Posts Tagged ‘migraine causes’
Monday, May 6th, 2013
Finally, scientific proof that migraines exist- Migraines are a hereditary, neurological disorder that has been baffling scientists for decades. Now, researchers found a genetic mutation that may explain why certain people suffer from one of the most common types of migraine headaches.
The study on familial migraines provides an important clue to understanding migraines with aura, and why certain people are more likely than others to experience throbbing headaches, nausea, and the characteristic bright, shifting visual auras.
Proving migraines exist
Scientists from UC San Francisco believe they have discovered the first gene of its kind in which mutations directly correlate with migraines with aura; the casein kinase I delta (CKIdelta) gene mutation was present in a significant number of migraine patients…and their parents.
The study, which was published by Science Translational Medicine, “puts us one step closer to understanding the molecular pathway to pain in migraine,” says senior investigator Louis J. Ptácek.
“It’s our initial glimpse into a black box that we don’t yet understand.”
This is the first time researchers have been able to provide both clinical and scientific evidence proving that the casein kinase I delta gene directly causes migraines with aura.
Migraine symptoms
Migraines with aura cause a wide range of symptoms; besides excruciating headaches, other signs of migraine with aura include severe nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and eye pain.
Patients also experience hypersensitivity to mild stimuli such as lights, noise, scents, and touch.
To measure migraine symptoms in lab mice, scientists focused on decreased threshold to pain and signs of cortical spreading depression (CSD), a common indicator of migraines with aura that can be observed through medical imaging.
“…as we come to a clearer understanding, we can start thinking about better therapies…There are good drugs now, but they only help some patients, some of the time. The need for better treatments is huge.” – Ptácek
Migraine tips
Your migraine management regimen should include a multi-pronged approach to relieving headaches, preventing migraine triggers, and coping with daily stress.
Even if migraines are hereditary, you can reduce your risks by exercising daily, keeping a migraine diary, learning how to relax, and supplementing with vitamins and minerals that benefit migraine patients, such as riboflavin, CoQ10, butterbur, and magnesium.
Your turn!
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below.
Share with your friends!
If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, twitter, or Facebook.
Like this? Read more:
Are Migraines Always Hereditary?
What Causes Migraines? The Long and Short Answers
Is Migraine Disorder a Real Illness?
Source:
Genetic Mutation Linked with Typical Form of Migraine
Casein Kinase Iδ Mutations in Familial Migraine and Advanced Sleep Phase
Image courtesy of ddpavumba/freedigitalphotos.net
Tags: migraine causes, migraine headaches, migraine research, Migraines genetic, migraines with aura
Posted in Migraines with Aura | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 9th, 2013
It’s the chicken and the egg syndrome all over again; does eating chocolate cause a migraine attack, or do migraines make you crave caffeine? While having any chronic illness can lead to depression, is there any truth to the notion that feeling despair exacerbates pain, including excruciating migraine headaches? According to some scientists, we may never understand the exact cause of persistent migraines.
Migraine trigger avoidance- don’t try this at home
Scientists have identified hundreds of migraine triggers that may increase your chances of having a migraine attack. Naturally, health experts have jumped on the boat in advising migraine patients to avoid all migraine triggers, from food preservatives such as MSG and alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer, to strong scents and even exercise.
But according to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center researcher Timothy T. Houle, Ph.D, most people with migraines who eliminate foods such as dairy products, gluten, and ripe fruits from their diets are doing so unnecessarily, as only individual scientific examination can truly determine if your migraine attacks are being caused by stress, hormonal fluctuations, or a penchant for aged cheese.
11 Headache Triggers you Never Thought Of
“Correctly identifying triggers allows patients to avoid or manage them in an attempt to prevent future headaches,” he says. “However, daily fluctuations of variables – such as weather, diet, hormone levels, sleep, physical activity and stress – appear to be enough to prevent the perfect conditions necessary for determining triggers.”
Only science will tell
“The goal of this research is to better understand what conditions must be true for an individual headache sufferer to conclude that something causes their headaches.”
Because the migraine trigger modality is often inconsistent, patients may suffer from migraine anxiety, the fear of leaving the house lest a migraine occur, or end up following a wild goose chase that either doesn’t work, or results in even worse migraine attacks caused by medication misuse.
For the Wake Forest study, scientists examined nine women who suffered from migraines with aura and migraine without aura.
Participants recorded stress levels in a daily diary and also submitted to urine tests for hormone levels.
Scientists also took into account weather conditions, a common migraine trigger, dating back three years.
Researchers noted that due to their inability to simulate “migraine triggers” consistently and accurately for each patient in a manner that satisfies scientific standards, they were not successful in proving that any one factor increases one’s risk of experiencing a migraine attack.
All the more so, they concluded, it’s impossible for a patient of migraines to reliably determine her migraine triggers by trial and error alone, without the benefit of scientific applications.
Your turn!
Do you agree with the idea that migraine triggers are almost possible to track?
Besides prescription medication, what other strategies do you use to prevent migraines?
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below.
Share with your friends!
If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, twitter, or Facebook.
Like this? Read more:
Are Migraines Always Hereditary?
What Causes Migraines? The Long and Short Answers
Is Migraine Disorder a Real Illness?
Sources:
Causes of migraines nearly impossible to determine
Migraine Triggers Tricky to Pinpoint
Image(s) courtesy of renjith krishnan/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: chronic migraine, migraine attacks, migraine causes, migraine triggers
Posted in Migraine Causes | No Comments »
Monday, March 18th, 2013
There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding migraines…”Migraines are a mental illness,” or “Migraines are just really strong headaches.” Below are some very revealing, interesting facts about migraines that may help you understand better what causes migraine attacks, and how to effectively reduce migraine triggers.
- Migraines are a neurological disorder. Contrary to myths that surround migraines, they are not caused by mental illness, nor constricted blood vessels, and have nothing in common withchronic headaches caused by stress or sinus problems. Migraine attacks occur as a result of a genetic nervous system disorder that is inherited by one or both parents.
- Stress is not a migraine trigger. Scientists recognize virtually hundreds of things that increase your risk for migraine attacks. Migraine triggers may include certain foods, weather patterns, hormonal fluctuations, irregular sleep schedules, and exposure to bright lights and loud noises. Stress indirectly impacts migraine headaches by making various migraine triggers more difficult to tolerate, increasing your sensitivity to things like flashing lights, strong scents, and humid weather.
- Women are most likely to suffer from migraines, and so are war veterans. Women are three times more likely than men to experience lifelong migraine attacks. Surprisingly, another large segment of migraine patients includes soldiers who fought in Iraq, many of which experienced combat-related traumatic brain (CTBI) injury and concussion on the battlefield.
- Migraines increase your risk for suicide. Statistics show that chronic migraine patients are three times more likely to commit suicide than people who don’t get chronic headaches. This may be due to the fact that depression is a comorbid condition of migraines, in addition to bipolar disorder and anxiety.
- Chronic migraines strike millions. Roughly 4 percent of Americans experience chronic migraines that last for at least four hours, and reoccur more than 15 times each month.
- Even children suffer from migraines. Although children usually manifest symptoms of migraine as stomach cramps, there are many scientific reports finding that even grade school-aged children experience pediatric migraine attacks, which may evolve into standard migraine headaches by their early teens.
- Not all migraine attacks result in headache. Silent migraines may include all the standard phases of a migraine attack, minus the headache. Migraines with aura that occur without a headache nevertheless create debilitating symptoms of nausea, visual distortions, vertigo, amnesia, and partial paralysis.
- Not all neurologists are migraine doctors…and not all migraine headache specialists are neurologists, either. To find a good migraine doctor, it’s important to seek somebody who restricts his practice to the treatment of migraines, and keeps up with the most recent breakthroughs in natural and prescription migraine treatments.
- Migraines can be life-threatening. In numerous scientific studies, doctors have noticed a strong correlation between migraines and potentially fatal conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and coma.
- We don’t know what causes migraines. Despite the identification of hundreds of migraine triggers in food, environment, and biochemical reactions, scientists are yet unable to positively confirm the exact cause for migraine attacks.
Your turn!
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below.
Share with your friends!
If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.
Like this? Read more:
Top 10 Worst Migraine Advice Ever!
5 Migraine Misconceptions you shouldn’t believe
35 Things you should never tell a Chronic Migraine Sufferer
Sources:
Migraines: Myth Vs. Reality
Stats and Facts for Commenting to FDA About Migraine
10 Things I Want to Share About Migraines
Image(s) courtesy of digitalart/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: migraine awareness, migraine causes, migraine headaches, migraine triggers, migraines with aura, prevent migraines
Posted in Migraine Awareness | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 26th, 2013
If your mother suffers from migraines, does that mean that your headaches are also hereditary? Probably, but migraines not only hereditary; in addition to genetics, other factors that contribute to migraine disorder may include triggers in food, weather, and stress levels.
What is a migraine?
Medically speaking, migraines are a neurological disorder that is often hereditary, but also influenced by “migraine triggers” in the environment.
Migraines cause intense frequent headaches, usually on one side of the head. Chronic migraine patients may also experience extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, joint stiffness, and hypersensitivity to lights, scents, and noises.
Sometimes, migraines are preceded by an “aura” which causes stroke-like symptoms of disorientation, visual disturbances, partial numbness, and temporary loss of speech.
9 Important Migraine Terms you need to know
Who gets migraines?
Migraines are usually hereditary; about four out of five people with migraines have a known family history for migraine headaches.
- About three-quarters of migraine patients are female, making migraine disorder one of the most prominent causes of unemployment and disability among women.
- If one parent suffers from chronic migraines, then you have a 50/50 chance of developing migraine disorder.
- If migraines run in both sides of the family, then your risk of getting migraines is about 75%.
Mommy Migraines linked with Colic in Babies- Breaking News!
Are migraines always genetic?
Not everybody who has a parent suffering from migraines is necessarily going to develop migraine headaches, as well.
In fact, according to some research, it is possible for one twin to have migraines, while the other sibling does not.
Therefore, scientists don’t say that heredity causes migraines, but that a correlation exists, that overwhelmingly, most migraine patients are hereditarily predisposed to severe chronic headaches.
Scientists have even discovered a genetic link, a mutation that correlates strongly with familial hemiplegic migraine. Researchers also believe that a number of genetic abnormalities may increase ones risk for inheriting other types of migraines, as well.
What Causes Migraines? The Long and Short Answers
“We’re trying to find the genetic basis of migraine, and basically speaking, this is the beginning,” explains Dr. Stephen Silberstein, director of the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, referring to the study which was published in Nature Genetics, June 2012.
“Now we know in what neighborhood the genes are located, but we still don’t know where the houses are. It’s an important first step.”
Conclusion
If you know that at least one parent gets migraines, then it helps to be prepared. Read up about migraine triggers that raise your risk even higher for developing chronic headaches. Migraine headache triggers may include certain foods, changes in weather, irregular sleep patterns, hormones, or stress.
Even if migraines are hereditary, you can reduce your risks by exercising daily, keeping a migraine diary, learning how to relax, and supplementing with vitamins and minerals that benefit migraine patients, such as riboflavin, CoQ10, butterbur, and magnesium.
Your turn!
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below.
Share with your friends!
If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.
Like this? Read more:
Is Migraine Disorder a Real Illness?
PTSD Migraines are from Mars, Genetic Migraines are from Venus, Part 1
PTSD Migraines are from Mars, Genetic Migraines are from Venus, Part 2
Sources:
Migraine Genes Pinpointed By Researchers
Scientists Spot More Migraine Genes
What is Migraine? (the scientific story)
Image(s) courtesy of imagerymajestic/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: Genetics and migraine, Hemiplegic migraine, Hereditary Migraines, migraine aura, migraine causes, migraine headaches, migraine symptoms
Posted in Migraine Causes | No Comments »
Monday, November 12th, 2012
Millions of people suffer from migraine headaches, yet few patients are able to figure out exactly what causes their migraines. Even with the help of an experienced migraine specialist, the elusive migraine mystery cause sometimes takes years to solve. Actually, there are many causes of migraines, but few theories.
The short answer
Previously, experts thought that migraines were caused by a blood vessel disorder.
Now, scientists understand that migraines are a neurological disorder, and that migraines are caused by overexcited neurotransmitters in the brain that misbehave, corrupt blood vessel behavior, and produce painful symptoms- headache, neck stiffness, eye sensitivity- that cause a migraine attack.
(Also read: What Causes Migraine Dizziness?)
Migraine triggers, the long answer
Finding the cause for migraines is not really that simple. While we know that migraines happen because of a neurological malfunctioning, what we don’t always know is what outside factors trigger (cause) migraines; in other words, what initiates the chain reaction of symptoms that cause a migraine attack.
Migraine triggers are any elements that push your brain’s “migraine buttons.”
Like a match to a stick of dynamite, migraine triggers don’t really cause migraines, but rather they tease the overactive neurotransmitters into action.
Boom.
Over 100, and counting
Recently, UC Berkeley scientists calculated over 100 migraine triggers that “cause” migraine attacks. These include influential elements in nature, food, behavior, mood, and biological functioning.
(Also read: Avoiding Migraine Triggers- Here, There and Everywhere)
Common migraine triggers include:
- Stress
- Hormonal fluctuations
- Food additives, such as MSG and nitrites
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Red-skinned fruits
- Aged foods, such as cheese, avocadoes, and bananas
- Dairy products
- Yeasted foods, including beer and bread
- Alcoholic beverages
- Skipping meals
- Sleeping late, or napping
- Scents
- Humidity
- Changes in barometric pressure
- Sinus headaches
Migraine Weather Triggers- Seasonal Migraines in the Fall
Finding your trigger
Narrowing down migraine causes, or triggers, requires patience and determination.
Many migraine patients discover that a nutritional deficiency or allergy is the root cause of migraines. By correcting the underlying disorder- by avoiding gluten or dairy, or by supplementing with magnesium or B vitamins- they often see a vast improvement in migraine management.
Another way to find the cause of migraines is to start logging into a migraine diary. Keep track of what foods you eat, which medications you take, your mood, and any other relevant information.
Please tell us…
Have you successfully tracked migraine causes with a migraine diary?
Have you tested for magnesium deficiency as a cause of migraines?
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below.
Share with your friends!
If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.
Like this? Read more:
Treat Migraine Headaches caused by Food Allergies- without Drugs
Sources:
Migraine Triggers- University of California, Berkeley PDF
Migraine Causes
What Is Migraine? What Causes Migraines?
Image(s) courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: migraine causes, Migraine headaches symptoms, migraine triggers
Posted in Migraine Causes | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 17th, 2012
Getting rid of a migraine is difficult enough, but when neck pain and headache combine, it’s almost impossible to ever find lasting relief. Sometimes, migraines are triggered by aching shoulders or neck stiffness, caused by an underlying injury or potentially life-threatening condition. Here are some possible reasons for headaches caused by neck pain.
Chronic cervicogenic headaches
Cervicogenic headaches occur any time an injury or other inflammation occurs in the top three vertebrae of the neck. Symptoms include dull headache and neck pain, particularly in the back of the head or upper neck area, and are often exacerbated by head movement.
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis in the neck area is a common cause of cervicogenic headaches and neck pain, but it can also trigger migraines. When arthritis of the neck occurs, the upper neck area is especially susceptible to deterioration of the topmost vertebrae, causing bone spurs and nerve damage. Severe headaches and neck-aches are common symptoms of this, and other forms of arthritis.
Arthritis Headaches- When Joint Stiffness Triggers Migraines
Neck injury
Another cause of cervicogenic headaches are neck injuries, including whiplash, herniated discs, or pinched nerves. Additionally, poor posture or TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder can also result in an increase in headaches and neck pain.
Headaches from Teeth Clenching- Tips to Stop the Grind
Stress headache
Tension headaches are not migraines, but they can trigger them. If you carry stress in your neck, then constantly tense muscles and stiff shoulders together combine to create chronic headaches and neck pain. For relief, practice meditation, get a message, or join a yoga class
Illness
If you suffer from chronic headaches and neck pain, then it’s important to rule out certain life-threatening illness. Examples of dangerous conditions that cause severe, lasting neck pain and headaches are tuberculosis, meningitis, and osteomyelitis.
Fibromyalgia, though not fatal, is a serious chronic pain condition that often occurs with migraines, and should be considered, as well.
Please tell us…
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below.
Share with your friends!
If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.
Like this? Read more:
Coping with Migraines, Part I: 6 Inspirational Truths
How long will my Migraine Headache Last? A Migraine Symptom Chart
Sources:
Causes For A Chronic Headache With Neck Pain
Headache and Neck Pain
Images courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: Headache and neck pain, Headaches caused by neck pain, migraine causes, migraine headaches
Posted in Chronic Pain | No Comments »
Thursday, May 31st, 2012
Of all the migraine triggers, noise from neighbors can be the most frustrating. Whether it’s dogs barking, rowdy parties, or mysterious thumping sounds over your head, here are some tips for dealing with noise from neighbors, without causing more migraines.
1- Just ask
Plan A is always to confront your neighbor and bring the noise to his attention.
- Wait for a quiet, convenient time to approach your neighbor (assuming there are any non-migraine noise-inducing periods). Don’t be tempted to pound on his door and catch him in the act of noise polluting; you will only get an angry, defensive response.
- Begin with an open mind, and give him the benefit of the doubt. Explain that you suffer from chronic migraine headaches, and that you are especially susceptible to migraine attacks from loud noise decibels. He might not have realized that he was being offensive.
- Be respectful, even if he isn’t.
- Tell him which times of the day or night are most problematic. If you are home during the day recovering from a migraine headache and the noise is making that impossible, let him know, politely.
- If approaching him personally is not an option, paste a friendly sticky note on his door.
- Always document any verbal or written communications regarding noise pollution.
Helping Others Understand Migraines- 8 Communication Tips
2- Ask again, with a warning
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Only this time, get serious.
- Remind him about city ordinances requiring noise levels, specific to the time of day or night, which can be found at most government sites.
- Put it in a letter, and make a copy for yourself.
- Let him know that under no circumstances will you suffer needlessly from a migraine trigger (noise) that is in his power to control.
3- Circulate
If you’re part of a homeowner’s association (HOA), find out about posting a note in the community newsletter addressing the issue of noise pollution, without mentioning any names, of course. This is another practical, non-accusatory way of spreading the message and preventing further headaches.
4- Talk to your landlord
Get on friendly terms with your landlord or HOA representatives.
- Let them know that you suffer from migraines triggered by noise, and that you have tried to address the topic of noise pollution, to no avail.
- Find out about the HOA or apartment complex rules regarding noisy neighbors, and ask if he can mediate the situation.
5- Soundproof your living space
Sometimes, a few inexpensive soundproofing measures can provide a migraine-friendly noise-free environment.
- Check light switches and other electrical outlets for openings that may be letting in outside noise. A bit of caulking in the holes may shut out some of that noise
- Apply an acoustic mat under your floor or carpeting, or if possible, between the drywalls.
- Purchase an inexpensive foam window plug.
- Apply green glue, a noiseproofing compound.
7 Room Darkening Tips for Migraine Sufferers
6- Try white noise
Background sounds are helpful for filtering out annoying noises that cause migraines.
- Assuming the noise isn’t deafening, try installing a window-unit air conditioner, or keeping a floor fan running.
- Listen to relaxing music or environmental sounds on your iPod- not only will it shush out noise pollution, but it will also help you relax and recover from a migraine attack more quickly.
- Purchase a white noise machine.
7- Alert the authorities
This should be one of your last resorts.
- Go to the police and explain the situation; it may be just the first step in establishing a record of your noise complaints.
- Explain that you have approached your neighbor many times, and have tried to resolve the problem peacefully, but that he’s still giving you headaches.
- Call the police during the time that the noise violation occurs.
- Hopefully, a policeman will knock on his door to investigate, and that will be the end of it.
8- Sue ‘em
This is your ultimate last resort, the thing you’ve been warning him about all along.
- Understand that you are legally within your rights to file a lawsuit if unlawful noise is causing you pain and suffering (and how else would you describe a migraine?).
- Going through small claims court, you can easily get monetary damages without the need…or expense of lawyers.
- To file a cease and desist, you will need to go through civil court.
Please tell us…
Have you successfully dealt with a loud noise that was giving you migraines? Please share your experience.
What are some other peaceful ways of dealing with noisy neighbors?
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below.
Share with your friends!
If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.
Read more about migraines and the law
Migraine Headaches Are Not an ADA Disability, Says US Court
Migraines at Work- Can my Employers Fire me from my Job?
Social Security Disability for Migraine- 5 Tips for Filing
References:
7 Tips for Keeping the Peace (and Quiet) With Noisy Neighbors
How To: Soundproof Your Home
What to Do About a Neighbor’s Noise – FAQs
Images:
Free images from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: migraine causes, migraine headaches, Migraine noise triggers
Posted in Migraine Law in the Workplace | No Comments »
Thursday, February 9th, 2012
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:
 Talking- Smiling
- Brushing your teeth
- Touching your face
- Shaving
- Putting on makeup
- Chewing food
- Swallowing food
- Drinking
- Kissing
- Combing or brushing your hair
- Showering and shampooing
- Feeling a cold blast of wind
- Hearing high-pitched sounds
- 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
Tags: migraine causes, migraine headaches, Migraines, Suicide disease, Trigeminal nerve, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Trigeminal Neuralgia and Migraines, Trigeminal neuralgia causes
Posted in Chronic Pain | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
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!
Read more about migraine comorbidities:
Killer Migraines Might be Fatal after All- Mortality Rates among Migraine Sufferers
When Migraine Aura with Aphasia leaves you Lost for Words
Migraines and Meniere’s disease: a Match made in Hades
Sources:
Migraine Comorbidity
Comorbid Conditions and Migraine
COMORBIDITIES OF MIGRAINE
Comorbidity of migraine- PubMed, NCBI
Tags: chronic pain migraine, Depression and migraines, migraine attacks, migraine causes, Migraine Comorbidity, migraine drugs, migraine symptoms, migraine treatments, migraines and epilepsy, migraines and fibromyalgia, migraines headaches
Posted in Migraine Trivia | No Comments »
Friday, November 4th, 2011
Migraine headaches are not just about throbbing head pain; sufferers of migraine have strong sensitivity to smells, resulting in olfactory aura- an indicator of an approaching migraine attack. Migraine odors usually include unpleasant imagined smells such as burnt food, cigarette smoke, or rotten garbage.
What causes migraine headaches?
Millions of people suffer from migraine symptoms, such as severe headaches, nausea, and dizziness, but nobody has come up with a universal migraine cure. However, by determining migraine triggers and experimenting with various migraine remedies many- if not all- migraine suffers are able to find a measure of relief from their debilitating migraine symptoms.
What is a migraine aura?
A migraine aura appears during the migraine prodrome stage- generally, just a few minutes before the migraine attack strikes. Alice in Wonderland Syndrome is one example of a migraine aura that includes distorted body image, auditory hallucinations, loss of spatial awareness, and temporary jumbled, confused speech patterns. Typical migraine auras are bright lights and voids, such as blue-green zigzagging lines, eclipses, and blind spots.
Olfactory hallucinations
Sometimes, migraine patients report smelling weird, unusual odors before a migraine attack- odors that don’t actually exists, save for them. Thes olfactory auras are called parosmia. The majority of migraine patients describe imagined smells as putrid, smoky odors. Common descriptions are:
- burning wood
- toxic-smelling aromas
- sewer-like stenches
- smoke
- decomposed garbage.
Read more about migraine illness:
Night Terrors, Migraines, and Insomnia- 7 Nightmare Headaches
Perfumes and Migraines: The Good, the Bad, and the Downright Stinky
Sources:
Imagined smells can precede migraines
Olfactory hallucinations in primary headache disorders: Case series and literature review
Olfactory aura symptoms- Migraine Aura Foundation
Migraine Symptoms: Olfactory Hallucinations
Image credits, from top:
andertoons, John Kasawa, Grant Cochrane
Tags: Imagined smells, migraine attacks, migraine causes, migraine cure, migraine headaches, Migraine odors, Migraine prodrome, migraine remedies, migraine sensitivity to smell, Migraine sensitivity to smells, migraine smells, migraine symptoms, migraine triggers, Olfactory aura, Olfactory Hallucinations
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