MTCA Magazine May 2013 issue by North American Spine

Phoenix: Omega is here! Also in this issue: • • • • • • •

Think you have Chronic Headaches? There’s an App for That! Migraine Fighting Foods Have You Thought About Migraine Surgery? Beach Tips to Prevent Chronic Migraine Flare-ups Is Exercise a Migraine Treatment or Trigger? Not All Red Wine Triggers Chronic Migraine Research Reveals Stigma: Migraine Treatment Essential

Migraine Treatment Centers of America Courtesy Magazine may 2013

Phoenix:

Omega is here!

Tell us your vote: is Phoenix, Arizona good or bad for chronic migraine sufferers? On one hand, the lack of trees may mean fewer allergy-triggered migraines. On the other hand, the bright sun, extreme temperatures and frequent risk of dehydration can make life difficult! Phoenix now has one more positive for those of you with chronic migraines… Dr. Abram Burgher and Freedom Pain Hospital are now working with Migraine Treatment Centers of America to provide the Omega migraine procedure. This is good news for chronic migraine sufferers outside Phoenix, too: whether you live in Tucson or Las Vegas, the Omega procedure is now a short distance away. Double board-certified in interventional pain management and anesthesiology, Dr. Burgher is devoted to helping people overcome pain. He is an honors graduate of the University of Minnesota’s School of Medicine, and completed his residency in anesthesiology and fellowship in pain management at the world-recognized Mayo Clinic. Dr. Burgher is actively involved in clinical research regarding the use of implanted pain therapy devices to alleviate pain in patients with chronic pain – a perfect fit for the Omega procedure.

Now Phoenix residents who experience chronic migraine pain have convenient access to the Omega procedure, thanks to Dr. Burgher and the Freedom Pain Hospital (the nation’s first pain hospital). So cast your vote: is Phoenix now migraine-friendly? We hope so!

Think you have Chronic Headaches? There’s an App for That!

When you visit a doctor for headaches or migraines, you can expect certain questions to pop up: How often do you get these headaches? What do you think triggers them?

There you are… flipping through the blank pages in your mind, or if you’re more organized than that, a scribbled notebook, desperately trying to piece together the information that will help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis. Now you can relax, because computer whizzes at the University of Michigan Headache & Orofacial Pain Effort and the 3D Lab have designed an APP FOR THAT! Using your smart-phone or tablet, you can easily create an organized migraine journal. After all, we always seem to have our gadgets nearby. This new app works by tapping a 3D image of a skull to identify the location of your pain, and answering questions about pain, triggers and other information.

While making the correct diagnosis for your headaches may be part science and part art, one thing is for sure: by tracking your pain, symptoms and daily activities, technology can play a big part in understanding your pain. It may be worth checking out!

SOMETHING TO CHEW ON: Migraine Fighting Foods

By avoiding red wine, chocolate and cheese, migraineurs seem to be destined for the culinary abyss. Before you resign yourself to the idea that you can no longer eat at all, consider this bright news: some foods may actually help alleviate migraine woes! Nutrition expert Joy Bauer recently identified certain nutrients that prevent or lessen the migraines, in an interview with the Huffington Post. These include:

Water

To avoid dehydration, a migraine trigger, she recommends women drink 9 cups and men drink 13 cups of fluid each day.

Magnesium

Especially beneficial with menstrual migraines, this mineral may help all migraines. Magnesium-rich foods include spinach, potatoes, quinoa, sunflower seeds, cantaloupe and whole grains.

Riboflavin

Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Monounsaturated Fats

These ‘healthy’ fats, linked to so many health benefits, are also believed to lessen inflammation that worsens migraine pain. Supplements and foods like wild salmon, eggs and olive oil provide these nutrients. A combination of the above nutrients and CoQ10, a vitamin-like substance, may be helpful in preventing and managing migraine. Beans are great too.

Boosting riboflavin or Vitamin B2 may help maintain needed energy at the cellular level. Try this with a supplement, lean beef, broccoli, fortified cereal and/or low fat milk.

Have You Thought About Migraine Surgery?

Migraine sufferers are no strangers to disappointment —trying countless treatments, only to find they don’t work or produce unwanted side effects. For chronic migraineurs, thinking about migraine surgery may be the logical next step.

Some procedures and minimally invasive options, such as the Omega™ migraine procedure, offer a distinct advantage over other surgical procedures: patients can get a pretty good idea about the likelihood of success before the permanent procedure. Other migraine procedures include:

• Botox injected into trigger points, in the forehead

and other locations may interfere with pain. These preliminary injections can help identify specific pain points.

• A variation of the brow-lift, which permanently removes muscles associated with migraine pain.

• Minimally invasive arterial surgery, which

cauterizes superficial blood vessels in the scalp (terminal branches of the external carotid artery) that cause migraine pain.

The Omega procedure is a long-term and reversible alternative. Similar to implanting a pacemaker, this migraine procedure uses an implanted neurostimulator – used successfully for over 40 years to treat various conditions - to soothe the occipital and supraorbital nerves that transmit chronic migraine headache pain.

Beach Tips to Prevent Chronic Migraine Flare-ups Concerned your chronic migraines will ruin your upcoming beach vacation? The following tips will help you prevent common sand n’ surf migraine triggers:

Bright Sunlight

Good quality sunglasses are a must for the beach, where you’re exposed to overhead sunshine and glare from the sand and sea. Perch yourself under an umbrella for added protection.

Loud Noise & Crowds

You anticipate a relaxing experience with a great read and a margarita, only to discover crowds and blaring radios. Trek to an isolated spot, plug in your ear buds and listen to your own sounds of nature if necessary. …Perhaps ‘sounds of the ocean?’

Hot Temperatures and High Humidity

Avoid scorching sun and enjoy the cool ocean breeze early in the morning or evening. Take cover and stay hydrated with cool water. Avoid caffeinated drinks, alcoholic beverages, and lemonade - which can irritate your stomach from acid and sugars.

Strong Scents

When shopping for bug spray and sun protection lotion, make sure to opt for fragrance-free products. Remember also, moderate exercise is helpful in warding off chronic migraine flare-ups. So when you’re out at the beach, try a comforting yoga session or a long walk to stay healthy and have some fun! © Can Stock Photo Inc. / Andres

Is Exercise a Migraine Treatment or Trigger?

You may be missing out on exercise’s therapeutic benefits, if it triggered migraines in the past from: • Body tension and muscle strains from intense and infrequent activity • Lack of proper nutrition and hydration • Systemic shock from restrictive diets and training regimens • Sudden overexertion in high altitude or extreme weather environments • Oxygen deprivation from improper breathing technique While it sounds contradictory, health literature supports both positive and negative connections between exercise and migraines. These tips should help make exercising a pleasant and migraine friendly experience: • Keep your activity moderate, especially at the beginning, and aim for 30-minute sessions, 3-4 times per week. • Avoid the stress of long-term memberships to pricey health clubs. Visit a park or the neighborhood “Y.” • Be sure to track your activity, medication, food and drink in your migraine journal. • Prepare appropriately with proper clothing, footwear, warm-ups and stretching. • Hydrate before, during and after exercising. • Eat a well-balanced snack at least 1-2 hours before to avoid a blood sugar drop.

So, if you suffer with chronic migraines and avoid exercising out of fear that it will trigger an attack, you may want to reconsider and give it a go.

Not All Red Wine Triggers Chronic Migraine

Red wine lovers are usually devastated to learn that it is a common migraine trigger. If you are nodding your head at this point, the following should be good news!

ÂŠ Can Stock Photo Inc. / BerndLang

A small study from the Rio Headache Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil suggests that some red wines are more likely than others to trigger migraine headaches. The key seems to be the amount of tannins found in the particular wine, which are responsible for leaving a dry and puckery sensation in your mouth. The scientists suspected that tannins boost the production of serotonin in the brain, which may be linked with triggering migraines.

So, whether the researchers at the Rio Headache Center have stumbled upon information that will help you avoid a chronic migraine flare-up will depend on whether you are sensitive to tannins in red wine. You may also consider trying lower-tannin red wines without sulfites. Cheers!

DO YOU FEEL ISOLATED? RESEARCH UNCOVERS WHY

As if struggling to work or care for your family with a migraine isn’t enough, research confirms that migraineurs can be socially isolated, too. Researchers have confirmed that migraineurs don’t only suffer from physical and emotional distress... they can also experience social stigma. The good news: now you know you’re not alone. Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital’s Headache Center in Philadelphia reviewed data from 308 subjects against a stigma scale for chronic illness. Of the study group, 123 people had migraines, 123 people had chronic migraines and 64 people had epilepsy. Epilepsy is a seizure disorder frequently associated with social stigma. After

compensating for other variables, the researchers found the scores of those with epilepsy and chronic migraine were very similar, and significantly higher than those with episodic migraine. The study found that the social stigma was strongly tied to the perception that the individual can’t function at work. Chronic migraine sufferers presented the highest social stigma score because they missed work more than other groups. The lead author indicated that roughly one quarter of the migraine patients in his own practice were unable to work due to their disability.

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