Numerous studies have shown that the majority of migraine sufferers are women. Specifically, of the thirty million migraine patients, three out of four are women. It is difficult, however, to determine whether a woman is suffering from migraines or from another health condition where migraines result as an offshoot. Although there is no definable cause for migraine occurrence, it appears that woman’s hormones often play a role in influencing a migraine attack, triggering debilitating pain, nausea, and light sensitivity. Furthermore, although no one can definitively predict when a migraine is going to attack, most medical professionals agree that estrogen plays a significant role in the frequency, intensity, and fluctuation of migraines. This may be why women experience more severe migraine symptoms around the time of their period and why birth control is sometimes used as a way to control migraine attacks. This link between estrogen and migraines may also provide an understanding as to why women who suffer from migraines also exhibit a lower risk of breast cancer.
According to USA Weekend, studies published between 2008 and 2009 show that women who suffer from migraines have a twenty-six to thirty-three percent lower risk of developing breast cancer. After these studies, researchers began to wonder whether it was the actual migraines or the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that reduced the risk of breast cancer. The USA Weekend article notes that both aspirin and these types of drugs have been shown to reduce the overall risk of breast cancer and are often taken to combat migraines. The researchers found that migraine sufferers were eleven percent less likely to develop breast cancer and seventeen percent less likely to develop hormone sensitive breast cancer, even if they were not taking any of the aforementioned drugs.
The research team believes that the estrogen’s role in breast cancer and migraine attacks is the reason for these associations. They cite the evidence that more women experience severe headaches around the time of menstruation and that pregnant women have fewer migraines once the estrogen stabilizes in the middle of pregnancy. How estrogen actually influences these conditions is still largely unknown and more research will be needed in this area. It does provide some hope, however, that those who suffer with migraines may be able to better manage them depending on their estrogen levels. It is also significant that having such a debilitating condition can actually decrease the chances of developing another serious disease like cancer.
Filed under Migraine research by on Apr 1st, 2010. Comment. 
Most people will go to any length imaginable in order to make the pain associated with a migraine headache go away. They are often relegated to taking an assortment of prescription medications to ease the pain and possibly prevent a migraine attack from occurring. Despite the relative success of these drugs, many migraine sufferers find they cannot take them because of the severe side effects associated with them. Unfortunately, most individuals must take something in order to combat the migraine because its effects often result in being absent from work, school, and other activities – which is why people with migraines often end up applying for social security disability. Two new studies published in the journal Headache, however, give some hope to those migraine sufferers who simply cannot take or do not respond well to the traditional drug therapies. Each of these studies concluded that taking naproxen (or Aleve) and acetaminophen (or Tylenol) reduced migraine pain and recurrence, as well as other migraine symptoms, such as nausea.
In the first study, researchers from Taiwan examined the results of previous studies using naproxen at a dosage level of 500 to 825 milligrams for approximately 2,168 migraine patients. The researchers found that naproxen reduced the migraine intensity, pain, and symptoms within two hours of taking it, according to Reuters. This resulted in a “desirable outcome” as defined by the International Headache Society. Despite this favorable outcome, the researchers also found that naproxen did not always offer the same clinical benefits as triptans, the traditional migraine drugs. Moreover, the researchers also found that aspirin provided better relief than naproxen in regulating migraine pain. In fact, according to Reuters, the research team concluded that a 1,000 milligram dose of aspirin was the best treatment option for migraines when compared to naproxen or acetaminophen. However, many people cannot take triptans or aspirin because of their harsh side effects. Because of this, Aleve and Tylenol may provide the best alternative to migraine pain management.
In the second study, the manufacturers of Tylenol conducted an examination 378 migraine sufferers who were randomly given Tylenol or a placebo. Over ninety days, the researchers found that those taking the Tylenol reported reduced pain within an hour of taking the pill, and after two hours, fifty-two percent report little to no pain. Conversely, those in the placebo group continued to report pain after two hours at a rate of sixty-eight percent. They also found that Tylenol reduced other migraine associated problems such as nausea and light sensitivity, whereas the placebo did not.
This is great news for migraine sufferers who have reached their wits’ end about how to effectively counter the effects of a migraine. Taking Tylenol or Aleve are low cost, effective alternatives to the traditional migraine drugs on the market. Further, it may be easier for people to purchase and take them without having to wait for a prescription or worry about injecting a medication while at work or school. Because these medications are not approved by the FDA as a migraine treatment, it is best to speak with your doctor about taking them as part of your migraine therapy. Hopefully, you will get the green light to take something already in your medicine cabinet and get the relief you have been looking for.
Filed under Migraine pain management, Migraine research, migraine treatment by on Apr 16th, 2010. Comment.
One of the hallmarks of a severe migraine headache is a person’s sensitivity to light. Often, when someone is suffering from one of these debilitating headaches, he/she seeks refuge in a darkened room, limiting as much light as possible, as well as avoiding any distractions. Migraine sufferers can spend hours in the room, waiting for the pain to dissipate and adjusting to their environment again. It can be so bad that some people must leave work to avoid the light and ride the migraine out. Most individuals who have migraines note that light makes the headaches worse, and sometimes, it is that very light exposure that causes a migraine to occur. But, why exactly is there a connection between light and the onset of a migraine? Two Scottish researchers set out to find out why and if this relationship really exists.
The research team divided study participants into two groups: one group had never suffered from migraines, while the other group consisted of individuals who experienced chronic migraines. The participants were asked to focus on a small white light, while light noise played in the background. This light noise was akin to the television static that comes on when the cable is out or programming is discontinued. The researchers noted that when the background noise was not on, the healthy participants, as well as the migraine sufferers could each find the white light with little to no problems. In this instance, those living with migraines did not complain of any difficulty or pain. When the background was turned on, however, those migraine sufferers had a very difficult time finding the white light when compared with the healthy participants. It is important to note that those who were prone to migraines were not suffering from any at the time of the study.
The researchers concluded that people who suffer from migraines recognize visual cues better when there are no distractions around, such as the background noise in the study. What was surprising to the researchers is that this was true even when they were not suffering from migraines. They concluded that migraine sufferers are likely at a disadvantage when they are attempting to focus on a particular object or details in a cluttered environment. Unfortunately, our environment is chock full of objects, noise, lights, etc. that may prevent these individuals from being able to focus. This may explain why being in a dark room devoid of distractions allows an individual with a migraine to focus better and relax their eyes, contributing to some pain relief.
This also may the reason people with migraines find it so difficult to maintain employment and will often file for Social Security Disability. The work environment often involves noise, light, other people’s perfumes, etc., so it’s no wonder migraine sufferers have such a tough time on the job.
If you suffer from migraines, you may benefit from decreasing the amount of distractions present in your environment – be it at work or at home. Additionally, when a migraine hits, it is prudent to escape to a quiet, darkened room to ease the adjustment to all that is present around you. If your migraines are so bad that even these measures do not help you, it may be time to file for Social Security Disability.
Filed under Living with Migraines, Migraine research by on Apr 22nd, 2010. Comment.
What if the root of your migraine pain was not really in your head after all? What if it was tied to a completely different organ located on your face? You may immediately think it has something to do with your eyes since blurred vision, seeing auras, and light sensitivity are all symptoms of a severe migraine. You would be wrong. According to Houston doctor Kevin Smith, your migraine may be specifically tied to your nose! The Houston Chronicle interviewed Dr. Smith about his novel theory and his new book, The Migraine Imposter.
Dr. Smith, who is an ear, nose, and throat doctor, believes that many migraine sufferers are actually suffering from a deviated septum. This occurs when the cartilage separating the right and left airways becomes damaged or otherwise displaced. Dr. Smith thinks that this damaged septum can come in contact with sensitive tissue in the nose, thereby triggering headaches, such as migraines. He encourages individuals to visit a neurologist and get a MRI to reveal if any tumors or other abnormalities are present. If none are discovered, he believes that patients should then get a CT scan of their sinuses to look for signs of a deviated septum. If this is found Dr. Smith proposes a relatively easy and quick procedure that will not only repair the septum, but also possibly the migraine headaches. The twenty minute procedure called a septoplasty has resulted in ninety percent of Dr. Smith’s patients reporting relief from debilitating headaches.
Deviated septums, according to Dr. Smith, usually occur after some type of trauma to the nose. Additionally, he notes that many athletes who complain of severe headaches, but are constantly subjected to damaging trauma may in fact have a deviated septum. Even childhood accidents can lead to a damaged septum. Dr. Smith believes that if more people were tested for a deviated septum, not only would they feel relief from migraine pain, but would also save thousands of dollars on health care every year. Furthermore, individuals with migraines are recognized to have a disability if they are unable to continue working. He believes that more people will be able to continue working if they have their septums fixed and find migraine relief. Migraines are difficult to manage and can cause debilitating pain that have no identifiable cause. Hopefully, Dr. Smith’s hunch is correct and the way to relief is through your nose!
Filed under migraine treatment by on Apr 29th, 2010. 1 Comment.
