Although the specific cause of migraines is unknown, many people can identify certain environmental factors that trigger them. For some people it is unusual or spicy foods and for others it is stressful situations. Or perhaps these disabling headaches occur based on weather changes. Well, migraines may be very unpredictable, but the weather may be less so. And now, thanks to a new tool from AccuWeather, weather and subsequent migraines may be easier to predict.
According to AccuWeather’s blog, variable highs and lows in atmospheric pressure, oppressive heat, extreme humidity, and precipitation can cause the brain’s blood vessels to contract and expand. Migraines and their severe symptoms of nausea, pain, and difficulty functioning often occur because of the changes in the size of blood vessels. In fact, the blog notes that a certain study found that temperature changes with humidity, changes in barometric pressure, and varied weather patterns are the largest contributors to a migraine attack. The particular study was conducted in 2004 in Connecticut where researchers examined migraine sufferers’ diaries and compared them with local weather reports for a period of time. They found that approximately half of the participants reported an onslaught of migraine headaches during weather changes. Moreover, about sixty percent of the individuals felt that they were sensitive to abrupt weather disruptions.
Another study, conducted in Canada, found that individuals also reported more migraines when winds changed in their local region. What’s more is that the individuals in both studies indicated that while weather was an important factor in migraine occurrence, it was only heightened when other conditions, such as stress or lack of sleep, were present. Fortunately, AccuWeather has developed a forecasting tool that allows people to assess what the likelihood of having a migraine due to weather may be. The tool targets a local region and you can see how the weather may impact a migraine suffer on any given day. It rates the likelihood of an attack from a beneficial weather forecast to an extreme risk of developing a migraine.
Perhaps, with tools such as this one, people who live with these difficult headaches can better prepare for their day. If the weather is such that a migraine may occur, a person can try to limit other factors and also ensure that they have their medication. It is just this kind of preemptive treatment that can really allow individuals to better their quality of life without worrying that a disabling headache is just around the corner.
Filed under Predicting Migraines by on May 25th, 2010. 1 Comment. 
What if the medicine you were taking to remedy a chronic condition or disease was actually causing your illness to worsen, or even causing another condition to develop? That is exactly the idea behind some recent studies that have shown that some medications used to treat headaches, especially migraines, may be actually contributing to the problem. Many people who take triptans for migraines end up developing headaches that can be attributed to these drugs. In fact, according to ABC News, approximately four million people may suffer from medication-overuse headaches, as well as “rebound” headaches that occur when a medication wears off.
In a study of 160,000 patients, Dr. Lipton, from the Montefiore Headache Center at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, found that approximately two percent of individuals who take migraine medication at least three times a month may become dependent on the drugs. This dependency causes them to develop more migraines, and as such, they may have to change medications or treatment options. But, these medications provide such great relief in the interim that it is difficult to give them up. What can an individual do when he/she is suffering from such debilitating headaches without relying on medication? ABC News offers some suggestions about how to manage migraines without drugs. These guidelines may also help people to function better, as they will not have to suffer through medication side effects in addition to the migraine pain.
First, try to keep a routine schedule, which means the same bedtime, mealtime, and wake up time every single day of the week, including weekends. This means avoiding sleeping in on weekends or rainy days, and avoiding big changes to this schedule whenever possible. Next, try to keep a journal detailing what foods provoke a migraine and then avoid those particular items. Don’t want to go through trial and error of finding what foods cause headaches? Then, get a food list from the American Council on Headache Education and try to limit your consumption of these items. It is also suggested that you exercise moderately and often. In this same vein, you should avoid smoking and manage or avoid stressful situations. Finally, try to get evaluated for any neck or jaw pain, as there could be an underlying cause of your headaches that is easily fixed with a neck pillow or a mouth guard. If a headache has already developed, you can apply ice to the head and temples, and heat at the neck to stave off further pain. Although all of these suggestions may not work for every migraine, they may help to curb some of the pain and may also result in fewer instances of medication overuse.
Technorati claim code: TAS2TCWAMXJV
Filed under Living with Migraines, Migraine medications by on May 26th, 2010. Comment.
