kids with migraines to have other family members that have them.
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are a type of headache that can also be frequent in children, which is probably an indication that they are stressed out. A tension headache is described as a dull ache that happens daily and do not go away at all with sleep.
Eyestrain
When children going to school usually complain of headaches and not being able to see the board properly, eyestrain is most probably the cause. A solution would be to have your child’s vision checked. The headaches stop once the child ‘s vision has been corrected with the right lenses.
Meningitis
Meningitis is a type of dangerous infection. It is best to seek help immediately if you think your child may have meningitis. Common symptoms to watch out for are:
- Stiff neck
- Dislike for the light Fever
- Being sick
- Rash
- Rapid pulse
- Irritability
- Lethargy
- Seizures
Intravenous antibiotics will be given if the meningitis is bacterial, and careful observation will be required if it is found to be viral in nature.
Brain Tumor
Headaches caused by a brain tumor is probably every parent’s worst fear for their child. Some of the warning signs are:
- Suffering frequent or severe headaches than usual
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Waking up with a headache each morning
- Having a headache that prevents the child from sleeping
- Having a headache that feels worse when lying down
- Having a headache that feels worse when coughing or sneezing
- Seeing double
- Problems with walking
- Personality changes
If you are concerned that your child’s headaches may be caused by a brain tumor, have your child checked by a doctor who can make a full evaluation.
July 29th, 2009 -- Posted in Migraine |
If you suffer from migraines, there is some good news for you. This good news comes in the form of riboflavin, otherwise known as Vitamin B2. Taking regular doses of Vitamin B2 is believed to reduce migraine episodes as well as lessen their occurrence.
Riboflavin
Riboflavin is just one of the eight B complex vitamins that are responsible for breaking down fats and proteins. B complex vitamins also help with the digestive system by providing good muscle tone, and aid in the overall good health of the eyes, skin, hair, liver and nervous system. Vitamin B2 is a water-soluble vitamin and plays a vital role in the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar for the body to burn and produce energy.
Lack of Vitamin B2
If we lack vitamin B2, we may experience headaches, vision problems, photophobia, tiredness, digestion problems and painful cracks in the mouth corners.
Sources of Vitamin B2
Riboflavin is not commonly found in many foods unlike the other seven B vitamins. Many people, especially the elderly, often find themselves having vitamin B2 deficiency because they cannot easily get riboflavin from their diet. Food sources that contain riboflavin include brewer’s yeast, almonds, wild rice, wheat germ, mushrooms, milk, yogurt, eggs, broccoli, brussel sprouts and spinach.
Flour and various breakfast cereals usually contain riboflavin, and while it can generally withstand heat, its soluble properties makes it easily disappear in water when cooking food. Many methods can be done to counteract this during cooking, like making gravy by keeping the water from sprouts.
In addition, vitamin B2 is easily destroyed by exposure to light, so it is best to keep food sources such as milk and vitamin B2 supplements in the dark. This is the reason many milk containers come in cartons.
Vitamin B2 Supplements
If you do not regularly eat a balanced diet, taking vitamin supplements is recommended. The thing to watch out for when buying multivitamins is the essential vitamins and minerals that it contains. Make sure that it has 100-300% of the recommended daily vitamin intake.
It is best to take riboflavin with a meal, as it is more effectively absorbed into your stomach when taken with food. To prevent an imbalance of B vitamins, it is advisable to also take another B vitamin along with B2.
Limitations
Some medications have been known to reduce riboflavin levels in the body, and riboflavin in turn can affect the way some medicines work. Before taking vitamin B2 supplements, it is always a good idea to check with your doctor, especially if you are also taking any of the following:
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Anti-malaria drugs
- Chlorpromazine or other antipsychotics
- Birth control pills
- Doxorubicin
- Methotrexate
- Phenytoin
- Probenecid
- Selegiline
- Sulfa’ medications
- Thiazide diuretics
Side Effects
While riboflavin does not seem to cause any serious side effects, you may experience itching, numbness, burning or prickling sensations and light sensitivity when you take high doses.
April 19th, 2009 -- Posted in Migraine |
A migraine is different from a regular headache. A migraine is usually very severe, with pain on only one side of the head. It is often accompanied by extreme sensitivity to light and nausea and vomiting. Migraines are a recurring condition. Some people may have one several times a month, while some may only have one or two a year. But when a migraine happens, it can be disabling.
It is estimated that 1 in 100 people suffer from migraines. Research on migraines in the past focused on changes in the blood vessels in the brain. However, new research is being done that points to changes in the brain itself. Scientists believe that the cause of a migraine involves a complex mix of chemical changes in the brain with various nerve pathways. They are still not sure what the exact chain of events are that cause a migraine, but believe that it can be triggered by such things as stress, environmental factors, or certain foods.
There are two types of migraines. There are those with auras or those without auras. Most people will have migraines without the auras. This is called the common migraine.
If you have migraines with auras you will see flashes of light, blind spots in your vision, zigzag lines in your vision and sometimes have tingling sensations in your arms or leg. These auras usually start about 15 to 30 minutes before the migraine start and serve as a good warning sign. On occasion, the aura can last throughout the duration of the migraine.
If you have migraine headaches, you probably know what helps the pain. Everyone is different when it comes to pain relief. Some people just want to lie down in a dark, quiet, room and sleep it off. Others will take medication developed especially for migraine headaches. It is important to note, that if you suffer from migraines and haven’t been to the doctor for treatment of them lately, it may be a good idea to see your doctor. There are a lot of new medications available for migraines now that weren’t available ten years ago.
Children can have migraines, too. Their migraines may have started in adolescence or early adulthood. There have been incidences of migraines in children as young as 1. The good news is, migraines in children don’t last as long and they typically grow out of them. With children the migraine will usually cause pain on both sides of the head. Children can also have nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound, but have no headache pain. This type of migraine is especially difficult to diagnose and can be very frightening for the parents.
If you have migraines talk to your doctor about treatment. Eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Try to get adequate rest and reduce the stress in your life, if possible. Don’t let the thought of having another migraine headache interrupt your life.