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Butterbur Supplements- Are they Safe?

Published on: February 8, 2012 3:39 am

There’s been a lot of talk about the safety of using butterbur supplements. Which types of butterbur are safe, and which butterbur plants are not? Hint: Watch out for pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in butterbur. Here are the straight facts about the safety and efficiency of butterbur.

What is Butterbur?

Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is a relative of the daisy that grows in marshy areas all over Europe, North Africa, and Asia. The flowers of the butterbur plant can be purple or white, and its leaves are distinctly heart-shaped.
Other names for butterbur include Sweet Coltsfoot and Bog Rhubarb, but the most popular term- butterbur- originated because ancient civilization used the large butterbur leaves to wrap butter.
In the Middle Ages, doctors used butterbur extracts to sustain respiratory health, maintain already normal blood pressure, and enhance muscle tone.
Today, alternative medicine practitioners recommend butterbur for neurological health, promoting a peaceful state of mind, and supporting digestive system regularity.

What can butterbur do?

Some butterbur root extracts contain petasin (sesquiterpene) and isopetasin, two chemicals that are scientifically proven to promote overall good health.

Here are just a few of the beneficial properties of petasin from butterbur-

Petasin promotes a natural, healthy response to inflammation by regulating production of leukotrienes.
Petasin aids respiratory health by regulating histamines without causing drowsiness.
Petasin promotes calcium absorption.
Petasin helps you maintain already healthy blood pressure.
Petasin is beneficial for neurological stability.
In one US study, 77% of test subjects given butterbur supplements noticed dramatic results. Numerous other studies provided similar results with butterbur, magnesium, riboflavin, Feverfew, and coenzyme Q10.

What are pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs)?

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are toxic chemicals that occur naturally in certain plants, including the butterbur species. Pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning can cause cancer and severe liver damage. The first symptoms of PA poisoning are stomachache, diarrhea, vomiting, and ascites, an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. Long-term pyrrolizidine alkaloid usage can be fatal, but can be avoided with discontinuation of PAs before liver damage has occurred.

If you are using a supplement containing butterbur, please ensure that it is free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs).

Do all butterbur supplements have PAs?

No. Some manufacturers of dietary supplements use butterbur roots that are certified PA-free. This means that pyrrolizidine alkaloids were carefully extracted from the plant before manufacturing, and are completely safe for use. Not all natural butterbur supplements are PA-free, so look for the guarantee before using.

Please tell us…

Have you been considering using natural migraine ingredients, but were afraid that they weren’t safe or effective? Has this article changed your opinion or answered any concerns you had about butterbur? If not, please let us know.

Eat like a Migraineur- 7 Migraine Diet Tips

Published on: February 7, 2012 6:00 am

Whenever somebody says they’re on a migraine diet, the first things that come to mind are migraine triggers. But there’s more to migraine dieting than avoiding foods like red wine, chocolate, and cheesecake. Even if you’ve established what not to eat, you still need to change the way you eat in order to use the migraine diet as an effective tool for preventing migraine headaches.

What are migraine triggers?

There are no food cures for migraines, nor has there been any scientific evidence stating that certain foods, stress, or weather changes directly cause migraines.

Rather, certain factors- foods or environmental stimuli- “activate” neurological reactions that cause migraine headaches in people who are susceptible to them. Those factors are called “migraine triggers.”

Eating healthy, exercising, and taking vitamins and supplements like won’t cure migraines, as much as they improve your brain’s neurological response to inflammation and migraine triggers.

What is a migraine diet?

There is no one-size-fits-all migraine diet. Migraine triggers vary from person to person. You will need to develop an eating plan that is tailored to meet your migraine brain’s needs. Because there has been little funding set aside for migraine research and dietary recommendations, you will have to do quite a bit of your own detective work. (Find out how to promote migraine support.)

Fortunately, we have some tips to get your started with your migraine diet:

#1- Find your trigger! If you haven’t determined which foods contribute to your migraines, there’s no better time than today! You can’t possibly be expected to avoid all potential migraine triggers (over 100, according to this study on migraine triggers), but you can selectively eliminate the ones that count by following an elimination diet. This will also help in determining if you have any food allergies that might be giving you headaches. Some common food allergens are tree nuts, fish, spices, preservatives, gluten, and seeds.

#2- Eat heart-healthy foods! This is great advice, particularly if you suffer from migraines with aura, which has been linked with heart disease, stroke, and seizures. Choose whole grains over processed starches, opt for lean meats and dairy products, and include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. (Read more about fatalities among migraine sufferers- Killer Migraines Might be Fatal after All- Mortality Rates among Migraine Sufferers)
#3- Watch your blood sugar! Sometimes, low blood sugar can trigger migraine attacks. So, never skip a meal, and never go more than four hours without eating. Eat small meals frequently throughout the day, and stick to a schedule. (The migraine brain loves regimented habits!)

#4- Limit your salt! If you’re a slave to sodium, now is the time to break the chains. Eating a high sodium diet is linked with stroke, hypertension, and heart attacks. The USRDA for people with chronic illnesses is 1,500 mg per day.

#5- Don’t limit your water! Sometimes, people become dehydrated and get headaches just because they were too busy to stop for a water break. Keep drinking water throughout your day, and make it easy. Set up “drinking stations” by keeping a supply of water bottles at home, in your car, and at work. Do you spend a lot of time at the computer? Keep a bottle handy, at a safe distance from your keyboard, of course. Can’t stomach tap water? (Read Stay Hydrated without Drinking Water- 5 Hydrating Foods)

#6- Take extra vitamins and minerals! For some, vitamin deficiency is a hidden migraine trigger. Nip it in the bud by including high-quality vitamins, minerals, and herbs in your migraine diet. Some good nutrients to try are magnesium, vitamin B12 (cobalamin), riboflavin, calcium, butterbur, and coenzyme Q10.

#7- Write it down in your migraine diary! This is an important tactic that is used for losing weight, and it is just as effective for losing migraines! Keep a migraine diet journal, including useful data like what you eat, when you eat, how you’re feeling emotionally, things you did, and so on. (For tips, read How to Make a Migraine Headache Diary)

Please tell us…

Do you keep a migraine headache diary? Has your headache specialist or neurologist shown interest in reviewing migraine diet with you? Have you discovered any migraine triggers that you hadn’t known about previously?

Spread the love…

Please share this information with anybody you know who suffers from migraines. Thanks!

Sources:

Food and migraine: a personal connection- Harvard Health Publications

Migraine Triggers- University Health Services, University of California, Berkeley

Tags: Nutrition and Migraines

Migraines and PFO: Will Closing a Hole in my Heart Cure Migraines?

Published on: February 6, 2012 4:54 am

There’s a high correlation between migraines and PFO– patent foramen ovale, or a “hole in your heart” from birth. But does that mean that closing up a PFO lowers your chances of getting migraines with aura? Some recent studies explain more about the connection between migraines and PFO.

What is a patent foramen ovale (PFO)?

Simply put, a patent foramen ovale is a small flap between the right and left atriums of your heart. All people have this hole in the heart as infants in the fetus, and for most people, this flap closes up after birth. However, for 25% of all people, this is not the case, and the hole becomes a PFO tunnel that sometimes allows blood to pass through the heart without receiving oxygen from the lungs, resulting in insufficient levels of oxygen throughout your body.

Additionally, blood clots may pass through the PFO channel, causing stroke.

Prevent Suffering a Stroke- Follow these 5 Simple Rules

How is PFO diagnosed?

In order to diagnose PFO, your doctor might order an echocardiogram, or cardiac ECHO, which is a moving picture of the heart created by sound waves. This gives your doctor a clear and detailed view of your heart.

Does PFO cause migraines?

There have been some studies connecting PFO with migraine headaches, but scientists are hesitant to conclude any causative relationship, rather just a high correlation. However, many theorize that reduced oxygen to the brain caused by PFO might contribute to migraine attacks.

Here are some facts linking migraine headaches with PFO:

People diagnosed with PFO are more likely than the general population to suffer from migraines with aura.
While about one quarter of all people in the general population has PFO, about 40%-60% of migraines with aura patients are likely to have PFO.
Migraine patients who don’t get auras aren’t more likely to have PFO than the general population.
Up to half of all PFO patients experience migraines with aura, while only 4% of the general population suffer migraine auras.
The larger the PFO, the more likely you are to suffer from migraines with aura.
In two studies on migraines with PFO, patients who suffered both migraines with aura and migraines without aura experienced fewer migraine symptoms following closure of the patent foramen ovale.
Closure of PFO did not have any effect on chronic headache sufferers who did not get migraines.
Increased risk for stroke is present in both PFO and migraines with aura frequency.

Killer Migraines Might be Fatal after All- Mortality Rates among Migraine Sufferers

Can PFO be treated?

If you have PFO without suffering from stroke or heart disease, than you doctor will not recommend any treatment. However, if stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a factor, then there are a few possible treatments for PFO.

Blood thinners like aspirin, Plavix (clopidogrel), or Coumadin (warfarin) may be prescribed to prevent stroke.

A nonsurgical closure of PFO is another option. A percutaneous plug may be applied through hollow flexible tubes that are inserted through your veins and through to your heart.

Does percutaneous closure of PFO prevent migraines?

There have been some promising studies showing a decrease in migraine symptoms following percutaneous closure of PFO.

In one study, about 55%- 80% of migraine headache patients saw a significant improvement in migraine symptoms following PFO closure.
About 20% saw no change in migraine attack severity or frequency.
These results were true for migraines with aura and migraines without aura patients alike.
Because of certain flaws in the studies, scientists do not currently recommend screening for PFO based on history of migraines.
Further investigation is required before PFO closure can be considered a potential treatment for migraines with or without aura.

4 Headaches that Require Emergency Intervention

Natural migraine and cardiovascular health

If you suffer from cardiovascular disease in addition to migraines, then following a healthy lifestyle is instrumental for promoting good health.

Exercise for at least 20 minutes each day.
Cut sodium and trans fats from your diet.
Keep your weight down.
Take plenty of vitamins, minerals, and essential herbs for heart health and migraine care. Some good ones to try are all the B vitamins, including vitamin B12 and riboflavin. Also, calcium, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, and butterbur supplements are healthful.

Please share

If you found this article helpful, or if you would like to add your opinion, please leave your comments below! Help spread the word about migraines and PFO by sharing this with friends and family, as well.

Learn more about migraine disorder:

Migraine Headaches and Brain Aneurysms- Learn the Difference

Are Migraines linked with Epileptic Seizures? It’s Genetics

Sources:

Does the percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale help the migraine sufferer?

Patent Foramen Ovale and Migraine- American Headache Society

Patent Foramen Ovale- Cleveland Clinic

Tags: Health

5 Free Ways to Support your fellow Migraine Headache Sufferer

Published on: February 2, 2012 6:22 am

Migraines are a debilitating neurological illness that inflicts millions of sufferers with migraine headaches, nausea, vomiting, hypersensitivity to sounds, scents, and lights, and stroke-like symptoms. Migraines are linked with epilepsy and increased risk for stroke and heart disease. Why then are so few governmental funds set aside for migraine research, spreading migraine disorder awareness, and providing support for migraine patients? Here are some ways you can influence migraine funding without spending a dime…

1- Sign the petition!

Go to the AHDA (Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy) website to urge Congressional hearings on the impact of migraine and headache disorders. There are millions of migraine sufferers in the world, but at the time of this blog, a mere 8,231 have signed the petition asking politicians to recognize migraines and other chronic headaches as a debilitating illness that requires more government-funded research.

Migraine attacks plague our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, in addition to the countless US citizens just trying to earn a living and get through a day without debilitating head pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Migraines are a recognized source of disability, yet very few grants are allocated towards finding a cure for chronic headaches.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that migraine headaches account in more “lost years of healthy life” in the USA each year than epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, ovarian cancer, and tuberculosis.
To date, the US Congress has never hosted a public hearing on chronic headache disorders like migraines and cluster headaches.

Migraine Atlas Sheds Light on Chronic Headaches around the World

2- Become a Facebook addict!

Explore Facebook (Do a search on migraines) and you’ll find endless Facebook migraine pages devoted to helping out people like you who want to connect with other migraineurs. Migraines are comorbid with severe depression, so this is a good way to discuss migraine symptoms without feeling as if you’re “complaining.”

Here are some excellent Facebook pages for migraine sufferers:

PS: Don’t forget to follow Migravent on Facebook too, if you don’t already!

12 Ways to spread Migraine Awareness without saying a Word

3- Keep up with migraine forums and blogs

The Facebook groups mentioned also have a strong presence on the web for migraine advocacy, migraine forums, and personal blogs about managing migraines. They are excellent resources for finding local headache specialists, solving social dilemmas like migraine stigma, and finding out the latest news related to migraines.

Want a Cure for Migraines? 10 Ways you can help

4- Be a 24-hour migraine awareness advocate

You’re going to run into many people throughout your day who have never heard of migraines with aura, think that migraines are caused by stress, and don’t realize that headaches are just one of many horrible symptoms of migraine illness. They’re bound to make some pretty insensitive comments. It only takes a few seconds and a well-rehearsed line to (politely) put them in their place.

Here are some good comebacks that won’t offend:

“I wish I could just take a few Excedrin for migraines, but unfortunately, my body doesn’t respond to them.”
“Your mother-in-law is very lucky to have found a cure for her migraines. If only one cure worked for everybody…”
“I pray constantly for relief from migraines.”
“Sadly, migraines aren’t just in my head- they’re also in my nervous system.”
“I would work overtime every day for the rest of my life if it meant I never had to suffer another migraine again.”
“I wish it were only a headache- that would be heavenly!”
“I’m not antisocial. It’s just that everything outside my bedroom triggers migraines.”
“I’m on disability because without it, I would starve.”
“You’re in my prayers, too.”

35 Things you should never tell a Chronic Migraine Sufferer

5- Share this article

If you found this information helpful, please share this with friends, family, coworkers, doctors- anybody who you think would benefit from knowing more about migraine disorder.

Please tell us about any other migraine advocacy groups you appreciate that are not mentioned here.

Migraine Comorbidity is not a Death Sentence

Published on: February 1, 2012 2:57 am

The term sounds scarier than it’s meant to be- migraine comorbidity. Comorbid illnesses are any conditions that occur at the same time. Depression and migraines are comorbid disorders, just like migraines and fibromyalgia. Sometimes, the reasons for migraine comorbidities are clear; other times, they require some scientific inquiry.

The definition of migraine comorbidity

Literally, comorbidity means any diseased condition that comes along with another. Medically speaking, comorbidity is the presence of one (or more) diseases or conditions in addition to a primary disease or condition. Migraine comorbidities are any conditions outside of migraine symptoms that occur frequently with migraine sufferers.

Migraine comorbidity may happen for many reasons:

Shared genetic risk factors may cause you to have neurological illnesses together, such as migraines and epilepsy.
An underlying disorder may be the root cause of two secondary conditions, such as migraines headaches and depression caused by serotonin activity.
Shared environmental risk factors influence migraine comorbidity, such as seizure and headache resulting from head trauma.
One condition may cause the other. Migraine attacks cause nausea and diarrhea, resulting in gastrointestinal disorders.
Lastly, conditions comorbid with migraine disorder may be coincidence.

Are Migraines linked with Epileptic Seizures? It’s Genetics

Why are migraine comorbidities important?

Understanding migraine comorbidities help us to understand migraines- why they happen, and how to treat them. For example, by connecting two seemingly unrelated conditions together, like migraines and epilepsy, scientists discovered that certain drugs for epilepsy (Topamax) could be used to prevent migraines.

On the flip side, comorbid conditions like depression may hinder our understanding of migraines by producing a cyclic relationship. (Does depression cause chronic pain, or does migraine disorder make you depressed?)

Overcoming Social Isolation in Migraine Disorder

Acknowledging migraine comorbidities helps your doctor decide which migraine treatments to prescribe, and which migraine drugs to avoid. Knowing that a migraine patient also suffers from cardiovascular disease is a valuable tool in diagnosing migraine causes.

What are common migraine comorbidities?

The list of ailments that occur with migraines is long- here are some of the most frequent conditions that are comorbid with migraines:

Mental health: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and bipolar disorder
Neurological: epilepsy, essential tremor, Meniere’s disease
Cardiovascular: stroke, heart attack, congenital heart defects, hypertension, Raynaud’s disease, mitral valve prolapse, and patent foramen ovale
Autoimmune: asthma, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and allergies
Gastrointestinal: IBS, gluten intolerance, celiac disease, chronic vomiting, diarrhea, nausea
Nocturnal: bruxism, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and insomnia

Please tell us…

Do you have a migraine comorbidity that is not on this list? Are there any conditions mentioned here that you didn’t know correlated with migraines?

We welcome sharing! If you liked this article, let us know by commenting and sharing with your friends!

Migraines and Meniere’s disease: a Match made in Hades

Published on: January 31, 2012 3:40 am

With migraines, your head often feels like a battle zone. If you suffer migraines and Meniere’s disease, it can feel like WWIII. Blinding headaches, throbbing ears, constant ear ringing, sharp pain in the eyes, dizziness, and vomiting are enough to make you want to raise the white flag. What’s the connection between tinnitus from Meniere’s disease and migraines?

What is Meniere’s disease?

Meniere’s disease is an inner ear disorder that causes dizziness and tinnitus (ear ringing). Most people who get Meniere’s disease are between the ages of 40 and 60, although it can happen in any age group. Meniere’s disease is caused by excess fluid in the ears that gets in the way of sound messages between the inner ear’s cochlea and the brain. Scientists do not agree as to why people get Meniere’s disease. Theories range from viruses, autoimmune disorder, allergies, or hereditary predisposition.

What are the symptoms of Meniere’s disease?

Three main symptoms indicate Meniere’s disease:

Sporadic vertigo: Sensation of spinning or rocking that includes nausea and vomiting; vertigo is not constant, and doesn’t usually last longer than one day.
Sensorineural hearing loss: Hearing loss that is caused by abnormal brain processing and communication between the brain and the cochlea is a symptom used to diagnose Meniere’s disease.
Tinnitus: Constant ear ringing; with Meniere’s disease, tinnitus symptoms are usually low pitch.

How are migraines and Meniere’s disease related?

Like Meniere’s disease, migraines are a disorder that occurs in the brain. One popular theory is that your nervous system, responding to migraine triggers, causes a spasm at the base of your brain that causes blood vessels to constrict, setting into motion a series of chemical reactions that lead to debilitating migraine headaches.

Some scientists believe that migraines are caused by intercepted messages between the brain and the blood vessels in the head. This bears striking resemblance to the cause of Meniere’s disease, which involves intercepted sound messages between the brain and the inner ear’s cochlea.

More facts correlating Meniere’s, tinnitus and migraines

Overwhelmingly, migraine disorder occurs more often in people with Meniere’s disease than in the general population.
The classic symptoms of Meniere’s disease- nausea, vertigo, ringing in the ears- are also common symptoms of a migraine attack.
Some scientists believe that like migraines, Meniere’s disease is also caused by constricted blood vessels.
Current research suggests that tinnitus in migraine sufferers is a symptom of allodynia, a neuropathic pain disorder that also occurs in fibromyalgia patients. Central sensitization caused by a hypersensitive nervous system causes symptoms like headaches, skin pain, and tinnitus.

Please tell us…

Do you suffer from tinnitus and migraines? If so, do you experience migraines with aura, or migraines without aura?

If you liked this article, then please share it with your friends!

Natural Migraine Ingredients: 9 Must-Take Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

Published on: January 30, 2012 4:26 am

Some of the best natural migraine ingredients are available in the vitamin aisle of your supermarket. Magnesium tops the list as one of the most effective nutrients, followed by butterbur root and vitamin B2. Below are nine complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) that promote neurological health in migraine patients.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that affects more than 300 biological functions, including protein synthesis and energy production. Numerous double-blind studies conclude that magnesium is one the best natural ingredients for brain health. By affecting serotonin receptors, magnesium interacts with your brain chemistry in a way that creates a healthy environment in your nervous system. Warning: Please consult in your doctor before taking magnesium supplements, especially if heart disease or kidney disease is a factor.

Magnesium- for Migraines and Beyond

Butterbur root (Petasites hybridus)

Butterbur is a natural herb that has been used throughout the years as a health-giving nutrient for promoting a positive mind and mood, healthy nerve cell maintenance, respiratory functioning, and digestive system regularity. In a randomized trial published in Neurology, extracts of Petasites hybridus (also known as butterbur root) and a placebo were given to test subjects. Patients who received butterbur for 4 months saw dramatic health benefits. Warning: Only use butterbur extracts that are labeled PA-free (free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids). PA’s are toxins that many cause severe liver damage.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

Coenzyme Q10 is an essential nutrient that your body produces naturally. In a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial on migraine headaches, supplementation of Coenzyme Q10 was noticeably beneficial.

Coenzyme Q10 Benefits and Dosage Information

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) is an essential B vitamin that occurs naturally in meat, eggs, nuts, and green vegetables. Studies prove that taking at least 400 mg of riboflavin each day significantly improves muscle tone and healthy circulation.

Cobalamin (Vitamin B12)

Cobalamin (vitamin B12) is another important B vitamin for migraine patients- a water-soluble nutrient that is obtained naturally in meat, dairy, fish, and egg sources. It is responsible for many important functions in your body, including normal red blood cell production,neurological health, maintaining cognitive functioning, and increasing stamina.

Folic acid

Folic acid is a synthetic version of folate, an essential B vitamin. Folate is essential for regulating homocysteine levels and supporting DNA synthesis. In a clinical trial that supplied folic acid and other B-complex vitamins to more than 50 chronic migraine sufferers, test subjects saw dramatic health results.

6 Safe Migraine Treatments for Pregnant Moms

Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium is a mineral that your body needs to build strong, healthy bones. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium efficiently, and is beneficial for your nerves, muscles, and your immune system. Scientific studies show that vitamin D, taken together with calcium, is effective at significantly improving your body’s response to inflammation.

Feverfew

Feverfew is a sunflower that has been used historically for fevers, hence the name. Feverfew leaves are beneficial for headaches and sustaining cartilage and joint functioning.

Please tell us: Do you use any vitamin supplements, minerals, or herbs for migraine headaches? Have you been able to wean off or reduce your prescription migraine drug dosage ?

If you found this article helpful, please share with others!

Confrontations Cause Chronic Inflammation

Published on: January 27, 2012 4:35 am

If you’re the type who constantly butts heads with others, you could wind up with more than a painful headache; frequent confrontations lead to chronic inflammation, according to a recent study on negative social interactions and chronic pain from heightened inflammation.

Negative social interactions are bad for your health

We know that stress affects our health. Scientists wanted to know if how we interact with other people bears any impact on our physical well-being or chronic pain. They conducted a study, Negative and competitive social interactions are related to heightened proinflammatory cytokine activity, published by PNAS, in an effort to determine if people who regularly engage in social conflict suffer from more ailments like chronic inflammation than people who choose to avoid confrontations.

For this study, scientists measured inflammation by the amount of cytokines in each test subject.
One-hundred twenty-two healthy individuals were instructed to log into diaries for eight days. They were told to list any positive, negative, or competitive social interactions that they experienced during the study.
Participants subjected themselves to laboratory-controlled stress tests.
Negative social interactions and competitive social interactions resulted in the most elevated levels of cytokines, an indicator of inflammation.
A similar 2006 study confirmed that people who suffer from depression are also more prone to increased inflammation.

Overcoming Social Isolation in Migraine Disorder

How much is too much?

If you’re in a field that requires you to engage in arguments on a regular basis, then it’s important to try to keep it to a healthy level. Whether you’re a lawyer, football coach, or star member of a debate team, you need to establish a balance between productive confrontations and all-out hostilities.

Is inflammation always a bad thing?

Regular inflammation like pain is a part of your body’s natural defense mechanism, an autoimmune response that protects you from danger. However, chronic inflammation can cause chronic pain, hypertension, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Please tell us: Do you consider yourself competitive? How do you keep daily confrontations from getting ugly?

We welcome your comments!

When Children get Migraines- Pediatric Migraine Headaches

Published on: January 26, 2012 4:52 am

At what age did you get your first migraine headache? People don’t usually associate migraines with children, but they can get nerve-rattling migraine attacks, too. If fact, 20% of chronic headache patients say they started having severe headaches before their 10^th birthdays. So, how common are pediatric migraines?

A headache is a headache is a headache…

Not true. Tension headaches are caused by stiff contracted muscles in the neck, shoulders, jaw, and upper back. Tension headaches can happen with stress and poor posture. About 15% of children 15 and under suffer from tension headaches resulting from stress over exams, family discord, peer pressure, or life changes.

Other causes of tension headaches in children are lack of sleep, eyestrain, and muscle pain from sitting in an unnatural position for lengthy periods while texting or playing video games.

Sinus headaches are also common in childhood. Symptoms of a sinus headache are head pain in the cheeks, forehead, temples, and nose. Other accompanying symptoms of sinusitis may be ear infection, sore throat, mucus discharge, runny nose, cough, and fever.

About 5% of all adolescents experience pediatric migraine headaches, and 90% of them inherited migraine disorder from a parent. Like adults, children who suffer migraines are affected by migraine triggers like bright lights, strong odors, food ingredients, weather changes, and irregular sleeping and eating habits.

Migraines and other Types of Headaches- How many are there? Part 1

Why go to a headache specialist?

Even if your child’s migraines are relieved by OTC painkillers, you should still consider taking him to a neurologist or other doctor who specializes in migraine disorder for a diagnosis.

It’s unlikely that your child has a brain tumor, but it’s important to rule this out with chronic headaches.
Your child will have the sense of satisfaction from knowing that his needs are being addressed.
You will be privy to the most recent information about migraine treatments, like side effects that occur with NSAID’s, which natural ingredients for migraines work best and other helpful coping mechanisms for migraine patients.
By tracking your child’s progress in a migraine diary and sharing it with his doctor, you improve his chances of reducing the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.
With a migraine diagnosis, you will be in a better position to be your child’s migraine advocate at school. It’s important that his teacher and principal understand that his migraines are not typical, common headaches that can be treated with a few aspirin, but a symptom of a neurological disorder that may cause excruciating head pain, eye pain, severe nausea, vomiting, and weakness.

What kind of Doctor should I see for Migraines? Headache Specialists

What migraine treatments are available for children?

Your doctor may prescribe one of many migraine drugs that are available to treat migraine disorder, based on the frequency of her migraine attacks, whether or not she gets migraines with aura, and the level that migraines interfere with her life at school and at home. Migraine treatments for children may include painkillers, abortive, and preventive medications.

Drugs that Prevent or Stop Migraine Attacks, plus Side Effects: Part I, Pain Relief

Additionally, alternative medicines for migraines are a popular option:

Biofeedback: Biofeedback involves using small devices to gauge your breathing, pulse, heart rate, temperature, muscle tension, and brain activity to teach you how to control involuntary pain triggers.
Acupuncture: Many chronic pain patients have found relief with Chinese acupuncture, which uses strategically placed needles to trigger pain-killing endorphins.
Nutritional supplements: More parents use natural ingredients like herbs, vitamins, and minerals in promoting neurological health in their children with migraines. Popular natural ingredients include magnesium, butterbur, riboflavin, and coenzyme Q10.

Please tell us:

If your child suffers from migraines, what treatment option has proved the most successful?
Would you consider weaning her off of OTC medications in favor of natural supplements?
Do migraines affect your child’s school grades?

If you know of anybody who suffers from migraines, do them a favor- share this article!

Sources:

Headaches and Migraines in Kids, Children – WebMD

Pediatric Migraine Medication

Young Migraine Sufferers Guide for Parents- The Migraine Trust

Images, from top:

o5com, Caitlinator, Pink Sherbet Photography, PictureYouth .

Tags: Types of Migraines

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

Published on: January 25, 2012 4:06 am

Women are most likely to suffer migraines…and chronic pain. New research shows that when it comes to pain symptoms of chronic back pain, neck pain, arthritis, and hernias, women consistently report higher pain scores than men with the same exact condition.

Study focuses on chronic pain

In a recent Stanford study on sex differences in pain, medical records of over 72,000 patients were reviewed, which included over 160,000 pain scores of men and women who suffered from a painful disease. These findings, published by the Journal of Pain, make up the largest survey to date that investigates sex-specific variations in disease-associated pain intensity.

Scientists noted a significant difference in the way females suffering from musculoskeletal, circulatory, respiratory, or gastrointestinal disorders reported their pain intensity.

Other conditions covered were infectious diseases, physical injuries, and poisoning.

On a 10-point pain scale, women averaged 1 point higher in pain intensity than male pain patients, with 0 signifying no pain at all, and 10 being the worst pain imaginable.

Are Doctors Overprescribing Painkillers for Migraines? Fox News Report

What do these findings mean for chronic pain patients?

It means that when a woman who has given birth at least once in her lifetime rates migraine headache pain as the “worst pain imaginable,” you should probably take her word for it…migraine pain is debilitating, emotionally draining, and overwhelming, and aside from labor pains, it’s hard to imagine anything more excruciating…

…On the other hand, do these findings mean that women are more likely to complain about pain, whereas men are taught from birth to hide their pain? Are women, perhaps, not as pain-tolerant as they believe…?

Perhaps, medical staff- ER doctors, nurses, therapists- should consider one’s sex as an important factor when prescribing pain treatments. One pain point might not seem like a lot, but it’s enough to tell a doctor if a certain pain medication is working…

Hopefully, one day, doctors will be able to use this data to decide which painkillers, migraine drugs, or headache remedies to prescribe for women with chronic pain…and which ones not to bother with at all.

What do you think? Please weigh in on this controversial issue.

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