How can you alleviate headache pain using proven methods. What are the most effective medications for treating migraines. When should opioids be considered for headache management. How can proper napping techniques contribute to headache relief.

Understanding Different Types of Headaches and Their Causes

Headaches are a common ailment that can significantly impact daily life. To effectively manage headaches, it’s crucial to understand the different types and their underlying causes. What are the main categories of headaches?

• Tension headaches: Often described as a tight band around the head
• Migraines: Characterized by intense, throbbing pain and sometimes accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound
• Cluster headaches: Severe pain typically focused around one eye
• Sinus headaches: Associated with sinus infections and congestion

Each type of headache may require a different approach to treatment. Understanding the specific characteristics of your headaches can help guide you towards the most effective relief strategies.

Non-Prescription Pain Relief Options for Headaches

For many individuals, over-the-counter (OTC) medications can provide significant relief from headache pain. Which non-prescription options are most effective for headache management?

• Combination drugs containing aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine (e.g., Excedrin Migraine)
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve)
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

These medications work best when taken at the onset of headache symptoms. It’s important to follow dosage instructions carefully and be aware of potential side effects, especially with long-term use.

Prescription Medications for Migraine Relief

When OTC options prove insufficient, prescription medications may be necessary, particularly for migraine sufferers. What are the most effective prescription drugs for migraine treatment?

1. Triptans (e.g., sumatriptan)
2. Dihydroergotamine nasal spray or injection
3. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists
4. Preventive medications for chronic migraines

Triptans are often considered the first-line prescription treatment for migraines. They work by constricting blood vessels and blocking pain pathways in the brain. For those who don’t respond to triptans, dihydroergotamine or newer CGRP antagonists may be effective alternatives.

The Role of Preventive Medications

For individuals experiencing frequent or severe migraines, preventive medications may be recommended. These drugs are taken regularly to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks. Common preventive medications include:

• Beta-blockers
• Anticonvulsants
• Calcium channel blockers
• Certain antidepressants

The choice of preventive medication depends on individual factors, including the frequency of migraines, other medical conditions, and potential side effects.

The Controversy Surrounding Opioids and Butalbital for Headache Treatment

While opioids and butalbital-containing medications have been used to treat severe headaches, their use is increasingly controversial. Why are these medications now considered less favorable for headache management?

• Risk of medication overuse headache (MOH)
• Lower efficacy compared to migraine-specific treatments
• Potential for dependence and withdrawal symptoms
• Side effects including drowsiness, constipation, and decreased libido

Medical experts now recommend limiting the use of opioids and butalbital for headache treatment. These medications should only be considered when other options have failed or are contraindicated. If prescribed, their use should be closely monitored and limited to prevent complications.

Non-Pharmacological Approaches to Headache Relief

Medication isn’t the only way to manage headaches. What non-pharmacological strategies can be effective for headache relief?

• Stress reduction techniques (e.g., meditation, deep breathing exercises)
• Regular exercise
• Proper sleep hygiene
• Dietary modifications
• Acupuncture
• Massage therapy
• Biofeedback

These approaches can be used alone or in combination with medication for a comprehensive headache management strategy. Many people find that a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods provides the most effective relief.

The Impact of Lifestyle Factors on Headache Frequency

Certain lifestyle factors can significantly influence the frequency and severity of headaches. Identifying and addressing these factors can lead to improved headache management. Common lifestyle triggers include:

• Irregular sleep patterns
• Skipping meals
• Dehydration
• Excessive caffeine consumption
• Alcohol intake
• Certain foods (e.g., aged cheeses, processed meats)

Keeping a headache diary can help identify personal triggers and guide lifestyle modifications for better headache control.

The Role of Proper Napping in Headache Management

Napping can be a double-edged sword when it comes to headache management. While a well-timed nap can provide relief, improper napping may exacerbate headache symptoms. How can you ensure that napping helps rather than hinders headache relief?

• Timing: Aim to nap between 2 and 3 p.m., aligning with the body’s natural circadian rhythm
• Duration: Keep naps between 10 to 30 minutes to avoid sleep inertia
• Consistency: Maintain a regular napping schedule if possible
• Environment: Create a quiet, dark, and cool space for napping

The effectiveness of napping for headache relief can vary from person to person. Some individuals may find that naps trigger headaches, while others experience significant relief. It’s important to pay attention to your body’s response and adjust your napping habits accordingly.

Understanding Sleep Cycles and Their Impact on Headaches

The relationship between sleep and headaches is complex. Different stages of sleep can have varying effects on headache symptoms and cognitive function. What should you know about sleep cycles and their impact on headaches?

• Stage 2 sleep (slow-wave activity) is crucial for committing new skills and knowledge to long-term memory
• Deeper stages of sleep can help with pain modulation
• REM sleep disturbances may increase headache frequency
• Sleep inertia, often experienced after longer naps, can temporarily worsen headache symptoms

Understanding these relationships can help you optimize your sleep patterns for better headache management and overall health.

When to Seek Medical Help for Headaches

While many headaches can be managed at home, certain symptoms warrant immediate medical attention. When should you consult a healthcare professional about your headaches?

• Sudden, severe headache often described as the “worst headache of your life”
• Headache accompanied by fever, stiff neck, confusion, or vision changes
• Headaches that worsen over time or don’t respond to treatment
• New onset of headaches after age 50
• Headaches associated with changes in personality or mental function
• Headaches that occur after head trauma

These symptoms could indicate a more serious underlying condition that requires prompt medical evaluation. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you’re concerned about your headaches.

Diagnostic Approaches for Chronic Headaches

For individuals experiencing frequent or severe headaches, a thorough diagnostic evaluation may be necessary. What diagnostic tools and approaches do healthcare providers use to assess chronic headaches?

• Detailed medical history and physical examination
• Headache diaries to track frequency, duration, and potential triggers
• Neurological examinations
• Imaging studies (e.g., CT scans, MRI) when indicated
• Blood tests to rule out underlying medical conditions

A comprehensive diagnostic approach can help identify the specific type of headache and any contributing factors, leading to more effective treatment strategies.

Emerging Treatments and Future Directions in Headache Management

The field of headache management is continually evolving, with new treatments and approaches being developed. What are some promising areas of research in headache treatment?

• Neuromodulation devices for migraine prevention and treatment
• Advanced CGRP antagonists and antibodies
• Personalized medicine approaches based on genetic profiles
• Novel delivery methods for existing medications
• Cognitive behavioral therapy specifically tailored for headache management

These emerging treatments offer hope for individuals who have not found relief with current therapies. As research progresses, we can expect to see more targeted and effective approaches to headache management.

The Role of Telemedicine in Headache Care

Telemedicine has become increasingly important in healthcare, including headache management. How can telemedicine improve access to headache care and treatment?

• Increased access to headache specialists, particularly in rural areas
• More frequent follow-ups and medication adjustments
• Remote monitoring of symptoms and treatment efficacy
• Convenient patient education and lifestyle counseling
• Reduced barriers to care, such as transportation issues or time constraints

As telemedicine technology continues to advance, it has the potential to revolutionize headache care, making expert management more accessible to a broader population.

Treating migraine headaches | Choosing Wisely

Some drugs should rarely be used

Migraine attacks can last for hours—or even days. They can cause intense pain, nausea, and vomiting. They can make you sensitive to light or noise, and they can affect your life and work.

To treat migraines, you may get a prescription for an opioid (narcotic) or a barbiturate (sedative) called butalbital. These are pain medicines. But you should think twice about using these drugs. Here’s why:

These drugs can make headaches worse.

Using too much pain medicine can lead to a condition called MOH, or medication overuse headache. Two kinds of pain medicine are more
likely to cause MOH:

• Drugs containing opioids—such as hydrocodone (Norco, Vicodin, and generics) or oxycodone (Percocet and generics).
• Drugs containing butalbital (Fioricet, Fiorinal, and generics).

They are not as effective as other migraine drugs.

There are other drugs that can reduce the number of migraines you have and how severe they are—better than opioids and butalbital. Even in the emergency room—where people with severe migraines often ask for opioids—better drugs are available.

They have risks.

Opioids and butalbital can cause serious withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking them suddenly. People who use high doses for a long time may need to be in the hospital in order to stop using them.

Opioids, even at low doses, can make you feel sleepy or dizzy. Other side effects include constipation and nausea. Using them for a long time can lower your sex drive and cause depression and sleep problems.

They can be a waste of money.

Opioids and butalbital pills do not cost a lot. But why spend money on drugs you don’t need?

Also, if these drugs cause side effects and more headaches, you may have to go to extra doctors’ appointments. This will take time and may cost you money.

What drugs are good for migraines?

If you have migraine attacks, try one of the drugs listed below. They all work best if you use them when the migraine is just beginning.

1. Start with a non-prescription pain drug that combines aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine (Excedrin Migraine, Excedrin Extra Strength, and generics). Or try non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil and generic) or naproxen (Aleve and generic).
2. If these drugs do not help, or your headaches are more severe, try one of the prescription migraine drugs called triptans, such as sumatriptan (Imitrex and generic).
3. If triptans do not work, try dihydroergotamine nasal spray (Migranal). This drug works even better as an injection (DHE-45 and generic). You or your doctor can do the injection.

If you have migraines often, or if they are very severe, ask your doctor about drugs to prevent headaches.

When are opioids or butalbital useful for migraines?

Your doctor may suggest an opioid if none of the treatments listed above help, or if you have bad side effects.

It is not clear if butalbital should be used at all for treating migraines. If your doctor prescribes butalbital for your migraines, ask why. And ask if there are any other drugs that would work.

Limit the use of all pain medicines.

• Do not use prescription pain medicine for headaches for more than nine days in a month.
• Do not use non-prescription pain medicine for more than 14 days in a month.

This report is for you to use when talking with your healthcare provider. It is not a substitute for medical advice and treatment. Use of this report is at your own risk.

© 2016 Consumer Reports. Developed in cooperation with the American Academy of Neurology.

02/2013

Will a Nap Help a Headache? Well, It Depends

What constitutes a “good” nap?

Two things: the right length and the right time of day.

Experts suggest that the best time to nap is around 2 or 3 p. m. This timing is built into your body’s biological clock: Most people are naturally sleepiest between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. and then again between midnight and 7 a.m.

The right length depends on what you need. If you want to feel more alert, a “power nap” as short as 10 minutes could help. To help make new motor skills stick, a nap of at least 30 minutes may help. Ditto longer naps to help retain factual information and cause-and-effect relationships. But keep in mind that naps shouldn’t be longer than one hour — you don’t want to wake up feeling groggy.

Why the differences? Deeper, slow-wave activity sleep (sometimes called Stage 2 sleep) is needed for committing new skills or knowledge to long-term memory.

Can napping be “bad”? Sometimes. Ever feel groggy and disoriented after a nap? That’s a condition called “sleep inertia” that can affect some negatively. And if you nap too late in the day, it can affect your regular sleeping period. That’s why it’s recommended that you take your naps before 3 p. m.

Can naps help with headaches?

Although more studies are needed, a small study has shown promise for sleep being a combatant against headache pain. Out of 32 participants with persistent tension-type headaches, 81 percent said going to sleep was their most effective strategy for getting rid of a headache. 3 Other studies have noted that sleep is a common migraine relief tactic for some — in fact, in a study of 75 migraineurs, nearly 90 percent reported trying to sleep as a way of relieving their migraine pain. ⁴

To learn more about sleep and headaches, check out other sleep coverage on Excedrin.com.

How to get rid of migraines? Stop them before they start.| Allina Health

CARE

Posted September 30, 2020

• Migraines affect more than 37 million people in the U. S.
• Chocolate, aged cheeses, wine and dark beers can trigger migraines.
• Migraines can be a stroke risk factor. If you have a migraine with stroke-like symptoms including weakness on one side of the body, seek medical attention.

Migraines affect more than 37 million people in the U.S. With the stress and disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are feeling the pain. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to treat migraines—and prevent them in the first place. A virtual visit with your primary care provider is an ideal way to seek relief, offering medical expertise from the comfort, convenience and privacy of your home.

Before we go any further: If you’re experiencing a sudden, severe headache or if you have stroke-like symptoms such as weakness on one side of your body or slurred speech, seek medical treatment right away.

What is a migraine?

Migraines are frequent, painful and long-lasting headaches that usually have four distinct phases:

• Prodrome. In the 24–48 hours before a migraine, you may notice mood changes, neck stiffness, increased thirst and constipation.
• Aura. About 25% of people with migraines experience the aura phase, which can include seeing lights or spots, blurred or double vision, and even difficulty speaking.
• Headache. This is a throbbing or pulsating headache, usually on one side of the head. During this phase, you may experience nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. 
• Postdrome. After the headache itself goes away, you may feel exhausted or confused for a day or more. 

What causes migraines?

Migraines happen when blood vessels in the brain expand and become inflamed. Unfortunately, the exact causes of this are not clear. Migraines appear to be genetic—if someone in your family has migraines, you are three times more likely to have migraines, too. If you’re a woman, you are also three times more likely to have migraines. Around 18% of women experience migraines compared to just 6% of men.

There are many common causes of migraines, including:

• foods such as chocolate, aged cheeses, or some food additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• beverages including wine, dark beers, caffeinated drinks like coffee or tea, or diet drinks with artificial sweeteners
• stress
• sleep changes, whether it’s too little sleep or too much
• bright lights or glare from the sun
• changes in the weather
• strong smells such as tobacco smoke, perfume or chemicals
• physical causes such as intense exercise
• medications including hormonal treatments
• hormonal changes for women such as menstrual periods, pregnancy or menopause

How long do migraines last?

Every person is different. Some people might get migraines several times a month, while others only a few times a year. For some people, a migraine might last a few hours. For others, it could be up to three days.

How to prevent migraines

The best way to manage migraines is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Here are some important ways to do it:

• Keep track of what triggers your migraines so you can avoid those things in the future.
• Get regular sleep, 7 – 9 hours each night.
• Eat a consistent, healthy diet.
• Get regular exercise, but avoid sudden and intense exertion.
• Avoid stress as much as you can, and use stress-management techniques when you need to.
• Practice mindfulness or meditation.
• Follow your doctor-prescribed medication regimen.
• Consider holistic treatments like acupuncture or biofeedback.

How to get rid of migraines

Once a migraine has started, there are ways to ease the pain:

• Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), or aspirin. These work best if you take them at the first sign of a migraine.
• Use doctor-prescribed medications that block pain pathways in the brain or cause blood vessels to constrict, easing inflammation. These can include pills, nasal sprays or shots.
• Go to a darkened, quiet room and try to relax or sleep
• Apply cold or heat to your head and neck. Ice can numb the pain somewhat, while heat can relax tense muscles that may make your headache worse.
• Drink something with caffeine. Yes, caffeine can trigger a migraine. But once the headache has started, a small amount of caffeine may help reduce pain.

If you’ve experienced migraines, you know how much they can affect your quality of life. But there are many ways to prevent and treat this common condition. A virtual visit with your primary care provider can help you explore your options.

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Headaches and Chiropractic

If you have a headache, you’re not alone. Nine out of 10 Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea. What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you grit your teeth and carry on? Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes away? There is a better alternative.

Research shows that spinal manipulation – one of the primary treatments provided by doctors of chiropractic – may be an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck. A 2014 report in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) found that interventions commonly used in chiropractic care improved outcomes for the treatment of acute and chronic neck pain and increased benefit was shown in several instances where a multimodal approach to neck pain had been used¹. Also, a 2011 JMPT study found that chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation, improves migraine and cervicogenic headaches².  

Headache Triggers

Headaches have many causes, or “triggers.” These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems. The remaining 95 percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease; the headache itself is the primary concern.

The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck. Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than in the past, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture (such as sitting in front of a computer). This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.

What Can You Do?

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) offers the following suggestions to prevent headaches: 
If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, on a sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.
Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.
Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) – the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.
Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

• Your doctor of chiropractic may do one or more of the following if you suffer from a primary headache:
• Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.
• Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex vitamins.
  Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques. This advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.

Doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive training to help their patients in many ways beyond just treatment for low-back pain. They know how tension in the spine relates to problems in other parts of the body, and they can take steps to relieve those problems. 

» For more information on prevention and wellness, or to find an ACA chiropractor near you, visit www.acatoday.org/patients, or follow us @ACAtoday.

REFERENCES:

^{1. Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duranleau M, et al. Evidence based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with neck pain. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2014; 37: 42-63.
2. Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duranleau M, et al. Evidence based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2011; 34: 274-89.}

How to get rid of a headache

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Eye Care | How to get rid of a headache

Figuring out how to get rid of a headache can be complicated if over-the-counter pain relievers don’t get the job done. 

Those pills and capsules on the shelves of the neighborhood pharmacy are one-size-fits-all approaches that don’t fit everybody. Sometimes, you need other ways to get rid of a headache. 

Before you rush off in search of natural or alternative headache remedies, invest some time learning why your head hurts. Usually, it’s because of factors like stress, diet, alcohol intake, lack of sleep and fluctuating hormones. 

To find new ways to make a headache go away, you need answers to a few questions: 

• Where is my headache coming from? 

• Is my headache related to vision or eyesight? 

• How can I prevent a headache? 

• What are some scientifically proven headache cures? 

Let’s work our way through some quick answers to these questions:

What’s the location of your headache? 

A headache does not always start inside your skull. Headaches typically happen when swelling or inflammation in the nerves, muscles and blood vessels of the skull trigger pain signals. These pains feel like they’re coming deep inside your brain, but the source of pain often is somewhere else.

Tension headaches, for instance, occur when muscles and nerves in the neck pull tight, creating pressure or pain in your neck, forehead, temples and around your eyes. 

Some of the most painful headaches feel like they are centered behind the eyes. These usually come in these categories: 

• Migraines – These headaches are so severe they can disable people. A true migraine can last up to 72 hours, creating throbbing pain beyond the eyes and on one side or both sides of the head. Some people experience a migraine aura, which looks like a halo around light sources.  

• Cluster headaches – These trigger short bursts of excruciating pain that starts behind the eyes and radiates throughout the face, head and neck. They can stick around for months and then fade away for years.  

• Sinus infections – Your skull has a bunch of air-filled spaces called sinuses behind your nose, forehead and cheeks. The pain kicks in when the tissues of the sinuses become infected. 

Sometimes the vision system — eyes, optic nerves and the brain — causes problems that lead to pain. This raises the next question in your quest to get rid of headaches.

Is there a vision problem related to your headache? 

Your eyes are an extension of your central nervous system, which is centered in your brain and your skull. Therefore, it’s only natural for headaches to accompany vision problems. These are some of the most common vision issues related to headaches, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology:

Eye-related headaches crop up while people are experiencing eye pain, floaters, double vision and blurred vision. Headaches also may be warning signs of serious threats to eyesight like glaucoma and retinal detachment.  

Thus, a visit to an eye doctor may be in your future if you’re trying to get rid of headaches. There are, however, many other paths to headache pain relief.  

SEE RELATED: Can being nearsighted cause headaches?

What are some ways to prevent a headache? 

If you prevent a headache, you don’t have to worry about getting rid of it. Try out these headache prevention tips:

Use the 20/20/20 rule to combat computer vision syndrome  

Staring into your computer screen for long stretches can lead to computer vision syndrome (CVS), which often causes sore, tired eyes and blurry vision. Headaches are among the top symptoms of CVS.

A popular tactic to ease eye stress is to use the 20/20/20 rule. This means: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and turn away from your screen to look at something 20 feet away. You may be able to find apps for your computer or your smartphone to remind you to take these breaks. 

You can also ask your eye doctor about computer glasses and lenses for blue light.  

Lay off the alcohol 

Drinking too much beer, wine or hard liquor on Saturday night often causes a headache on Sunday morning. The best hangover cure is to avoid alcohol altogether, of course, but the next-best cure is to limit your alcohol intake. 

Alcohol is a diuretic that increases your output of urine, which is mostly water. The more you pee, the less water you leave for the rest of your body. This creates dehydration, one of the main causes of a hangover.   

Get your diet and lifestyle in balance  

Some foods and beverages trigger migraines and other kinds of headaches. Lack of sleep and too much stress also can bring on a headache. Getting plenty of exercise also helps. 

These diet and lifestyle changes are easier said than done. You may have to work with a nutritionist, a trainer and a mental health counselor to figure it all out. These people devote their lives to helping people; go ahead and let them help you, too.

What are some scientifically proven headache cures? 

If you have migraines, your doctor can prescribe any number of medications designed specifically for these kinds of headaches. It’s a good idea to keep a journal documenting what you’re doing before a migraine starts. This can help you and your doctor find the best prescription. 

Over-the-counter pain relievers help with many everyday headaches — but they aren’t for everybody. Some have side effects or don’t play nice with other medications. These are some techniques that can help with tension headaches that crop up occasionally, according to the experts at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: 

When should I see a doctor?

Some headaches arise on their own, while others are caused by a disease like glaucoma. If your vision system is causing headaches, your eye doctor, with the help of an eye exam, can help you figure it all out. 

Ultimately, it’s crucial to understand what’s causing your headaches. Migraines and cluster headaches require different treatments than tension headaches and sinus infections. If over-the-counter products like aspirin or ibuprofen aren’t working, then you definitely need to consult a doctor.   

READ MORE: Can glaucoma cause headaches?

Page published in June 2021

Page updated in September 2021

Does caffeine treat or trigger headaches?

Speaking of Health

Monday, October 12, 2020

Many people ask whether caffeine can treat or trigger a headache. The answer is that caffeine can do both.

Caffeine can provide relief for a headache.

During a headache, blood vessels swell, tighten or go through other changes, causing an increase in blood flow around the brain. This increase blood flow pressures surrounding nerves, which send pain messages to the brain. This brings on the headache.

Caffeine has vasoconstrictive properties, meaning that blood vessels narrow to restrict blood flow, thereby alleviating the pain. Also, when caffeine is taken in combination with pain medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen, it increases the absorption and strength of the medication to provide faster relief.

Caffeine can trigger a headache.

When caffeine is consumed regularly, the body becomes dependent on its effects. And because caffeine narrows the blood vessels that surround the brain, when consumption is stopped, the blood vessels enlarge. This causes an increase in blood flow around the brain and pressures surrounding nerves. This can then trigger what is known as a caffeine withdrawal headache. Withdrawal headaches can last for a couple of weeks because it takes the body a while to adjust to not having caffeine in its system.

What should you do?

Pay attention to how much caffeine you consume and how it affects you. Keep track of when your headaches occur and what seems to help or hinder them. If you have frequent headaches, consider slowly reducing your caffeine intake and consuming it in moderation.

Kelli Tornstrom is a nurse practitioner in Neurology in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

For the safety of our patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a non-patient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

You can get rid of a headache in 5 minutes without having to take pills. Here’s how.

Macy’s and Girls Inc. believe that all girls deserve to be safe, supported, and valued. However, racial disparities continue to exist for young people when it comes to education levels, employment, and opportunities for growth. Add to that the gender divide, and it’s clear to see why it’s important for girls of color to have access to mentors who can equip them with the tools needed to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers.

Anissa Rivera is one of those mentors. Rivera is a recent Program Manager at the Long Island affiliate of Girls Inc., a nonprofit focusing on the holistic development of girls ages 5-18. The goal of the organization is to provide a safe space for girls to develop long-lasting mentoring relationships and build the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to thrive now and as adults.

Rivera spent years of her career working within the themes of self and community empowerment with young people — encouraging them to tap into their full potential. Her passion for youth development and female empowerment eventually led her to Girls Inc., where she served as an agent of positive change helping to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.

Photo courtesy of Macy’s

Inspiring young women from all backgrounds is why Macy’s has continued to partner with Girls Inc. for the second year in a row. The partnership will support mentoring programming that offers girls career readiness, college preparation, financial literacy, and more. Last year, Macy’s raised over $1.3M for Girls Inc. in support of this program along with their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programming for more than 26,000 girls. Studies show that girls who participated are more likely than their peers to enjoy math and science, score higher on standardized math tests, and be more equipped for college and campus life.

Thanks to mentors like Rivera, girls across the country have the tools they need to excel in school and the confidence to change the world. With your help, we can give even more girls the opportunity to rise up. Throughout September 2021, customers can round up their in-store purchases or donate online to support Girls Inc. at Macys.com/MacysGives.

Who runs the world? Girls!

Headache in children

The headache is familiar to almost all people on the planet. New patients with headache complaints appear every day at the pediatric neurologist’s appointment. It would seem that such a frequent phenomenon has long been well studied, and should not present difficulties in treatment. However, every child with these complaints can be a mystery to the doctor. In this article, we will outline the main problems that arise when observing children with headaches.

To begin with, headache is indeed a very common occurrence in childhood.The common question of parents whether a baby has a headache has no reliable answer – we cannot ask a child of this age about feelings. At an older age, when the child begins to speak, the picture becomes somewhat clearer. And yet, in children up to about 5-6 years old, you need to be very careful in assessing complaints – by pointing to the head, a small child can describe many sensations. That is, it may not be pain at all, and not at all in the head. Sometimes children so designate general malaise, drowsiness, dizziness, pain in the ears, neck, back, and sometimes they simply copy the behavior of someone around to attract attention.Neurologists, knowing the peculiarities of complaints in childhood, can focus on changes in the child’s behavior, features of his appearance, combination with other problems and findings during neurological examination. Doctors assess the intensity of headache on special scales, in older children on a ten-point scale, in younger children using special pictures.

Main types of headache

The most common types of headache are tension headache and migraine.

Tension headaches (or tension headaches) are usually pressing, symmetrical, like a hoop around the head. The intensity of this pain can fluctuate, but in most cases it does not interfere with the child’s daily life – for example, the child can go to school and do household chores.

Migraine is often, but not always, characterized by asymmetric pain, that is, half of the head may hurt. Migraine pain is most often severe, it can be pulsating. A migraine attack is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and intolerance to bright light and harsh sounds.In addition to pain, with migraines, sometimes there are visual disturbances, dizziness, and a feeling of numbness in different parts of the body. A migraine attack, in contrast to a tension headache, usually interferes with the child’s usual activities (going to school, walking). Sleep can bring relief.

Both types of headache can be triggered by hunger, insufficient fluid intake, drinking caffeine-containing drinks, sleep disturbance (lack of sleep, or, conversely, prolonged sleep on weekends), stress, certain foods (smoked meats, cheeses, colored fruits, carbonated beverages).

Fortunately, these types of headaches are usually not associated with any major changes in the body and do not threaten the child’s life. However, there are situations when headache is a symptom of a serious illness that requires emergency help.

An emergency consultation with a pediatric neurologist is required in the following cases:

• the pain was caused by a head injury;

• pain occurs at night and wakes up the child;

• Pain combined with vomiting, pain and stiffness in the neck, double vision and loss of vision, impaired consciousness, instability when walking, fever.

In addition to the neurologist, other specialists may be involved in the treatment of young patients with prolonged headaches. So, sometimes pain occurs due to improper posture and abnormal muscle tension. Such situations require the participation of an orthopedic surgeon.

Pediatric ophthalmologist can help with diagnosis and treatment if pain is associated with visual impairment or incorrect selection of glasses. In addition, in case of serious diseases associated with increased intracranial pressure (for example, with meningitis, brain tumors), the ophthalmologist helps to detect changes in the fundus – the so-called stagnant optic disc.This sign will be the basis for additional examinations – computed or magnetic resonance imaging.

Pediatric Otorhinolaryngologist (ENT) provides important information about the condition of the nasopharynx and paranasal sinuses. Inflammatory processes in them often cause prolonged headaches that are difficult to treat. Sometimes, with such pain, there is a change in the intensity of pain when the position of the head changes.

Instrumental diagnostics for headache is used in cases when the doctor has doubts about the diagnosis or a certain anomaly in the brain that causes pain is suspected.Routine examinations in such situations are computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The choice of the diagnostic method depends on the alleged cause of the pain, therefore, a layman should not do all possible examinations on his own in advance, they may not provide the necessary information.

Treatment of headache depends on the type of pain and its connection with concomitant diseases. In acute situations, pain relievers (paracetamol, ibuprofen) are prescribed, but these drugs are not suitable for prophylactic treatment.Do not be surprised if a neurologist proposes for preventive treatment drugs related to antidepressants, anticonvulsants, or “heart” drugs. Worldwide treatment standards provide for these remedies for the treatment of chronic pain, and not just headaches.

At the EMC Children’s Clinic, you can get advice from experienced neurologists on issues of interest to you, including the problem of headache in your child. If necessary, you can undergo additional research and consultations with other pediatric specialists in our clinic.

90,000 Headache, causes, treatment, in Tyumen, price

Most of us have experienced this unpleasant state at least several times in our lives. Headache can be a symptom of some other disease, for example, headache with high blood pressure, cervical osteochondrosis, brain tumor, etc. , or it is an independent disease. The most famous headache is migraine, the most common is tension headache, characterized by a dull and pressing sensation in the forehead, temples and occiput.

Causes of the headache.

1. The most common cause is tension in the muscles of the back, which occurs when sitting at a desk for a long time. Occasional standing up, relaxation exercises, and light massaging of the neck and upper back area will help to avoid headaches.

2. Stress is the second most common cause of headaches. The ability to control emotions, quickly relieve irritation, good rest are the main ways to prevent headaches.

3. Deficiency of magnesium in the body – magnesium is the main participant in energy processes, neuromuscular transmission and the mechanism of muscle contraction. Magnesium deficiency manifests itself in the form of spasms, including vascular spasms, which causes a headache. You can get rid of such a headache by adding nuts, oatmeal, whole grain bread to your diet, or taking vitamins containing magnesium, for example

4. Pungent odors – and migraine is the most common reaction to them.To get rid of headaches associated with odors, use cosmetics and hygiene products without harsh fragrances, regularly ventilate the room in which you are.

5. “Fatigue” of the eyes and brain, which occurs during prolonged work at the computer, watching TV, especially 3D films when our eyes are trying to “bring together” a split image. The response of a tired brain is a headache.

Headache treatment.

1.The main group of drugs for relieving headaches are analgesics (pain relievers) and their combination with antispasmodics. There are a great many of these drugs, but they all have one feature – they are taken during a headache attack. Taking them to prevent headache attacks does not make sense. Well, with frequent use, the effectiveness of some of them decreases, there is a so-called “addiction”.

We bring to your attention natural preparations that can be used not only to relieve headache attacks. After completing a course of treatment with them, you can forget about the headache for a long time. In addition, they have a minimum of contraindications, most of them can be taken during pregnancy, breastfeeding, driving and other situations when conventional analgesics are contraindicated.

Complex homeopathic remedies can help with migraines and tension headaches

2. The second compulsory drug prescribed for headaches by neurologists and general practitioners is a drug from the group of nootropics that improve microcirculation (nootropil, piracetam, fezam, mexidol, cerebrolysin, cinnarizine, etc. ).

We bring to your attention a new “natural” nootropic – “Memo-Vit” .

“Memo-Vit” is a unique, innovative, natural product containing red-stemmed buckwheat herb powder (collected during the flowering period) – a source of flavonoids: rutin, quercetin, citrine, etc.; drone brood (homogenate) – a donor of entomological prohormones (not a hormone replacement): testosteroids, progesterone, estradiol and free amino acids; May rosehip powder is a source of vitamins: C, B2, K, P, E, provitamin A.

The complex of substances that make up the drug helps to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, especially the vessels of the brain, restore metabolism, nutrition of brain tissue. Due to the pronounced nootropic action “Memo-Vit” is effective not only for the treatment and prevention of headache, but also for mental and physical fatigue, disorders of attention, memory, sclerotic senile changes, helps to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol.

You can read more about Memo-Vit, the mechanism of action, instructions for use here.

3. The third group of drugs is sedatives. Prescribing these drugs is quite justified, as already mentioned above, stress is the second most common cause of headache.

Natural anti-stress drug – “Nervo-Vit” . It contains: powder of rhizomes with valerian roots; powder of rhizomes with blue cyanosis roots; motherwort extract; lemon balm extract.Complementary medicinal herbs provide a complex balanced pharmacological action of “Nervo-Vita”.

• Valerian has a sedative, tranquilizing effect on the central nervous system, regulates cardiac activity, has antispasmodic and choleretic properties. Valerian is effective for systematic and long-term use due to the slow development of the therapeutic effect.

• Cyanosis blue – has soothing properties.In terms of sedative activity, cyanosis in the experiment exceeds valerian drug by 8-10 times. Stimulates the function of the adrenal cortex, regulates lipid metabolism. Cyanosis blue saponins inhibit the development of atherosclerosis.

• Melissa (lemon grass) – has a sedative effect, it is recommended for nervous weakness, migraine, insomnia, cerebral vascular spasms, dizziness and tinnitus. Contains essential oil including citral, citronelal, myrcene, geraniol, which are used as a sedative, anti-anxiety agent.

• Motherwort – provides a quick sedative effect with increased nervous excitement, insomnia, asthma, palpitations, cardiovascular neuroses, lowers blood pressure in the early stages of hypertension, slows down the heart rate, relieves convulsive activity, has a beneficial effect on carbohydrate and fat metabolism, lowers the level glucose, lactic and pyruvic acids, cholesterol, normalizes protein metabolism.

The advantage of “Nervo-Vita” is the possibility of its use both as a fast-acting symptomatic agent for relief of symptoms of anxiety and excitement, and for long-term treatment. “Nervo-Vit” is effective in the treatment of insomnia, stress-induced and anxiety disorders, tension headaches, as well as improving the quality of life of patients taking the drug “Nervo-Vit”. When taking the drug, an anxiolytic effect initially develops (by the 7th day from the start of taking the drug), normalization of sleep when it is disturbed, and by the end of the course of treatment, a distinct vegetotropic effect occurs, including on the part of the cardiovascular system (pulse stability and blood pressure, reduction of pathological vasomotor reactions, absence of cardialgia).At the same time, “Nervo-Vit” practically does not cause side effects, incl. daytime sleepiness, does not adversely affect concentration and performance. The drug is not addictive.

Instructions for use of the drug can be found here.

Our recommended headache regimen:

1. Get tested to make sure the headache is functional and not a symptom of another medical condition that requires serious treatment, such as a brain tumor.

2. If your headache has a more pronounced “vascular” component – take a course of treatment with Memo-Vit. If the stressful nature of the headache prevails, it is necessary to start treatment with the drug “Nervo-Vit”.

3. It is mandatory to take vitamin complexes, since they have antioxidant activity, increase immunity, stress resistance, reduce chronic fatigue, contain trace elements (especially magnesium) necessary for normal brain function.

4. To relieve a headache attack, the combined use of Spascuprel and Spigelon or Cephalis (Edas 109) or Cephalus (Edas 909).

5. For an individual selection of homeopathic remedies for the treatment of headaches, you can make an appointment with a homeopathic doctor of the Medical Center “Asko-Sana”, reception phone number (3452) 32-35-98.

MRI to identify the causes of headache, around the clock in MRI24

Frequent headaches should alert you to make you want to see a specialist.It is wrong to get rid of pain only by taking specialized drugs. After all, every pain syndrome has a reason. Therefore, without its identification and exclusion, you will not be able to get rid of the headache that often haunts you and prevents you from fully living and working.

Identifying the causes of headaches using MRI is an innovative approach that allows you to accurately detect the problem, prescribe effective treatment regimens, after which patients forget how much they suffered before when they suffered a headache.The main causes of pain in the head are:

• disorders in the work of arteries and blood vessels,
• injuries,
• osteochondrosis of the cervical spine,
• overvoltage,
• infectious diseases,
• intracranial pathologies.

What is included in the Diagnosis of Headache Causes?

• MRI of the brain
• MRI of venous sinuses
• MRI of cerebral arteries
• MRI of the cervical spine
• MRI of the arteries of the neck

MRI progressive method for identifying the causes of headache

An MRI examination is the only way to quickly establish the real cause of frequent headaches.If this examination does not reveal pathologies of the brain and disturbances in the functioning of the arteries, it will be possible to ascertain that the cause of pain was overvoltage, which is the easiest for patients to cope with. The MRI24 centers in Moscow invite everyone who suffers from frequent headaches to undergo modern diagnostics. We have established an acceptable cost of services and conduct a round-the-clock reception. You can see the addresses and prices on our website.

What the tomography shows

Are you interested in what the tomography shows? In the process of this diagnosis, a specialist examines a specific system or organ.He receives three-dimensional layered images of anatomical structures, which makes it possible to judge the presence of pathologies. After you undergo this diagnosis, the causes of the headache will be accurately identified. This will allow you to prescribe effective treatment, and you will stop spending money on pain medications and suffer from pain attacks.

We invite you to do an MRI, the price of which is affordable for a wide audience. When opening diagnostic centers, we made sure that the prices for our services were optimal!

90,000 About the period after anesthesia – Narvahaigla

Frequent adverse reactions and complications after anesthesia:

After the end of the general anesthesia, you may feel pain in the area of ​​the operation. If, upon arrival in the recovery room, you still feel it, then inform the medical staff about it – you will be injected with an anesthetic medicine.

This is a very common consequence of anesthesia, occurring in about 30% of cases. Nausea is more common in general than in regional anesthesia. Here are some tips to help you reduce your risk of nausea:

• you should not be active during the first hours after the operation – getting up and out of bed;
• Avoid drinking food and water immediately after surgery;
• Good pain relief is also important, as severe pain can cause nausea, so if pain occurs, notify your healthcare team;
• deep breathing with slow inhalation of air can reduce the feeling of nausea.

The endotracheal tube at the stage of awakening from anesthesia can cause an unpleasant feeling of discomfort and sore throat. You need to take it calmly, try to breathe evenly and, most importantly, follow all the instructions of your anesthesiologist. Discomfort, dry mouth, and pain that bothers you when talking or swallowing may also be felt for several hours after surgery, but may persist for two or more days. If within two days after the operation, the above symptoms do not go away, then contact your doctor.Sore throat is only a consequence of anesthesia.

Tremors, as a consequence of anesthesia, are a fairly common problem, since they cause great discomfort, although more often they do not pose a danger to the body and lasts about 20-30 minutes. Tremors can occur after general anesthesia and also occur after epidural and spinal anesthesia.

• Sensitivity Violation

During anesthesia, there is no muscle tone, because of this, positional compression of the nerve is possible, which can cause sensory disturbances at the site of compression, lasting several weeks.After an operation performed under spinal or epidural anesthesia, the legs become insensitive for several hours, and emptying of the bladder can also be difficult – if necessary, a urinary catheter is inserted.

• Dizziness and lightheadedness

The residual effect of anesthetics can manifest itself in the form of a slight decrease in blood pressure, in addition, dehydration, which is not so uncommon after surgery, can lead to the same effect.A decrease in pressure can cause dizziness, weakness, and light-headedness.

• Headache

There are many causes of headaches. These are drugs used for anesthesia, the operation itself, dehydration and anxiety of the patient. Most often, the headache goes away within a few hours after anesthesia and can be easily relieved by pain relievers. Severe headache may be a complication of spinal or epidural anesthesia, and treatment may require bed rest for several days.

This is usually an adverse reaction to anesthesia medication, but itching can also be an allergic reaction, so be sure to tell your doctor if it develops.

• Back and lower back pain

During the operation, the patient lies in one unchanged position on a firm operating table for a sufficiently long time, which can cause back “fatigue” and ultimately lead to back pain after the operation.

Most often these pains occur in young males, most often they are associated with the use of drugs to relax the muscles during anesthesia. Muscle pains are the consequences of anesthesia (general anesthesia), they are symmetrical, localized more often in the neck, shoulders, upper abdomen and last about 2-3 days after surgery.

After surgery in the intensive care unit

Depending on the severity of the operation, postoperative observation in the intensive care unit may be necessary.As needed, you will be prescribed medications, possibly in the form of injections / droppers. Unfortunately, it is inevitable that the wound after surgery will hurt for some time. If you feel severe pain, you must immediately inform the staff about it so that the necessary measures can be taken.

Depending on the operation performed, you may be fitted with: a gastric tube, drains and a urinary catheter.

• Gastric tube

Probes are used to evacuate the contents of the gastrointestinal tract.This is a necessary measure and it is necessary to understand the importance of this procedure. The gastric tube helps you avoid vomiting in the postoperative period, because all gastric contents will pass through it into a special container. You may experience discomfort and sore throat.

If necessary, enteral nutrition is provided through the tube, i.e. the introduction of balanced mixtures to provide your body with nutrients and vitamins. On the first day (and in some cases even longer) after the operation, you must not eat or drink.You will receive all the liquid necessary for the body through an intravenous infusion and through a tube.

Drainage is a method of treatment involving the removal of discharge from wounds, natural, purulent and other pathological cavities, and the contents of hollow organs.

Drainage – rubber or plastic tubes of various diameters, thin rubber strips, dry aseptic tampons.

• Urinary catheter

If you cannot urinate on your own, a urinary catheter is placed in your bladder to facilitate urination.

(See About Intensive Care Unit) (Active link)

The team of the department wishes you a speedy recovery !

Treatment of dizziness and headache: causes and symptoms

Benefits

• European level equipment

• Friendly team of experienced doctors

• Home call ENT doctor

• Online consultation

• Reception of ENT doctors around the clock!

• An interdisciplinary approach to patient care

The branch of ENT Clinic No. 1 in Moscow City is engaged in professional treatment of headaches and dizziness in adults.

Reception is conducted by Overchenko Kira Vladimirovna – neurologist, otoneurologist, specialist in headache and dizziness, candidate of medical sciences, researcher of the department of vestibulology and otoneurology, NMITSO FMBA of Russia. Kira Vladimirovna performs successful treatment of headaches and dizziness, including difficult and difficult to diagnose conditions, owns international diagnostic approaches, therapeutic maneuvers, which in some cases allow you to get rid of dizziness attacks at the very first appointment.

Personal approach to understanding the causes and treatment of headaches and dizziness

A modern good headache doctor will never say that “everyone has a headache and dizzy”, prescribing an ad hoc intake of painkillers or prescribing “vascular” droppers. Each human body, each medical case is individual. For a correct diagnosis, it is important to understand exactly how a person feels pain and dizziness (and the word “dizziness” describes a fairly wide range of sensations). For example, in the same patient, several types of dizziness can be combined due to one disease. Or because of several present at the same time. It’s the same with different types of headaches.

Incorrect diagnosis, incorrect drug intake tactics, ignorance of the problem, self-treatment of headaches and dizziness – all of these are almost equally harmful to the quality of life. Up to the point that a headache may develop from excessive intake of painkillers or constant dizziness from fear of a recurrence of an attack of dizziness.The person begins to experience panic attacks in anticipation of another debilitating attack.

Therefore, for a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to study the history of the disease in detail, ask about the patient’s feelings, conduct an examination and specialized tests. This requires a sufficient time of admission – 30-45 minutes, and a competent, motivated highly specialized doctor. All this we offer you in our clinic at the reception of Kira Vladimirovna Overchenko.

Contact us if:

1. You are experiencing periodic or chronic headaches (occipital, temporal, facial), dizziness, tinnitus.
2. You have already been diagnosed with vds, pinched vessels, narrowing of the vertebral artery, dizziness in the elderly, osteochondrosis; treatment for headache or dizziness was attempted, but the problems persisted.

Our Headache Specialist:

• will tell you what is behind false diagnoses;
• Develop a comprehensive treatment plan for dizziness and headache;
• will explain how the vestibular apparatus works, how to do vestibular gymnastics correctly, why the cause of pain is not in the vessels and osteochondrosis;
• will talk about the symptoms and treatment of different types of headaches;
• for some types of dizziness can relieve it at the very first appointment – thanks to therapeutic maneuvers to return the fallen otoliths (parts of the “motion sensor”) in the inner ear.

Do not tolerate and do not put up with severe headaches and sudden dizziness. If the previous therapy did not help you, it is far from the only one!

Make an appointment with our clinic for the treatment of headaches in Moscow and enjoy life!

Important!

If a headache bothers you for many months or years, then before visiting a doctor it is necessary to keep a headache diary developed by the world scientific community for the treatment of headaches for such cases.You can download it here.

90,000 Migraine: why we know so little about the most common disease in the world

• Lauren Sharkey
• BBC Future

September 6, 2018

Migraine affects every fifth woman in the world, migraine is the second most common disease. which limit performance. However, surprisingly little is known about her , her research is under-funded, and many doctors do not even consider migraine to be a real neurological disorder.

Photo by BBC / Alamy

I first experienced a migraine one evening after school. The dull headache turned into a sharp throbbing, vision blurred, and the light from the lamp in my room brought terrible suffering. Eventually I vomited.

This cycle of symptoms has recurred many times in recent years. Subsequently, he made me quit my job and feel completely helpless.

Migraines are often dismissed as “it’s just a headache.”

But while a “normal” headache can usually be managed with paracetamol, migraines are not easily overcome. A migraine attack can seriously unsettle.

The Health Gap series focuses on gender inequalities in health and medicine. Other articles in this series:

In addition, the cause of this disease is not precisely determined (hormonal changes or abnormal brain activity are only speculations), just as there is no established way of treating it.

It is not surprising that an international study of the state of human health, which was carried out in 195 countries of the world annually from 1990 to 2016, put migraine in the second place among diseases that have significantly limited human performance for many years.

Migraine brings significant economic costs – in the UK alone, 25 million sick days are given annually because of it.

Photo author, Getty Images

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Unlike a common headache, migraine brings unbearable anguish, it is often accompanied by visual impairment and vomiting

But despite its huge impact on health and the economy, migraine remains one of the least studied diseases whose research has not received the necessary funding for years.

This disorder is also much more common in women. Overall, one in five women and only one in 15 men suffer from migraines.

The causes of migraine remain largely unclear. Although a study by Arizona State University in April this year suggests that it is associated with a condition where estrogen rises and the sodium proton exchanger NHE1 declines.

Pain increases without sufficient NHE1.”The results of the study show that women are more prone to migraines because fluctuations in their sex hormones lead to changes in their NHE1 levels,” explains researcher Emily Galloway.

However, migraine remains one of the least studied diseases in the world. For example, in the United States, where migraine affects approximately 15% of the population, funding for her research in 2017 amounted to $ 22 million.

For comparison, 13 times more has been allocated for research on asthma, which affects half the number of Americans.), and diabetes – 50 times more ($ 1.1 billion).

Although, of course, asthma and diabetes are potentially life-threatening diseases.

The effectiveness of the study of migraine is also reduced by the fact that medical research, by tradition, is usually carried out on males, although migraine is predominantly a female disease.

Author of the photo, Alamy

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Migraine affects one in five women and only one in 15 men

Given the prevalence of migraine among women, this apparent neglect may be the result of doctors often underestimating women’s complaints of pain.

Another reason is the misconception that migraines are associated with mental illness. The myth of female hysteria has been around for centuries and is a classic manifestation of gender bias in medicine.

Medicine headache

Pulsating headache is one of the oldest diseases of mankind, mentioned in written sources.

Descriptions of migraine come across in ancient Egyptian manuscripts 1200 BC. and Hippocrates.

However, the discovery of migraine is usually attributed to the ancient Greek physician Areteus from Cappadocia. He was the first in the second century to accurately describe the symptoms of the disease – the localization of pain on the one hand and the frequency of attacks.

The word “migraine” itself comes from the Greek hemicrania, which means “half of the skull”.

The causes and treatment of migraines have been surrounded by superstition throughout history.

In the Middle Ages, migraines were treated with bloodletting and witchcraft or with a clove of garlic inserted into an incision in the temple.

As a remedy for migraines, some doctors have recommended trepanation – drilling holes in the skull. It was believed that this barbaric procedure helps to release evil spirits from the body of a person who apparently suffered from a mental disorder.

Author of the photo, Alamy

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The ancient Greek physician Areteus from Cappadocia was the first to accurately identify the symptoms of migraine

The fact that migraine mainly affects women was noticed by doctors only in the 19th century.

Migraine has been called a disease of “working class mothers” and attributed to mental disorders in women due to heavy daily work, lack of sleep, frequent breastfeeding and malnutrition.

Headache in women was associated with hysteria and was often ridiculed; it is still the subject of jokes and anecdotes.

On the other hand, “migraine was also considered a disease of the aristocrats,” explains Joanna Kempner, associate professor of sociology at Rutgers University.

“They say that the upper class have a more delicate nervous system, which allows men to engage in arts and sciences.”

“And since women were believed to be less capable of intellectual activity, their nervous system was overwhelmed.” Unlike a common headache, migraine is unbearable, it is often accompanied by visual impairment and vomiting

American neurologist Harold G. Wolff, has identified a clear difference between migraines in men and women.

If in ambitious and successful men migraines occurred due to fatigue, then Wolf believed that the cause of headaches in women was the inability to accept a female role primarily in sexual life.

Dr. Wolff said that his patients perceive sex “as a marriage duty at best, but quite often as an unpleasant duty.”

Kempner adds: “by the end of the 20th century, the word migraine had acquired a strong association with a neurotic housewife, and some dictionaries do record it as a synonym for“ wife. ”

Mind has a meaning

health actually exists.Several studies have shown that migraines are often associated with certain mental illnesses, such as bipolar and anxiety disorders, and depression.

Another study found that about one in six migraine patients seriously considered suicide.

“But is migraine the cause of these disorders?” Asks Messud Ashina, professor of neurology and director of the Migraine Research Unit at the Danish Headache Research Center.

“Migraine is a very common condition and therefore the chances of coincidental overlap with other disorders are high,” he says.

Photo by BBC / Alamy

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People with migraine are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety and have suicidal thoughts

“On the other hand, it is not surprising that migraine contributes to anxiety, because it can always catch a person by surprise , interfere with his professional or family plans, “says Esme Fuller Thomson, director of the Institute for Life and Aging at the University of Toronto, which is researching the link between migraines and suicide.

The feeling of helplessness that often grips the migraine patient can also exacerbate depression.

However, despite the prevalence of migraine and the severe consequences of its attacks, many experts do not consider it a serious illness.

Part of this attitude towards migraine lies in its status as a predominantly “female” ailment and reflects gender bias in medicine.

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Despite the debilitating effects of migraine, many experts do not consider it a real neurological disease

Statistics confirm that doctors, as a rule, pay less attention to women’s complaints, and the diagnosis of the patient usually occurs over a longer time than in male patients.

There seems to be a way out

Fortunately, there is already a new drug for migraine – although it is still at the trial stage. This is a monthly injection of erenumab that blocks the brain receptor that triggers the migraine attack.

(In May 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a similar drug that acts on the CGRP receptor).

“The key is that this drug is specifically designed to treat migraines,” explains Amaal Starling, assistant professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“This increases its effectiveness and reduces side effects,” adds the specialist.

Author of the photo, Alamy

Pidpis to the photo,

A new drug designed specifically for the treatment of migraines, and not headache symptoms, should ease the fate of sufferers.

It is difficult to disagree with this. For migraine treatment, I am prescribed beta blockers, a drug taken three times a day for several months, commonly used to treat angina and high blood pressure.

As it turned out later, the drug also helps with migraines. But it has a huge list of contraindications and side effects, such as extreme fatigue and dizziness with the possibility of a heart attack if you suddenly stop taking it.

Other current treatments for migraine include electromagnetic treatments using handheld devices. They send magnetic impulses to the brain to alter the electrical environment of neurons and reduce “hyperexcitability.”

I hadn’t had a migraine in almost six months and started to cut my beta blocker dose.I would like to give up medications altogether. But recently I had another attack.

A couple of months ago I was taken to the hospital with suspected heart attack. Fortunately, this was a false alarm. But this case showed how important it is to get a drug for migraine, which would not affect the vital organs.

I hope we will have this invention soon.

To read the original of this article in English, visit the BBC Future website.

6 yoga exercises that will help get rid of headaches

If you have a headache, do not rush to take pills.They may relieve you of a headache, but they will not add health – that’s for sure. So before diving into the medicine cabinet, try a few yoga exercises that can deal with headaches better than pills.

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The causes of headaches can be different. This can be neck tension, slumped shoulders, or back pain. The following postures help to remove these problems and thus relieve headaches. It is not necessary to do all 6. You can choose any, and if it does not work, try another one.The main thing before that is to listen to your body and understand what else besides your head hurts.

Exercise # 1

As I said, sometimes a headache can be caused by clamps in the cervical spine. Sitting in a comfortable position, place your right hand on the left side of your head and tilt your head slightly to the right.

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Hold this position for a few breaths and change sides. During this exercise, the hand presses very little on the head, stretching the cervical vertebrae.

Exercise # 2

During this exercise, it is not at all necessary to completely rest the foot on the floor (this can be done by people with good stretching).

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This pose helps to release tension from your shoulders, as the wrists and forearms take the bulk of the load and thus increase the blood flow to the head.

Exercise # 3

Another forward bend exercise that is ideal if the headache is caused by tension in the shoulders.Sit on the floor so that there is a small distance between your shins and they lie parallel to each other. Bring your hands behind your back to the lock and slowly lean forward until your head touches the floor, folding into a slightly modified child’s pose.

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Stay in this position for about 5 counts and remember to breathe deeply. Move your arms back so that you feel a slight stretch in the chest, shoulders and back of the neck.

Exercise # 4

This exercise stretches the back of the neck and relieves tension in the back, which is also a common cause of headaches.

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During this exercise, do not place your arms too wide or far from your back. This pose makes your head light and light, stay in it for 5 counts. And if you feel comfortable enough in it, you can stay that way a little longer.

Exercise # 5

The pose is called “Happy Child” and it helps to get rid of the headache that is caused by the clamps in the back.

© photo

Lie on your back with your knees bent and arms wrapped around your hips or feet from the outside.Stay in this position for a few minutes, and you can sway a little from side to side and back and forth to increase the stretch in your hips and lower back.

Exercise # 6

Place a blanket against the wall and grab some pillows. Sit as close to the wall as possible, so that your pelvis and lower back are snug against the folded towel.