Posts Tagged ‘migraine symptoms’
Monday, May 20th, 2013
Rebound headaches, triggered by over-the-counter pain relievers, are often problematic with migraines. How do you know when you’ve taken enough Tylenol, Advil, or Excedrin for migraines…and what are you supposed to do about painful lingering headaches once you’ve reached your limit? Below are some frequently-asked questions people have about preventing rebound headaches and migraines.
What is a rebound headache?
Rebound headaches, also called analgesic overuse syndrome, are persistent headaches that occur from taking too many NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) for pain relief.
If you take ibuprofen, acetaminophen or other headache medications for longer than a 5-day period, then you may be inadvertently increasing your risk for chronic migraines, or making an already-severe form of migraines even worse.
Over-the-counter analgesics, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, or other pain-relieving medications can, over time, increase frequency, severity, and duration of migraine attacks.
Which drugs cause rebound headaches?
The most common NSAIDs linked to rebound headaches with migraines are:
- Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
- Naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Anaprox, Naprelan)
- NSAID-caffeine combinations
- NSAID- butalbital combinations
- Opioids
Why use Natural Migraine Treatments?
How can I prevent rebound headaches?
To put a stop to rebound headaches and prevent further migraine headaches, doctors may recommend a multi-pronged approach to migraine prophylaxis and treatment.
Options include:
- Migraine prophylaxis medications, under the supervision of your migraine specialist, neurologist, or general practitioner
- Biofeedback
- Migraine trigger avoidance
- Exercise
- Meditation
- Acupuncture
- Restrictive dieting
- Supplementing with natural herbs, vitamins, and minerals that aid migraine patients, including riboflavin, butterbur, coenzyme Q10, 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:
Best for Migraines: Advil or Tylenol?
Migraine Medication Pros and Cons: the Basics
Are You on the Rebound with Your Headache?
Sources:
Rebound Headaches
Image courtesy of winnond/freedigitalphotos
Tags: analgesic overuse, Excedrin Migraine, headache medicine, migraine causes, migraine headache, migraine symptoms, Pain relievers, Rebound headache
Posted in Migraine Causes | No Comments »
Monday, May 13th, 2013
You’re not imagining it- if you get frequent migraines, then ADD/ADHD (yes, adults can have it) may also account for your long list of ailments, like nausea, crushing headaches, brain fog, attention problems, and hypersensitivity to lights, sounds, touch, scents- everything! Here are some findings that scientists have linking chronic migraines and ADD/ADHD.
Migraines and ADD/ADHD
Millions of people suffer excruciating headaches from migraines, and likewise, millions of adults in the US struggle with attention problems and sensory overload caused by ADD/ADHD.
Today, scientists believe that migraines and ADD/ADHD have more in common than we realized, and may provide important clues in devising appropriate treatments for people suffering from fatigue, disorientation, and a low tolerance for noise, even when they’re not having a migraine attack.
“…we think that this association between ADHD and migraine is mediated by a mutual comorbidity in mood disorders,” explains author Ole Bernt Fasmer, MD, PhD, regarding the study that was published in Psychiatry Weekly.
What do they have in common?
It can’t be a coincidence that some of the strongest migraine triggers involve the senses. In addition to changes in weather, food ingredients, and hormone fluctuations, many sensory-based environmental factors increase your risk for having a migraine attack, including:
- Bright fluorescent lighting
- Glare from harsh sunlight
- Flickering lights
- Stark white backgrounds
- Black and white striped or zigzagged patterns
- Strong perfumes
- Cigarette smoke
- Loud noises
- Chatter, people talking all at once
- Large crowds
10 Surprising Facts about Migraines you probably didn’t know
Interestingly enough, the same migraine triggers associated with hypersensitivity are the same ones that bother adults with attention problems ADD/ADHD.
And it isn’t a coincidence. In a famous 2012 study conducted by researchers in Norway, Migraine, Asthma, Mood Disorder, and Comorbid Adult ADHD, scientists found that males with ADHD have a 23% risk for migraines, compared with 11% of the general population. Furthermore, females, who are three times more likely than males to suffer from migraines, have a 34% risk of having severe migraines and ADD/ADHD, compared to 25% in women who don’t have attention problems.
What exactly is ADD/ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD) is a condition that we use to describe people exhibiting a certain set of behaviors in relation to their ability to focus, filter out sensory stimuli, and form and execute goals, along with several other cognitive skills.
Currently, about 9 million adults in the US have some form of ADD/ADHD.
Treatments for migraines and ADD/ADHD
As always, learn as much as you can about migraines and ADD/ADHD, and visit an experienced doctor for a correct diagnosis.
To treat migraine headaches and attention problems from ADD/ADHD, your doctor may prescribe medications that address your specific symptoms.
Additionally, many natural vitamins and herbs can help to boost cognitive functioning and sustain energy, enabling patients of migraines and ADD/ADHD to maintain mental focus and alertness throughout the day.
These include essential B vitamins, including riboflavin and vitamin B12, which help to preserve the nervous system.
Other beneficial nutrients include magnesium, CoQ10, and butterbur extracts.
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:
Do Migraines Cause Brain Damage?
10 Ridiculously Healthy Vitamins for Women Migraine Patients
Brain Fog: Is it Migraine or Head Cold?
Sources:
Migraine, Asthma, Mood Disorder, and Comorbid Adult ADHD
Attention Deficit Disorder Association
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici/freedigitalphotos.net
Tags: Attention problems, migraine attacks, migraine headaches, migraine symptoms, migraine triggers, migraines and ADD/ADHD
Posted in Migraines and Mental Illness | No Comments »
Thursday, May 2nd, 2013
To stay healthy when suffering from migraines, it’s important to supply your body with plenty of essential nutrients that support neurological functioning, kill free radicals, and nurture the cardiovascular system. Many vitamins that aid migraine patients are found in healthy foods, such as meat, seafood, and vegetables.
While you should take vitamins and minerals that aid migraineurs, you can further the effects of healthy supplementation by including many of these essential nutrients in your daily diet.
Listed below are vitamins that most benefit migraine patients, and their food sources.
Magnesium
Your body needs healthy stores of magnesium for over 300 vital biochemical reactions, including muscle strength, nervous system integrity, strong bones, and good circulation.
Magnesium deficiency is often comorbid with migraines, resulting in symptoms such as strong headaches, fatigue, hypertension, and muscle pain.
To get the most magnesium in your diet, try to include plenty of whole grains, particularly wheat bran and wheat germ, which are among the richest sources of magnesium.
Other excellent food sources of magnesium are nuts, such as almonds and cashews, and leafy green vegetables, such as kale and spinach.
Getting Enough Magnesium…Are you?
Calcium
Your body needs plenty of calcium, a mineral used to sustain strong teeth and bones, but is also crucial for regulating your blood vessels, muscles, intercellular communication, and hormone levels.
A significant number of migraine patients are at risk for osteoporosis, as females experiencing menopause see a reduction in their rate of calcium absorption.
Sometimes, symptom such as headaches, neck stiffness, fatigue, and disorientation that occur with migraines may signify a need for more calcium fortification.
The richest source of calcium is plain low-fat yogurt, but other good sources include dark green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals, and many fruit juices.
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Riboflavin is an essential B vitamin that is helpful for boosting energy, supporting red blood cell production, and providing antioxidants that sustain the immune system.
Migraine patients experiencing brain fog, fatigue, dizziness, and poor concentration benefit greatly from riboflavin supplementation, in addition to inclusion of vitamin B2-rich foods in their diet.
You can get the most riboflavin from animal-based foods such as beef liver and chicken, but you can also find it in fortified cereals.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) in Natural Migraine Ingredients
Iron
Iron is the key nutrient in hemoglobin, a substance in your red blood cells that carries oxygen to your brain and other parts of your body.
Iron anemia causes symptoms that mimic those of migraine disorder, such as extreme fatigue, vertigo, difficulty concentrating, and memory loss.
To make sure you’re getting enough iron in your diet, eat plenty of red meats, seafood, and legumes.
Lycopene
Lycopene has strong antioxidant properties that benefit migraine patients by enhancing cardiovascular functioning and cellular integrity.
Unfortunately, the richest source of lycopene is often a migraine trigger. Tomato sauces and tomato-based condiments contain the highest levels of lycopene, and are a red-light food in migraine prevention.
So, if tomatoes increase your chances of having a migraine attack, then opt for watermelon, which is also a good source.
Potassium
Potassium is important for migraine management, as it helps to prevent dehydration, a common trigger of headaches. The potassium electrolyte also regulates normal cardiovascular health, supports strong muscles, and boosts stamina by converting carbohydrates from the foods you eat into energy.
You can get the most potassium from sweet potatoes, tomato products, beets, and a variety of meat, fish, and poultry.
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:
10 Ridiculously Healthy Vitamins for Women Migraine Patients
Coenzyme Q10 Benefits and Dosage Information
Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos/David Castillo Dominici
Tags: migraine management, migraine prevention, migraine symptoms, Vitamins for migraines
Posted in Nutrition and Migraines | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 12th, 2013
Headaches may be the most prevalent, destructive aspect of a migraine attack, but they don’t always come without warning. Some of the earliest symptoms of an approaching migraine may take you by surprise.
Migraines are a neurological condition which causes people to experience frequent migraine attacks.
A “migraine attack” actually refers to a variety of symptoms which occur in phases, over the course of several days.
The earliest symptoms of a migraine attack may begin the day before you experience headache, and end several days later.
Twenty Minutes to Prevent a Migraine- Think Fast!
To learn how to manage your migraines, it pays to become familiar with these basic signals early on, in order to give yourself ample time to stop whatever you’re doing, take migraine headache medication, and plan an emergency exit.
Migraine: the earliest symptoms
The prodrome stage of a migraine attack may occur hours or days before you experience the first signs of headache. Some of the symptoms are so subtle that you may not even realize that you’re experiencing a migraine, not until it’s almost too late to treat it.
With practice, you may learn to recognize the initial symptoms of the prodrome phase of a migraine, so that you can be on the alert, take any supplements or medications that help to reduce migraine severity, and also try to avoid migraine triggers that can exacerbate symptoms of migraine.
Symptoms of a migraine prodromal phase may include:
- Irritability
- Food cravings
- Loss of appetite
- Mood swings- depression, giddiness
- Hallucinatory scents
- Frequent yawning
- Fatigue
- Brain fog, difficulty concentrating
- Increased urination
- Neck stiffness
Migraine aura
What’s that weird scent? It smells like somebody burnt a bag of microwave popcorn, or spilled a bottle of nail polish…
Believe it or not, you may be experiencing the beginnings of a migraine aura, otherwise referred to as Alice in Wonderland Syndrome. Hallucinatory scents are just one of many unusual experiences some people can have during the early aura stage of a migraine attack, usually minutes before the headache strikes.
Not all people get the migraine aura phase- roughly a quarter of all migraine patients experience a stroke-like phenomenon during the earliest minutes of a migraine.
Aura symptoms may include:
- Vertigo
- Fatigue
- Disorientation
- Nausea
- Hallucinatory scents, including chemical, smoky, or noxious fumes
- Visual disturbances, such as flickering lights, bright oscillating shapes, voids, loss of peripheral vision, and other vision problems
- Sudden speech slurring, inability to communicate
- Loss of consciousness
- Partial paralysis
Other phases of migraine attacks include the headache stage, and the recuperation phase- postdrome.
Read more about The Four Phases of Migraine Headache 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:
When Migraine Aura with Aphasia leaves you Lost for Words
Top 10 Headache Symptoms that Point to Migraines
Source:
Migraine Phases: Prodromal, Aura, Attack, Postdromal
Image(s) courtesy of stockimages/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: Early symptoms of migraine, migraine symptoms
Posted in Migraine Symptoms | No Comments »
Monday, March 11th, 2013
“Warning: This head will self-destruct in 20 minutes, and counting…” Does that sum up the typical migraine attack for you? To prevent a migraine, it’s important to be able to recognize the earliest symptoms, so you can nip it in the bud, because your first twenty minutes are your most crucial in migraine prevention.
Migraine is a neurological disorder that occurs when your nerve cells are “triggered” into producing symptoms of immense headaches, intense nausea, and dizzying vertigo.
From the moment your nerve cells swing into action, you have about twenty minutes to prevent them from spreading throughout your entire nervous system and initiating a full-fledged migraine attack.
Those first few minutes are your most critical; your only window of opportunity to effectively reduce the severity and duration of a migraine attack is when you first notice the warning symptoms- fatigue, headache, wooziness, queasiness, or brain fog.
That is why some of the most successful migraine treatments are abortive medications that you use during those first few key minutes of a migraine attack.
Which meds should I take?
Prescription migraine medications vary according to their specific action.
In the first twenty minutes: At the very onset of a migraine attack, you have the option of using abortive migraine medications, such as triptans, which are commonly prescribed to people suffering from chronic migraines. These can be helpful for killing a migraine headache immediately…but only if you act fast, during the first twenty minutes or so. Long-term side effects may include brain fog, dizziness, memory loss, and fatigue.
Before the migraine: There are many types of prescription migraine prophylaxis (preventive) medications available on the market which, taken daily, may work to prevent migraines. These may include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and calcium channel blockers.
As with abortive medications, preventative drugs may also cause harmful side effects which you should discuss with your doctor.
Preventing Migraines with Beta Blockers, Part 2: Warnings and Tips
What else can I do for prevention?
Natural preventive tactics may be just as effective for reducing the number of migraines you get in a month, while also enabling you to take fewer prescription medications.
Natural supplements that affect migraines by promoting neurological health include vitamins such as riboflavin, vitamin B12, and folate.
Also, nutrients such as magnesium, CoQ10, and iron help to sustain chromosomal integrity.
Other helpful natural ingredients include butterbur, turmeric, and vitamin C for proper response to inflammation.
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:
Coming Soon: Turn Off Headaches with a Remote!
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Helps Migraines
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for Chronic Pain
Sources:
Act fast at first sign of a migraine
Image(s) courtesy of Danilin/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: migraine headache, migraine headaches, migraine medications, migraine symptoms, Prevent migraine
Posted in Migraine Prevention | 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 »
Thursday, February 21st, 2013
Brain zaps feel like an electrical buzzing sensation in your head. If you often feel a jolt of electricity in your brain, then it could be a symptom of migraine medication withdrawal.
You’re not going crazy!
Patients describe them as weird buzzing sounds that come when they’re trying to sleep, or sudden jolts of electrical shocks in the head. Brain zaps are a common side effect of SSRI antidepressants used to treat migraines, depression, and anxiety.
SSRI discontinuation syndrome, or withdrawal from antidepressants, happens when your neurological system is adjusting to a sudden decrease or cessation of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors.
If you accidentally skipped a pill, or decided to go cold turkey on your migraine medications (not a good idea), then a neurochemical change occurs in your brain, withdrawal symptoms known as brain zaps, brain shivers, brain shocks, brain pulse-waves, flickers, or cranial zings.
Examples of SSRIs
Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) sometimes used for depression and migraine include:
- Fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac Weekly, Sarafem)
- Paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva)
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Citalopram (Celexa)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)
In addition to antidepressants, other medications that may cause brain zaps with migraine include benzodiazepines for anxiety and sleeping pills.
Migraines, Women, and Depression: 9 Myths and Truths
SSRI withdrawal symptoms
Brains zaps are just one side effect of antidepressant discontinuation.
Other SSRI migraine medication withdrawal symptoms that may occur, in addition to brain zaps, include:
- Headache
- Vertigo
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Disorientation
- Nightmares
- Insomnia
- Nausea
Natural Migraine Remedies Surge with Prescription Drug Deaths
Prevent brain zaps
Psychologists believe that depression may occur because of limited cell growth in the nervous system. To prevent depression and symptoms of withdrawal naturally, many doctors emphasize taking natural supplements that support brain cell growth and healthy neurological functioning.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that promotes brain cell production, and is available as a supplement. Serotonin is also helpful for treating SSRI withdrawal side effects of insomnia by helping you sleep more restfully.
Other helpful natural ingredients include coenzyme Q10, which increases cellular metabolism, and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) for neurological integrity.
Your turn!
Have you ever experienced brain zap, and wondered what was causing it?
Have you tried weaning off antidepressants, but had problems with severe symptoms of withdrawal?
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:
Can you read your Migraine Prescriptions? 30 Medical Abbreviations
Migraine Medication Pros and Cons: the Basics
Top 25 Natural Migraine Treatments: Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs
Can Anxiety Attacks cause Migraines?
Sources:
Bottled lightning- BMJ
‘Brain shivers’: from chat room to clinic
Fireworks or Brain Zaps? Psychology Today
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Image(s) courtesy of Salvatore Vuono/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: antidepressant medication, brain shivers, brain zaps, electric buzz, electric shock, electrical shocks, migraine medication, migraine symptoms, migraines depression, serotonin, vertigo, withdrawal symptom
Posted in Migraine Medication | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 20th, 2013
Migraine patients suffer many headache triggers, including extreme allergic-like reactions to fragrances and pollutants- Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MSC). Though controversial, awareness of the migraine-inducing effects of toxic chemical exposure is starting to gain publicity.
What is Multiple Chemical Sensitivity?
Although it’s not classified as a real illness, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) causes debilitating side effects in its sufferers, many of which are migraine headache patients.
- Other names for MCS include chemical AIDS, chemical injury, multiple allergy, or environmental illness.
- MCS causes severe headache, nausea, and muscular pain, even after minimal, low-level exposure to chemicals such as perfumes, smoke, diesel, and other fumes.
- Scientists aren’t certain exactly what causes MCS, nor are they in agreement that it is a real “illness.”
- Theories for the cause of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity include immune system damage and neurological disorder.
- Elements that provoke chemical hypersensitivity often include trace amounts of chemical fragrances, smoke, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and Volatile Organic Compounds. (VOCs)
6 Migraine-Friendly Air Fresheners for the Home
What MCS means for migraine patients
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) list several case studies on MCS, which is one of the strongest obstacles for migraine patients in the workplace.
Most people can tolerate exposure to a number of chemicals and allergens in the workplace or at home.
People who have hypersensitivity to chemicals, particularly migraine patients, suffer excruciatingly debilitating headache, nausea, and other painful symptoms that make it difficult- almost impossible- to concentrate on work, resulting in impaired performance and missed days from work spent recuperating.
Migraines at Work- Can my Employers Fire me from my Job?
If MCS is caused by a neurological disorder, as some scientists believe, then it further contributes to the strong correlation between chronic migraines and hypersensitivity to fragrances, dust, and noxious fumes, and may result in increased awareness and acceptance of the need for migraine-centric reforms in the workplace.
What are the symptoms of MCS?
Symptoms associated with MCS often mimic the start of a migraine attack, and may include:
- Intense headaches, including migraine headaches
- Stiff joints
- Muscle pain
- Overwhelming fatigue
- Dizziness, vertigo
- Disorientation
- Extreme sensitivity to bright lights and loud noises
- Burning, teary eyes
- Sore throat
- Nasal congestion
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Stomach cramps
How do I know if I have MCS?
MCS follows certain patterns that make it easy to identify; they include:
- Severe migraine headaches that consistently result from constant exposure to the same chemicals
- Chronic headaches, nausea, and debilitating symptoms
- Symptoms occur after exposure to trace elements of chemicals that non-migraineurs wouldn’t notice
- Migraine or MCS patient is sensitive to many seemingly-unrelated triggers, like pet dander, laundry detergents, and second-hand smoke, as opposed to being sensitive to only one or two allergens.
- In an allergen-free zone, MCS patient is finally able to find relief from chronic headaches and other pain symptoms.
Your turn!
Do you suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity with migraines? If so, how do you manage in the workplace?
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:
Migraine-ous Fragrances at Work: 20 Civil Tactics and Coping Strategies
34 Migraine-Inducing, Stomach-Turning Toxic Chemicals in Perfume
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Sources:
What is Multiple Chemical Sensitivity? (MCS)
Safety and Health Topics- Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (osha.gov)
Image(s) courtesy of twobee/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: Chemical AIDS, Environmental Illness, MCS, Migraine, migraine headache triggers, migraine headaches, migraine symptoms, Multiple Allergy, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Posted in Migraine Triggers | No Comments »
Monday, February 4th, 2013
It’s not your imagination, and you’re not hallucinating. Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, a neurological condition associated with migraines with aura, is a well-documented phenomenon that causes some pretty eerie symptoms such as distorted body image, loss of time perception, and disorientation.
Named after the famed author and migraine sufferer, Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland Syndrome is a rare type of migraine with aura that mimics an “out of body” experience.
Although it most often occurs during childhood, many migraine sufferers continue to experience Alice in Wonderland Syndrome into their adulthood. Occurrences can last for seconds or minutes, may happen chronically or sporadically, and are usually a silent migraine.
Symptoms of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
Migraine patients who experience the unusual syndrome describe seeing other people and things as topsy-turvy, in slow motion, or through a long tunnel; even body parts appear larger or smaller than they should, similar to the sensation described by Alice in the eponymously named children’s tale.
Frequently, symptoms occur while falling asleep, as a night terror, or as part of a set of symptoms that occur with sleep paralysis.
Common symptoms include:
- Altered body image, notably in the size and shape of the head and hands
- Impaired sense of distance from surroundings
- Loss of spatial awareness
- Objects in environment appear magnified or telescoped
- Distorted time perception
- Abnormal reactions to touch
- Unusual sounds
What’s the cause?
Scientists don’t have an exact answer as to the cause of this rare neurological phenomenon, but they theorize that Alice in Wonderland Syndrome and migraines with aura both occur in the occipital lobe of the brain, a region associated with vision perception.
A separate study on migraine prevention suggests a link between topiramate usage and increased episodes of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, particularly at nighttime.
“After reduction of topiramate to 50 mg/day, the nocturnal phenomena ceased within 2 weeks…’
We agreed with the patient to a rechallenge and increased the daily dose to 75 mg/day.’
Two weeks later the distortions reappeared again and the patient decided to discontinue the drug”
Diagnosis and treatment
Although the symptoms themselves are not dangerous, doctors recommend that patients experiencing unusual migraine auras get tested with an MRI, and screen for possible (although rare) underlying conditions such as brain tumor, brain infection, or epilepsy.
There are no specific treatments for Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, but by following the usual protocol for migraine treatment you can reduce the frequency of debilitating episodes.
- Work with your GP or neurologist to find the most effective migraine treatment
- Keep track of medication usage and other relevant info in your migraine diary, and share the data with your headache specialist
- Follow a migraine-friendly diet that eliminates known triggers in food
- Eat and sleep at the same times each day and night, even during the weekend or while on vacation
- Experiment with natural alternative methods for managing migraines
- Supplement with daily vitamins, minerals, and herbs that benefit migraine patients, including riboflavin, butterbur, CoQ10, and magnesium.
Your turn!
Have you experienced Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, and have you noticed any correlations with migraine treatments?
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:
Are Sleep Seizures, Exploding Head Noises Causing Insomnia?
When Migraine Aura with Aphasia leaves you Lost for Words
Go Ask Alice: Migraine Auras in Wonderland
Sources:
“Alice in Wonderland syndrome” associated with topiramate for migraine prevention
Alice In Wonderland Syndrome
Body image disturbances (Alice in Wonderland syndrome)
Image courtesy of whale05/flickr
Tags: 'Alice in Wonderland' syndrome, migraine headaches, migraine symptoms, migraine with aura
Posted in Migraines with Aura | No Comments »
Monday, January 14th, 2013
Contrary to popular belief, some of the most debilitating symptoms of migraines occur in the stomach. Nausea, sharp stomach pain, dizziness, and vomiting can be just as excruciating as the severe throbbing headaches that migraine patients have to endure.
Nausea with migraine statistics
For many migraine patients, nausea interferes with migraine treatment and increases the suffering caused by frequent migraine attacks.
- Approximately 92% of migraine sufferers will experience severe nausea or vomiting with their migraine attacks.
- Over half of migraine patients say that nausea and vomiting occur almost all the time when they get a migraine, listing severe nausea as one of the most difficult migraine symptoms to endure.
- Of migraine patients who suffer from nausea, most are female.
- In many cases, the act of vomiting stops the migraine attack.
- Intense nausea and vomiting make it nearly impossible for migraine patients to hold down their medications long enough to find relief.
- Migraine attacks and vomiting seem to share common triggers, according to researchers.
Migraine Headaches and Then Some…Migraine Comorbidities
What causes nausea and vomiting with migraines?
While scientists aren’t certain exactly what causes stomach cramps, dizziness, fatigue, or the need to vomit when migraines occur, they have noticed some correlations that may provide helpful tips for managing nausea, before and after a migraine strikes.
- Sometimes, stomach pain and nausea are diagnosed as abdominal migraines, a specific type of migraine that usually occurs in children. Abdominal migraine symptoms can last for a few hours, or they can continue for several days. Children who suffer nausea and vomiting from abdominal migraines are four times more likely to develop migraine headaches later in life than their peers.
- When vertigo occurs along with vomiting and nausea, it’s important for your doctor to rule out a tumor or inner-ear disorder, as these symptoms may be overlooked when nausea and headaches occur often.
- Cyclical vomiting syndrome (CVS) and migraines are linked in many studies; both are often triggered by stress, and include symptoms of headache, nausea, and vomiting that can last for hours or days. Many patients of CVS- even non-migraine sufferers- are treated with medications used for migraines.
What Causes Migraine Dizziness?
Treating nausea with migraines
In order to find lasting relief, it’s important to use a multi-pronged approach to migraine management. This is especially true when nausea and frequent vomiting make it difficult to take your migraine medications.
Listed below are some helpful treatments for preventing nausea, as well as finding relief when it occurs with migraine.
- Take magnesium- scientists have noted a correlation between gastro-paresis and magnesium deficiency. Since magnesium deficiency has also been linked with migraine disorder, doctors advise all migraine patients who suffer from frequent nausea to experiment with 400mg doses of magnesium, which is also beneficial for treating constipation that sometimes occurs with migraines. Also read: Getting Enough Magnesium…Are you?
- Lie down- symptoms of queasiness usually get worse with movement, so if you can, find a quiet place to lie still until the nausea passes.
- Try alternative delivery methods for medications that treat migraine or nausea. These include injections, nasal sprays, patches, or sublingual tablets that dissolve under the tongue.
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Like this? Read more:
Migraine Auras without Headache: Silent Migraines
Symptoms Migraines or Meningitis- Know the Difference
Migraines and stroke: How to tell the Difference
Sources:
Nausea and Headache
Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome
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Tags: Migraine headaches nausea, migraine symptoms, Migraines, Vomiting and Nausea in Migraine
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