Headaches: 40 hints to head off the pain

[QuilterMom]

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/...ooks/47/72.cfm

[missymomof3]

Thanks!

[baxjul]

Thanks! Looks

[MOMMYDEAREST]

thank you for the great link. i'm a huge headache suffer (and migraine suffer), & any kind of info helps....thanks again

[UPSyours2]

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/...ooks/47/72.cfm

Typically, migraines bring severe, one-sided throbbing pain (in 40 percent of cases, however, the pain occurs on both sides). Often this is accompanied by nausea and vomiting and perhaps tremor and dizziness. Some people also experience premigraine warning symptoms, including blurred vision, "floating" visual images, and numbness in an arm or leg.

I get lots of migraine variant headaches! Most of them are double-sided, not many single sided ones!

Don't smoke and drive. You shouldn't smoke, period. But smoking with the car windows down when you're driving in heavy traffic gives you a double dip of carbon monoxide. This gas appears to adversely affect brain blood flow, according to Dr. Saper.

I don't allow DH to smoke in my SUV or in our house sometimes the smell does trigger a migraine but also not good for my asthma!

Wear a headband. "This old business of Grandmother tying a tight cloth around her head has some merit to it," Dr. Solomon says. "It will decrease blood flow to the scalp and lessen the throbbing and pounding of a migraine."

I don't exactly wear headbands but I have found out that cool/cold things on my forhead does help & also lying down in a quiet dark room!
I have bought from QVC a headwrap that has these cooling crystals the stuff that absorb in a baby's diapers those gels it has in it! It work great I freeze them in the summer so when I'm hot I don't need a headache! Otherwise I keep them in the fridge & sometimes I'd have to wear them while driving it's my only relief while going to pick up DH!

One day my wrap wasn't cool enough so I put on this headband I got w/a sweat suit & had it hold the tiny ice pack I had for my make-up bag on my forhead!

Say "no de cologne." "Strong perfume can set off migraine," says Dr. Solbach.

This is sooo true some magazines I've avoided reading years ago since the perfume samples were giving me a headache!

Be gentle. Believe it or not, if you're headache-free and "in the mood," you might develop a headache during sex. "It's considered an 'exertional' type headache," says Robert Kunkel, M.D., head of the Section of Headache in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. "It's more common in people with migraines than in those who just have tension headaches."

I get these also, sometimes while doing crunches too! I use the ABS LOUNGER now & that helps alot! because I think I was hurting my neck somehow & damaging the bulging discs I have causing me more pain!

[UPSyours2]

http://www.headaches.org/

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/nhfboardmembers.html

NATIONAL HEADACHE FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS: 2005-2006
President
Arthur H. Elkind, M.D.
Mount Vernon, New York

Vice President
R. Michael Gallagher, D.O.
Moorestown, New Jersey

Treasurer
Edmond J. Bergeron
Cedar Knolls, New Jersey

Secretary
Margaret Azarian
Guilford, Connecticut

Executive Chairman
Seymour Diamond, M.D.
Chicago, Illinois


Board Members

The President of NHF is my headache specialist I have done numerous studies w/him & found some relief while taking this one drug by Bristol Myers Squibb which was really great the only trick was you had to take it while you had no headache & it prevented them for hours @ a time! I was on this RX a year later after the study & closely monitored by my Dr. every few weeks! During the 1st study I had to be @ his office for 8 hours wearing a holter monitor to see that there's no problems after taking it then got to go home w/the meds.

Arthur H. Elkind, M.D.

Dr. Arthur H. Elkind is Director of the Elkind Headache Center in Mount Vernon, New York, and has been a National Headache Foundation Board Member since 1988. He has been involved with the treatment of headache throughout his medical career, as evidenced by his long history of professional lectures and presentations on the subject. Active with the Mount Vernon Hospital, currently Dr. Elkind serves as the President of the NHF Board of Directors. Dr. Elkind and his wife reside in New York.



http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/sep99/49a.html


Arthur H. Elkind '53, Dr. Headache


For Dr. Arthur H. Elkind '53, work is one headache after another.
As director of the Elkind Headache Center in Westchester County, N.Y., Dr. Elkind is one of the country's top headache experts and leading researchers. He helps about 2,500 patients every year work out their pain, mostly through drug therapy, much of it cutting edge and experimental.

Dr. Elkind explains that he got his start "moonlighting at the Montefiore Hospital Headache Unit" during his residency at the hospital. That clinic was the first of its kind in the U.S.; Dr. Elkind became its director in 1973. For the past 20 years he has run his own center and worked on the staffs of the Mt. Vernon Hospital and New York Medical College. He also travels and lectures extensively and serves as vice president of the National Headache Foundation based in Chicago.

About one in five people suffer from migraine headaches, which are twice as common in women and seem to be hereditary, says Dr. Elkind, author of the layperson's guide, Migraines: Everything you need to know about their cause and cure (Avon).

Men, however, are the primary sufferers of "cluster headaches," attacks of excruciating pain, often behind an eye, that last about 45 minutes and occur throughout the day once or twice a year. Whereas migraine sufferers lie down in a dark room and try to shut the world out, cluster sufferers run around and literally bang their heads against a wall.

For over three decades the headache doctor has helped in the development and testing of several new drugs. "Drugs have become much more effective in the past three years and they future looks even brighter," he says.

What he can't tell his patients is that he feels their pain. "I don't get headaches," he says. "Nobody in the family does. Maybe I scared them away."

work is one headache after another

He is soo funny saying this w/o pain & really mean it!

http://www.thejournalnews.com/mindbo...migraines.html

WellnessMigraines: Migraines cause a painful view through the looking glass
By Barbara Nachman
The Journal News
(Original publication: July 8, 2003) 10-step program
The National Headache Foundation recommends that you and your doctor follow these 10 steps to develop a successful treatment program. A more detailed explanation of these steps can be found at www.headaches.org, or 800-843-2256.

1. Ask for help. Be a self-advocate.
2. Educate yourself about migraines so you'll know what to tell your doctor about your headaches.
3. Visit your doctor just to talk about your headaches.
4. Get ready for the visit with your doctor by keeping a headache diary for a few weeks before the office visit.
5. Have reasonable expectations about treatment. No one can cure migraine headaches.
6. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take (including herbal medicines) and other medical conditions you have.
7. Focus on solutions. Be positive.
8. Ask for detailed directions for taking your medicine. Then follow the directions.
9. For treatment success, be a partner with your doctor.
10. Keep in touch with your doctor.


Dr. Ray Selman calls it the Alice-in-Wonderland effect. "Some things appear too big," he says. "And others too small. Sometimes it looks like flashbulbs going off, or like there's a piece missing in the visual field. If you're looking at a clock, for example, you can't see between 2 and 4."

Selman is describing the "aura" that many migraine sufferers experience prior to their headaches — visual distortions and phenomena that are often similar to those described by author and migraine sufferer Lewis Carroll in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

Almost 150 years have passed since Carroll captured his visions in prose. And while great strides have been made, particularly in the treatment of this debilitating condition, much about migraines remains as mysterious as the grin on the Cheshire Cat.

According to the National Headache Foundation, migraine headaches are more common than asthma or diabetes, affecting 28 million Americans, or about 13 percent of the population. The foundation — a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving headache sufferers, their families and their healthcare providers — believes there is a migraine sufferer in every four American households.

Migraines, which are often hereditary, afflict three times as many women as men. It's now believed that a child has a 50 percent chance of having migraines if one parent experiences the headaches, and a 75 percent chance if both parents do.



Dr. Arthur Elkind at the Elkind Headache Center at Mount Vernon Hospital, explains to patient Elaine Archbald of Mount Vernon, a migraine sufferer, how the medication she is taking will affect her brain.
Selman, a neurologist practicing in Mount Kisco and on staff at Northern Westchester Hospital Center, says the typical migraine has three stages. It begins with the aura, and ends with a period of exhaustion. In between, patients experience intense throbbing, pounding pain on one side of the head, often accompanied by dizziness and nausea. "It's the old Anacin commercial with the hammer," he explains.

"It feels like an elephant jumping in my head," says Elaine Archibald of Mount Vernon. Archibald, who experiences the headaches as often as twice a week, says they begin with a mild, nagging sensation that gradually intensifies. "They can just overwhelm you," she says.

Most migraines don't fit neatly into the three-phase paradigm.

People can experience the aura without the pain, and the pain without the aura, says Dr. Arthur Elkind, director of the Elkind Headache Center at Mount Vernon Hospital, and the vice president of the National Headache Foundation.

Migraines, which vary in frequency and intensity, are usually set into motion by triggers, which also differ from patient to patient. Common triggers include certain foods and alcohol, and changes in sleeping and eating patterns. Women who experience the headaches are often afflicted during menstruation.

While many migraine sufferers report bright lights as a trigger, and hypersensitivity to light during an attack, Archibald, who is being treated at the Elkind Headache Center, says her headaches involve smells and sounds.

"What I'm smelling gives me nausea," she says. "And that's a hint it's not a regular headache but a migraine coming on."

Perfume and cigarette smoke trigger her attacks, during which smells and sounds are heightened to painful levels. Like many migraineurs, she often takes refuge in bed.

"Here I am smelling things and hearing things," she says. "The best place for me is in a dark, quiet room."

Although there have been other theories, today it's generally agreed that migraines are caused by neurological changes in the mid-brain, and that the neuro-transmitter serotonin is involved.

"But we don't know what flips the switch to start the process," Selman says.

Still, in the last decade, there have been significant treatment advances. Elkind says one group of drugs, called triptans, is more than 80 percent effective in reducing the number of attacks when used in its injected form.

At the Mount Vernon headache center, Elkind is currently conducting tests to see if Botox, the anti-wrinkle drug, can prevent these headaches. Its role in migraine prevention was suggested when people receiving injections during cosmetic procedures began reporting fewer migraines. Elkind says he's "cautiously optimistic" that Botox will prove to be a potent migraine-fighter.

To better treat his patients, Selman asks them to keep a headache diary, indicating the frequency and severity of attacks, and what preceded them. He begins preventive treatment with "natural agents" such as magnesium, vitamin B-2 and the herb feverfew, which is now available in an over-the-counter preparation.

Once a headache begins, doctors often recommend aspirin or anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen or naproxen, or combination medicines such as acetaminophen plus caffeine. However, they caution against overuse of these medications, which can cause rebound headaches when suggested doses are exceeded.

"You can cure a strep throat or a broken leg, but you can't cure a migraine," Selman says. "But if someone has a migraine and it lasts one hour instead of 24 hours, you have made a significant difference. Can we help? Definitely."

Migraine Facts
Most common migraine symptoms

• Severe, recurring head pain, usually on one side of the head.
•Nausea
• Vomiting
•Photophobia (light aversion)
•Sonophobia (sound aversion)
• Sensitivity to certain odors
• Lightheadedness
• Diarrhea
•Scalp tenderness

Source: M.A.G.U.M: Migraine Awareness Group: A National Understanding for Migraineurs

Migraine triggers

Migraine triggers are individual and variable, but these are common ones:
•Allergens
•Fluorescent lighting
•Temperature changes
•Hormonal changes
•Changes in sleeping patterns

Foods and drinks:
• Chocolate
•Aged cheese
•Nuts
• Bananas
•Alcohol (especially red wine)
• Buttermilk
•Aged, canned, cured or processed meats
• Yeast and yeast extracts
• Raisins
•Red plums
•Fava beans
•Canned soups
•Avocados
•Figs
•Broad beans
• Sauerkraut
•Soy sauce
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Source: healthology.com
Treatments

Migraine treatments fall into two major categories: medications and therapies aimed at preventing the headaches, and those that treat pain during an attack.

Some of the medications used for prevention:
• Beta-blockers
•Calcium channel blockers
•Antidepressants
• Serotonin antagonists
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Anti-epileptic medications

For pain:
• Aspirin
•Anti-inflammatory medicines (ibuprofen, naproxen)
•Combination medicines like aspirin plus acetaminophen plus caffeine, or isometheptene combinations
• Ergotamines
•Triptans

(Side effects are associated with some of these drugs. Consult your physician before taking medication.)

Alternative treatments that may help include acupuncture, biofeedback therapy and relaxation therapy.

Several studies are currently under way to determine if Botox, the muscle relaxant used in cosmetic procedures to reduce wrinkles, is effective in treating migraine headaches.

National Headache Foundation Web site, www.headaches.org; www.healthology.com; American Family Physician.

How to avoid a migraine

The National Headache Foundation offers these tips that may reduce the number and severity of headaches:
•Eliminate or cut back on red wine, chocolate, and aged cheeses. Excess consumption of these foods can unexpectedly trigger migraines.
•Avoid overly stressful situations. Stress can be a powerful headache trigger and should be minimized.
•Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends. If you're still sleepy, you can go back to bed later.
•Try biofeedback. By controlling certain electrical signals within your body, you can begin to control certain functions, such as body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, that are normally controlled subconsciously.
•Be a part of your healthcare team.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0380790777/002-9209634-4761648?v=glance&n=283155"]Amazon.com: Migraine: Everything You (9780380790777): Arthur Elkind: Books[/ame]

Migraines: Everything You Need to Know About Their Cause and Cure (Mass Market Paperback)
by Arthur Elkind

Book Description
NEW HOPE FOR MIGRAINES
It has been estimated that nearly twenty-five million Americans suffer from migraines. the number could be even higher since many victims of migraines endure in silence, embarrassed and apologetic for the invisible, often excruciating pain that disables them for hours, or days at a time. The good news is: there are ways to prevent, relieve, and often cure migraines. Dr. Arthur Elkind, with years of success in treating migraines and other types of headaches, now offers new information and hope for relief.
FIND OUT
How to identify your headache as a migraine
What advanced symptoms signal a migraine is starting
How to pinpoint and avoid migraine triggers
How emotional stress affects headaches
Why family history plays a role in migraines
How PMS, estrogen, pregnancy, and menopause all have an effect on migraines
How to recognize and treat migraines in children
When to seek prompt medical attention for your headache
How doctors diagnose migraines
What kind of drugs and pain medicines are now available
Which natural alternatives help you avoid or relive migraines
> What your chances are of becoming migraine-free

INCLUDES:
A glossary of terms and treatments and Sources of Help: Organizations, books, videos, and on-line informationNEW HOPE FOR MIGRAINES
It has been estimated that nearly twenty-five million Americans suffer from migraines. the number could be even higher since many victims of migraines endure in silence, embarrassed and apologetic for the invisible, often excruciating pain that disables them for hours, or days at a time. The good news is: there are ways to prevent, relieve, and often cure migraines. Dr. Arthur Elkind, with years of success in treating migraines and other types of headaches, now offers new information and hope for relief.

FIND OUT
How to identify your headache as a migraine
What advanced symptoms signal a migraine is starting
How to pinpoint and avoid migraine triggers
How emotional stress affects headaches
Why family history plays a role in migraines
How PMS, estrogen, pregnancy, and menopause all have an effect on migraines
How to recognize and treat migraines in children
When to seek prompt medical attention for your headache
How doctors diagnose migraines
What kind of drugs and pain medicines are now available
Which natural alternatives help you avoid or relive migraines
>What your chances are of becoming migraine-free

INCLUDES:
A glossary of terms and treatments and Sources of Help: Organizations, books, videos, and on-line information

About the Author
Arthur Elkind, M.D., is the Director of the Elkind Headache Center, in Mount Vernon, New York.

I got this book while @ his office it was a nice gift & autographed too!