| If you suffer from constant headaches, you | | | | you've eaten, how much sleep you've had and |
| probably know the feeling of one coming on. | | | | whether there have been changes in the weather |
| There you are, at your desk or in the car, and | | | | or your environment. You may be able to identify |
| your vision gets a bit blurry. You may see spots | | | | a pattern that will help you lessen or avoid those |
| of light and feel a bit nauseous. Before long, all | | | | triggers. |
| you want to do is lie down in a dark room to | | | | Those will be the causes of migraine headaches |
| ease the pain and throbbing in your head. | | | | for you. |
| This is not an ordinary headache – it's a | | | | On the Horizon… |
| migraine. About 1 out of every 11 people, 30 | | | | Some interesting things going on in research into |
| million Americans, suffer from these constant | | | | other causes of migraine headaches are: |
| headaches. They tend to run in families and occur | | | | - Studies show that about half of |
| more often in women than men. But anyone who | | | | migraine sufferers are deficient in blood levels of |
| gets them – man, woman or child – only | | | | magnesium. Magnesium plays a role in the |
| wants to know two things: | | | | electrical signaling in nerve cells and thus can |
| 1. What are the causes of migraine headaches? | | | | affect the frequency and severity of migraine |
| 2. How do you make them go away? | | | | headaches. The USDA Agricultural Research |
| Before I address those two questions, let's take a | | | | Service is conducting trials to get conclusive proof |
| look at the common types of migraines. | | | | of the effect of magnesium on migraines.(4) |
| The Classic Migraine | | | | - Migraine sufferers are often less physically |
| The two most common types of migraines are | | | | active because many types of exercise can |
| the ones with a migraine aura and ones without a | | | | trigger constant headaches. But a new study has |
| migraine aura. | | | | shown that a particular exercise, indoor cycling, is |
| - Headache with migraine aura: the aura is usually | | | | very well tolerated. The cycling program improved |
| described as a shimmering light seen around | | | | patient's oxygen uptake without worsening the |
| objects or at the edge of your vision. It happens | | | | migraines at any time during the study period. |
| anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes before the | | | | Then, in the last month of treatment, there was |
| headache starts. | | | | a significant decrease in number of headaches, |
| - Headache without migraine aura: this is the most | | | | intensity of the migraines and the amount of |
| common migraine and may occur on one or both | | | | medication used. This study suggests that certain |
| sides of the head. Rather than an aura, you may | | | | exercises can permanently reduce migraine |
| experience tiredness or a change in mood the | | | | attacks.(5) |
| day before the headache. Nausea and sensitivity | | | | - Conventional approaches to treating migraines |
| to light are common.(1) | | | | are based on the view that constant headaches |
| These types of migraines usually progress | | | | are separate or sporadic events. Dr. Roger Cady |
| through five stages: | | | | of the Headache Care Center in Springfield |
| 1. Prodrome: the warning signs that a headache is | | | | Missouri poses the idea that migraine may actually |
| starting. These range from odd sensations like | | | | be a chronic, progressive disease much like |
| changes in taste and smell to a change in mood. | | | | diabetes or hypertension. He bases his theory on |
| You may be aware of muscle tension and fatigue. | | | | clinical studies which show that those who suffer |
| 2. Aura: the visual disturbance that occurs just | | | | migraines are twice as likely to develop heart |
| before the headache. | | | | disease and stroke. Understanding the full impact |
| 3. Headache: most people experience pain on just | | | | of migraines on a person's life, and not just as an |
| one side of the head, but 30-40% of migraines | | | | isolated headache episode, may change the entire |
| occur on both sides. 80% of sufferers are | | | | health care model when it comes to treating |
| nauseated and 70% are sensitive to light. This | | | | migraines.(6) |
| phase lasts 4-72 hours. | | | | - On the cutting edge of migraine treatment is a |
| 4. Termination: even without treatment, the pain | | | | new class of medicine now being reviewed by the |
| is usually relieved by sleep. | | | | FDA. Called calcitonin-gene related peptide (CGRP) |
| 5. Postdrome: once the headache is over there | | | | blockers, they are capable of blocking the |
| can be residual effects like lack of appetite and | | | | chemical signal that causes the pain of a migraine. |
| reduced ability to concentrate. Fatigue can linger | | | | When the pain pathway is blocked, the headache |
| for a while.(2) | | | | doesn't happen. If approved, CGRP would be the |
| The Causes of Migraine Headaches | | | | first new class of migraine medications in 15 |
| According to Stephen Ross, associate professor | | | | years.(7) |
| of neurology at Penn State's College of Medicine, | | | | Meanwhile, if you suffer from those constant |
| most migraines are the result of a hereditary | | | | headaches known as migraines, you probably |
| tendency for nerve cells to overreact to normal | | | | have a routine in place to deal with them. Watch |
| stimuli. "Your brain is normal," he explains, "your | | | | your triggers, reduce stress the best you can and |
| nerves are normal. It's their reaction that's | | | | get regular sleep. Before making any other |
| abnormal." | | | | changes to your diet, exercise or supplement |
| In migraine sufferers, the upper surface of the | | | | regimen, consult a professional health care |
| brain, the cortex, is overly sensitive to a number | | | | provider for advice. |
| of things like stress, hormones, changes in the | | | | Sources: |
| environment and even various foods and drinks. | | | | 1. Aggarwal, Sandeep, MD, "Migraine Headaches," |
| When the nerves overreact to those things, blood | | | | neurologychannel.com, April 10, 2008 |
| vessels become dilated and inflamed, leading to | | | | 2. "What Happens During a Migraine?" 3. |
| pain. "Any of these triggers will cause an electrical | | | | Stevenson, Alexa, "Probing Question: What |
| response in the brain," says Ross. He also notes | | | | Causes Migraine?" physorg.com, Mar 19, 2009 |
| that about three quarters of people can identify | | | | 4. Nielsen, Forrest H, USDA, Agricultural Research |
| the specific triggers of their constant headaches, | | | | Service, 10/23/06 |
| whether it is stress, red wine, chocolate or | | | | 5. Wiley-Blackwell, "Exercise Program Reduces |
| something else.(3) | | | | Migraine Suffering," ScienceDaily.com, Mar 29, |
| Other common triggers include smoke, chemical | | | | 2009 |
| odors, change in sleep patterns, loud noises, | | | | 6. "Evolution of Migraine: From Episodic Headache |
| missed meals, caffeine, food additives and abrupt | | | | to Chronic Disorder," Mayo Clinic, May 30, 2009 |
| weather changes. The best way for you to | | | | 7. Stevenson, Alexa, "Probing Question: What |
| identify your triggers is to keep a headache diary. | | | | Causes Migraine?" physorg. |
| Any time you have a headache, write down what | | | | |