Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

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

Monday, February 6th, 2012

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

What are some alternative treatments for heart health and migraines?

If you suffer from cardiovascular disease in addition to migraines, then following a healthy lifestyle is instrumental in preventing strokes, heart attacks, and migraine attacks.

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 prevention. Some good ones to try are all the B vitamins, including vitamin B12 and riboflavin. Also, calcium, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, and butterbur supplements are scientifically proven beneficial in migraine prophylaxis.

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:

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

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: Alternative treatments migraines, Does PFO cause migraines?, Heart health migraines, migraine headaches, migraine prophylaxis, Migraines and PFO, migraines with aura, prevent migraines
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Are Sleep Seizures, Exploding Head Noises Causing Insomnia?

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

Hypnic Jerks while Falling Asleep

Hypnic jerks, or exploding head syndrome, are sleep disorders characterized by quick, sudden seizures that occur while falling asleep, and may cause insomnia.

Have you ever been on the verge of a deep asleep, only to be jolted awake by a terrifyingly loud crashing noise in your head? Hypnic jerks include symptoms like:

Sudden, involuntary jerks while falling asleep
Phantom sounds, such as popping, gunshot noises, and explosions, clashing cymbals, or banging sounds in the head
Brief flashes of light
Feeling of falling
“Electric charge”

Also read: Rock On for More Sleep and Fewer Headaches

It’s not an obnoxious mind reader.

What is a hypnic jerk?

Hypnic jerks, also called “exploding head syndrome” or “sleep starts,” is a benign condition, causing sudden involuntary muscular twitches that occur within a few hours of falling asleep. In some cases, you might also hear a loud snapping or cracking noise inside your head, something akin to an explosion or a fired gunshot.

You’re not crazy, and you’re not having a stroke.

Are hypnic headaches normal?

First, there is no connection between these strange noises and the auditory hallucinations heard by the mentally ill. Second, while it is advisable to get a check-up, these symptoms alone probably don’t indicate anything life threatening, such as stroke. To ER or not to ER? 8 Migraine Signals that call for Emergency Care

However, if you experience severe headaches along with hypnic jerks, then you should call 911 right away.

Hypnic jerks- what they are, and what they’re not

What causes hypnic jerks?

As you fall asleep, your whole body unwinds; your muscles relax and your body temperature drops. During the shift from wakefulness to sleepiness, your brain sometimes “panics,” mistaking the sensation of falling asleep as actual, physical falling, hence the phenomenon.

Is a hypnic jerk kind of like a migraine with aura?

No. While some people who experience exploding head syndrome report seeing brief flashes of light, there is no correlation with migraine headaches. If you experience symptoms similar to hypnic jerks that accompany head pain, then you must report to your doctor immediately, in order to rule out stroke, or other life-threatening illness. Go Ask Alice: Migraine Auras in Wonderland

Who gets hypnic jerks?

Most people who experience hypnic jerks tend to be women who are over the age of 50, but they can happen to anybody of any age, male or female. In some cases, hypnic jerks can become habitual, leading to insomnia, especially if that person suffers from stress or panics over difficulty falling asleep. Some helpful stress-reduction techniques include cutting out caffeine, eating light, healthy meals, supplementing with vitamins and herbs, including 30 minutes of exercise per day, and practicing deep breathing, meditation, or yoga.

“What are Ice Pick Headaches, and should I be worried?”

Foods that Relieve Stress and Improve your Mood- The Fab 4

Resources:

What is a Hypnic Jerk?

Get Some Sleep: Bang in your head waking you? It has a name- The Chart- CNN.com Blogs

Exploding head syndrome

Loud crash at 3 a.m.? It may be your exploding head

Tags: exploding head syndrome, fall asleep, help getting to sleep, hypnic jerk, insomnia, night terrors, nocturnal, sleep apnea, sleep disorders, sleep problems, sleep seizure, sleeplessness, sound in head
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Brain Tumor, Stroke and 8 other Illnesses you probably don’t have

Monday, June 13th, 2011

Does Dr. Wikipedia make House Calls? Today, it seems about anybody with access to a laptop or an iPod Touch can attempt to diagnose his own medical problems in the time it takes to access 911. You can look up your pain symptoms online at Wikipedia, Google your nearest pharmacy, or order over-the-counter medication at drugstore.com.

Indeed, we are privileged to have immediate access to such a bountiful source of information. However, there is a flip side to that. Spend enough time reading about lung cancer, brain tumors or Alzheimer’s; you might one day become convinced that you, yourself, suffer the exact symptoms described on WebMD. In fact, may physicians report receiving an unusually high number of visits from patients who mistakenly believe they suffer from certain life-threatening illnesses.

Below are the 10 most common illnesses from which many people often erroneously believe they suffer, as reported by Dr. Sharon Orrange on Daily Strength:

1) Brain tumor: Some chronic headache sufferers have anxiety about brain tumors. They believe constant head pain, vision problems, dizziness or numbness, must signal a brain tumor. While some of the symptoms associated with migraine with aura are similar to those of a brain tumor, the chances that your headaches result from a brain tumor are very rare.

2) Kidney disorder: Many individuals who suffer from lower back pain become concerned that they have kidney problems, or possibly a tumor in that region. Pain alone does not signify a dysfunctional kidney, say most doctors. Unless painful urination is a factor, your back pain is probably due to sore muscles.

3) Stroke: Numbness in the arms or legs can be an indication of stroke, though that is just one symptom of many. Additionally, the numbness associated with stroke symptoms occurs on only one side of the body, an important distinction. Still, if you suspect you have suffered a stroke, and then call 911.

4) Lymphoma: While not every bump under the skin’s surface indicates skin cancer, it is crucial to see a doctor if lymphoma is suspected. If you are concerned over a bump that you have had for months or years, then you most likely do not have lymphoma, which generally advances quickly.

5) Gut parasites: If you have traveled to a foreign country in the past few years, then you might become anxious about developing a parasite in your gut, especially if you suffer from diarrhea, indigestion or heartburn. The chances of having a tapeworm in your digestive system are rare. If stomach upset continues for months, then you might suffer from a gastrointestinal disorder, which can be determined by visiting a physician who specializes in gastroenterology.

6) Alzheimer’s disease: Brain fog, short-term memory loss or forgetfullness could suggest symptoms such as fibromyalgia, vitamin B12 deficiency, depression, or chronic fatigue. If you are under middle age, then the chances that you suffer from any sort of dementia similar to Alzheimer’s are exceptionally rare.

7) Shingles: Shingles is a painful, itchy rash that can take weeks to heal. If you have ever had Chicken Pox, then you might develop shingles in later life. One distinguishing trait of shingles is that it occurs only on one side of the body, usually in the upper region, but never on both sides at the same time.

8) Colon cancer: The appearance of bright red blood after a stool movement is usually a symptom of hemorrhoids. In any case, only a doctor’s visit can rule out colon cancer.

9) Lung cancer: If you have had a bad cold or infection, then you’re likely to have a persistent cough that could take weeks to disappear. That does not necessarily mean you have pneumonia, and the chances of having lung cancer are even more remote. Nevertheless, keep your doctor informed about any health concerns you might have.

10) Herniated disc: Hernias are more common among men than they are in women. The symptoms of hernias are pain or tenderness in the lower abdomen or groins and heartburn.Visit your doctor for a checkup if you feel lasting pain in that region.