Migraine Cream

The Effects of Hormone Therapy on the Brain

For those with Migraines, the question of whether to use hormone therapies is one we often look at only in terms of the impact it will have on Migraine frequency and severity. There are, however other issues that need to be considered as well.

Two new studies show that hormone therapy (HT) for women is linked to brain shrinkage, but not to the small brain lesions that are the first sign of cerebrovascular disease. The studies are published in the January 13, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Earlier studies showed that estrogen with or without added progestin increased the risk for developing dementia and cognitive decline, or difficulty with thinking skills and memory in women age 65 and older.

This is an article for all Migraineurs considering hormone therapy. Click HERE to read the full article.

Live well,
Teri

Migraine without Aura - The Basics

Migraine is a common disabling primary headache disorder. Epidemiological studies have documented its high prevalence and high socio-economic and personal impacts. It is now ranked by the World Health Organization as number 19 among all diseases world-wide causing disability.

Migraine is a genetic neurological disease. Because there are several different types of Migraine, and some forms involve different genetic markers, some researchers theorize that it may actually be more than one disease. For now, however, Migraine is divided into two major subtypes, Migraine without aura (MWOA) and Migraine with aura (MWA). There is a single classification under Migraine without aura. MWOA is the most common form of Migraine.

For consistency in diagnosing and classifying head pain disorders, the International Headache Society’s International Classification of Headache Disorders, Second Edition (ICHD-II), is generally accepted as the “gold standard.”

Migraine without aura is the most common form of Migraine. The ICHD-II classification criteria for Migraine without aura is...

Learn more about this form of Migraine in Migraine without Aura - The Basics.

Live well,
Teri

Is It Migraine? Tension-Type Headache? What?

So. Here it is, another day . . . and another day with head pain. What to do...  Migraine abortives...  pain medication?  sleep?  relaxation exercises? It all depends on what kind of head pain you have. It's sometimes hard to tell, and one kind of head pain can trigger another. For example, tension headaches will frequently trigger a Migraine for Migraineurs.

The first step in treating our head pain is to get an accurate diagnosis. This is very important for a couple of reasons:

1. Head pain can be a symptom of various diseases or physical anomalies such as tumors or aneurysms. A CAT Scan of the sinus cavities to rule out infection is helpful, as is an MRI to rule out tumors, aneurysms, stroke. and other problems. Keep in mind that your doctor may not order such tests immediately. It's quite normal procedure to try treatment first, and do such tests if the treatments fail. Keeping a Migraine and headache diary will also be helpful to you and your doctor for diagnostic and trigger identification purposes.
2. Treatment methods and medications for different types of head pain vary. For example, the triptan drugs used to treat Migraine (e.g. Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, etc.) aren't prescribed for tension-type headache.

Symptoms of the Most Common Headache Disorders? ...

Learn more in Is It Migraine? Tension-Type Headache? What?

Live well,
Teri

What Is Hypnic Headache?

One of the best things we can do is learn about the types of headaches or Migraines we have. Today, let's look at hypnic headache...

With only 80 documented cases, hypnic headache (HH) is one of the rarest headache disorders. HH is primary headache disorder, which means that it cannot be attributed to another condition.

The most identifying feature of HH is that it develops only during sleep and wakes the sufferer.

The International Headache Society's International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd Edition (ICHD-II), is the "gold standard" for diagnosing and classifying headache disorders. Here are the description, diagnostic criteria, and symptoms of HH as set forth in the ICHD-II...

Learn more by reading What Is Hypnic Headache.

Live well,
Teri

Multi-Mechanism of Migraine

One of the most confusing things about Migraines can be what goes on in our brains during a Migraine attack.

The Jefferson Headache Center's web site has a great page with an explanation of the mechanisms of Migraine and a video to go with it.

They begin by saying"

"Until recently, most clinicians believed that migraine was simply a vascular condition, induced by blood vessel dilation. Today, new insight suggests that the pathophysiology of migraine is much more complex. It is now thought that multiple mechanisms contribute to the onset of migraine, beginning long before a person feels any headache pain.

The multi-mechanistic approach to migraines holds that headache pain results from a chain of events that are both vascular and neurological. Migraine pain is induced not only by the widening of blood vessels, or vasodilation, but begins with inflammation, leading to pain reception, or norciception, and central and peripheral sensitization..."

Please visit the Jefferson site and check out this great information. Just CLICK HERE.

Tension Headache or Migraine?

Sometimes, you can find some very good videos about Migraines on YouTube. This one, in particular, is excellent. It features Dr. Richard B. Lipton, one of the top Migraine specialists in the world.

Can you tell the difference between a tension-type headache and a Migraine? Watch this video for more information...

Live well,
Teri

Migraine and Health Insurance

Health insurance is a big issue these days, and many people with Migraines and headaches have problems and questions. It's not uncommon for a Migraineur to be denied health coverage, which makes the disease even more difficult to manage.

A question and answer posted today to the National Headache Foundation's blog deals with this issue:

Migraineur Denied Health Insurance
Q. I was recently denied independent health insurance because I have had a history of migraines, which the company said was a risk factor for stroke. I have had probably a total of 10 migraines in my life starting at age 30. I’m now 38. I have only had one migraine since the birth of my daughter, two years ago. I thought that acquiring health insurance would be simple since I’m in good health, am hardly ever sick, and take pretty good care of myself. When I requested my medical records from the underwriters, there was not even a reference to the headaches since I hadn’t had any episodes for so long...

This blog entry is well worth reading. Please take a look at Migraineur Denied Health Insurance.

Live well,
Teri

Podcast: Migraine Risks - Some Perspective

Sometimes, it's easier to listen to information about Migraines than it is to read it. Sometimes, doing both really helps us retain the information.

That's where MigraineCast comes in. Here's information about the newest podcast:

Over the last few years, we've seen research statistics demonstrating that having Migraine disease increases our risks of other health problems such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, and brain damage. The mainstream news media and some bloggers have reported these findings with sensationalized headlines that had people in a panic running to their doctors in fear. You're bound to have seen headlines such as "Stroke Risk Doubles for Migraine Sufferers."

On the other end of the spectrum, on the rare occasions when Migraine sufferers are shown to possibly have a lower risk for another health issue, the media and those bloggers come up with headlines that sound as if having Migraines will save our lives or are really a good thing - headlines such as "Migraine's Silver Lining" or "Migraines Prevent Breast cancer!"

I think not!

So, where does the truth lie? Usually somewhere between "The Sky Is Falling" and "Enduring World Peace Achieved."

Let's take a look at some of these reported risks and supposed benefits of having Migraine disease and put them in perspective...

• Listen to the podcast Migraine Risks - Some Perspective.
• Read the transcript of the podcast Migraine Risks- Some Perspective.

Live well,
Teri

UK Goes For Green Migraine Inducing Light Bulbs

Rena Sherwood, who writes the blog "Dealing With Headaches" is reporting on the problems Migraineurs in the UK now face as a result of the UK's ban on incandescent light bulbs in favor of compact fluorescent bulbs.

Rena begins writing...

"They’re usually called “green lightbulbs”, even though compact flourescent usually don’t give off a green light. They are far more energy efficient than incandescent lightbulbs and are said to last a lot longer. In order to help with the environment, the UK has gone with green lightbulbs all the way, with stores voluntarily choosing to no longer stock the traditonal bulbs. A ban on incandescent bulbs will go into effect in 2012.

Just one problem — green light bulbs are known to trigger migraines and seizures. In the UK, one on ten people have migraines. People in the UK are used to being cranky, but problems with migraineurs and epilieptics are feared to escalate because of the public fondness for flourescent bulbs."

She goes on to outline some of the problems this transition is causing. Don't live in the UK? Those of us in the US need to keep an eye on this issue as it's coming here too.

Please read Rena's entry UK Goes For Green Migraine Inducing Light Bulbs.

Thank you, Rena!

Live well,
Teri

Transformed Migraine Risk Increased by Some Medications

Dealing with Migraines is difficult enough under the best of circumstances, but now there's evidence that the medications we take for Migraines can cause even more trouble if we're not very careful.

Now, there's additional evidence that any use of barbiturates such as Fioricet or opioids are associated with increased risk of transformed Migraine.

Dr. Marcelo Bigal and his team, knowing that medication overuse was believed to play a major role in Migraine progressing from episodic to chronic or transformed Migraine but limited solid limited data, undertook a study to assess the role of specific classes of acute medications (medications taken when a Migraine occurs) in episodic Migraine (EM) sufferers developing transformed Migraine (TM)...

Learn more about this important issue by reading Transformed Migraine Risk Increased by Some Medications.

Live well,
Teri