Posts Tagged ‘migraine drugs’

Migraine Comorbidity is not a Death Sentence

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!

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 remedies 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 painkilling, 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 are opting for natural supplements like herbs, vitamins, and minerals in treating their child’s migraine symptoms. Popular natural ingredients for preventing migraines include magnesium, butterbur, riboflavin, and coenzyme Q10. Supplementing with the right blend of natural treatments for migraines reduces migraine frequency and duration by at least 40%, and without causing harmful side effects.

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!

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.

Natural Migraine Remedies Surge with Prescription Drug Deaths

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.

Migraines attack the whole body- not just the head

People who have never experienced a migraine attack mistakenly believe that it’s just like a headache, only stronger. Nothing could be further from the truth! First, daily headaches like tension headaches are caused by stressed, tense muscles. Migraine headaches occur in the brain when your nervous system misinterprets certain migraine triggers as pain messages. Migraine disorder is classified as a neurological disease.

Some of the symptoms of migraines include:

Sharp, severe head pain on one side of that head that lasts for several hours or days
Intense nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea
Migraine aura, consisting of strange visual hallucinations, olfactory hallucinations, temporary partial blindness, temporary partial paralysis, speech irregularities, altered sense of spatial awareness and time, loss of consciousness, and inability to communicate with or comprehend other people.
Hypersensitivity to things like bright lights, loud noises, and strong scents

Overcoming Social Isolation in Migraine Disorder

Suicide risk with migraine disorder

Researchers point to a high correlation of emotional problems in migraine headache sufferers to explain for a higher-than-average suicide rate.

The suicide rate in migraine patients is higher than that in the general population. Out of all migraine sufferers, females who experience migraines with aura (MA) have the highest suicide rate.
People who have the most severe and frequent migraine attacks are more likely to contemplate suicide.
People who get migraines without aura (MwoA) are just as likely to contemplate suicide as those who suffer migraines with aura (MA), but they are less likely to act upon suicide ideation.
There is no significant suicide risk in people who suffer from chronic daily headaches (CDH).

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

Depression is comorbid with migraines

Most chronic migraine sufferers battle with more than the migraine symptoms alone- they also have to contend with major depression and other emotional disorders.

In one study, about 26% of people who suffered from bipolar disorder also experienced frequent migraine attacks.
Migraine with aura patients are more likely to suffer multiple anxiety disorders, recurrent depression, and hypomania, compared with migraineurs who don’t experience aura.
Scientists speculate that various dysfunctions in the brain (like bipolar disorder) produce other brain dysfunctions like depression, seizures, and migraines with aura.

Migraine medications may raise suicide risk

There is some evidence that anticonvulsants meant to treat epilepsy, but also prescribed as a migraine treatment, may contribute to the high suicide rate among migraineurs.

Compared with topiramate (Topamax), the following migraine drugs are associated with high suicidal tendencies:

Gabapentin (Neurontin)- 40% higher than Topamax
Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)
Tiagabine (Gabitril)

In a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), nearly 300,000 people who suffer from migraines, chronic pain, bipolar disorder, and epilepsy began taking one of 13 anticonvulsants. None of the participants had any history of suicidal behavior.

After approximately 180 days, 26 patients committed suicide, and 801 attempted suicide.

Gabapentin, which is associated with the highest risk of suicide, is also one of the most frequently prescribed anticonvulsants for migraines (48%), followed by Topiramate (19.4%), Lamotrigine (7.5%), and Valproate (6.2%).

Two strategies for migraine relief

Pain relief- Also known as acute or abortive treatment, these types of drugs are taken during migraine attacks and are designed to stop symptoms that have already begun.
Preventative- Prophylactic migraine drugs are taken regularly, usually every day, in order to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Most prophylactic migraine medicines do not treat other migraine symptoms (nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, light sensitivity, migraine aura), but instead aid in preventing migraines by controlling vascular swelling.

Natural Migraine Remedies Surge with Prescription Drug Deaths

Migraine medications that prevent migraine attacks

If you suffer frequent debilitating migraine attacks that do not respond to pain relievers, then your doctor may wish to prescribe migraine prophylaxis treatments. Also, “migraine with aura” patients qualify for preventative migraine treatments that reduce the frequency and duration of migraine attacks, in addition to significantly reducing the severity of migraine symptoms.

Heart disease medications

Beta blockers- Propranolol (Inderal La, Innopran XL)
Calcium channel blockers- Verapamil (Calan, Verelan)
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors- Lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril)

Caution: Cardiovascular medications for migraines may cause drug and alcohol interactions, dizziness, drowsiness, lightheadedness, wheezing, depression, vivid nightmares, cold hands and feet, asthma, diarrhea, nausea, slow heartbeat, and swollen ankles.

Antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants- Amitriptyline, nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil)
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)- Paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine HCl (Prozac), Celexa
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)- Venlafaxine (Effexor, Venlafaxine HCL)

Caution: Antidepressants may cause drug interactions. Side effects include irregular heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, headache, fatigue, weakness, weight gain, increased appetite, reduced sex drive, and dry mouth.

Anti-seizure medications

Valproate (Depacon)
Topiramate (Topamax)
Gabapentin (Neurontin)
Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

Caution: Anti-seizure medications for migraine may cause drug interactions. Long-term use of anti-seizure medications may cause pancreatitis, liver damage, memory loss, nausea, vomiting, cramps, weight gain, impaired vision, hair loss, and dizziness. Some epilepsy drugs like Depacon may cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy.

Migraine Medications That are Dangerous During Pregnancy

Antihistamines

Cyproheptadine

Caution: Antihistamines may cause drug interactions. Side effects may include drowsiness, dizziness, nervousness, irritability, disorientation, hallucinations, insomnia, allergic reactions, impaired vision, tinnitus, low heartbeat, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, jaundice, hepatitis, anorexia, sore throat, chest pains, respiratory congestion, increased appetite, chills, and headache.

Botulinum toxin type A (Botox)

Caution: Botox injections may cause side effects like difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, muscular weakness, muscular pain, visual impairments, itching, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, bruising, bleeding, swelling, redness, sore throat, fever, cough, runny nose, flu symptoms, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, loss of appetite, dry mouth and eyes, tinnitus, increased sensitivity to light, and headache.

Alternative Migraine Treatments: Thinking outside of the Botox

Alternative migraine treatments

Natural remedies for migraine headaches offer headache sufferers a chance to reduce migraine symptoms without dangerous side effects.

Herbal and nutritional migraine remedies

Butterbur
Magnesium
Coenzyme Q10
Riboflavin

Caution: Butterbur supplements may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids- seek butterbur extracts that are free of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. As with all medications, allergic reactions may occur. Seek advice from a doctor before starting any new migraine treatment, including natural migraine remedies.

Part I: Migraine pain relievers

Two strategies for migraine relief

Pain relief- Also known as acute or abortive treatment, these types of drugs are taken during migraine attacks and are designed to stop symptoms that have already begun.
Preventative- Prophylactic migraine drugs are taken regularly, usually every day, in order to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Most prophylactic migraine medicines do not treat other migraine symptoms (nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, light sensitivity, migraine aura), but instead aid in preventing migraines by controlling vascular swelling.

Medications that relieve migraine symptoms

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and simple analgesics

Ibuprofen- (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin)
Acetaminophen- (Tylenol)
Aspirin- (Bufferin, Bayer)
Ketoprofen- (Orudis)
Naproxen- (Naprosyn, Aleve)
Combination migraine painkillers- (Excedrin for Migraines)

Caution: Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers are not strong enough to relieve severe migraine headaches. Long-term side effects may include ulcers, internal bleeding, and rebound headache.

Are You on the Rebound with Your Headache?

Narcotic painkillers for migraines

Codeine
Meperidine HCl (Demerol)
Darvocet
Butalbital, acetaminophen, caffeine (Fioricet)
Fiorinal
Percocet
Vicodin

Caution: Narcotic painkillers are habit forming and a high risk for fatal overdose; side effects include allergic reaction, seizure, feebleness, loss of consciousness, clammy skin, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, shortness of breath, low blood pressure, anxiety, and increased sweating.

Are Doctors Overprescribing Painkillers for Migraines? Fox News Report

Triptans

Sumatriptan (Imitrex)
Rizatriptan (Maxalt)
Almotriptan (Axert)
Naratriptan (Amerge)
Zolmitriptan (Zomig)
Frovatriptan (Frova)
Eletriptan (Relpax)

Caution: Triptans may cause nausea, dizziness, and muscular feebleness, not recommended for patients of heart disease or stroke

Ergot

Ergotamine (Ergomar)
Dihydroergotamine (DHE, Migranal)

Caution: Side effects of Ergot may include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, hypertension, chest pain, sneezing, sore throat, fever, visual impairments, numbness in hands and feet, cold hands and feet, weakness in legs, muscular pain, itching, dry mouth, disorientation, anxiety, and fatigue.

Anti-nausea

Metoclopramide (Reglan)
Prochlorperazine (Compro)

Caution: Anti-nausea medications may cause fatigue, diarrhea, dizziness, joint pain, restlessness, sleep difficulties, hair loss, anxiety, constipation, impaired vision, and headache.

Parenteral corticosteroids

Dexamethasone (Baycadron, Cortastat, Decadron, DexPak)

Caution: Dexamethasone may cause difficulty sleeping, disorientation, dizziness, increased appetite, increased sweating, indigestion, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, nervousness, depression, mood swings, allergic reaction, changes in menstruation, seizures, muscular pain, joint pain, unusual swelling, fever, sore throat, cough, pressure behind eyes, and headache.

Next: Drugs that Prevent or Stop Migraine Attacks, plus Side Effects: Part II, Preventative Medications

“It’s just Stress” and other Fallacies

The truth about Migraines

Migraines are debilitating neurological disorder that interferes with daily life, in and outside of the home. Chronic migraine headaches are one of the leading causes of disability, and account for millions of hospital visits to ER every year. Migraine symptoms, such as pulsating head pain, intense nausea and stomach cramping, acute sensitivity to strong scents, loud noise and bright lighting, make life unbearable for the migraine sufferer.

Still, families, friends and coworkers of migraine patients have difficulty relating, as there are many incorrect stereotypes and misconceptions that surround migraine illness, regardless of the best efforts of migraine awareness groups, such as M.A.G.N.U.M. and the World Headache Alliance, and online migraine support sites such as Migraine.com, Help for Headaches and WebMD- Migraines. (See Top 20 Websites for Migraine Headache Patients.)

Below is a list of 6 oft-repeated myths about migraines:

Migraine Myth #1: Migraines are like any other headaches.

Not true. Clenched muscles, usually in the upper back, shoulders, and neck regions, cause tension headaches. Common stress headache pain can range from mild to moderately severe; over-the-counter pain medications are sufficient treatments for the common headache.

Migraine headaches are a neurological illness. Constricted blood vessels cause migraine headaches, and the pain fluctuates between moderate to debilitating. The triggers that cause migraines are numerous: food, weather, stress, hormones, light, scents and sleep disturbances. Only a neurologist who specializes in migraine therapy can recommend proper treatment. Migraine Pop Quiz: How Well do you Understand your Headaches?

Migraine Myth #2: There’s no real cure for migraines.
Actually, there’s no one cure for migraines. Many factors need consideration when finding an effective migraine treatment; the task can sometimes seem fruitless. Don’t let pessimism keep you from finding migraine headache relief. Seek a qualified neurologist who specializes with migraines, and stay informed by frequently visiting online migraine forums and blogs. Alternative Migraine Treatments: Thinking outside of the Botox

Migraine Myth #3: Stress only triggers stress headaches, not migraines.

Stress is the leading cause of all headaches, including migraines and tension headaches. So how does one tell the difference between a migraine attack and a stress headache? Migraine pain attacks one side of the head only. Tension headaches are described as a tight band circling the head.

Migraine Myth #4: Migraines are associated with mental illness.

There is a high correlation between migraines, depression and anxiety, but that does not mean that all migraine patients have emotional disorders or need antidepressants. There is currently no proof that mental illness of any kind causes migraines. However, one must take into account the emotional strain chronic migraine sufferers experience. It is common for migraine patients to go through phases or depression, nervousness or anxiety while learning to cope with their condition. Stop Your Next Panic Attack in 4 Simple Steps

Migraine Myth #5: Migraine attacks always impair your ability to function.

The symptoms of migraines can range from moderate to severe. At its worst, migraine pain can be excruciating to the point that the only option is to take your medication and wait out the storm in a dark, quiet room. The fact that you are able to withstand head pain while running errands, working at the computer or trying to relax doesn’t contradict the nature of migraines, nor does it mean that you must endure the suffering. Top 10 Headache Symptoms that Point to Migraines

Migraine Myth #6: Migraineurs are usually hypochondriacs.

This is probably the most hurtful notion of all, because it forces the migraine sufferer to bear the burden of proof. Short of carrying around a brain scan imaging report, there’s little one can do prove to a skeptic that your headache symptoms are not imaginary. You can’t see a migraine; the debilitating symptoms are unobservable to all except a qualified neurologist. But the proof is available through multiple medical reports, scientific breakthroughs and social statistics.

Read more about migraine stigma and coping mechanisms:

Migraine Sufferer to World: It’s not just a Headache, People!

10 Clues your should Include in your Headache Diary Today

Sources:

http://www.netplaces.com/migraines/migraine-basics/migraine-myths-and-misconceptions.htm

Tags: cause migraine, chronic migraine headaches, chronic migraines, headache relief, headache triggers, Migraine, migraine causes, migraine drugs, migraine headache symptoms, migraine medications, migraine news, migraine pain, migraine pain relief, migraine symptoms, migraine treatments, Migraines, prevent migraines
Posted in Migraines | 2 Comments »

Best 10 Hospitals in the USA for Chronic Migraine Patients

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

U.S. News Best Hospitals for Neurology

Out of 1,200 hospitals that were reviewed for excellence in treating chronic migraines, the US News has narrowed their list down to the 10 highest ranking hospitals in the fields of neurology and neurosurgery.

1) John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland (410) 955–5000: In addition to placing #1 for migraine treatment and prevention, John Hopkins Hospital also made the national #1 Honor Roll for treatment in ENT, Rheumatology and for gynecology.

2) Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (507) 284–2511: World-famous Mayo Clinic ranked #1 for diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, and kidney disorders; they also have a strong online presence in providing current information about migraine headache symptoms and common headache triggers.

3) Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (617) 726–2000: Massachusetts General Hospital ranked #1 center in Boston for treating migraines, and #1 in the USA for their psychiatry department.

4) New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, New York (212) 746–5454: In addition to neurology, NY-Pres also ranked #4 in psychiatry and kidney disorders.

5) University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, California (415) 476–1000: The UCLA teaching hospital was voted the #1 hospital for treating migraine pain in all of San Francisco.

6) Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio (216) 444–2200: Cleveland Clinic ranked best hospital in Cleveland for providing migraine headache relief, and #1 US hospital for treating heart disease and conducting heart surgeries.

7) Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California,(310) 825–9111: The UCLA Medical Center was voted the best clinic in Los Angeles for treating chronic migraines, and #2 in the USA for excellence in Geriatrics.

8) St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona (602) 406–3000: This prestigious hospital was also voted the third best neurological center in Phoenix, Arizona.

9) NYU Langone Medical Center, New York (212) 263–7300: The NYU Langone Medical Center made the national Honor Roll for excellence in 14 fields of medicine, including neurology and neurosurgery. Additionally, they placed #2 for best hospital in New York for migraine headache patients.

10) Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Saint Louis, Missouri (314) 747–3000: The Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University made the Honor Roll as #1 best migraine treatment center in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Tags: Barnes-Jewish Hospital, best hospitals, best hospitals migraines, best hospitals neurology, chronic migraines, Cleveland Clinic, headache relief, headache triggers, Headaches, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, mayo clinic, Migraine, migraine and aura, migraine causes, migraine drugs, migraine headache symptoms, migraine headaches, migraine news, migraine pain, migraine pain relief, migraine remedy, migraine treatment, migraine treatments, Migraines, migrane, New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, NYU Langone Medical Center, Pain, prevent migraines, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, San Francisco Medical Center, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Symptoms, University of California, US News, US News hospitals, women and migraines
Posted in Migraine Treatments | 1 Comment »

Migraine or Sinus Headache? Make Sure your Headache Doctor Knows the Difference

Monday, May 9th, 2011

Millions of Americans suffer from migraine headaches, but that number could be larger than we think. While data collected from the American Migraine Study II suggests that 28 million people in the US suffer migraine symptoms, another study points to a large number of cases where migraine pain was misdiagnosed as sinus headache symptoms.

About 18% of all women are diagnosed with migraines; headache pain is described by 80% of all migraineurs as excruciating, to the point where sufferers are unable to perform even simple daily tasks, interfering with their social lives and job performance. More disturbing, experts believe that less than half of all migraine sufferers will ever be diagnosed with chronic migraines, and an even small number- fewer than 20%- will ever receive prescribed migraine medications for headache relief.

Please read: Migraine Headaches Send Millions to the Emergency Rooms

Some researchers have conducted a study to explain the high rate of misdiagnoses surrounding migraine headaches, pointing to a tendency among patients and some doctors to confuse the symptoms of sinus headaches with those of migraines.

The Sinus, Allergy and Migraine Study (SAMS) was conducted to draw a line of contrast between two headache types: migraines and sinus headaches. Says lead authors, the “majority of those with self-diagnosed sinus headaches have migraines or probable migraines.”

Here are the results of that study:

Included in this study were 100 individuals who believed themselves to be suffering from sinus headaches.
Participants were asked to fill out questionnaires designed to deduct the level of their headache pain and impairment caused by their headache symptoms.
Headache sufferers were also asked if they had any other side effects, such as stuffy nose, watery eyes or flushed skin.
All in all, 63% of study participants were eventually diagnosed with chronic migraines, after having previously been diagnosed with sinus headaches.
Scientists attributed the wrong diagnoses to miscommunication between the patients and the doctors, in addition to a tendency among some patients to “self-diagnose” their headache symptoms.
Triggers which caused migraines included changes in the weather and seasons, allergies and altitude changes.

For more info on headache types, read:

7 Headache Categories:Which Type of Headache do you Have?

Women who get Migraines are also Likely to get This

Sources:

FYI Living, PubMed Gov

Tags: cause migraine, causes migraines, chronic migraines, headache relief, headache triggers, migraine drugs, migraine headaches, migraine medications, migraine news, migraine pain, migraine pain relief, migraine prevention, migraine remedy, migraine symptoms, Migraines, migraines with aura, natural migraine treatments, prevent migraines, sinus headache symptoms, sinus headaches, Symptoms, women and migraines
Posted in Types of Migraines | No Comments »

Advil Migraine FAQ: Your Most Commonly Asked Questions Answered!

Monday, April 4th, 2011

Yesterday, we talked about Maxalt, a popular migraine medication that helps reduce headache pain and nausea. Today’s focus on another popular drug you can get over the counter–Advil Migraine. So what is it and how can it help you? Today we’re answering your most frequently asked questions about this drug.

Advil Migraine FAQ

Question: What is Advil Migraine?
Advil Migraine is an over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication that helps relieve headache pain, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound when a migraine attack begins. It’s even approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this purpose. This medication can be taken by mouth at any time, making it a fast and convenient way to eliminate your headache pain without having to buy expensive prescription medications. It contains ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID).

Question: How does it work?
Ibuprofen, the active ingredient in Advil Migraine, inhibits cyclooxygenase, an enzyme which helps covert arachidonic acid to prostaglandin. Prostaglandin is a substance released during an attack which can cause throbbing and often nauseating headache pain. By preventing the production of prostaglandins, this drug helps cut down on the pain they produce–in some instances, it eliminates the pain completely, though the effect is temporary.

Question: Do I need to get this at a pharmacy?
No–this medication is available over-the-counter (OTC) next to Advil’s other products. You should be able to find this in your local grocery or retail store, such as Walmart or Target. Remember to seek medical advice before taking any supplement, especially if you have a medical condition.

Question: How is this different from Advil?
Unlike Advil, Advil Migraine is approved by the FDA to treat migraine pain. They both contain virtually the same amount of ibuprofen, however.

Question: How much do I need to take?
Very little. If you are older than 12 years old, you should only take one tablet every four to six hours until the symptoms disappear. You cannot take more than six tablets per day. If you are under the age of 12, your doctor will determine the correct dosage for you.

Question: How safe is this medication?
Ibuprofen is considered one of the safest pain relievers on the market–but that doesn’t mean it can’t cause any side effects. The most common side effects associated with this drug are diarrhea, constipation, gas, nervousness and dizziness. It can also increase your risk for having a heart attack or stroke. If you are already at risk for these problems, you should seek medical advice before taking this drug. It can also increase the risk for ulcers or uncontrolled bleeding.

Have additional questions we didn’t answer in our Advil Migraine FAQ? Let us know in the comments below. We may feature your question in an upcoming blog post on Migravent.

Tags: Advil, Advil Migraine, migraine drugs, migraine medications, migraine treatments, over the counter, pain medication
Posted in Migraine Medication | No Comments »

Posts Tagged ‘migraine drugs’

The definition of migraine comorbidity

Why are migraine comorbidities important?

What are common migraine comorbidities?

Please tell us…

Read more about migraine comorbidities:

A headache is a headache is a headache…

Why go to a headache specialist?

What migraine treatments are available for children?

Please tell us:

Read more about natural migraine treatments:

Study focuses on chronic pain

What do these findings mean for chronic pain patients?

Read more about chronic pain and migraines:

Migraines attack the whole body- not just the head

Suicide risk with migraine disorder

Depression is comorbid with migraines

Migraine medications may raise suicide risk

Read more about migraines and depression:

Two strategies for migraine relief

Migraine medications that prevent migraine attacks

Alternative migraine treatments

Read more about migraine medications:

Part I: Migraine pain relievers

Two strategies for migraine relief

Medications that relieve migraine symptoms

Read more about migraine medications:

“It’s just Stress” and other Fallacies

U.S. News Best Hospitals for Neurology

Advil Migraine FAQ

Search Blog

Search Posts

Recent Posts

Search Topics

Topics