Migraines

Question: Migraines? I get migraines in the left side of my head. Its in my neck and all over the left side of my face and head. I've had this migraine for 3 days going on 4, I've taken vicodin, excedrine(not together), nothing seems to work, it works for a bit then the pain is excrutiating. I feel like I have a bruise over the left eyebrow when i push there, Why is that? I havent hit my head. What should i do about the pain? I'm 26, I was diagnosed a year ago with migraines. I also had cat scans done at that time to make sure that was all it was, nothing bad came up.

Answer: First of all I understand the pain of migraines and over time have come up with a plan that works for me. 1. Don't forget to eat. If you skip meals your blood sugar drops and can trigger a migraine. 2. Don't drink diet softdrinks AT ALL--they will make you have migraines! 3. Don't be afraid to eat something a bit fatty when you feel yourself feeling a migraine coming on, this will stabilize your blood sugar. 4. Take meds immediately when you feel the first signs of a migraine coming on, if you wait it will be too late and nothing will work. 5. Look for triggers in your environment: make a log of foods, amount of rest or lack thereof, or any forms of stress that happen day to day, and when the migraines occur. Try to define what your triggers are. 6. Lastly, I would incorporate 2 things into your daily regimen: Take Magnesium and the herb Feverfew. Take these every day as they tend to reduce the number and frequency of migraines, but only if you take them every day.

Question: What kind of migraines am I having and how can i prevent them? I am currently 15 and I experience terrible migraines before, during and after my period. I also have them during the month periodically. I began to think I was having menstraul migraines but everytime I move my eyes, I have extreme pain in my eyeballs. Someone please help, it hurts really bad!

Answer: i get migraines.. but not around my period. i get them ALL the time! what i recommend is topomax. ask your doctor about it, youll need a prescription! its a pill that you take daily.. and it helps prevent migraines. also, i take relpax.. its a quick-fix for when you already have a migraine and need it gone within an hour. i went from getting 3 migraines per week to getting one per month with topomax good luck!

Question: What causes migraines where a person suddenly collapses? What causes migraines so bad that a person suddenly collapes with very little or no warning, often accompanied by profuse vomiting and aura? Mine are well controlled now, but no doctor has ever explained to me what all is behind this. I have never gone unconscious with mine, but would just suddenly go down, fully aware of what was going on, but totally unable to get up during the worst of it. Yes, I had seen a headache specialist 75 miles away, but had to quit when my back pain (from the falls) prevented me from being physically able to go, and when I was even getting sick while on the drugs. My symptoms are well controlled now with a strictly organic diet, so that I very rarely get a migraine or vertigo. However, no one has ever explained the mechanism behind it. I was tested for oxygen level after an attack, and it showed normal. No one has ever tested me while an attack is actually going on, as the worst of it is so sudden, and the worst of it leaves just as suddenly, and then I am left with the residual effects. If lack of oxygen is possibly behind this, like some answers suggest, then what causes the sudden lack of oxygen, and what causes the oxygen level to normalize when, after an attack, I am tested at the emergency room for oxygen levels and it is shown to be normal? And, no neurologist ever explained any of this to me although I had seen several neurologists in several states. Not even my headache specialist ever really answered this question although I saw her for more than a year. Doctors just kept treating it like a "typical" migraine headache...you know, the kind with severe head pain, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, etc. I am having to ask here because of not having any luck getting my questions answered anywhere else. I'm not looking for the usual, general information about migraine headaches, their triggers, their causes, etc. What I am talking about is very different from that. I am looking at what causes a usual migraine headache to become a violent, life-threatening ordeal. Thus far, none of the answers has explained this. I have every reason to believe, after having studied this, that MSG is the culprit behind my most violent and potentially life-threatening symptoms. I'm not the only person to have collapsed from MSG, and the excitotoxin has been linked to numerous health problems. It makes sense, given that when I stray at all off my organic diet I get sick again, as organic food does not tend to have added MSG in it, and conventional food tends to have it in high doses. I was actually tested for whether my blood pressure drops when I suddenly stand, suddenly switch to sitting, lying down, etc., and even that test for me showed normal. And, like I said, it seems a bit more than ironic that I don't get these symptoms when I completely avoid MSG and artificial sweeteners. Also, I am not talking about fainting when getting up too quickly or otherwise changing positions too quickly. I am talking about walking down the street and doing other everyday tasks, and suddenly collapsing, getting very dizzy, and vomiting.

Answer: To my knowledge, NOONE knows exactly what the mechanism is behind migraines.Since headaches are vascular, as well as vertigo, I would assume it would have something to do with blood flow. I have seen lots of patients with migraines but never to the severity that you described. I have only seen a few "pass out" and the docs I worked for weren't convinced they were true migraines.I am not sure I am fully understanding what occurs when you have a migraine.I wish I could better understand where it becomes life threatening in your eyes. You keep giving rebuttal to everyone's response and keep in mind you are asking this on YA, not webmd. I am an RN with 13 yrs experience and have a degree in Pre Medicine and am hopefully going to practice as an NP someday and I can't answer your question as precisely as I'm sure you'd like. There is still alot of mystery around migraines, different responses by different people. You said your neurologist couldn't answer it ? He's the specialist so I am willing to bet we won't have the answer either, all we can do is speculate. Sorry! I really wish I could help. My answer is it's a vascular issue, like a vagal issue, maybe?

Question: What can be done about migraines caused by changes in temperature? At work I am on the go moving from place to place and some rooms are air conditioned and some are really warm. This brings on minor, but daily migraines for me. What could possibly be done to help this problem? Can anyone explain how temperature changes causes migraines??

Answer: Its good that you have found out your triggers. However it might not only be a room temp issue. I have been dealing with sever migraines forever! I have been to diaticians, allergists, nuerologists, and much much more of never ending specialists. The most help I have gotten was from my Nuorologist. You should considering seeking care for your headaches via them. Explain what you notice, they will also ask you to keep a daily log, foods you eat, scents you smell, when you eat, when you smell the scents, pretty much anything and everything you will log onto paper. They will review your daily routines and help customize a treatment that best suits yor needs. They will also prescribe a medication to help prevent your migrains. As well as a pain reducer for when you get the onset of a migraine. If your pain is truely a migraine no over the counter product is going to kick it because your brain is not processing chemicals and it needs something available only via a prescription to reset it.

Question: How can I tell if my migraines are triggered by unconscious teeth clenching? *question* I've been keeping a log of my migraines and I don't seem to have any direct trigger. I'm curious to know if something unconscious like a bruxism might be causing my migraines. How can I tell if I do? Quality of sleep?

Answer: Headaches are a common symptom of TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint) problems that can be associated with night time bruxing or clenching. Other symptoms to look for are, the inability to open your mouth very wide, popping or clicking of the jaw joint when you open your mouth wide or chew, soar or tender temporal muscles especially first thing in the morning, or if someone tells you they hear you grinding your teeth at night. I would consult a TMJ specialist dentist for an evaluation. Good Luck!

Question: What medications for migraines are safe in the second trimester of pregnancy? Who has had serious trouble with migraines during pregnancy and what did your doctor suggest for "home remedies" or RX medications? I have them about twice a week and seriously need help! I am 16 weeks with my third child. I am not stupid enough to take anything that is not approved by my doctor. I am simply curious about how others have dealt with the problem and the solutions their doctors have given them. If there was something I was curious about that someone suggested I would consult my doctor before use. DUH! I don't want to hurt my child.

Answer: I have migraines as well and I'm in my 20th week. I was on Topomax to prevent migraines before I got pregnant but now my doc says Tylenol, Sudafed or Caffeine only. Tylenol! That's baby aspirin to a migraine sufferer! Breath in steam through your nose, this seems to help me quite a bit, I also place pressure on the base of my skull where it meets the spinal cord. If you do this correctly it will make your headache feel worse while you do it but once you release your fingertips it will feel better. I feel for you. I've had horrible migraines all my life and only recently got to see a neurologist and get help, then I got pregnant. Go easy on the meds, I know it's hard but in the long run your baby will be heatlhier.

Question: What over the counter drugs work for migraines? I have migraines usually about once every couple of months. I usually use prescription Imitrex, but does anyone use anything over the counter that works? I tried one once, but it didn't help too much. I get SERIOUS migraines - numbness in my fingers, vision problems, trouble talking and then the headache starts. I also get really, really sick to my stomach. The prescriptions are starting to get expensive so I would like to know if over the counter has worked for anyone? I don't get sick because of the medicine I take. Its from the migraine itself. I can handle the headache - but being sick to my stomach for three hours! Its horrible. Do any of the OTC work for nausea? Another thing - I don't know what causes my headaches. It used to be that I would get them after swimming (I was on the swimteam and a lifeguard) but ever since I had surgery they have been more frequent.

Answer: Today is your lucky day. I found a cure for migraines without medications. I suffered for weeks at a time with migraines. I was told that prescriptions didn't work, so I didn't go to a doctor. One night, my head felt so solid tight, I could hardly breath. I was so sick to my stomach. I could hardly stand. If only I could stick my head in a bucket of hot water to open the pores in my head to increase the circulation. Then I got the idea to get in a hot shower and let hot water hit my head. I was so sick to my stomach, I had to hold on to the walls of the shower. The pain was unbearable. To my surprise, the pain started to leave the area where the hot water was hitting my head. I noticed a pain in another place on my head, so I just moved the hot water to that area. Within ten minutes, all the pain was gone, and the water was getting cold. I got out of the shower with no headache. I figured that if the pain returned, I would wait for the water to heat up again and repeat this. I just left my hair wet. My hair got cold and the pores in my head that were opened with the hot water were now closed. The headache did not return that night. The next day, I started to get another headache. I jumped in the shower immediately to repeat the previous days shower. This time, I did not have to wait ten minutes for the headache to leave. It was gone in five minutes. I again left my hair wet and my head got cold. The third day, I waited for the headache to return. No headache came. Months passed and I was ready for another migraine. I had one slight migraine ten months later. Now remember, I was having migraine headaches that lasted weeks at a time, would stop for a few days, and then repeat for weeks again. I wrote to the Institute of Migraine Headaches of this discovery. The doctor warned me not to try things without a doctor and sent me lots of literature on the subject. This doctor was a specialist on migraine headaches. Two year later, I saw a large article from this doctor telling that he had found a cure for migraine headaches that his patients had found successful and stopped migraines completely for over two years. You guessed it..He told the readers about the hot shower. Everything was exactly as I had told him. The only difference was that he said to turn cold water on your head to close the pores. I just left my head wet.

Question: What are the best herbal remedies for migraines? I suffer from daily migraines. I have seen 4 neurologist and none have treated the causes of my migraines. I have taken just about every prescription and am now willing to venture into herbal remedies.

Answer: A chiropractor, like one poster mentioned, can do a lot of help, but there are tons of great homeopathic remedies that help with headaches and migranes. I really like the products on Dr. Angel's website. Her migrane formula combines a bunch of different vitamins so you don't have to take multiple things. Here's the link: http://drjanetangel.mitamins.info/product_info.php?cPath=7&products_id=62 I hope it helps you out! I've used her skin/hair stuff, and muscle supplements for aches, etc, and always loved them.

Question: What are some different types of migraines? I get really bad migraines. Severe pain, spots in my vision, loss of feeling in extremeties, vomiting, etc. I find it hard to talk, and I usually crawl to the bathroom. Yet I see other people who are walking around, working, etc. and they say, "Yeah, I have a migraine." I cannot be prescribed certain types of birth control, because I am told I have "migraines with neurological affects." Are there different types, because when I get one, there is no functioning at all. Yet, when I see someone who is walking around and talking, and claims to have one, I am yet to believe that they are actually having a migraine. So are there different kinds?

Answer: Varying degrees of severity. Some migraines are much worse than others. Some last for days or weeks. Many people think that any headache is a migraine. This is not true. Migraines can be on either side of the head, generally have some indication of onset, auras, tunnel vision, naseua, and extreme pain. Migraine are in the brain stem and seem to be a chemical regulation deficiency. 3/4 of all migraine sufferers are women. Many women find it is tied to their menstral cycle. Medication works for some, either taken everyday or on onset. Some find diet triggers the migraine, or stress, or lighting. Migraines are really not well understood and there is little definitive information about them or how to treat them.

Question: Is there a connection between clitoral orgasms and migraines? This is embarssing but in just the past week I have gotten shooting pains up the back of my head (that turn to horrible migraines) whenever I have a clitoral oragasm. Has anyone every experienced or heard of this? I do suffer from migraines already but this is an immediate searing pain at the exact point of climax. It's weird, painful, embarassing but quite concerning.

Answer: nope...usually it helps headaches.

Question: At what age is it possible to start having migraines? I suffer from migraines and have done since I was a teenager. My daughter, who is eight, showed all the classic symptoms (from tunnel vision followed by headache followed by being sick and then needing to sleep) yesterday. Can she really be getting a migraine at eight years old?

Answer: Absolutely, she can be experiencing migraines at this early age. If you have them she is doubly at risk. From my own experience, I started having them at around age 10, but did not get the prodromes until after puberty. Take her to the doctor (GP or Neurologist) so that she can be evaluated. No child should have to endure the pain of migraine...it made concentrating in school unbearable at times for me. Good luck!

Question: How do I get rid of migraines just after childbirth? I got the migraines right after childbirth. I'm breastfeeding. What can I take that's going to work and when will they go away? My doctor prescribed vicodin, but I got little results. Thanks for any advice.

Answer: You should go back and talk to your doctor. You wanna make sure that the medicines won't affect your breast milk. Hope he can find something that helps! Congrats on your lil one =)

Question: What is the difference between status migrainous, chronic daily headache, and transformed migraines? I have migraines that seem to go on forever and I don't react well to treatment. When I'm not having pain, I'm having the other symptoms. I had a headache specialist who said I had Chronic Daily Headache and Migraines. How can I be sure that they're just regular migraines with chronic daily headaches?

Answer: I have found the following in the net today as I search on and try to answer your queries; Below lists some of the major headache types: * Migraine * Muscle Contraction Headache/Acute Tension Type Headache * Chronic Daily Headache * Cluster Headache * Ice Pick/Ice Cream Headache * Sinister Headache: Meningitis/Subarachnoid Haemorrhage/Cranial Arteritis * Facial Headache: Acute Sinusitis, Post Herpetic Neuralgia, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Temporomandibular Joint Today, despite the toll headaches still take on millions of people around the world, we have made enormous progress in treating them. New medications, combined with nondrug therapies, are preventing, stopping or managing some of the toughest headaches around. Tension headache Tension headache is the most common type of headache. Two out of three people will have at least one tension headache in their lifetime. Sinus headaches: Sinus headaches are associated with a deep and constant pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose. Ice-cream headache Eating something very cold can cause a sharp pain in the middle of your forehead or over one temple. People who get migraines may be more likely to get an ice-cream headache — so-named because it comes on immediately after eating ice-cream. Migraine headache Three times as many women (15 per cent) as men (5 per cent) suffer from migraine, and hormones are thought to play a significant role. Cluster headache Cluster headaches are relatively uncommon and tend to mainly affect men. Vascular headaches Vascular headaches are related to blood vessels; includes migraines and cluster headaches. Secondary headaches A secondary headache is a side effect of another disorder. Hormone headache Some women experience severe headaches including migraines at times when their hormones fluctuate, for example, around the time of their period each month or around the time of ovulation. Chronic progressive headaches Also called traction or inflammatory headaches, chronic progressive headaches get worse and happen more often over time. Eye strain headache If you have visual problems that have not been addressed by prescription glasses or contact lenses, you can get an eye strain headache, which typically causes pain and a weighty feeling around the eyes. Temporo-mandibular joint headache Some people may get muscle tension and pain related to a disorder of the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ), the joint just in front of each ear, where your jaw bone connects to your skull. Acute headaches Seen in children, these are headaches that occur suddenly and for the first time and have symptoms that subside after a relatively short period of time. Mixed headache syndrome Also called transformed migraines, this is a combination of migraine and tension headaches. Both adults and children experience this type of headache.

Question: What's the difference between tension headaches and migraines? My husband has severe headaches. The Dr said it was tension headaches and a sinus infection. What I read on the internet suggests that these symptoms could also be migraines. Migraines run in his family and are currently being treated poorly. Suggestions?

Answer: headache is a pain in the head. Approximately seven of 10 people get headaches. A headache may be located in any part of the head and may even extend to the neck. The problem can be acute (short and isolated) or chronic (a common occurrence). Most headaches are painful and annoying but can be easily relieved with aspirin or acetaminophen. However, in some cases head pain becomes severe and debilitating, and occasionally a headache is a symptom of a serious underlying medical problem A migraine is a common form of primary headache. Migraine pain seems to run in families, and women are three times more likely than men to experience this type of headache. The onset is usually between age 10 and 46 years. Seventy to 80 percent of all migraine headaches are classified as common migraines (migraines without a preceding aura, or an unusual sensation such as tingling or seeing zigzagging lights). Migraines that are preceded by an aura are known as classic migraines. Other forms of migraine include complicated migraine (with focal neurological symptoms), basilar migraine (with vertigo and occasionally loss of consciousness), and ophthalmic migraine (with eye pain and vision loss).

Question: What is the best way to get rid of Migraines when you're starting to get sick to your stomach as well? I get horrible migraines and right now I am sick to my stomach as well. Usually if I try to take Excedrin it makes me sicker and even if I don't, I sometimes get to the point where I just throw up. I get migraines really bad too. What are some things that work for you?

Answer: I get really bad migraines too so I feel your pain. :o) I take a RX for pain relief. It won't help you now, but you should contact your doctor if this is a regular occurence. I find Darvon, Imitrex and Maxalt all work for me (not at the same time). Also, my doctor has recently started me on a preventative medication to try to stop the migraines before they begin. There is so much your doctor can do to help so let him/her know what is going on. Try sipping some Coke right now. It does two things. First, the coke syrup helps settle (most peoples') your stomach. Secondly, the caffeine in the pop constricts the bloods vessels. This will help with the blood rushing to your head (which is what is causing the throbbing). Lay down in bed. Keep the room dark and noise to a minimum. Lay a cold compress on your forehead...or if you have some Migraine Ice use that. Sometimes it helps me if I tie a necktie around my head (like a scarf). The pressure helps the pain, and it probably acts a little like a tourniquet restricting the blood flow. I hope this helps you. Take care of yourself.

Question: How do you get rid of daily migraines while being pregnant? Hi, my girlfriend is 13 weeks pregnant. She is suffering from daily migraines. How can a help her get rid of them and can someone assure her that she can take medication if necessary.

Answer: There is a new development in migraine therapy: http://www.neurologyreviews.com/feb04/nr_feb04_foramen.html but it might have to wait until after the delivery.