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What Are Silent Migraines
www.webmd.com/ migraines.headaches Page 2
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A Monthly Newsletter Is A Migraine Just A Really Bad Headache?
Types of Migraines
Surprising Headache Historical Overview Triggers www.news-medical.net Identify Triggers
www.migraines.org
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5 Important Lifestyle Changes for Migraine Patients www.acufinder.com
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Page 5 Acupuncture Treats Headaches & Migraines
www.health.howstuffwo www.webmd.com/ rks.com/diseases migraines-headaches
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Issue No 16 - January 2014
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Migraines: Fast Facts www.ivallage.com
“A positive mental attitude is the starting point of all riches, whether they be riches of a material nature or intangible riches“ Napoleon Hill
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(vasoconstriction),
while migraine pain is due to the expansion of those blood vessels (vasodilation). During a
Is A Migraine Just A Really Bad Headache? The short answer -- nope.
A
common headache is caused by the
cranial
blood
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vessels
migraine, surrounding
the the
tissue brain
is
swollen, causing intense pain. Medication prescribed for a headache (developed to dilate the blood vessels), will actually increase migraine pain. This is just on of the many reasons why proper diagnosis of migraine is so important.
Migraine History In 400 BC Hippocrates described the visual aura that can precede the migraine headache and the relief which can occur through vomiting. Aretaeus of Cappadocia is credited as the “discoverer” of migraines because of his second century description of the symptoms of a unilateral headache associated with vomiting, with headache-free intervals in between attacks.
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Types of Migraines
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The head is a funny thing. While doctors don’t really know why certain people get certain types of migraines, they do some fundamental differences. A higher percentage of women suffer migraine pain. Men, on the other hand, are ten times more likely than women to get cluster headaches, which usually cause pain behind one eye. Migraines run in families, whereas cluster headaches don’t. These are some different types of headaches and migraines:
Chronic Migraines People who experience more than 15 migraines in a month are diagnosed with chronic migraine.
Classic Migraines These are migraines with an aura--the lines, colors, zigzag patterns and blind spots at the edge of vision that occur before migraine pain hits.
Common Migraines This is when you have a migraine pain with no aura. These can come on suddenly, but some have symptoms like euphoria or cognitive problems before the onset of pain.
Ocular Migraines Some people get aura symptoms -- zigzagging lines, blind spots, floating lights -- without the head pain of a classic migraine. These usually last about 30 minutes. The good news is that these are harmless, probably caused by changes in the eye’s blood vessels. The bad news is that there’s no way to prevent or cure them; you just have to stick them out.
Abdominal Migraines These are more common in children; however, adults can have this form, too. These are often difficult to diagnose because when an abdominal migraine strikes, the symptoms of a migraine are present (increased light and sound sensitivity, nausea, vomiting). Yet, similar to an ocular migraine, there is no head pain.
Cluster Headaches Cluster headaches are not migraines. They are quite possibly the most painful of all headaches. The pain explodes suddenly, usually about two hours after the person has gone to sleep. Unlike that of a migraine, the pain comes on quickly and is concentrated behind one eye or the other. They can last anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours, often disappearing as quickly as they came. They are called cluster headaches because they occur repeatedly for several weeks at at time--and then go away for months, or even a year or more--before another cluster begins. Cluster headaches do not seem to run in families, and they don’t seem to be caused by brain diseases or chemical factors. Lack of sleep and other behavioral factors seem to be the primary cause.
Thunderclap Headaches Like cluster headaches, a thunderclap headache is very sudden and severe - like a thunderclap - thought it lasts a much shorter time and does not recur nightly. These are usually signs of something seriously wrong, like blood pooling in the brain. If you experience one of these, get to the doctor right away! Starlight Brain Integration, llc
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Surprising Headache Triggers ★ Your Boss: Yes, your boss can really give you a headache. Anything that boosts your stress level can make you more
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vulnerable to tension headaches or migraines. ★ Weather: When the temperature changes, so does the likelihood of developing a migraine. Whether it’s a heat wave or a cold snap, the change can trigger a headache. Rain or changes in barometric pressure also may lead to headaches. ★ Cold Cuts: Processed meats, such as cold cuts, have two strikes agains them. The often contain tyramine, as well as food additives such as nitrates, which may cause trigger headaches in some people. Headaches caused by food additives are usually felt on
both sides of the head (in contrast to a classic migraine, which strikes one side at a time). ★ Strong Scents: Strong smells, even nice ones, trigger migraines in many people. Why this happens is unclear, but the odors may stimulate the nervous system. The most common culprits are paint, perfume, and certain types of flowers. ★ Cheese: A migraine trigger for some people is aged cheese, including cheddar, parmesan and swiss. The culprit may be a substance called tyramine. The longer a food ages, the more tyramine it contains.
Identify Triggers: If you can identify your most common triggers, you may be able to cut off headaches before they start. The best way to accomplish this is a headache diary. Keep a daily log of foods you eat, stressful events, weather changes and physical activity.
When To See A Doctor: Any new headache that is unusually severe or lasts more than a few days, should be checked by a doctor.
Historical Overview Perhaps one of the oldest medical conditions afflicting mankind, migraine headaches were first recorded during the Mesopotamian Era in about 3,000 B.C. A few notable migraine sufferers throughout history include Thomas Jefferson, Julius Caesar, Cervantes, Sigmund Feud, Ulysses S. Grant, Lewis Carroll and Vincent Van Gogh. Historically, migraines have been treated with trial-and-error approaches, based upon the prevailing medical knowledge of the time, or with primitive methods based upon superstitions. Some of the treatments prescribed by early physicians such as Galen and Hypocrites, included:
• Purges and bloodletting • Applying a hot iron to the site of pain • Inserting a clove of garlic through an incision in the temple. As medical science replaced superstition and crude “medical procedures,” scientists began to look into the physiology of migraine. Researchers have long believed that migraine involves some type of interaction between cranial blood vessels and the brain. Two theories are associated with this connection. The older theory suggests that migraine involves an initial momentary stage of vessel constriction followed by a more prolonged period of vessel dilation, resulting in the characteristic, throbbing pain. A newer theory suggests that the initial stimulus for migraine occurs within the brain itself, causing major semihemispherical cranial vasodilatation, while a sequence of events initiates the release of serotonin.
• Drilling a hole in the skull to free “evil spirits”
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Acupuncture Treats Headaches and Migraines
Migraine and Headache Sufferers: Acupuncture Can Help Acupuncture can offer powerful relief without the side effects that prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine have been used to relieve Headaches and Migraines, as well as their underlying causes, for thousands of years and is a widely accepted form of treatment for headaches in our society. There are acupuncturists that specialize in the treatment of headaches and migraines and can help you manage your pain with acupuncture and Chinese herbs alone, or as part of a comprehensive treatment program.
The Acupuncture Treatment Acupuncture points to treat headaches are located all over the body. During the acupuncture treatment, tiny needles will be placed along your legs, arms, shoulders, and perhaps even your big toe!
There seems to be little sensitivity to the insertion of acupuncture needles. They are so thin that several acupuncture needles can go into the middle of a hypodermic needle. Occasionally, there is a brief moment of discomfort as the needle penetrates the skin, but once the needles are in place, most people How Acupuncture Works relax and even fall asleep for the duration of the The basic foundation for Oriental medicine is that treatment. there is a life energy flowing through the body which The length, number and frequency of treatments will is termed Qi (pronounced chee). This energy flows vary. Typical treatments last from five to 30 minutes, through the body on channels known as meridians with the patient being treated one or two times a that connect all of our major organs. According to week. Some symptoms are relieved after the first Chinese medical theory, illness arises when the treatment, while more severe or chronic ailments cyclical flow of Qi in the meridians becomes often require multiple treatments. unbalanced Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points located near or on the surface of the skin which examined. It was found that headache and migraine have the ability to alter various biochemical and sufferers experienced significantly more relief from physiological conditions in order to achieve the acupuncture than patients who were administered "sham" acupuncture. desired effect.
What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality - Plutarch Starlight Brain Integration, llc
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5 Important Lifestyle Changes for Migraine Patients
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Daily habits may make a difference in your migraines. What helps one person with migraines may have no effect on someone else. But some of the things you try to keep migraines under control include: Regiment Your Life: “Be boring," says neurologist Gretchen Tietjen, MD, director of the University of Toledo's Headache Treatment and Research Program. "Keep a regular schedule. Make sure you go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time in the morning. Get an adequate amount of sleep, but don't oversleep. Eat your meals on a regular schedule." Nourish Your Body: People with headaches tend to be much more vulnerable to the effects of dehydration. Always keep a bottle of water and a snack handy: Peanut butter and an apple, or mild cheese and crackers, are good protein-carb combos. Watch What You Eat: Some experts say that there's no such thing as a dietary trigger for migraines. But headache specialist Deborah Friedman, MD, professor of neurology and neurotherapeutics at the University of Texas-Southwestern, says probably half of her migraine patients can identify foods that bring on their migraines. Get Moving: Daily exercise appears to be very helpful for many people with migraine, especially when they begin the day with it. A growing body of research suggests that yoga, in particular, is beneficial to migraine
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patients. However, exercise is a migraine trigger for some people. The issue sometimes is making the workout too intense, too quickly -- or becoming dehydrated. So aim for moderate exercise and be sure to hydrate before and after. If you are not active now, you may want to check in with your doctor before starting a new exercise program. Reduce Stress: Stress seems to be one of the biggest lifestyle factors associated with migraine. Of course, you can't get rid of all stress. But there are things you can do. Learning stress management techniques, like biofeedback, meditation, and cognitive behavioral strategies, is absolutely imperative for people with frequent headaches. Keeping a journal is the best way to figure out which lifestyle factors may play a role in your migraines, Here's how: * Every day, write down what you ate and drank and when; when and if you exercised; when you went to bed and got up; and any big stresses you experienced. * Record when you get migraines. After a few weeks, you can start to look for patterns in your journal. If you can identify lifestyle factors that trigger migraines that are modifiable -- such as when you're eating and how much you're sleeping -- you may be able to find some relief. 5
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Migraine: Fast Facts
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Women have migraines three times more often than men, according to the National Headache Foundation (NHF). A migraine is a severe, debilitating form of headache that typically appears as a throbbing ache near the side of the forehead. After tension headaches, migraines are the second most common kind of headache. Migraines differ from other types of headaches because they often are more severe and may be accompanied by other symptoms. Migraines are typically felt on only one side of the head. They can last from four hours to more than three days. Migraines occur most often between ages 15 and 55. This kind of headache is usually chronic, occurring repeatedly throughout one’s lifetime. Migraines are considered a type of vascular headache because, in addition to nerves and chemicals, they involve the blood vessels in the brain. Migraines are most likely caused by an abnormal trigger of chemicals that cause these blood vessels to swell. More than 29.5 million Americans experience migraines. You are much more likely to have migraines if migraine sufferers are in your immediate family. According to NHF, 70 to 80 percent of migraine suffers have a family history of migraines. An aura is a cluster of warning symptoms that may appear before the headache occurs. These may include visual disturbances such as sensitivity to light, tunnel vision and eye pain. The aura may develop 20 minutes to an hour before a migraine. Starlight Brain Integration, llc
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