8 ways to clobber the BIG HEADACHE

[Guest guest]

Living with migraine pain? You don't have to.New scientific breakthroughs

cand stop the Godzilla of headaches in its tracks.

Teacher Riley awoke one morning with a searing pain on one side of her

head. It started at the top , then worked its way down and around the back of

her neck.

She thought it would go away with time and a little help from an

over-the-counter(otc) pain reliever. It didn't. It was the first of many

headaches she would endure that day and every day that followed. At age 48,

Riley had become a migraineur, a term used to describe migraine suffers.

She's in good company. An estimated 28 million americans-13% of the

population, and most of them women-suffer from migraines. Not " just a

headache " , migraine is a complex disease that causes severe and often

disabling pain, usually located on oned side of the head, often accompanied

by nausea, light and noise sensitivity, dizziness, and other migraineurs have

a visual phenomenon called an aure, during which they may see flasing lights,

blind spots, and zigzag lines, and experience vision loss, dizziness and

numbness.

Migraine symptoms can be so debilitating, and the pain so explosive, that a

recent survey found that one-quarter of those who experience it go to the

emergency room for help. Yet more then half of migraineurs never see a doctor

for a diagnosis, depriving themselves of new and effective treatments tht can

stop the symptoms dead and my actually short-circuit the entire headache

process.

There may not be a cure for migraine, but you certainly don't have to live

with pain. Here are eight medically proven ways to clobber the BIG headache.

1. GET A DIAGNOSIS

Why don't more migraine sufferers see a doctor? Because some get adequate if

not entirely reliable--relief from OTC pain relievers, says B.

Lipton, MD, professor of neurology, epidemiology, and social medicine at

Albert Einstien college of medicine in New York City. But many others " don't

know that a headache is treatable medical disorder, " says Dr. Lipton, who was

the lead author on the study that found so many migraineures keeping mum

around their doctors. Since migraine runs in families, it may seem normal to

get these headaches--as if the pains is something they just have to live

with, he says. And, " just as migraine runs in families, so too does not

seeking care for migraine. "

But it's only in a doctor's office that you'll find the latest treatments

that could help you to control your migraines--or even prevent them--reliably

and for good.

" Our goals in therapy today aren't just to stop the pain, " says Merle

Diamond, MD, associate director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in

Chicagao. " With some of the newer medications, such as triptants, we can

actually turn off the headache process. That means we can stop the pain and

get rid othe nausea and other symptoms without causing drowsiness. That's

something we didn't have 10 years ago. "

The triptans--available as tablets,dissolvable wafers, an injectable, and a

nasal spray--may work in part by correcting a " glitch " in the brain chemistry

that causesa drop in the neurotrasmitter serotonin. The troptans mimic

serotonin, attaching to specific serotonin receptor sites in the brain, which

not only relieves pain but also other migraine symptoms. They also stop the

release of cerain neuropeptides, the vasoactive and inflammatory chemicals

that cause blood vessels to dilate and activate pain-sensitive nerve endings.

2. SEE A SPECIALIST

Still in pain after consulting your doctor? It may be time to call in the big

guns. Most family doctors can treat headaches quite will, says M.

Biondi, DO, headache division director at the Michigan Head-Pain &

Neurological Insitiue in Ann Arbor. But recent survey found that 48% of

people who do see a doctor report that they're still often in serve pain.

If your headaches aren't being controlled after several months, or your

doctor is unsure about your diagnosis, ask for a referral to a neurologist or

headache specialist.

Neurologists have a special interest in headache, says Dr. Lipton. And

headache specialist are usually neurologists who spend even more time on

headache, offering greater expertise in diagnosis and treatment, he says.

Most important for you, a headache specialist will also be up to date on

latest migraine medications, such as the triptans and preventives that are

taken daily to reduce the frequency, intensity, and duration of migraine

attacks.

Some specialists are also using Botox, a natural substance that can be

injected into the forehead, temples or back of the head, temporarily

paralyzing the muscles and causing them to relax. Some patients have reported

complete or nearly complete relief from their headaches for up to 4 months,

says Mauskop, MD, director of the New York Headache Center in New

York City, who uses Botox in his practice. However, Botox, like other

migraine treatments, doesn't always work for everyone.

A specialist can also help you manage your medications and help aviod what's

known as rebound headache, which occurs when the medications you're taking on

a regular basis( more them 2 or 3 times a week) to alleviate pain actually

cause a headache.

3. CATCH IT EARLY

Never ignore the early signs that a migraine is coming on. Most pain

relievers become less effective as the headache pregesses, says Dr. Biondi.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammartory drugs(NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen

sodium may bring pain under control when used at the first glimmer of a

headache. " But once the migraine headache reaches a more intense phase, where

there's more pain, nausea, light and sound sensitivity, and other associated

symptoms, the nonsteroidals and other simple pain relievers are usually less

effective, " he says. " Simpl pain relievers " include aspirin, acetaminophen,

or aspirin/acetaminophen/caffine combinations.

4. HOP ON THE TREADMILL

Walking, jogging, swimming, or any form of aerobic exercise may help prevent

migraine headaches. Exercise stimulates the body to release endorphins, which

are brain chemicals that improve mood, explains Dr. Mauskop. Exercise also

helps relieve stress, one of the known headache triggers.

Any form of aerobic exercise will do, but find something you like so that

you're more likely to stick with it. Aim for 40 minutes a day. 5 days a weel.

One thing exercise will not do is stop the migraine in progess. In fact,

exercise makes a migraine feel worse.

5. GET IN A GROOVE, AND STAY THERE

Boring though it may sound, sticking to a routine helps prevent a migraine.

That's because changes in your daily schedule--sleeping in late on the

weekends, blowing off breakfast, or skipping your daily bike ride--can

trigger a migraine, says Dr. Biondi.

" The brain of a person with a migraine likes to have consistency. When you

get off schedule, the brain may respond by triggering a headache.So a person

with a migraine should stay on as regimented a program as possible. " advises

Dr. Biondi.

Keep to a regular bedtime schedule, don't skip meals,and try to eat at the

same time of the day every days. If your blood sugar falls to quickly, it can

trigger a migraine.

6. LEARN TO TAKE IT EASY

Stress is one of the most common migraine triggers, so learning to cope with

stress may help to reduce the severity and fequency of attacks says Dr.

Mauskop.

What seems to work best for migraine sufferers is biofeedback. Using special

equipment that measures muscle tension or body temperature, biofeedback

teaches you how to control both muscle contraction and the swelling of the

blodd vessels, two phyiscal reactions that seem to play a major role in

headaches of all kinds. Once you've become adept at biofeedback, you can use

what you've learned to alleviate or even stop a mild attack.

You can go low-tech too. Progessive muscle relaxation can reduce or eve stop

migraine pain. Its easy to learn and requires practice but no training. Find

a quiet room where you can lie down on a flat, comfortable surface. Take a

few deep breaths. Now, slowly tighten, then relax, the different muscle

groups of the body in succession from head to toe. As you tighten each

muscle, inhale deeply, and hold the tension for several seconds. Relax, and

exhale slowly.

Other stress relievers include yoga, meditaiton, and guided imagery.

Basically, " anything you can do daily that takes your mind off your worries

will go a long way in helping to prevent migraines, " says Dr. Mauskop.

7.KNOW YOUR FOOD TRIGGERS

The old expression " you are what you eat " can mean something very painful to

a migraineur: Its long been thought that certain foods and food additives may

trigger a headache. (Though recently it's been theorized that cravings for

these foods may actually signal the onset of a migraine) Chocolate, for

example contains vasoactive amines, which can provoke a headache by dilating

blood vessels. You may also have a headache associated with foods such as

processed meats that contain additives called nitrites. Like amines, they

cause blood vessels to swell, provoking headaches in migraine-susceptible

people.

Other common food triggers include aged cheese; alcohol; pickled and

marinated foods; citrus fruits; bananas; onions; monosodium glutamate (MSG),

a food preservative; and aspartame/phenylalanine- containg foods and

beverages.

Uncovering your food triggers may take time. says Dr. Biondi. " One of the most

difficult things about food triggers is that food may only be a trigger once

or twice out of 10 times you eat it. " You may be more susceptible to food

triggers when other triggers are present, such as stress, bright lights, or

loud noises. And foods that trigger migraines in one person may have little

effect on someone else.

8. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR HEADACHES

Keeping a headache diary is one of the best ways to identify your triggers

and prevent future attacks. It also helps your doctor to find a prevention

and treatment plan that works for you.

Write your diary every day, even if you don;t have a headache, and include

the following information:

*Did you have a headache?

*What time did it start?

*Were there any warning signs?

*How did it feel (mild, moderate, severe, etc)?

*What medications did you use, including dosage?

*How long did the headache last?

Then note any factors that may have contributed to your headache, including

known food triggers, emotional stress, and not getting enough sleep.