Migraines - Is There a Cure for Migraines
January 29, 2008
Migraine sufferers often don’t receive the sympathy that they deserve as the condition is often tagged as ‘just a headache - everybody gets headaches’, but anybody who suffers a migraine knows just how debilitating the condition really is. All too often all that a sufferer can do is go and lie down in a dark quiet place and wait for the migraine to pass.
What causes a migraine?
There are a large number of theories on why a person suffers a migraine, and unfortunately for the ladies 75 percent of migraine sufferers are female. A number of triggers have been identified which include alcohol (red wine), foods that contain caffeine or MSG, glare, hunger, lack of sleep, perfume and stress, but recent reports indicate that the one common trigger is a lack of oxygen in the brain.
Now as simple as this may seem, almost all migraines can be cured if you know how to get more oxygen into your bloodstream and in particular to the brain. Our modern way of living presents a whole lot of problems that need to be overcome to allow better blood flow to the brain. What are you talking about you may well ask? Things like posture and the associated problems in the neck that incorrect posture induces all contribute to less blood flow to the brain.
Migraines were virtually unheard of a century ago, so it has something to do with our present lifestyle. People sitting at their desks all day and living in cities where there is a lot more air pollution are just a couple of things that have caused the incidents of migraines to dramatically increase in recent years.
It is not all doom and gloom. With a few simple exercises you can improve the flow of oxygen to the brain and eliminate migraines. I appreciate that some people who suffer migraines will be cynical of this information, but what if the information is true, as we know it is. That means that you will never have to purchase any expensive medications that have nasty side effects. In fact I reckon I could write a whole article on the nasty side effects that migraine medications cause. And if a migraine is the result of your brain screaming out for more oxygen, how many other benefits will there be if you increase the amount of oxygen in your blood? We would suggest there will be many additional benefits apart from eliminating your migraine, and just let me say that again - eliminate your migraine. No more laying down in that dark quiet place waiting for it to pass, no more bright lights and the other 1001 symptoms of migraines - Gone.
I also wish to point out that these exercises can be completed by a person at any level of fitness. You do not need to be super fit with tight abs to be able to complete the necessary exercises. They are just gentle exercises that anybody can complete - no excuses.
Visit Migraine Cure to learn more about this exciting development in the cure for migraine.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dover_Read
What You Should Know about Aspartame and Migraines
January 29, 2008
If you had a migraine, it’s better for you to avoid sodas. Diet sodas sweetened with aspartame, at any rate. In case that word doesn’t ring a bell, how about NutraSweet? Equal? Little blue packages in the sugar bowl on restaurant tables?
If you were to go solely by the information about aspartame that you can find on the internet, you might every well think this product was created by the devil himself. Truly, the amount of web space devoted to attacking aspartame and its brand name NutraSweet is phenomenal. The product has been vilified like almost no other product on the market, blamed for everything from memory loss to schizophrenia. Although the jury is still out on aspartame’s culpability in relation to many dangers, there is no getting around the fact that aspartame has been linked to migraines in many studies.
Aspartame is used in NutraSweet, an artificial sweetener. But aspartame isn’t really a sweetening agent. What aspartame does is release an amino acid neurotransmitter in the brain called aspartame. In essence, though approved by the FDA as a sweetener, aspartame is really a drug.
The New England Journal of Medicine, a world-renowned medical journal, has conducted studies that have found a connection between heavy consumption of diet drinks sweetened with aspartame and migraine headaches. One study in particular seems heavily slanted toward finding a connection as those taking part reported having headaches on 33% of the days in which the study was conducted as opposed to the control group which reported headaches on only 24% of the days.
One scientist who has conducted research came to the startling conclusion that 90% of all migraines are caused by allergic reactions to food or food additives. His findings also suggest that aspartame is the most common food additive related to migraines. Another study came to an equally amazing conclusion that 10% of all migraines are related to aspartame consumption. A study conducted at the Univ. of Florida came to perhaps the most jaw-dropping conclusion of them all, finding that aspartame increased the frequency of migraine headaches in over fifty percent of the patients who took part in the study.
Despite all these studies, however, no conclusion has yet been drawn which firmly establishes what it is about aspartame that causes migraines in headache sufferers. The prevailing theory has to do with a biochemical known as seratonin. You may have heard that word before. Indeed, seratonin pops up quite in medical stories as it seems play a part in conditions ranging from appetite loss to mood alteration to sleep problems. When it comes to migraines, seratonin is thought to play a part through the lowering of levels of it in your body thanks to the effects of aspartame, thereby exacerbating pre-existing conditions that cause migraines. So it?s really no so much a case of aspartame being the cause of migraines, but rather being a quick-drawing finger on the trigger.
Believe it or not, but there’s also a danger from ceasing your intake if aspartame. Doesn’t that figure? If you are currently drinking a large amount of diet sodas or using a lot of NutraSweet in your coffee or tea, the one thing you don’t want to do is suddenly stop for a few months and then go back. Many people report that they quit having headaches after stopping their use of products containing aspartame. Then they resumed their use of aspartame and were unfortunate enough to find that the headaches returned and were far worse than before.
Naturally, the makers of NutraSweet dispute any connection existing between their product and migraines. Then again, they dispute any connection between aspartame and any health concern. The bottom line is that enough complaints have been filed with the FDA and enough studies have been conducted to establish at the very least a large amount of anecdotal evidence suggesting a connection. And since even the big two soft drink makers have products diet products that sweeten with Splenda? a sweetener with no bitter aftertaste? there really isn’t any reason at all to take the risk.
Masni Rizal Mansor is co-publisher of MyHealth-Info.com. Get latest information on health related articles, nutrition articles and health care articles.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Masni_Rizal_Mansor
Best Migraine Prevention Medicines
January 29, 2008
Migraine headaches are a destructive part of life for nearly 11 out of 100 people. During migraine episodes, they can barely function. They curtail daily activities, and all of life seems distorted. Between episodes, they may feel anxious about the next one, and wish for some form of migraine prevention.
Although guaranteed migraine prevention seems to be more a promise than a reality as of the writing of this article, you do have options for treating symptoms, and, better yet, options for possible migraine prevention.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Although migraines seem to run in families, migraine prevention does not always run in the same course. For some migraineurs, prevention is as simple as changing a few habits. For others, migraine prevention seems to require strong medication.
What are the best migraine prevention medicines for you? The ultimate answer must be decided by you and your physician. We offer here a number of medicines for consideration.
Common Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicines
This is the first line of migraine prevention – beginning at the minimal strength, minimal dosage to see if it will be a solution. Among these migraine prevention medicines are the following.
1. Aspirin in a regimen dose, i.e., tiny 81 mg tablets, commonly called “baby aspirin”. For migraine prevention, these would be taken daily, just as they are to reduce risks of heart disease.
2. Ibuprofen such as Motrin, Nuprin, or Advil may be taken occasionally. Your physician will advise as to how often you should take ibuprofen for migraine prevention. People with active stomach ulcers or sensitive stomachs will not want to use ibuprofen, since it has aspirin-like effects. If you take ibuprofen, take it with food to minimize the effect. You should also be aware that ibuprofen has a blood thinning effect that can reduce the effectiveness of some blood pressure medicines and diuretics.
3. Naproxen may be effective for you, under its more common name, Aleve. This medicine may reduce the number of your migraines, but is not likely to give total migraine prevention.
4. A fourth OTC pain reliever you may want to try at the first sign of a migraine is Excedrin Migraine.
Ask your doctor before taking any of these regularly for migraine prevention.
Common Prescription Medicines
If OTC medicines fail to provide the degree of migraine prevention you seek, you may want to try a prescription medicine. Prescription strength pain relievers have been found to reduce the number of migraine episodes for more than half of all migraineurs. A few of the many prescription medicines available to you are listed here.
1. Ponstel, Anaprox, Naprosyn, Naprelan, and Topamax. Topamax claims to be the U.S. #1 prescribed brand for migraine prevention. Prescription strength Naproxen (Naprosyn, Anaprox, Naprelan) thins the blood, so your physician may not choose this as a fit for you if you are taking oral blood thinners or anticoagulants. Naproxen can have adverse gastrointestinal side effects also, so you should not use it if you have an active ulcer or sensitive stomach. Most doctors believe it is better to use medicines of this type continuously over a period of time to build up the effectiveness and provide ongoing migraine prevention rather than just pain relief.
2. Another class of prescription medicines that may give migraine prevention is Beta-blockers. These drugs, more often used to reduce high blood pressure, are sometimes helpful in cutting down on the number of migraine episodes. Of those that may give effective migraine prevention are inderal, Lopressor, metoprolol, nadolol, and timolol.
3. Physicians are gradually learning that antidepressants also provide migraine prevention for some patients. It is believed that this is due to the medicines’ effects on serotonin, the brain’s chemical messenger that influences migraine.
Which Size Is Right for You?
There are many other medicines, both prescription and non-prescription that are thought to provide a measure of migraine prevention. Like shopping for a new pair of dress shoes, you may have to try several before you find the one or two that work for you. Be sure to do your migraine prevention “shopping” with a health care provider, as he or she will know the possible side effects or interactions with medication you are already taking.
©2007, Anna Hart. Member of a “migraine family” and sympathizer with all migraineurs, Anna invites you to read more of her articles about the prevention of migraine headaches at http://www.migrainereliefblog.com/ You won’t want to miss Anna’s flip-side insights and perspectives on the best migraine prevention without medicines.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anna_Hart
7 Things You Should Know About Optical Migraines
January 29, 2008
Sometime in our lives, we experience headaches that come and go and are often so severe that our daily routines are affected. Oftentimes, when these headaches occur, we also experience some form of visual changes. Then we say, “It’s probably just a migraine.”
1. What is a migraine?
Migraine is a recurrent type of headache that is severely painful and usually occurs only on one side of the head. An aura occurs right before one of these attacks. An aura could be manifested as visual flashes or spots or even ringing in the ears which is opposite of the side where the headache is about to occur. The migraine attack may also come with symptoms of dizziness, vomiting, nausea and double vision.
2. What is an optical migraine?
As opposed to a real migraine, an optical migraine also involves an aura that comes before a migraine attack, but there is the absence of pain. This is rarer than the migraine that comes with severe pain. It is also know as acephalgic migraine or visual or ocular migraine. It is a migraine aura unaccompanied by headache.
The visual disturbances that are experienced are flashing lights that look like zigzag or “fortress-like” lights. These auras usually begin as small visual marches crossing the field of vision that slowly fades away. Attacks like these last for several minutes to almost an hour.
If it will come with a headache, the pain will follow in an hour. An optical migraine can also be experienced as a blind spot in the field of vision.
3. How sure am I that I am experiencing an optical migraine?
Migraines are usually diagnosed if the same symptoms are experiences over and over in many years. It is optical migraine if the same aura is experienced. In case there is a change in the visual pattern, it might be something more serious. A doctor should be consulted in this case.
4. What could be the cause of these migraines?
The cause for migraine is not yet confirmed, it has remained unknown. However, there have been theories that these headaches are caused by allergies, temporary edema of the brain and even endocrine disturbances. One thing is for sure, it is due to disturbance in the blood circulation in the brain. It has been proven that the pain is associated with the narrowing of blood vessels in the brain followed by dilation.
5. What could be more serious causes of headaches if they are not migraines?
Not all headaches are migraines and not all visual disturbances are caused by migraines. There could be more serious causes that may force you to consult a doctor. Visual changes can also be caused by partial seizures, a retina in the eye could have been detached, a “mini-stroke” or a transient ischemic attack, multiple sclerosis or even a brain tumor.
6. Who is more likely to get an optical migraine?
Optical migraines are usually experienced by more women than men at a ratio of 3:1. This is an illness that is usually inherited.
7. What is the common treatment for optical migraines?
Sedatives and aspirin are common medications prescribed to patients with this illness. Resting or sleeping in a dark room usually relieves the symptoms. However, if the aural migraine is accompanied by severe headache, injection of triptans or ingestion or nasal spraying of the same drug gives relief. Beta-blockers, antidepressants and antiepileptic drugs are also effective for most patients.
It is important to recognize the aura that comes before the headache so that medication can be taken before the actual attack. This will prevent the pain from setting in. Biofeedback has been proven to be a good type of therapy for patients who get these attacks.
Having all these in mind, you would now know if you are experiencing an ordinary headache or a true-blue migraine. Now, you could also determine if those weird visual disturbances are auras previous to a migraine attack or if it is an optical migraine.
What is important here is for you to recognize the symptoms that go with the headache. Observation is the key. You must recognize the tell-tale sign that you are about to get a full-blown attack of a migraine or if you should seek medical help because it is a sign of something more serious. Never take these headaches for granted, they could mean your life.
For more information now go to: http://www.byebyemigraine.com http://www.myalpha-power.com or http://www.aperfectharmony.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathalie_Fiset
Migraine Symptoms - Can A Migraine Be ‘Healing?’
January 21, 2008
The migraine symptoms you are experiencing may be a ‘healing response’ by your body to an imbalance in your nervous system.
Migraine Symptoms
If you get migraines, you know your symptoms intimately. You could describe them in your sleep. They typically include:
Throbbing pain, usually on one side of your head. A pale face and cold hands and feet. Sensitivity to light and sound. Blurred vision. Dizziness and numbness. Difficulty in concentrating or speaking. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Stuffed nose. Stiff neck. Tender scalp. Intense fatigue. Nervousness. Anxiety.
Imbalance In Your Nervous System
What do these symptoms have in common? They are all indicative of an overactive sympathetic nervous system. This system elicits the “fight or flight” response you experience during periods of stress. Migraine headaches seem to be connected to the activity of your sympathetic nervous system. In fact, sustained periods of stress can lead to migraines.
How Can Anyone Think Of A Migraine As ‘Healing?’
Some researchers think that a migraine is literally a healing phenomenon. They think it helps to ‘flip the switch’ in your body back toward parasympathetic nervous system activity. The parasympathetic system prepares the body for rest and helps the digestion process, so our bodies can efficiently take in nutrients from the food we eat.
What Does This Tell You?
By preventing (or decreasing) over stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, migraines can be avoided. The best way to do this is to consciously stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system: 1. breathe calmly 2. relax your major muscle groups.
The Key Word is ‘Prevention’
Once a migraine has begun, the chain of reactions is already set in motion. The migraine has momentum, like a freight train. It is harder to stop a migraine than to prevent one starting in the first place.
Sandra Feder is a writer (fiction and nonfiction) and a former research chemist. I’m interested in migraine symptoms, migraine treatment, migraine help, migraine prevention, migraine relief, because I had migraines for many years. I developed a system that helped my body to stop making migraines and I wrote a book about it. I found that there were five areas of imbalance that contributed to my migraines. Stop Migraine Symptoms Naturally
Migraine and Cluster Headache
January 21, 2008
Headache is a general problem of people around the world. The attack can occur in every age, every opportunity and both sex. To diagnose and treatment of headache, the physicians have to know the cause and characteristic of each type headache.
Migraine and cluster headache are the severe head pain. The basic physiology of migraine and cluster headache involve with the dysfunction of trigemino vascular system cause vasodilation (enlargement of blood vessel) and neurologic inflammation. But migraine is afflicted more than cluster headache. However many patients can suffer from mixed both type.
In general symptoms of migraine are attack lasting 4-72 hours, nausea and/or vomiting, most commonly unilateral (one sided) location, aggravated by causing avoidance for routine physical activities such as walking, running, sensitive to the light and may have aura(visual) before head pain.
Do you know the difference of migraine and cluster headache?
1. Sex
Male and female are afflicted with both type headaches. In migraine headache, Female afflicted than male but the occurrence of cluster headache, male afflicted than female.
2. Duration of headache
The periodicity of the headache may implicate hypothalamic dysfunction but migraine has longer duration of head than cluster. The attack time in migraine is 4 - 72 hours and in cluster headache is 20 min - 3 hours.
3. Frequent of attacks
Cluster attacks more frequently than migraine. Cluster headache attacks every 1-3 day, although migraine attacks to the patients every 1-8 month.
4. Occurrence of attacks
The period time of attack in cluster headache is about 2 weeks - 2 month but migraine headache occurs 2-8 times a month.
5. Lacrimation (tear drop)
The clinical symptom presentations of pain around the eyes cause lacrimation. It is found frequent in cluster headache but migraine is found less than cluster headache.
6. Blurred vision
The patient may have blurred vision from both headaches but migraine is found more often than cluster headache
7. Nausea/Vomiting
About 85% chance of nausea and vomiting present in migraine headache, although 2-5% chance of the symptoms are found in cluster headache.
Treatment
The goal of treatment include: pain relief, reducing the frequency of attack and prophylactic the recurrent. Normally, treatment with medication and evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic is the first guideline. Other treatment is without medicine by improvement the quality life and reducing the stress that trigger to migraine.
Conclusion
Not only migraine and cluster headache are the problems of head pain but the other headaches may cause from serious and life threatening condition such as brain tumor, sinus meningitis or stroke. So if you have signs and symptoms of headache you should go to see the physician.
Various Types of Migraines
January 21, 2008
Various types of migraine are abdominal, basilar, complicated, hemiplegic, nocturnal, and cyclic migraine syndrome.
Abdominal migraine is also known as periodic syndrome which is common among children. It typically occurs to those have it in their heredity and this type may lead to a classic migraine. Symptoms of this type include periodic attacks of pain in the abdomen in approximately two hours.
Basilar migraine, also called Bickerstaff’s syndrome, typically affects adolescent women. This occurs when migraine obstructs the circulation the back part of the neck or brain. Its symptoms are dizziness, loss of balance, and even fainting.
Another type is the complicated migraine that usually occurs with extended aura that may last for a number of hours or could reach to few days. This type poses a risk of the disorder leading to changes in the neurological area of the brain which is associated with MRI scan changes, those that are present in stroke.
Hemiplegic migraine is the rarest among all types but one of the most severe. Its symptoms include temporary paralysis of the motor function and obstructions in the sensory system on a certain side of the body. As soon as the headache occurs, these symptoms may be gone.
When migraine attacks early morning, it is the nocturnal type. Studies show that this type of migraine is associated with adrenalin changes.
Cyclic migraine syndrome is the most disturbing when it comes to dealing with a person’s daily activities. It occurs ten times or more every month.
Treatment
Doctors recommend over-the-counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatory medications namely:
• Ibuprofen – Motrin, Advil
• Naproxen – Alleve
• Aspirin - Excedrin Migraine
• Triptans
• Sumatriptan – Imitrex
• Zolmitriptan – Zomig
• Naratriptan – Amerge
Triptans are a new class of migraine medications that aids in managing the source of pain. What it does is that it reduces the tendency of the blood vessels to swell in the brain and lessens inflammation; all these contribute to reducing the pain caused by migraine.
An Introduction To Migraine Headache
January 21, 2008
Headache is one common problem that everyone faces. Like other sicknesses, even headache has its genres depending upon nature and causes of headache. Headache could be the side effect of some diseases or it may trigger because of constant stress that you may have been facing in your life. Although, most types of headache could be effectively cured but one genre of headache is yet to be offered a permanent cure. Yes! I am talking about migraine pain that is still shrouded with mystery.
Medical science is yet to ascertain exact causes of migraine headache. In most of the cases migraine pain disappears suddenly after troubling you for quite some time. But it may worsen a person’s condition if it is a recurring one. It happens when you are afflicted with classic migraine pain.
In rare cases, the pain is termed as Status Migrainosus. This migraine pain persists till you undergo severe medication and take sufficient rest. This type of migraine completely disrupts your schedule. You are needed to take a break and relax for a couple of days. However, majority of folks suffer from common migraine pain which makes you fall on the bed. You are resilient enough to quickly come back to your routine after a common migraine.
Seeing the gravity of migraine pain, you are not recommended to use over the counter pain killers to subside your pain.
Most of the medical researchers claim that migraine pain could be due to variation in serotonin level. Serotonin is a brain chemical that is said to have its effect on blood vessels going to brain. Blood vessels keep swelling and shrinking due to varying level of serotonin. This variation beyond the normal range results in to migraine. But, factual evidences have not yet proved the perfection of this medical theory regarding migraine.
It’s not necessary that only adults might suffer from migraine, even a child could suffer from migraine if he/she remains in stressful situations. Children afflicted with migraine must not be allowed to use non-prescription pain killers. Such children are suggested to perform breathing exercises and other relaxation exercises.
If you are facing a recurring migraine pain, you must also keep track of the frequency of recurrence. It happens to be of great help for doctors in suggesting medication by ascertaining the gravity level of migraine.
Natural Migraine Relief - Vitamin B2
January 21, 2008
What Is Vitamin B2?
Vitamin B2 is also known as Vitamin G (riboflavin).
Vitamin B2 is an easily absorbed water soluble vitamin. It plays a vital part in the metabolizing of fats, protein and carbohydrates to produce red blood cells, thyroid hormones and energy.
Vitamin B2 can be found in the following foods:
- Wheat Germ
- Leafy Green Vegetables
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Whole Grains
The functions of vitamin B2 are:
- Energy production
- Good brain function
- Healthy hair, nails, skin, eyes lenses and mucus membrane
- Maintains immunity
- Metabolizes fats, protein and carbohydrates
- Production of red blood cells
- Tissue growth, repair and maintenance
Why Is Vitamin B2 A Natural Migraine Relief?
Vitamin B2 is considered a natural migraine relief, because research has shown that when patients who suffered from migraine attacks took large amounts of vitamin B2, the severity and frequency of their migraine attacks where reduced. In some cases, by up to two-thirds.
Other clinical trials sowed that smaller doses can reduce the frequency of migraine attacks by one-third.
How Much Vitamin B2 Do You Need To Take As A Natural Migraine Relief?
In the previously mentioned trials, the smaller dose was 25 mg per day and the larger dose was 400 mg per day.
It is best to start with small doses and slowly increase the dose until you get the desired effects.
Vitamin B2 is non-toxic, but as with all supplements, it is best to consult you doctor before taking large doses of vitamin B2.
So, to sum up…
Vitamin B2 is an easily absorbed water soluble vitamin.
Vitamin B2 is considered a natural migraine relief because clinical trials have shown that in large doses it can reduce the severity and frequency of their migraine attacks.
Could A Migraine Headache Be Linked To A Change In Seasons?
January 21, 2008
A migraine headache is one of the worst headaches a person can experience. They are debilitating as they do not just provide pain but is usually accompanied by sensitivity to light, sound and cause nausea. Most sufferers have to lie down in a darkened bedroom, with a wet cloth over their eyes until the migraine finally goes away. A migraine headache may last from hours to days.
The cause of the migraine headache is unknown, which is exceedingly frustrating. Also, not everyone will experience a migraine in the same way. Not even the same person will have a migraine headache the same way! My migraines occur in the Spring and Fall when the seasons change. Doctors do not know if the trigger is pollen, change of the amount of sunlight per day or change in stress level.
Thankfully I only get one migraine each season but the migraine headache is not the same each time. Some migraines are very bad and feel like someone is drilling all over my skull at once. Other times my head just feels like it is stuck in a vise. Sometimes I’ll get an aura before the migraine headache starts. That at least gives me a warning so that I can get home and stop driving before it hits.
The migraine headache aura is something peculiar to the migraine headache. It is a visual disturbance that migraine sufferers will experience before the headache begins and may also occur during the rest of the headache.
I have experienced two types of aura with my migraines over the years. The aura will either be a large arch of vibrating red and blue small triangles that gradually appear and block out my vision in one eye, or it will be a hole of no vision over one eye. My left eye seems to be the one usually affected by the auras. As you can see, it is impossible to function normally with an aura that precursors a migraine headache.
After the migraine headache is over I am completely exhausted and feel ill. For those that have never had the misfortune to experience a migraine headache, it is very hard to explain the pain and recovery symptoms. It is like needing to recover from physical torture. Your body needs to recover and so does your mental state. I am lucky in that I only have a few migraine headaches a year. I really do not know how people can even live when they have several migraines a week!
