Headaches and migraines cause individualized pain with only streamlined treatments
Types of headaches
The
two main categorizations for headaches are primary and secondary.
Primary headaches the most common and are not caused by an underlying
illness. These include migraines, tension and cluster headaches. An
injury or a serious medical issue, like a concussion, stroke or
aneurysm, is what causes secondary headaches.
Tension
headaches are the most common type, and often feel like a vice around
the head, according to Christy Young, neurologist at North Colorado
Medical Center. These are headaches that can be worked through, as the
pain is not as severe.
Cluster
headaches are associated with a stabbing pain in one location, like the
eye, which then causes eye and nose watering. Young said these headaches
are less frequent and though intense in pain, often can disappear for
months at a time.
Though there are
several subtypes of migraines as well, Young said a high percentage of
migraines are stress induced, disruptive to daily activities and bring
about different symptoms, like light and sound sensitivity. Migraines
can occur on both or one side of the head.
According
to the Migraine Research Foundation, most migraine sufferers only have a
few attacks per month, but about 3 percent of the U.S. suffers form
chronic migraines, where at least 15 days of the month are afflicted.
Another
type of headache is a rebound headache, which is caused by overuse of
pain medication to treat headaches. When people are using pain remedies
daily and repeatedly throughout the day, Young said they see an increase
in the number of headaches they get.
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Words from a Girl . . . When I get a headache, I lose a day.
Sometimes,
I can feel the pain coming before it really hits. I have trouble
focusing on easy tasks. Then, it starts to feel like my brain is a
little too big for my head. When this hits, I have about 30 minutes to
treat the pain or else I’m useless.
Once
the headache kicks in, there’s nothing I can do but find a dark, quiet
room and wait it out. The quiet is important. Something as simple as a
dog barking next door sounds like a firework screaming skyward. The
thumping bass of a car feels like an earthquake between my temples. The
glow of a lamp looks like the sun exploding.
According
to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, more
than 45 million Americans suffer from chronic and recurring headache
pain. About 29 million Americans suffer from migraines, according to the
2006 American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention Study. The World
Health Organization estimates nearly half the global population has
suffered at least one headache in the past year.
I
suffer from chronic headaches. They hurt so badly, they often bring
tears to my eyes. Numerous doctor visits, home remedies and thousands of
ibuprofen tablets later, I’m no closer to living pain free. I usually
have at least one of these mind-splitting headaches per week. Sometimes,
they last for days. I’m know I’m not alone.
The
biggest obstacle to headache relief is everyone’s pain is different.
Millions of people, millions of headaches and billions of potential
causes leave some stuck in an ocean of Tylenol and temple-rubbing.
Countless people suffer through recurring headaches and migraines
without relief and without knowing why.
There are causes and cures. But they don’t work for everyone. And that’s what really hurts.
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Causes of migraines and headaches
Every
person has different triggers for headaches or migraines. Amanda Hill, a
pediatrician at the Kaiser Permanente Greeley Medical Offices, said it
is important to identify individual triggers to pinpoint treatment
options. She said some of the biggest triggers can be vision, stress,
diet and hydration. Hill asks her patients to keep headache diaries to
help identify these causes. The diary entry for each headache includes
the duration, intensity, a description of the feeling, treatment, food
eaten, amount of water drank and activity levels.
“Prevention is key,” she said, adding these diaries have been helpful with identifying the specific causes of headaches.
Even
the weather is an issue. Christy Young, neurologist at North Colorado
Medical Center, said she believes there is a link between weather and
headaches.
“The theory
is, yes, there’s definitely something to it with the weather,” she said.
“Anecdotally, people definitely feel like they have an increase in
migraines with weather change.”
Migraines
tend to run in families as well, according to the Migraine Research
Foundation. There is a 40 percent chance a child will inherit migraines
from one parent. That chance increases to 90 percent if both parents
suffer from migraines.
The
foundation also reports women are three times more likely than men to
suffer from migraines, likely due to the direct link between migraines
and estrogen. Up to one third of women suffer from migraines during
their lifetime.
According
to the American Anxiety and Depression Association, people who suffer
from migraines often also suffer from anxiety and/or depression at
significantly higher rates than those who don’t have migraines.
“Emotional stress in general seems to run very, very, very high with migraine sufferers,” Young said.
An
article on the American Headache Society’s Committee for Headache
Education said people who suffer from migraines can be up to two to five
times more likely to have anxiety or depression symptoms. There is no
clear pattern to which came first, the migraine or the mental disorder,
but Young said she believes there is some degree of causation between
the two.
“If I can’t get
people to decrease their headaches, a lot of times, I’ll stop and talk
with them, and say, ‘Well, are you depressed?’” she said.
Treatment options
For
people suffering from migraines and severe headaches, Young said there
are two main types of treatment: rescue and preventative.
Rescue
is treating an existing headache by administering a prescription drug,
like a triptan, which alleviates pain by narrowing blood vessels.
Caffeine is also often used for rescue because it also narrows the blood
vessels in the brain.
Preventative
drugs are used when a patient has more than four migraines a month,
Young said. These prescriptions can include beta-blockers, seizure
medications or antidepressants, among others.
For
chronic migraine sufferers, a more intense therapy like Botox
injections every three months may be used. Young said she has seen a
good response rate in her patients.
But
not every treatment works for every patient. Botox treatments may be
cost-prohibitive because not all insurances cover them. While some may
get relief from caffeine, others’ headaches are worsened by it. Some
prescription options are simply not viable. For example, when I was
given a prescription for my headaches, I was warned it would likely make
me dizzy and drowsy. I had to choose between being unable to function
from a headache or a pill.
It’s situations like these that make patients, like me, feel like they have no option but to live with prohibitive pain.
Treatment for children
Headaches
are one of the most common reasons for pediatric visits, Hill said. She
has seen children start to suffer from headaches as young as preschool
age.
According to the
National Headache Foundation, 20 percent of children 5-17 years old are
prone to headaches, with 5 percent of these kids suffering from
migraines.
One of the
biggest causes for these headaches is impaired vision. When a child
comes to Hill’s office complaining of a headache, she always recommends
an eye exam. Another prominent cause is not eating well during the day.
Eating healthy meals, avoiding caffeine and drinking plenty of water are
all important tips for children with headaches. Stress in children is
also a common cause. Hill said it is important for her to try and find
the root of the problem with kids because she wants to find the
simplest, healthiest solution.
“The
biggest thing for kids is that most of the time, kids don’t want to
take medicines, parents don’t want their kids to be on medicines and as a
pediatrician, I don’t want my patients to be on medicines,” she said.
The head bone’s connected to the backbone
Headaches
are the second most common reason people seek care at Weld Family
Clinic of Chiropractic, according to owner and chiropractor Erik Sorbo.
“The
biggest question is: What’s causing the headaches? If it’s coming from
the spine, if it’s coming from the nervous system, if we find evidence
of that, there’s a good possibility that chiropractic care can help,” he
said.
Because the spinal
cord carries signals from the brain to the rest of the body, any
misalignment or stuck joints in the back can impede that communication
and impact headaches. Sorbo said chiropractors can use gentle spine
adjustment to release these joints and help alleviate head pain. Most
often, these problem areas will be in the neck.
“The No. 1 thing is headaches are never normal. Pain is never normal,” Sorbo said.
Sorbo
said chiropractic care is becoming more and more a viable option for
headache treatment because people aren’t finding lasting relief with
over the counter pain relievers.
“Like I always say, headaches aren’t caused by a Tylenol deficiency,” he said.
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For as long as I can remember, headaches have been a part of my life.
I
can’t recall a time before they started. My mom and brothers suffer
from them as well. None of us has found the answer to the problem though
we all have gotten different advice from doctors.
Every
time someone makes a suggestion for a new remedy, whether it’s crushing
up ibuprofen and drinking it in a soda or rubbing essential oils on my
temples, I jump to try it. Sometimes, I feel a little relief. Sometimes,
I think I would have been better off not experimenting.
I’ve
learned to live with my chronic headaches though I still hope I will
someday find a treatment that helps. In the meantime, I will just turn
off the lights and hope the dogs stop barking.
Source : greeleytribune
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