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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

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

Eating Cherries To Help You Sleep

"One does not usually think of cherries as a sleep aid. Well, surprise, they are. They have plenty of melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that makes humans sleepy.

As a matter of fact, the cherries helped with the initial recognition of dietary, easily digested, naturally occurring melatonin by medical science."

This is an excerpt from a great blog post on Raingem's Migraine News Network. To read more, CLICK HERE.

Hypnic Headaches - The Basics

Hypnic headache (HH) is a rare primary headache disorder (primary headache disorders are those that cannot be attributed to another condition.) It's most identifying feature is that it only develops 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 HN as set forth in the ICHD-II...

Learn more - Read Hypnic Headaches - The Basics.

Live well,
Teri

Tips for Living Well All Year Despite Migraines

The beginning of a new year is a time when we often review our lives and make resolutions of things we're going to do or not do. While that's admirable, how many of us actually keep those resolutions?

Especially if resolutions are related to health, there are often issues impacting them that are outside our control. Making New Year's resolutions regarding health issues is often frustrating and disappointing; somewhat like inviting failure when there are things we cannot control. What works better for many people is a firm, ongoing commitment to working with our doctors as treatment partners and doing all we can to improve the management of our Migraines and / or headaches.

Here are some suggestions for living well with Migraines and headaches, all year...

Continue reading Migraines and Headaches - Tips for Living Well All Year.

Live well,
Teri