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Suffering from migraine headaches is painful enough…now, a new report says that mommy migraine sufferers are more than twice as likely to have babies with colic than non-migraine headache sufferers, leading experts to wonder if colic in infants is an early symptom of migraines.

Migraines from birth?  Maybe…

In a recent University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) study, child neurologist Dr. Amy Gelfand surveyed 154 moms with migraines, and made this startling discovery:

Mothers who have a history of migraines are 2 ½ times more likely to have babies that show symptoms of colic, compared with moms who have no history of migraines.

Where 11% of non-migraineur mothers have colicky babies, a much higher percentage- 29 percent– of mothers who suffer from migraines give birth to babies who cry around the clock and appear to be suffering from a mysterious pain for which there is no relief.

Colic attacks or migraine attacks?

Moms have been fretting over colicky babies ever since the Stone Age.  For years, scientists have wondered what causes this mysterious affliction that begins at the age of two months and may continue well into toddlerhood.

Symptoms of colic include fussiness, abnormal crying patterns, excessive crying, restlessness, inability to sleep through the night, and a general impression that your baby is suffering from some sort of immense pain that cannot be relieved.  (Sound like migraines?)

“We’ve known about colic for a really long time,” Dr. Gelfand says, “but despite this fact, no one really knows why these babies are crying.”

In recent years, speculations have been made linking colic with gastrointestinal problems.  Debates raged over whether or not bottle-fed babies suffer more colic than breast-fed babies do, insinuating that mothers who feed their babies infant formulas are unintentionally harming them.  Grandmother tonics abound, promising to relieve gas pains that indicate colic.

After 50 years of research, we are still no closer to understanding what causes colic in infants, nor how to cure it.  Now, this promising new research sheds a new light on infant colic by introducing migraine disorder as a potential factor.

Infant migraine therapy

If colic in babies is really one of the first symptoms of migraine attacks, then we can use this information to begin safe, effective therapy from an early age- colic therapy, combined with migraine prevention.

Here are some effective migraine therapies and coping mechanisms that are worth investigating:

Reduce stimulation. We know that certain things trigger migraines; why not use this approach to ease colic in babies?  If you know that bright lights and strong scents trigger your own migraine attacks, then consider keeping the lights down for your own baby, and switching to non-scented baby lotions and cleansers.

Keep a migraine diary. Keep a log of your baby’s sleeping and crying patterns, noting when you breastfed or bottle-fed.  If you breastfeed, also take notes on what you ate.  Also include other factors like weather, runny nose, coughing, doctor’s checkups, and vaccinations.  In a few weeks, you may have enough information to provide some helpful clues as to what’s triggering your baby’s colic (or migraine) attack.

Hydrate. Dehydration sometimes triggers migraines, so make doubly certain that your baby is well fed, and receives proper hydration.  If you live in an arid environment, then consider using a hot/cold humidifier.

Keep things regular. The migraine brain is not flexible- it prefers rigid schedules.  Try to implement as much regularity into your baby’s day as possible.  Even if the only constant seems to be her continuous screaming, you still have some control over her daily timetable.

• Put her down for naps at home and always at the same times each day.
• Go for walks in the mornings or afternoons, but always at the same time of day, every day.
• Try to feed only at regular intervals.  This can be challenging, because all of your natural instincts tell you to comfort your baby in any way possible, and nothing is more comforting for your baby than a warm breast or bottle of milk.  Use your best judgment on this.

Ask your doctor about baby vitamins. Much research has been done on the link between migraines and vitamin deficiency.  In several cited studies, patients who received doses of riboflavin and magnesium saw a dramatic results.  Many infant vitamin supplements are available, but you should consult your child pediatrician before using.  Ask specifically about the safety of magnesium and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) supplements for infants.

Begin migraine treatments from the womb. If migraines are part of your family history, then you should consider using migraine treatments that are safe, natural, and free of side effects.  Consult your OB/GYN about the safety of taking supplements like magnesium, coenzyme Q10, riboflavin, and butterbur.

Please tell us…

• Are you a mom with migraines and if so, did your babies suffer from colic?
• Do have grown children who had colic as infants, and now struggle with migraines?
• How do you think scientists can use this information to better our understanding of migraines?

As always, we welcome your comments and questions!

Spread the love…

Please share this article with your friends, family, or anybody you care about!

Read more about migraines and pregnancy:

6 Safe Migraine Treatments for Pregnant Moms

Women get the Lion’s Share of Migraines and Chronic Pain

Sources:

Babies’ Colic Linked to Mothers’ Migraines

If cold feet and hands accompany migraines, then it might have something to do with the migraine medication you’re taking.  Numb, prickly fingers that turn suddenly ice cold could indicate Raynaud’s syndrome, a disorder that causes your blood vessels to contract.  Find out which migraine treatment is known to cause Raynaud’s syndrome, and which treatment for migraines and Raynaud’s might cure your cold feet.

What is Raynaud’s syndrome?

Pronounced “ray-NOHZ,” Raynaud’s syndrome (Raynaud’s phenomenon) is a rare peripheral arterial disease that causes your smaller blood vessels to shrink, significantly decreasing the amount of blood that reaches your extremities (hands, feet, nose, ears, and lips).  As a result, you feel a painful cold, numbing sensation that may last for minutes or hours.

Symptoms of Raynaud’s syndrome are:

• Coldness in fingers, hands, toes, feet, nose, ears, and lips
• Painful tingling sensation
• Skin discoloration, from white or blue to red
• Raynaud’s attacks that are triggered by stress or cold temperatures
• Stinging pain and swelling that accompanies relief

What causes Raynaud’s syndrome?

Women are more likely to experience Raynaud’s syndrome than are men.  In primary Raynaud’s syndrome, no cause is found.  If your doctor diagnoses Raynaud’s syndrome and finds a cause, then it is called secondary Raynaud’s syndrome.

Causes for Raynaud’s syndrome include:

• Damage to the blood vessels
• Repetitive actions that cause nerve damage
• Frostbite
• Hand or ankle injuries
• Exposure to nicotine
• Certain medications, including ergotamine for migraines

Migraines with Raynaud’s syndrome

If you are currently taking any medication for migraines that constricts your blood vessels, such as ergotamine, then you might be a risk factor for Raynaud’s syndrome.  While painful tingling and numbing coldness cannot compare to excruciating migraine headache pain, it is still worth acknowledging Raynaud’s syndrome as a factor when considering migraine treatments.

Migraine drugs that cause Raynaud’s syndrome:

• Ergotamine (Ergomar, Cafergot or Wigrane) Ergotamine treats migraines by narrowing the blood vessels near the brain.  Ergotamine is an abortive medicine, as opposed to a preventative migraine treatment.  If you have blood circulation problems, such as Raynaud’s syndrome, then you should avoid using ergotamine for migraines.
• Beta-Blockers (Lopressor or Cartrol) Beta-blockers are primarily used to treat heart syndrome symptoms like heart failure, hypertension, irregular heartbeat, and angina, but they are also helpful in preventing migraine attacks.  However, migraine patients with Raynaud’s syndrome are warned not to take Beta-blockers.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medicines (pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine) Vasoconstrictor drugs that shrink blood vessels are helpful for relieving allergies and sinus headaches.  Migraine patients might sometimes use OTC allergy medicines, particularly if sinus headaches trigger or exacerbate migraine headaches.  With Raynaud’s, use of vasoconstrictor medications is not advised.

Can magnesium benefit migraines and Raynaud’s?

Another theory doctors have regarding the cause of Raynaud’s syndrome is that it may correlate strongly with magnesium deficiency.  This would explain for the high correlation between migraines and Raynaud’s syndrome, as doctors also believe that some cases of migraine disorder are related to magnesium deficiency, as well.

In addition to magnesium, other neurologically healthful ingredients include butterbur, riboflavin, and coenzyme Q10.

Please tell us…

If you’ve been diagnosed with Raynaud’s syndrome and migraines, please tell us which migraine medications you have found most effective.

Spread the love…

Please share this article with your friends, family, or anybody you care about!

Read more about migraine medications:

Epic Fail! Top 10 Migraine Analgesic Errors Doctors Make

Are Doctors Overprescribing Painkillers for Migraines? Fox News Report

Coenzyme Q10 Benefits and Dosage Information

Sources:

Questions and Answers about Raynaud’s Phenomenon

Raynaud’s disease- MayoClinic.com

The concentration of magnesium in erythrocytes in female patients with primary Raynaud’s phenomenon; fluctuation with the time of year- PubMed, NCBI

If you’re in the middle of filing for disability because of migraine headaches, you might want to take some notes: Recently, a US court rejected one migraine patient’s request to access her ADA rights after losing her job because of migraines.  Why was she rejected, and what could she have differently to sway the judge in her favor?  Here are some key points to consider before making your own appeal for disability from chronic migraine headaches.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Since the 2008 amendments that were made to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the following three guidelines are used to determine who may file for disability:

• 1) A person must suffer from a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities,” the impairment being one that is recognized under ADA law.
• 2) A person must be able to identify one or more appropriate “major life activities,” which may include the ability to work and/or care for oneself.
• 3) A person must prove without doubt that the impairment substantially limits one or more of those activities.

Alethia Roselle Allen versus SouthCrest Hospital

Ms. Allen worked for several years as a medical assistant for SouthCrest hospital, performing tasks such as assisting doctors in medical procedures, calling in prescriptions, and discussing lab results with patients.  For the first few years, when she worked for Dr. Matthew Stevens, she was fine.

However, upon transferring to Dr. Adam Myers, Ms. Allen started to suffer severe migraine headaches.  While migraine headaches are not new to her- she used to get chronic migraines at the age of 18- this was her first time experiencing migraines since, while under employment for the SouthCrest hospital group.

During that year, Ms. Allen had to leave work because of migraines and chest pains, and she went straight to ER.  She resigned from her position at SouthCrest hospital, stating that migraine headaches and hypertension made it impossible for her to perform her job duties.

“…sometimes it was like I could get up and my head was still banging.  But I wasn’t dizzy or I wasn’t nauseated.  So I could keep moving.  Then other times, those are the times that I didn’t go to work.”

A few months after leaving her job, Ms. Allen stopped getting chronic migraines.  Nine months later, during the time of her deposition, Ms. Allen, still unemployed, had not suffered a migraine headache since her resignation.

Disability from migraines- denied

It seems obvious from looking at her history that migraines, which are an ADA-recognized disability, kept her from performing a “major life activity” (employment), and that her employer failed to accommodate to her needs.  Why then was she denied her ADA right for compensation?

Did migraines keep Ms. Allen from accomplishing major life activities like “working” and “caring for herself?”

According to Ms. Allen’s own words, she was able to complete her work duties during business hours while suffering from migraines, but would then “go home after work and crash and burn,” meaning that once she got home, she was unable to care for herself, nor do anything other than take migraine painkillers and go straight to bed.

“On the days I had headaches I would go home after work and “crash and burn.”  That is to say, I could not function or take care of any of the routine matters of caring for myself.  I could not do anything other than go home and  go straight to bed.”

According to the court, the fact that Ms. Allen had to retire to bed immediately upon coming home from work, though unusual, does not prove that she was any less able to care for herself than other people who choose to go to sleep early every evening.  In other words, her need to use sleep to escape her migraine symptoms don’t, according to ADA law, differentiate her from other people who forgo “caring for themselves,” i.e. eating and washing, in favor of going straight to bed.

Did migraines keep Ms. Allen from working under a broad range of jobs?

According to her own words, Ms. Allen was able to work in her previous station, in the office of Dr. Stevens, without suffering from migraines.  It was only after she moved to Dr. Myers’ office, a much more harried and stressful environment, that she started getting regular migraine attacks.

This probably hurt her case the most, as according to ADA law, “an employee must be significantly restricted in the ability to perform either a class of jobs or a broad range of jobs in various classes as compared to the average person having comparable training, skills, and abilities.”  Because she was able to work for one doctor and not the other, she failed to prove that her migraines prevented her from working in her basic professional field, or her “major life activity of work.”

What she failed to prove

Here are some points that could have significantly improved her case and proven that migraine headaches significantly interfered with her “major life activity of caring for herself:”

• Because of migraines, Ms. Allen had to go to bed earlier than usual.
• Ms. Allen’s migraine medications made her sleep longer than usual.
• Because of her migraine medication, she woke up later in the morning than usual.
• Because of having to go to sleep early to relieve her migraines, Ms. Allen was unable to care for herself, stating specific activities that she was unable to perform.
• On evenings when she had migraines, her ability to care for herself was significantly compromised.

Please tell us…

• Have you been successful in obtaining disability compensation due to suffering from chronic migraines?
• Do you have any advice to offer migraine sufferers contemplating filing under their ADA right?
• As always, we welcome your comments!

Spread the love…

Please share this article with your friends, family, or anybody you care about!

Read more about migraine law:

Migraines at Work- Can my Employers Fire me from my Job?

Social Security Disability for Migraine- 5 Tips for Filing

Cindy McCain Gives Voice to Migraine Syndrome

5 Free Ways to Support your fellow Migraine Headache Sufferer

Sources:

Allen v. SouthCrest Hospital

Tenth Circuit Holds Employee’s Migraines Not a Disability Under ADA

Let’s face it- Chronic migraines and housekeeping just don’t belong in the same sentence.  How are you supposed to keep your kitchen spic and span when your head is pounding like a jackhammer and you think you might vomit?  You can’t, and that’s okay.  If you suffer from chronic illness like migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, or chronic fatigue syndrome, then even achieving the “appearance of clean” is a huge accomplishment.  Here are some migraine-friendly tips for keeping your house together with little effort.

Tip #1: Lose the clutter

What’s the definition of clutter?  If you ask the packrat, he’ll say that it’s “everybody else’s stuff.”  But if you suffer from chronic migraines and fatigue, then clutter is “anything you haven’t used in over a year that requires dusting or organizing and takes up space.”

Take a good hard look at your closet, your kitchen counter, and your bathroom sink.  When was the last time you wore that pair of shoes, or those pants?  If you can’t remember, then you probably don’t wear them often enough to justify the amount of closet space they use.

What about your bathroom counter?  Can you reduce the amount of migraine medicine bottles, brushes, and bath supplies that are littering your shelf space?  If so, then swiping a wet cloth along the counter will be a cinch.

Getting to the kitchen- the fewer kitchen gadgets, dishware, and serving sets you have, the less stuff you’ll have to clean later when you’re having a migraine attack.

Lesson learned: Donate to charity- let your stuff be somebody else’s headache!

De-Clutter your Home, De-Clutter your Mind for Stress Relief

Tip #2: Don’t try to be Martha Stewart

Know your strengths and weaknesses, and make no apologies.  Yes, it would be nice if your living space was skillfully streamlined and artfully arranged with bright white toss pillows…but nobody ever felt comfortable lying down with a headache on one of those rigid, overstuffed grandma couches, anyways.

Comfort should be your design scheme.  Just focus on keeping the books in the bookcase, the dishes in the sink (yes!), the dirty laundry in the laundry room, and the mop in the storage room where you left it the last time you almost cleaned the kitchen floor, but your migraine wouldn’t let you.

Lesson learned: Nobody’s gravestone ever read, “She suffered migraines, but at least she kept a clean house.”

Tip #3: Waste not, rest not

It might not be the most environmental thing to do, but substituting disposable plates, napkins, forks, cups, foil, and pans is a great way to reduce migraines and cut down on the amount of kitchen cleanup later.  And while cleaning your kitchen counter with paper towels might be seen as wasteful, it’s still a lot healthier than using a kitchen sponge, which is often laden with disease-causing headache-producing germs.

If the notion of using paper plates still offends your Greenpeace loyalties, then seek out paper goods made from recycled fibers that are also recyclable.

Lesson learned: Be kind to the earth, and yourself.

Tip #4: I am the tortoise

Who says you have to clean every room in the house at once?  For that matter, why do all the dishes in the sink need to be cleaned right now?  Gauge your energy level and migraine status, and pace yourself accordingly.  On three-alarm migraine days, only clean something if you absolutely need to have it right this minute.  Other days, when you have moderate energy, take 30 minutes to tidy up one room.

If you’ve got the time and your head isn’t hurting terribly, pull up a chair to the kitchen sink, and spend an hour or two washing dishes.  Take lots of breaks.  Think baby steps.

Lesson learned: Slow and steady prevents migraine attacks and wins the housekeeping prize!

Tip #5: Just don’t answer the door

Even if you follow all the above-mentioned advice, there are going to plenty of days when you’ll wish you could just move clutter telekinetically.

Nothing’s more awkward than having people drop by unannounced when your living room is in utter complete chaos.  There’s no reason you should have to suffer migraines and embarrassment at the same time! If you’re not up to receiving guests for whatever reason- a killer migraine, nausea, fatigue, bad hair day, or just messy room- try this:

Carefully crack the door open an inch, keeping the chain latched, and politely say,

“Due to (fill in the blanks), I don’t feel well enough to receive visitors right now.  Please call later (much later), and I’ll let you know how I’m feeling then.”

Lesson learned: If your garbage can falls over, spilling trash in the middle of your kitchen and your friends aren’t there to see it, did it still happen?

Please tell us…

Although this article is more of a tongue-in-cheek look at managing your household with chronic illness, have you found any of these tips helpful?

If you would like to add to this list of suggestions for managing migraines and a household, please comment!

Spread the love…

Please share this article with your friends, family, or anybody you care about!

Read more about managing migraines:

Seven Traits of Highly Happy People with Chronic Illness

Migraine Comorbidity is not a Death Sentence

So you think you’ve tried everything to get rid of a headache, including Chinese acupressure for migraine headaches? More than just a head massage, yet less intimidating than acupuncture needles, Chinese acupressure is an excellent and convenient tool for relieving migraine headaches, nausea, vomiting, eye pain, and migraine with aura symptoms such as tremors, paralysis, and visual impairment.  Try these therapeutic migraine acupressure points the next time you’re lying in bed waiting for your migraine headache to go away…

Tou Wei “Head Corner”

ST-8 Tou Wei is a vital acupressure point for relieving migraines; it is where the Stomach channel, the Gall Bladder channel, and the Yang Linking (Yang Wei) vessel meet.

Located above your hairline at both corners of your forehead, Tou Wei is particularly helpful for treating the symptoms of migraines with aura, including:

• Sharp, splitting headaches
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Partial paralysis
• Twitching eyelids
• Distorted vision
• Bursting eye pain

To find your Tou Wei pressure point, begin at your temples, and slowly walk your fingers upwards until they meet your hairline. Press gently.

Feng Chi “Wind Pool”

GB-20 Feng Chi is on the Gall Bladder meridian, and is one of the most important acupressure points for treating headaches.  Fen Chi is particularly helpful for treating:

• One-sided headaches typical with migraine disorder
• Dizziness
• Neck pain
• Depression
• Anxiety

Located at the nape of the neck, Feng Chi can be accessed by placing both hands on your head and using your thumbs, find the depression at the base of your skull.  Now, gently walk each thumb sideways, about one inch, until you find depressions that are adjacent to your large neck muscles.  Press each thumb inwards, towards your eyes.

Jian Jing “Shoulder Well”

GB-21 Jian Jing is also on the Gall Bladder meridian, and is helpful for treating sinus headaches, in addition to chronic migraines.  Jian Jing is used to treat:

• Occipital nerve headache
• Shoulder pain
• Stress
• Dizziness
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Asthma
• Cough

To locate your Jian Jing, start at your shoulder and gently move your fingers inwards until you find the point where your neck and shoulder meet. Press down on this tender spot.

Bai Hui “Hundred Convergences”

GV-20 Bai Hui is located at the crown of your head; its name is a testament to its ability to treat the “one hundred diseases.”  The Bai Hui is where all of the yang qi of the body meet.

Bai Hui is immensely helpful for treating migraine headaches, in addition to many comorbid conditions such as epileptic seizures and tinnitus.  Some illnesses that are alleviated by accessing your Bai Hui points include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Eye pain
• Fatigue
• Tinnitus
• Anxiety
• Hypertension
• Seizures

To locate your Bai Hui, imagine a line running on top of your head, forward to back, between your ears, sort of like a Mohawk.  The point that is directly on top of your head in the middle is your Bai Hui.

Han Yan “Forehead Fullness”

Also called “Jaw Serenity,” GB-4 Han Yan is especially helpful for treating one-side headaches typical in migraine disorder.

To access Han Yan, start at your Tou Wei points at the corner of your hairlines.  Slowly open and close your jaws while you walk your fingers down about one inch. The depression that you feel, most noticeable while chewing, is the Han Yan.

Please tell us…

Have you used acupuncture or acupressure for migraine headache relief?

As always, we welcome your comments!

Spread the love…

Please share this article with your friends, family, or anybody you care about!

Sources:

Some Acupuncture Points which Treat Headache

Acupuncture Points Database

When migraine attacks occur while you’re on vacation, it can be downright annoying.  If you get a sudden severe migraine headache in the middle of a crowded freeway, it can be terrifying.  Some days you can’t even step outside your door without thinking, “What if I have a migraine attack while I’m at work, or at the mall?” Worrying about migraine attacks gives way to migraine-related anxiety attacks, which may spiral into full-blown agoraphobia.  How can you control anxiety or agoraphobia in the midst of a migraine?

Why do migraine patients get agoraphobia?

Medically speaking, agoraphobia is “a fear of being outside or otherwise being in a situation from which one either cannot escape or from which escaping would be difficult or humiliating.”

For a migraine sufferer, agoraphobia may evolve from a deep-rooted fear of having a migraine attack and not being prepared for it.

• What if I have an anxiety attack or migraine attack while I’m at a party, and people thing I’m acting crazy or childish?
• What if I feel a migraine coming while I’m enjoying a movie, and I can’t do anything to prevent it?
• What if I end up having to leave early because of migraines?  I’ll feel like I let everybody else down.
• How will I explain my migraine medications to strangers without seeming like a drug addict?

Who’s in control here?

In many ways, agoraphobia is like panic attacks gone wild.  If panic attacks were tension headaches, then agoraphobia would be a three-alarm weeklong migraine attack complete with stomach-clenching nausea, throbbing headache, intense eye pain, vomiting, shaky nerves, and partial blindness.

Agoraphobia is what happens when you give up on ever controlling anxiety attacks (or migraine attacks) outside your home, or anywhere outside your “safe zone.”

Don’t give the wheel over to fear

One of the keys to preventing anxiety attacks is to find the underlying cause of your fears, and ask yourself, “What am I really afraid of?”  Sometimes, clear thinking combined with a bit of old-fashioned honesty is enough to put your mind at ease…or at least throw the blanket on panic.

35 Things you should never tell a Chronic Migraine Sufferer

Addressing your fears:

What if I have an anxiety attack or migraine attack while I’m at a party, and people thing I’m acting crazy or childish?

Believe it or not, you don’t have a spotlight shining on you. When you’re in the middle of an anxiety attack, you might feel like everybody’s staring at you, but they’re not. Anxiety tends to magnify emotions like fear, embarrassment, and worry.  Although it might feel like World War III inside your head, nobody will know that you’re having an anxiety attack or a migraine attack unless you tell them.

What if I feel a migraine coming while I’m enjoying a movie, and I can’t do anything to prevent it?

Are you concerned that sitting in a movie theater will actually trigger a migraine attack? If you know that sitting in a movie theater, with the bright flashing screen in front of you, larger than life, triggers migraines, then you should absolutely avoid movie theaters, just as you would avoid going to a basketball game.

However, if the silver screen is not one of your migraine triggers, your sole reason for declining a movie date is your fear of the great unknown (will I get a migraine, or won’t I), then all justifications are mute.

Migraine Sufferer to World: It’s not just a Headache, People!

What if I end up having to leave early because of migraines?  I’ll feel like I let everybody else down.

What if you had cancer, and you missed an important teacher’s meeting because of chemotherapy? Your health is more important than other people’s expectations. Migraines are a neurological illness, and if you’re up front with the people who matter about your migraines, then they will understand when you are physically unable to perform at your usual standards.

How will I explain my migraine medications to strangers without seeming like a drug addict?

First of all, your migraine therapy is a private matter between you and your headache specialist alone. Assuming that you are using your medication as prescribed, you don’t owe anybody any explanations.

Unfortunately, some people will pass judgment on you regardless, and they might make pointed suggestions about your “drug use” without having any knowledge of your migraine symptoms at all. This is a sad fact for anybody who suffers from chronic pain, whether from migraines or fibromyalgia.

Learn how to pick your battles. You won’t be able to convince every ignoramus that you’re not a junkie.  The people you do need to convince are the people in your inner circle- your children, spouse, employer, ER nurses and doctors, pharmacists, neurologists, and anybody else who has influence on your health, your future, and your life.

Please tell us…

Do you suffer from agoraphobia, with or without migraines?  Do you agree with any of the statements made here? We welcome your comments.

Spread the love…

Please share this article with your friends, family, or anybody else you care about!

Read more about migraines, stress, and anxiety:

Coping with Migraines, Part I: 6 Inspirational Truths

Overcoming Social Isolation in Migraine Disorder

Helping Others Understand Migraines- 8 Communication Tips

Sources:

Agoraphobia Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Medication on MedicineNet.com

Secondary agoraphobia as a result of migraine: Two cases. [Dutch]

In your daily struggle coping with the Migraine Monster, sometimes it feels like you’re on the losing team at the last count.  It’s hard to believe that things can ever get better, or to imagine that things can ever get worse when you’re dealing with migraine headaches and nausea day in, day out. Here are some helpful strategies that work for coping with migraines.

6 Inspirational Truths was Part I of Coping with Migraines.   Part II, 6 Things NOT to do, discusses unhealthy habits that should be avoided in trying to cope with migraines.

#1) Don’t let fear control you

When you have chronic migraines, your thoughts become riddled with fear: What if I’m getting a brain tumor…What if I’m at risk for heart attack, stroke, or seizure…What if I drive on the freeway, and I get a migraine attack?  The only way to confront these fears is to arm yourself with knowledge.  If you’re concerned about your safety driving, then consult in your headache specialist or neurologist.  While there is a high correlation of heart disease and seizures with people who get migraines with aura, the link is not 100%.  Don’t be embarrassed to express these fears with a doctor. The more solid information you collect about your migraines, the less anxiety you will feel.

Seven Traits of Highly Happy People with Chronic Illness

#2) Don’t hold in anger

Anger causes stress, and stress triggers migraines.  Yes, it’s angering when people make rude comments about your need for medications or time off.  It’s unfair that you should suffer from debilitating migraines, while others never get a headache strong enough to keep them from work.  That fact that a situation is angering doesn’t mean you have to respond with anger, nor should you.  Think of anger as a cancer that drains all energy from your body, causing fatigue, illness, and depression.  You can’t change the fact that you were born with migraine disorder, and you can’t control other people’s ignorance of migraines, but you can control your feelings about them.  If necessary, seek psychiatric counseling, but do not allow cancerous anger to consume your life.

Can Anxiety Attacks cause Migraines?

#3) Don’t try to be Superman…or Supermom

You’re having a hard time putting your life back in order- migraine attacks have completely ravaged your home life, and you’re left putting back the pieces, one by one.  You sense that certain people have given up on ever seeing you in daylight again, and in the back of your mind, you worry that your children will never forgive you being absent, mentally and physically, every time a migraine headache courses through your system.  There’s no use feeling guilty about it- if you had superhuman powers, then you could manage migraines and the dishes at the same time.  But you don’t, and feeling guilty about it only creates negative emotions.

7 Websites that will Change your Life and Make you Happier

#4) You don’t have to share

People ask you how you’re doing all the time.  “How’re those migraines treating you? What kind of migraine drugs are you taking?”  They might try to cajole a response from you because they’re curious, or because they really want to help.  In any case, you don’t have to answer if you don’t feel like talking about your migraines, or feel like being identified as “the migraine sufferer.”

The polite response is, “I really appreciate your asking, but I don’t feel like discussing migraines right now.  If I do feel like talking about it later, then I hope you will be there for me.”

#5) Don’t rush it

Recognize that migraines are a serious disorder, and treat your body accordingly. Don’t feel that you have to march to the same beat as other people who don’t have migraines.  Give yourself more time to complete errands than you have been, and take breaks.

#6) Don’t be the social butterfly

Don’t feel guilty about declining social outings.  The fact is that overstimulation is as much of a migraine trigger for some as eating a chili cheeseburger is for others.  If milling around a buffet table chatting up acquaintances with music blaring in the background gives you migraines, then by all means, excuse yourself from your cousin’s 25th anniversary gala, and suggest meeting for drinks another time in a quieter setting.

Please tell us…

If you could offer one piece of advice on coping with migraines, what would it be?  Please share by providing your comments!

Read more about migraine prevention:

Coping with Migraines, Part I: 6 Inspirational Truths

Top 20 Simple Lifestyle Modifications to Prevent Migraines

Sources:

The Emotional Pain of Migraines: Coping with Frustration and Guilt

Coping With Migraines and Headaches

Do you have migraines, or do migraines have you?  Coping with Migraines is difficult, as migraine attacks can significantly reduce your quality of life, leaving you feeling crippled (only without the wheelchair to prove it).  As a result, migraine sufferers feel depressed because of their inability to lead the kind of lifestyle they once had, or wish they had.  It’s hard to come to terms with chronic pain, but the following tips on coping with migraines should make it a bit easier.

6 Inspirational Truths is Part I of Coping with Migraines.   Part II, 6 Things NOT to do, discusses unhealthy habits that should be avoided in trying to cope with migraines.

#1) You can maintain a Positive Mental Attitude

What’s the first thing you notice in the image above? Is it the black dot?  What about all the whiteness surrounding the black dot- did you notice that?

Recognizing that there is a vast amount of light (or positive energy) that surrounds darkness (migraines) is a crucial step in achieving a positive mental attitude.  It’s easier said than done, and it might take years of practice.  But it’s worth it- studies prove that people with chronic pain illnesses who think positive, pray, and refuse to give up hope are statistically more likely to cope, reduce stress, and reduce their pain symptoms.

#2) You can talk about it…

Sometimes, sorting out your feelings about migraine illness feels a bit like trying to rake leaves during a storm. If you feel like it, you can talk about how migraine headaches affect your life with friends, family, migraine support groups, or even anybody who will listen.

Overcoming Social Isolation in Migraine Disorder

#3) There’s strength in numbers

Surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself, and try to avoid toxic relationships at all costs. Join a support group for migraine patients online, in person, or on Facebook, and seek out new friendships as determinedly as you would seek out a spouse.

#4) Inspiration is everywhere

Seeing is believing- Gain strength from others who have successfully managed their migraines. Like looking at a before and after picture for weight loss, you’ll see that controlling your migraines is no dream, but a possibility. (This is especially easy to do if you have joined a support group for migraineurs.)

5 Simple Ways to Build a Migraine Support System of Friends

#5) Winding down is key

Practice relaxation and stress reduction techniques. If you have a hard time meditating quietly, then put on some soothing music.  If tinnitus with migraines makes it hard to concentrate, then try playing environmental white noise.

#6) Alternative medicine is beneficial

Managing migraines should be a multi-pronged strategy that doesn’t rely on prescription migraine treatments alone. Rather, it should incorporate healthy lifestyle choices like exercise, relaxation, diet, and natural ingredients for migraines. That doesn’t mean that you have to give up prescribed painkillers in order to benefit.  Many migraine patients are able to improve their body’s natural response to inflammation while using natural ingredients for migraines. In studies, the most valuable dietary nutrients for promoting health with migraines are magnesium, butterbur (PA-free), riboflavin, and coenzyme Q10.

Please tell us…

If you could offer one piece of advice on coping with migraines, what would it be?  Please share by providing your comments!

Read more about migraine prevention:

Top 20 Simple Lifestyle Modifications to Prevent Migraines

Sources:

The Emotional Pain of Migraines: Coping with Frustration and Guilt

Coping With Migraines and Headaches

Hidden MSG? Is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) one of your migraine triggers? If you’ve tried everything to relieve migraine headaches, including cutting out MSG, then you might be surprised to find that it’s not as easy as you thought.  Manufacturers who make food products containing hidden MSG are onto you, and they’re trying every trick in the book to make sure you don’t spot the MSG in sheep’s clothing…

Migraine triggers in food

Migraine headaches occur when your brain sends abnormal messages to your trigeminal nerve, prompting it to produce pain-causing chemicals that result in migraine headaches in people who are prone to migraines.  Sometimes, food ingredients are the triggers that set the process in motion.  Like allergies, it all depends on your sensitivity to stimuli.  While a single slice of chocolate cheesecake might send you to the ER with a migraine attack, other migraine sufferers can eat dairy and chocolate with no reaction whatsoever.

Some of the most common migraine food triggers are:

• MSG
• Tyramine (found in red wine, cured meats, and olives)
• Tannins (found in tea, grapes, and beans)
• Sulfites (found in dried fruits and wine)
• Dairy products, specifically choline and casein
• Artificial sweeteners

For more migraine triggers in food, read Top 35 Foods and Preservatives that Trigger Migraines

What’s in a label?  Not everything…

Food manufacturers are ordered by the FDA to list all product ingredients on a food label.  Sort of.  Actually, there are loopholes that allow them to leave out certain ingredients.

For example, if a package of oatmeal cookies with raisins contains a trace amount of sulfites, a migraine trigger, then the manufacturer is under no obligation to declare it as one of their ingredients.  Also, they are not required to declare cross-contamination ingredients to which their products have been exposed.

Can I call you by your first name?

If you’re in the habit of scrutinizing food labels for any mention of MSG, then had better be prepared.  Since the FDA considers MSG to be a perfectly safe substance, they have granted food manufacturers permission to use creative, alter-ego names for monosodium glutamate, lest you be swayed from buying their product.

As a result, thousands of people suffer from migraines, allergic reactions, and other health problems from eating foods that they didn’t know contained MSG or other migraine triggers.

The following ingredients always contain MSG:

1. Ajinomoto
2. Autolyzed yeast
3. Calcium caseinate
4. Calcium glutamate
5. Dry milk powder
6. Dry milk protein
7. Gelatin
8. Glutamate
9. Glutamic acid
10. Hydrolyzed corn gluten
11. Hydrolyzed protein
12. Hydrolyzed soy protein
13. Hydrolyzed wheat protein
14. Magnesium glutamate
15. Monoammonium glutamate
16. Monopotassium glutamate
17. Monosodium glutamate
18. Natrium glutamate
19. Sodium caseinate
20. Soy protein
21. Soy protein concentrate
22. Soy protein isolate
23. Textured protein
24. Vetsin
25. Whey protein
26. Whey protein concentrate
27. Whey protein isolate
28. Yeast extract
29. Yeast food
30. Yeast nutrient

The following ingredients sometimes contain MSG:

1. Barley malt
2. Bouillon
3. Broth
4. Carrageenan
5. Citrate
6. Citric acid
7. Corn Starch
8. Corn Syrup
9. Enzymes
10. Fermented food
11. Flavors/Flavoring
12. High Fructose Corn Syrup
13. Malt extract
14. Malt flavoring
15. Malted Barley
16. Maltodextrin
17. Natural beef flavoring
18. Natural chicken flavoring
19. Natural flavors/flavor
20. Natural pork flavoring
21. Pectin
22. Protease
23. Protein fortified food
24. Seasonings
25. Soy protein isolate
26. Soy protein or soy protein concentrate
27. Soy sauce
28. Soy sauce extract
29. Stock
30. Ultra-pasteurized
31. Whey
32. Whey protein
33. Whey protein concentrate
34. Whey protein isolate

The following ingredients are thought to contain enough cross-contaminated MSG to trigger migraines in people who are hypersensitive to food triggers:

1. Brown rice syrup
2. Corn starch
3. Corn syrup
4. Dextrose
5. Enriched foods
6. Lipolyzed butter fat
7. Milk powder
8. Modified food starch
9. Reduced fat milk
10. Rice syrup
11. Vitamin enriched foods

Please tell us…

If you know of any other ingredients that contain hidden MSG or causes migraines, please send us your comments.  Also, if you have found this article helpful, or have any questions, we would love to hear from you!

Spread the love…

Please share this article with your friends, family, or anybody else you care about!

Read more about migraine triggers:

34 Migraine-Inducing, Stomach-Turning Toxic Chemicals in Perfume

Lights…Camera…Migraine! 10 Curious Facts about Light Sensitivity

Avoiding Migraine Triggers- Here, There and Everywhere

Sources:

Hidden Sources of MSG

The Cover-Up of Hidden MSG

Food allergies: Understanding food labels

People say that migraines are the worst kinds of pain imaginable.  Others say that trigeminal neuralgia, labeled the suicide disease, is so excruciatingly painful that you’ll wish you were never born.  So, who’s right?  When it comes to migraine headaches versus trigeminal neuralgia, there’s really no contest.

Getting to know the trigeminal nerve

The trigeminal nerve is one of the largest nerves in your head.  The trigeminal nerve rests at the base of your brain and has three branches that reach through your skull and towards your face.  Its “fingertips” can access every nerve in your face, including your eyes, brow, forehead, nose, gums, cheeks, temples, chin, lips, and jaw.  Literally, every single point on your face is affected by the trigeminal nerve branches.

Whenever your facial nerves receive stimulation, be it the whisper of a knit shawl or the warmth of a hot shower, the trigeminal nerve deciphers that stimuli and sends coded messages back to the brain.

What is trigeminal neuralgia?

With trigeminal neuralgia, or facial neuralgia, the trigeminal nerve relays false information back to the brain, triggering sharp, stabbing pains, sometimes similar to electric shocks.  Like migraines, trigeminal nerve pain strikes one side of the face.  TN attacks last only seconds, but they can occur repeatedly throughout the day, sometimes hundreds of times per 24-hour period.

With trigeminal neuralgia, only sleep and sporadic periods of remission bring relief.

What causes trigeminal neuralgia?

Scientists aren’t certain exactly what causes trigeminal neuralgia.  They believe it is caused by a large artery near the base of the brain that presses down on the trigeminal nerve root, slowly wearing away the myelin sheath, a shield that protects the trigeminal nerve.  This explains why multiple sclerosis (MS) patients suffer from trigeminal neuralgia, as MS destroys the myelin sheath of the nervous system.

Triggers of trigeminal neuralgia

To give you an idea of how intrusive trigeminal neuralgia can be, here are 15 everyday activities that can trigger intense, mind-numbing pain:

1. Talking
2. Smiling
3. Brushing your teeth
4. Touching your face
5. Shaving
6. Putting on makeup
7. Chewing food
8. Swallowing food
9. Drinking
10. Kissing
11. Combing or brushing your hair
12. Showering and shampooing
13. Feeling a cold blast of wind
14. Hearing high-pitched sounds
15. Hearing a loud noise

The migraine-trigeminal link

Migraine headaches are similarly agonizing, and a single migraine attack can last for days.  With migraines, hundreds of triggers like food, weather conditions, lights, scents, hormones, stress, and exertion trigger symptoms like throbbing head pain, nausea, vomiting, visual distortions, brain fog, weakness, speech slurring, and temporary paralysis.

Migraine causes involve the the trigeminal nerve, only instead of the disorder being in the nerve itself, the dysfunction occurs in the brain. With migraine disorder, the brain triggers a reaction in the trigeminal nerve that causes it to excrete pain-producing chemicals, neuropeptides, which cause swelling in the brain’s blood vessels, resulting in intense migraine headache.

You might say that trigeminal neuralgia is the yin to migraine’s yang.

Can I have migraines and trigeminal neuralgia?

Even though migraine attacks and trigeminal attacks are two separate disorders involving the same nerve, it is possible for one person to suffer from both illnesses at the same time.  Some migraine patients experience electric-shock pain symptoms similar to those felt by trigeminal neuralgia sufferers.

Treatment for trigeminal neuralgia and migraines

Not surprisingly, doctors prescribe similar drugs for treating migraines and trigeminal neuralgia.

Popular trigeminal nerve and migraine medications include:

• Anticonvulsants such as those prescribed for epilepsy
• Muscle relaxants
• Tricyclic antidepressants

Natural ingredients and therapies include:

• Acupuncture
• Biofeedback
• Vitamin and minerals- magnesium, B vitamins, including vitamin B12 and riboflavin
• Herbs- butterbur and feverfew

Please tell us…

Have you tried natural ingredients for trigeminal neuralgia or migraines?  Please share your experiences with our readers…we’d love to hear from you!

Read more about migraine headache treatments:

How long will my Migraine Headache Last? A Migraine Symptom Chart

Sources:

Migraine- National Headache Foundation

Trigeminal Neuralgia Information Page

Trigeminal Neuralgia- MayoClinic.com

Trigeminal neuralgia- PubMed Health