|
Issue Date: June 16-20, 2008
Migraines
One-fourth of American homes have sufferers. Here's advice you need.
Dr. Seymour Diamond, executive chairman and co-founder of the National Headache Foundation in Chicago, is also director and founder of the Diamond Headache Clinic and the director of the Diamond Inpatient Headache Unit at St. Joseph's Hospital in Chicago.
|
Nearly 30 million Americans -- about 10% of the population -- suffer from migraine headaches, and there is a migraine sufferer in one-fourth of all American households, according to the National Headache Foundation. To clear up some of the myths about headaches, we asked Dr. Seymour Diamond, the foundation's executive chairman and co-founder, to separate fact from fiction.
Myth: Stress can cause tension headaches, but it doesn't actually trigger migraines.
Reality: The truth is, migraines often are precipitated by stress. The brain is highly sensitized in people who have migraines. Stress triggers certain chemicals that cause vascular (blood vessel) changes that, in turn, cause migraines. Even the letdown after stress can trigger a migraine.
I think people who experience a lot of stress should consider relaxation exercises. Biofeedback is a definite help for those whose migraines are linked to stress. We also recommend progressive muscle relaxation exercises and breathing exercises.
Myth: Caffeine makes migraines worse.
Reality: Some people find that caffeine inhibits migraines; for others, caffeine can be a migraine trigger. Caffeine actually helps analgesics (pain-relieving medicines) work better. Some of the older migraine medicines combined pain relievers and caffeine because those two ingredients were proven to work better together than either one does alone.
One of the main symptoms of migraine is nausea and vomiting, but for people who take triptans (a class of medications for migraine that constrict blood vessels in the head and may curb inflammation), consuming a small amount of caffeine right before the migraine attack may help the medicine work better.
Myth: There's no such thing as a "migraine personality."
Reality: I believe there is a migraine personality. It's found in a unique type of person: usually young, petite, compulsive, neat individuals who keep long lists -- and are a pleasure to take care of.
Bottom Line: See a doctor if your headaches interfere with your activities on a regular basis; if they get progressively worse (e.g., you experience more pain, or they last longer); if you have other symptoms in addition to your headaches such as weakness or numbness, dizziness, fever, vomiting, vision or hearing changes; or if you are just starting to experience headaches that have come on suddenly.One-fourth of American homes have sufferers. Here's advice you need.
|
