Posts Tagged ‘teen headaches’

Menstrual Migraines in Adolescents

September 1st, 2010

\"MigraineMany adult women who suffer from chronic migraine headaches find that many, if not most of their headaches occur between 2 days before menstruation and 2-3 days after menstruation. These migraines are referred to as “menstrual” or hormonally related migraines.

Recently researchers at Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital completed a study analyzing what percentage of adolescent, menstruating young women experienced “menstrual” or “hormonally” related migraines.

It was found that out of the 891 adolescent girls studied, 50% experienced a headache during their first period upon entering puberty and almost 40% of these adolescents continued to experience migraines just before or just after their periods.

These migraines are brought about by both the hormonal shifts that occur during menstruation as well as changes in blood sugar levels. They are often accompanied by PMS symptoms of bloating, breast pain, irritability, cravings, acne, poor sleep and anxiety, as well.

Correcting these imbalances can reduce or eliminate both migraines and many of the symptoms of PMS.

Our own clinical observations indicate that addressing hormonal shifts without also balancing blood sugar levels leads to less comprehensive benefits not only regarding migraine prophylaxis but regarding the afore mentioned symptoms associated with PCOS. Therefore we recommend adding to any proposed regimen, ingredients like chromium picolinate, or other insulin sensitizing ingredients, plus additional dietary fiber to prevent spiking of blood glucose levels that can often lead to the precipitous drops associated with hypoglycemia.

We at MigreLief have created a safe, gentle and natural medicine for adolescent and adult women suffering from both/either menstrual/hormonally related migraines and monthly symptoms of PMS, it is called MigreLief+M. It will be available in 1-2 months. We will announce it’s availability on our Twitter, Face book and MigreLief blog sites.

>To your good health,

Curt Hendrix M.S. C.C.N. C.N.S.
Chief Science Officer, Akeso Health Sciences L.L.C.

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Lifestyle Changes Can Decrease the Risk of Chronic Migraines in Teens

September 1st, 2010

\"migrainesI have written many articles about why preventing chronic migraines is a more logical and healthier option than a life-time of treating them with pain-killing OTC or prescription drugs.

Rebound headaches from over-using the pain-killing option are a known fact and the extra migraines caused by this over-use are now referred to a “Medication Over-Use Headaches (MOH).

So while I have written about natural options that have been clinically shown to prevent a percentage of migraines from occurring and also reduce the intensity of those migraines that do occur, according to a study just recently completed in Norway, there are lifestyle changes, that at least for teenagers (and I wouldn’t be surprised if they also worked for adults) can help to prevent migraines as well.

The study examined, interviewed and had nearly 6000 teenagers fill out lifestyle questionnaires.
Analysis of the data yielded some interesting, and perhaps, not surprising results:

  • Smoking increased the risk of chronic headaches like migraines by 50%
  • Being over-weight increased the risk by 40%
  • Being physically inactive increased the risk by 20%

The authors found that as the presence of unhealthy lifestyle choices and factors increased, the risk to teenagers of chronic headaches increased substantially.

I would not be at all surprised that if the authors expanded this study to include adults………the findings would apply to them as well.

This study highlights the potential preventive benefits of life-style changes for teenage chronic migraine sufferers.

To your good health,

Curt Hendrix M.S. C.C.N. C.N.S.

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