Other Headache/Migraine Blogs

Changing Chronic Pain Care in America

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00 GMT

Nov 15, Reviews Of Site Build It

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:11 GMT

Reviews of Site Build It are useless unless they come from an actual owner of Site Build It! Read reviews of site build it and get FREE books on website building.

Nov 15, Migraine Research

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:38 GMT

Migraine research is an excellent way to treat chronic migraine symptoms. Find links to migraine research. Maintained by a headache specialist.

Nov 15, Cervicogenic Headache

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:40 GMT

Does pain in my neck cause headache? Learn about cervicogenic headache and how it is one of the daily headache causes. Maintained by a headache specialist.

Congress Squeaks By Health Care Act In Dead of Night On a Rare Weekend Midnight Vote!

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:59 GMT

Longtime MAGNUM supporter and healthcare leader Congressman James P. Moran (D-VA)seen on the right live Saturday night bringing in the last few votes after the Democrats just breached the 218 votes to carry HR 3962 to the 215 Republican & Democrat votes minutes before midnight Saturday. WASHINGTON, DC (MAGNUM) November...

Latitude Effect?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:25 GMT

A while back a visitor mentioned in a post that people believe location in reference to the earths equator has some effect on cluster headaches. At the time, I had only heard that the theory existed, I had never seen any facts or real studies... A quick poke around seemed to indicate that its based mostly on anecdotal evidence at this point. I can still find no studies. That doesn't mean they don't exist, I didn't look very hard.

I tend to update my knowledge in waves... I am a bit like an Anne Rice vampire that buries himself for one hundred years until things change enough to be interesting... I have had this affliction for so long that its a bit depressing to hash over the stuff that doesn't seem to make any difference or hasn't been thoroughly researched. So every few years I go on a tear... usually because I get one too many REALLY bad cycles and I find out every new bit of information I can. By the end of it, I usually end up a little beaten up because nothing seems to be a firm answer or pertain to me and I begin wondering if I should switch neurologists again and crawl back beneath the surface.

Personally it seems a bit far fetched to me, but finding every bit of the puzzle helps. So this is a quick post to remind myself to look into it further when I am in "research mode" and also to tell people if I think my living in southern latitudes has had a positive effect on my headaches.

Now I would say that in my personal experience that I can NOT confirm the equator phenomena. I live in one of the southern most US states and when I travel I usually go north and spend good amounts of time in places like Boston, and Sandpoint Idaho, Squiem Washington, San Francisco, Victoria Canada and it seems to have the opposite effect. I have noticed I get less headaches... But the same was true when I went to Belize. Basically, when I leave home, I do better.

But then, I am too small of a sample (and I don't travel enough) to base any firm opinions on...

A lot of people seem to be moving because of this... believe me I understand, most of us will do anything for a chance to feel better. But I want to see data before I start packing my bags... because I sure can't go much further south unless I leave the U.S.A. and I really hate the heat. : )

Headache Relief iPhone app

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:09 GMT

Headache Relief is a new iPhone app which I developed to help patients better manage their headaches. The main feature of the app is a headache diary. A summary of all your diary entries can be emailed to yourself or your doctor in an Excel spreadsheet form. I find that patients who keep a diary benefit from it in many ways. The diary makes it easier to figure out what may be causing your headaches, how well the treatment works, and allows you to better control your headaches. The potential triggers that are recorded in the diary include stress, menstrual cycle, food, sleep, and other. Weather can be a major contributor and the three most common weather-related triggers are temperature, humidity and barometric pressure. A unique (and very neat) feature of this app is that if you to enter your zip code these three weather parameters will be downloaded into your diary. The app also contains an e-book with a wealth of information on headaches, natural and pharmacological therapies. And the price is right - it's free. Please let me know what you think or better still, post your evaluations on the iTunes store.

LATHER Planting Seeds Gift Set Giveaway Winner

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00 GMT

1% Thursday: Illustrate your Experience

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:30 GMT

This week, draw a picture illustrating your headache, cluster headache and/or migraine symptoms. If possible, share it with someone.

Using art in the diagnosis, research and treatment of various diseases has a long and glorious history. There are good reasons why art is so powerful – and good reasons why you should be using it to your advantage.

We've talked before about having children "draw their headache" – how and why. One of the whys is because children can often express things through art that they can't express through words.

But the truth is, we all express things through art forms of various kinds that we for whatever reason have trouble expressing in words. Art such as drawing, photography, photo manipulation, painting, but also poetry, music – even body language and story telling.

But this week I recommend using the visual arts. Illustrate, in some way, your experience – draw your symptoms, or your frustrations, or whatever comes to mind.

In the end, you may find you have something valuable to share with your doctor. Or, maybe you've just clarified something in your own mind that will make it easier to express in words the next opportunity.

If not your doctor, share it with a family member or friend. Or, share it with us!

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we'll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we'll see that things have really changed for the better!

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

1% Thursday: Illustrate your Experience

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Last Chance: LATHER Planting Seeds Gift Set Giveaway

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:30 GMT

Botox for nerve pain

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:57 GMT

Botox appears to be effective for peripheral nerve pain according to a study by French researchers. This finding is consistent with my observation that injecting Botox into the skin of the top of the head in patients with headaches relieves pain in that area. When I started injecting botulinum toxin (Botox) for headaches about 15 years ago the assumption was that Botox works by relieving spasm of muscles in the forehead, temples, back of the head, and neck. However, some patients would come back and report that their headache was gone in the injected areas, but not on the top of the head. When gave additional injections the top of the head pain also stopped. I also see patients who get Botox injections for their headaches from dermatologists or plastic surgeons and do not obtain adequate relief. This is usually because only the front of the head is injected, rather then all areas of pain. There have been other reports of Botox relieving pain of diabetic as well as trigeminal neuralgia, however the French group conducted a very rigorous double-blind study which provides scientific proof of pain-relieving properties of Botox.

Easy injections and needle-free injections

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:10 GMT

Progress is being made to make needle-free injections widely available. The DosePro needle free system is one of these. Zogenix plans to launch SUMAVEL DosePro in January (2010), a needle free sumatriptan injection.

Certain studies have suggested that taking your abortive medication earlier during your migraine attack is critical. But the fact remains, if you're going to take the medicine, the sooner it gets into your system the better.

An injection allows you to get the relief that the medicine offers within minutes. And the DosePro system is very easy and quick.

You may notice, however, that whatever the inference may be, this system is not being marketed as "pain-free". Yes, it still hurts. Though it may have advantages over a needle injection, being painless isn't one of those advantages.

Some patients aren't aware that there are now very easy needle injections out there as well. Even needle injections have come a long way since the days of one big needle, careful handling, and all the other horrors you may imagine.

Patients can use a simple pen like device to give themselves a quick injection, and they may find faster, more effective relief over the oral medicine.

More on the upcoming release of SUMAVEL DosePro
Thoughts from Dr. Alexander Mauskop on injections

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Easy injections and needle-free injections

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Inflammation in Migraine Brains Identified By PET Imaging

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00 GMT

Giveaway (and great gift idea): Lavender Gift Set

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:46 GMT

One of the most popular essential oils for migraine (or should I say anti-migriane) is lavender. I've always put it in my top 5 aromatherapy essential oils, and you may remember the surprising research on lavender we talked about in 2005.

So I was delighted to hear about the giveaway – now in its final days – over at Somebody Heal Me. As you'll see, the beautiful gift set includes a lavender candle, oatmeal lavender soap (I think I feel more relaxed just by typing that), and …. get this … a lavender seeds packet!

Now, I encourage you to head on over and enter the draw. But actually, I'm mentioning this for a couple other reasons. First, this is a great package that – admit it – you may just want to treat yourself with.

Second… it's packaged up beautifully and would make a great gift to a friend who has migraine or chronic headaches. Or, someone who just likes that kind of thing.

Or… let's get sneaky, and give it as a gift to someone else in our household… they use it, and we reap the aromatherapeutic benefits.

Good thinking, right? Hey, that's why they pay me 60 minutes per hour to write here…

Oh, I forgot to tell you the bonus. LATHER will donate $5 from the sale of each gift set to benefit the National Headache Foundation for headache awareness, education and outreach. Sounds like everybody wins to me…

LATHER Planting Seeds Gift Set

From the Headache and Migraine News Blog

Giveaway (and great gift idea): Lavender Gift Set

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Migraine Triggers: November 09 Headache Blog Carnival

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00 GMT