An update on migraines and recent developments

Added March 14, 2010, Under: Headaches & Migraines, Men's Health, Technology, Women's Health

If you are a migraine sufferer you might be interested in an article in Medical News Today which talks about a new hand-held-device that delivers a magnetic pulse to the back of the head. This pulse is a single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (sTMS) which is thought to disrupt the electrical events in the brain – those same electrical events that cause the preliminary symptoms of migraines with aura.

It is the classic migraine that comes with the distinguishing aura that appears a few minutes before the onset of the migraine. This aura can consist of flashing lights, the appearance of zigzag lines and may even include temporary vision loss. The migraine symptoms can be a throbbing pain in the forehead, temple or jaw, speech difficulty, sudden weakness in an arm or leg and a general feeling of confusion. This migraine type can last up to 2 days. The attacks appear and end spontaneously. For some, this is about once a year, for others it could be as often as once a week.

In this clinical trial, doctors found that 40% of their patients were pain-free two hours after using the device. In addition, there were no serious side effects and the device was easy to use in the comfort of your own home.

Dr Hans-Christoph Diener from University Hospital Essen in Germany says: “The use of sTMS could be a major step forward in the treatment of migraine with aura, particularly in patients in whom presently available drug treatment is ineffective.”

As a writer of natural health posts, I am all for any treatment that does away with the need for swallowing synthetic and often harmful chemicals to treat a condition. You can find out more about this new device by going to http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/181108.php

In another article – also from Medical News Today, a new study has presented evidence for the value of cocoa as a dietary supplement in repressing certain proteins that are associated with the promotion and maintenance of inflammatory responses such as migraine. This is an animal study in its early stages but Michael Moskowitz, MD, President of the International Headache Society says: “so much more research is needed in understanding this devastating disease that robs millions of Americans of a productive quality of life.”

Some 36 million Americans suffer from migraines of which 60% are women.

More about the future possibility of “more chocolate in your” life from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164023.php

The good news is that there are already many ways in which you can manage migraines naturally.

Many herbs and vitamins help ease migraine pain or even prevent migraines while some migraines have been linked to a magnesium deficiency. Try taking a magnesium supplement daily if you are a migraine sufferer but take it at least an hour apart from any calcium supplement otherwise it will lose its effectiveness against migraines.

Other healthy and natural tips for treating migraines are:

• Taking an Evening Primrose supplement (available from your local health store).

• Taking herbs like Feverfew and Butterbur (also available from your local health store). Butterbur can be used as both a preventative and a pain reliever for migraine.

• A natural product made from essential oils such as H-Headaches which is available on line from www.healingnaturaloils.com

There are also some breathing techniques which you can try out:

• Rhythmic breathing is where you slow down your breathing by taking long, slow breaths. You should inhale slowly, count to 5 and then count another 5 while you slowly exhale.
• Deep breathing is where you breathe in deeply and watch your stomach rise. Slowly let your breath out again as if you were deflating a balloon. Repeat this several times to become much more relaxed.

For any type of migraine, it is important to identify the triggers so these can be avoided. The word migraine is derived from the Greek word hemicrania and this literally means half of the head. As most types of migraines affect only one side of the head, this is very appropriate.

Triggers can include:

-  Fluorescent lighting or computer screen glare
-  Smells – especially fragrances and perfumes worn by others
-  Having to be in close proximity to smokers
-  Noise – such as when working and concentrating in an area where there is loud and repetitive sound
-  Disruption to sleep patterns or lack of sleep – insomnia or restless leg syndrome (RLS)
-  Hunger
-  Certain foods
-  Medications – both over-the-counter and prescription
-  Stress
-  The weather
-  Air pressure
-  Menstrual cycles or hormonal changes