General Article

Migraines, Headache and Occipital Neuralgia – A Complex Pain Problem

Migraines, occipital neuralgia and other headaches are all a complicated mixture of the multiple causes of head pain. Having “headaches” is not just a simple problem of “take two aspirin and call me in the morning.” Headaches and every other type of head pain are actually a broad spectrum of neurological problems that make up the condition known as Mixed Headache Disorder. It is not unusual for an individual to suffer from two, three or even four different types of headache. It is the identification of these different causes of headache and specific treatments needed to treat these that result in successful migraine management.

Aside from the obvious migraine or tension headache, the next most common headache are known as rebound headaches. Rebound headaches are caused by excessive use of analgesic medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, Aleve, Excedrin, Goodies Powder or any other medication use to treat acute head pain, including especially any narcotic pain killer. Rebound headache disorder is characterized by – “The more headaches I have, the more medication I take. The more medication I take, the more headaches I have.” It is a viscous cycle, out of control. The only treatment for rebound headaches is to stop taking analgesics and to start on migraine prevention therapy.

Another common, frequently unrecognized headache condition is occipital neuralgia. In this condition, an affected individual suffers from occipital headache – pain in the back of the head. Interestingly however, is that occipital neuralgia can be a frontal headache only. The key in diagnosing this condition is to find tenderness at the base of the skull on either or both sides. This, in combination with a normal neurological exam, is what makes the diagnosis of occipital neuralgia. The most effective treatment for occipital headaches is an occipital nerve block – a simple, in-office procedure usually requiring only one treatment per side.

The concept of suffering from sinus headaches is another problem of fiction overruling fact. The fact is, is that 98% of all sinus headaches are actually migraines or migraine variant headaches. True sinus headaches are almost nonexistent. The confusion exists because common symptoms of migraine include nasal congestion, sinus pressure and feeling of facial swelling. These symptoms are commonly triggered by weather systems, high pollen count or allergies. Patients assume that because of the association of their headaches with the common migraine triggers, that they are suffering from sinus headaches when they are actually having a common migraine attack. It is not uncommon for patients to have taken numerous prescriptions for sinus problems, none of which have helped their “sinus headache” while the few lucky patients have had they correct diagnosis made and are on migraine medications.

The mainstay treatment of migraines is to put patients on adequate preventative therapy. The best migraine prevention therapy is taking certain antidepressants, as this class of medication works better to block migraine than any other. It has nothing to do with their use in treating depression. Topamax and Depakote – both anticonvulsant medications – are FDA approved to prevent migraines. They have the problem of having side effects that patients may not tolerate. Lastly, the best treatment for acute migraines is to take any of the triptan medications – drugs like Imitrex, Maxalt, Treximet, Relpax and others are all in the triptan family.

In summary, if you suffer from any type of recurrent headache problem, get medical treatment from a qualified neurologist and headache specialist. Do not suffer from debilitating headaches as there are excellent therapies available to help you have a better quality of life.…

Clinical Importance of Rhinovirus to Human Health

Rhinoviruses are isolated commonly from the nose and throat but very rarely from feces. These virus as well as Corona viruses and some reo-, adeno-, entero-, para-influenza, and influenza viruses, cause upper respiratory tract infections, including the “common cold”.

Animal susceptibility and Growth of VirusThese viruses are infectious only for humans and Chimpanzees. They have been grown in cultures of human embryonic ling fibroblasts (W1-W38) and in organ cultures of ferret and human tracheal epithelium. They are grown best at 33 degrees Celsius in rolled cultures.

Antigenic propertiesOver 100 serotypes are known, some cross-react (e.g types 9 and 32).

Pathogenesis and PathologyThe virus enters via the upper respiratory tract. High titers of virus in nasal secretions-which can be found as early as 2-4 days after exposure-are associated with maximal illness. Thereafter, viral titers fall, although illness persists. Histopathologic changes are limited to the submucosa and surface epithelium. These include engorgement of blood vessels, edema, mild cellular infiltration, and desquamation of surface epithelium, which is complete by the third day, Nasal secretion increase susceptibility to the virus. Chilliness is an early symptom of the common cold.

Clinical findingsThe incubation period is brief, from 2 to 4 days, and the acute illness usually lasts for 7 days although a non-productive cough may persist for 2-3 weeks. The average adult has 1-2 attacks each year. Usual symptoms in adults include irritation in the upper respiratory tract, nasal discharge, headache, mild cough, malaise, and a chilly sensation. There is little of no fever. The nasal and nasopharyngeal mucosa becomes red and swollen, and the sense of smell becomes less keen. Mild hoarseness may be present. Prominent cervical adenopathy does not occur. Secondary bacterial infection may produce acute otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis, or pneumonitis, especially in children. Type- specific antibodies appear or rise with each infection.

EpidemiologyThe disease occurs throughout the world. In the temperate zones, the attack rates are highest in early fall and winter, declining in the late spring. Members of isolated communities form highly susceptible groups. The virus is believed to be transmitted through close contact by large droplets. Under some circumstances, transmission of the virus by self-inoculation through hand contamination may be a more important mode of spread than that by airborne particles. Colds in children spread more easily to others than do colds in adults. Adults in households with a child in school have twice as many colds as adults in households without school children. In a single community, many rhinovirus serotypes cause outbreaks of diseases in a single season, and different serotypes predominate during different respiratory disease seasons.

Treatment and controlNo specific treatment is available. The development of a potent rhinovirus vaccine is unlikely because of the difficulty in growing rhinovirus to high titer in culture, the fleeting immunity and the many serotypes causing colds. In addition, many rhinovirus serotypes are present during single respiratory disease outbreaks and may recur only rarely in the same area. Injection of purified vaccines has shown that the high levels of serum antibody are frequently not associated with similar elevation of local secretory antibody, which may be the most significant factor in disease prevention.…

Headache Basics – Causes and Treatment

Pain in the head is known as a headache. The scientific name for the condition is cephalalgia. Headaches are one of the most frequently reported conditions. In fact, it is estimated that everyone experiences mild to severe headache at some point in his or her life. Pain during a headache is experienced in one or more parts of the head as well as the back of the neck. The pain may be experienced in the nerves extending over the scalp and specific nerves located in the face, mouth and throat. Besides, the muscles of the head and the blood vessels located on the surface and base of the brain too may become painful.

Types of headache

The International Headache Society lists more than 150 types of headaches. The majority of the headaches can be classified as either primary (not caused by an underlying condition) or secondary (caused by other factors such as injury or infection). Tension headaches, migraines and cluster headaches are among the most common types of primary headaches. While being painful and annoying, the majority of headaches subsides on their own or may be relieved by over-the-counter painkiller medicines and/or changes in lifestyle.

Causes of headache

Researchers are still not clear about the causes of headaches; however, they have identified a number of causes as well as potential causes. Some of the most commonly reported causes of headaches include stress and fatigue, tension, migraine, musculo-skeletal conditions, hyper-mastication, eyestrain, dehydration, low blood sugar, migraine, viral infection and sinusitis. In rare cases, headaches may be caused due to life-threatening conditions such as brain tumours, meningitis, encephalitis, cerebral aneurysms and extremely high blood pressure. Headaches may also occur because of head injury. Women may experience headaches and even migraines due to fluctuating estrogens level during menstrual years.

Headache treatment

In most cases, headaches subside on their own without any treatment. However, to get an early relief you can take help of massage or herbal remedies. If this does not help, you can take help of non-prescription painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen or naproxen. Sufferers of chronic headaches may need to consult a doctor for stronger prescription medicines to get relief from headache. Apart from giving you medications, your doctor may suggest you to keep a headache diary wherein you would be asked to make a note of when the pain started and how long it lasted. You will also be required to note down any additional factors such as what you ate, drank, weather conditions, sleeping patterns and details about your periods if you are a woman. The diary will help you to identify your headache triggers. You can learn to avoid these triggers and thereby reduce the frequency of your headaches.

Those who suffer from headaches frequently can also take the help of advanced drug-free headache therapies such as Cefaly electrotherapy device. Cefaly is a medically proven device that emits electronic impulses to your nerves that cause pain and provide you with drug-free relief from headaches. A regular use of Cefaly can also help to reduce the intensity and frequency of headaches.

In addition, you can take the help of a detox foot spa such as BioEnergiser Classic Detox Foot Spa and BioEnergiser Professional Detox Foot Spa. These home use detox foot spas relieve your body of toxins that may cause you headaches and migraines. With regular use of the detox foot spa, you’ll notice a considerable reduction in the intensity and frequency of your headaches…

The Common Signs and Symptoms of a Vascular Headache

A headache is a widespread condition that many people have experienced from at one time or one more with vascular headache being one of the most typical kinds of headaches that individuals face currently.

Vascular headache occurs when the brain does not receive enough blood supply. A migraine, for instance, is one type of vascular headache. There are numerous reasons why at times the blood circulation isn’t normal for example, extreme cold temperatures, stress and dehydration.

The usual signs and symptoms of vascular headaches consist of throbbing of one or both temples, fatigue, nausea, sensitivity to sound and light, drowsiness and blurred vision. Vascular headaches can last for days if not treated with the proper medication and can grow increasingly worse; therefore, it’s really essential you recognize it as soon as achievable from the symptoms and begin treating it as soon as probable to get relief.

There are a variety of drug treatments obtainable inside the drug stores today to treat vascular headaches, which will be listed under migraines. Although over-the-counter migraine medicines don’t require any prescription to buy or administer, it really is really crucial that you read the directions carefully and follow them precisely.

A lot of men and women believe if they take a larger amount of medicines they are going to be cured quicker, but in the procedure they will result in damage to their stomach and digestion. When using headache medications ensure you drink plenty of water and also have eaten something mainly because the drug treatments may possibly trigger you nausea if taken on an empty stomach. You may perhaps suffer additional inside process by vomiting and losing important entire body fluids, which will further dehydrate you and thus, make your headache worse.

Following taking vascular headache medications try and get couple of hours rest in a quiet dark place preferably cool so that your system can relax and the medication can work without any interference.

If right after getting the maximum daily dose your headache persists, you should consult a doctor who may recommend distinct types of treatments that will bring you relief. It really is extremely critical you know the cause of your headaches as at times they might be caused by one more existing medical condition and cannot be helped by taking more medications for it.

Drug treatments are made to help our body recover rapidly so we can go back to functioning normally again nonetheless, abusing medications can bring further complications and sufferings in turn.…

My Migraine Headache Symptoms – Are They the Same As Yours?

There’s no doubt that a migraine is the worst kind of headache that you can suffer from. Not only are they exceedingly painful, but they also come with a feeling of sickness and disorientation. Most migraine sufferers are forced to lie down in a darkened room, sometimes with a damp cloth over their eyes until the pain recedes. It’s not uncommon for migraines to last several days.

The migraine headache has been very difficult to cure as migraine symptoms vary so much between different people. To make matters worse, its not unusual for sufferers to experience different kinds of migraines for no apparent reason. My own migraines seemed to be triggered by hay fever due to pollen, and were mostly confined to the Summer months, but not always.

Luckily, and unlike some unfortunate sufferers, I only get migraines at a certain time of year.

Many people’s migraine headache symptoms are made much worse by the phenomenon known as the aura. The aura is a neurological condition that can lead to blurred or foggy vision and even mild hallucinations.

I don’t usually experience auras with my migraine, but when I do its always above the left eye. Whatever my migraine headache symptoms, however, I find it impossible to function normally.

A bad migraine attack can leave me feeling worn out for days afterward. My sympathies really do go out to those people who suffer from persistent migraines; I simply do not know how they cope. Although my migraine headache symptoms have been getting progressively less severe of the past few years I still live for the day when I don’t waken up with that slow thudding pain behind my eyes that heralds the onset of another miserable day.…

Irritability and Neck Pain Headaches

Irritability caused by stress is common in nearly every family in the United States. Fights about money, raising children and life in general can leave a married couple feeling tension in the relationship. That tension is most often centered in the neck area causing a neck pain headache. A neck pain headache can also be related to previous injury, sitting too long at a computer, watching TV at an uncomfortable angle or sleeping without proper neck support.

While there are several reasons why pain may develop, tension is the number one cause of a neck pain headache. This tension often leads to irritability which can affect the mood within the home where life is supposed to be most relaxing. The work / life balance can be difficult to maintain, but learning how to turn off the work persona and turn on the dad or husband can work wonders for pain relief.

Tips for Leaving Work at Work

After leaving the office for the day, try listening to music on the way home. Refrain from turning to a news station or talk show that may tempt you into irritation. Sing along with the music and release the tension that has built up throughout the day.

Once at home, immediately change clothes and place a physical barrier between work and home life. Even if you are headed out of the house again to dine in a restaurant, take the time to change something whether it is your tie or slacks.

These simple changes in your daily routine allow for the redirection of work tension away from home life. When the tension is relieved, the neck pain headache will often subside or cease to bother you during home time, at least.…

Cluster Headache – The Most Excruciating Head Pain

Cluster headaches are the most excruciatingly painful type of head pain. They are very different from your “average” migraine, so different that the International Headache Society classifies these headache as a unique head pain condition. Typical migraine headaches most commonly affect women. In contrast, cluster headaches are seen predominately in males. These headaches occur in groups, which may be daily for weeks to months. Rarely they continue for years.

As compared to a migraine which may last 4-12 hours, cluster headaches are short-lived, generally less than one hour. The character of a cluster is different, with sudden onset within a minute or two. These severe pain attacks occur on the same side of the head for every attack. They tend to be localized to the front of the head and around the eye on the affected side. Cluster headache is a syndrome of various symptoms which can include eye redness, drooping eyelid, tearing, nasal congestion, facial sweating and flushing. It is important to note that these symptoms all occur on the same side as the headache attack.

In contrast to migraine suffers, who would rather lay down in a quiet dark room, individuals affected with a cluster attack are up pacing around, banging their head and generally cannot sit still. It is not uncommon to hear the cluster headache patient saying, “If I had a gun, I’d shoot myself because the pain would be less.” If a patient with headaches says this, the diagnosis is almost certainly cluster and not migraine.. This threat should not be taken lightly as. unfortunately. the incidence of suicide in cluster sufferers is higher than the general population. Because of the severity of these headaches, they must be treated aggressively from the time they start. A cluster patient may go weeks to months or years without an attack. When they do start, they usually become severe within a week or so. A person may have several attacks in a day. During these attacks, they are completely disabled. Alcohol will trigger a cluster attack during a siege but at other times, when the patient is not having headaches, alcoholic beverages have no effect.

From the onset of the cluster attack, patients need intensive, aggressive treatment. In contrast to migraines where you have time to adjust medications, a cluster sufferer needs multiple, maximum treatment therapies started at the onset of a cluster. This can include oxygen for inhalation therapy. This will frequently abort an actue attack. The mainstay of cluster headache therapy is prevention. Several different medications can be used to control cluster attacks from even occurring. These medications may include Prednisone, Depakote, Topamax, lithium, Verapamil, Lyrica, Sansert or Methergine. Not every medication works for every patient.

It is important to see a headache specialist familiar with the early, aggressive treatment of cluster headaches. To relieve an acute attack, sumatriptan (Imitrex, Sumavel) injections work well. Although not designed to be used on a daily basis, some patients go outside of the prescribing guidelines to treat their clusters due to the severity and frequency of the attacks. When a cluster sufferer feels a cluster attack coming on, they need to call for an immediate appointment with their headache specialist (usually a neurologist) so that they can get started on aggressive maximum therapy as soon as possible. Patients suffering from cluster headaches should be under the care of a headache and migraine specialist due to the unique nature and treatment requirements of this disabling condition. There is hope as excellent treatment is available. Look in your area for a neurologist specializing in headaches to get treatment for cluster headaches.…