SINUS HEADACHE OR MIGRAINE?

Thousands of people take allergy and sinus medications because they believe the pain they are experiencing are due to sinus headaches. These people often do not get relief because in fact they are having migraines and not sinus headaches.

This article published in Health Central helps to clarify what the source of your headaches may truly be.

Oct 28th 2011

~ Did you know that nearly 90% of what people think are sinus headaches are actually migraines? These are some of the symptoms that make people think they have a sinus headache:

* Runny nose or nasal congestion5
* Teary eyes
* Red or puffy eyes
* Facial pain or pressure

All of those can be migraine symptoms. A migraine can inflame the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve has branches in the face. One runs above the eyes, one runs along the sinuses, and the third runs along the lower jaw. As a result, the pain may be felt near the sinuses, which are air pockets between bones in the lower forehead, cheeks and behind the nose. Sinus headaches rarely occur unless you have a sinus infection. ~

If these headaches are occurring many times a month and you have 15 days or more a month that you have headache symptoms, you may be experiencing chronic migraines and are a good candidate for prevention.

You may be able to eliminate or reduce the number of headache days you have and/or reduce the intensity of your headaches. You may also be able to significantly reduce the amount of medication you take as well. Visit www.migrelief.com for mor information.

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

DOES THIS MIGRAINE DRUG MAKE ME LOOK FAT?

Migraine Preventive Medications and Weight Gain

Certain drugs that are used to try to prevent migraines can cause weight gain of up to 40 pounds. Prescription medications like Depakote (valproic acid), Pamelor (nortriptyline, an anti-depressant) or Elavil (amitriptyline, another anti-depressant) are known to result in substantial weight gain in some patients. Beta-blocker drugs like Inderal (propranolol hydrochloride) can cause rapid weight gain that may be related to heart dysfunction.

Weight-change effects require careful consideration when selecting migraine-preventive medications, and weight should be monitored carefully over the course of any migraine treatment plan.

Does MigreLief cause weight gain?

MigreLief is a dietary supplement designed to provide nutritional support specifically to migraine sufferers. The original formula contains: Magnesium (citrate and oxide), Riboflavin (vitamin B-2) and Puracol® Feverfew (a combination of special feverfew extract and whole leaf. MigreLief does not cause weight gain.

Relaxation Exercises – Help Reduce Pain and Frequency of Migraines?

DO RELAXATION EXERCISES REALLY HELP TO REDUCE PAIN AND FREQUENCY OF MIGRAINE ATTACKS?

The answer is a simple and resounding, Yes!

Yet a second study done by Swedish researchers and published in the journal “Cephalalgia”, has confirmed results from a previous study done in 2002 and published in the journal “Headache”, that relaxation exercises are as effective as prescription drugs, like topiramate, in the prevention of migraines.

For a list of relaxation exercises and instructions on how to do them, please go to the link listed below.

https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/relaxation-techniques

Exercise Just as Good as Drugs at Preventing Migraines, Swedish Study Suggests

ScienceDaily (Oct. 10, 2011) — All though exercise is often prescribed as a treatment for migraines, there has not previously been sufficient scientific evidence that it really works. However, research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has now shown that exercise is just as good as drugs at preventing migraines.

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Doctors use a variety of different methods to prevent migraines these days: on the pharmaceutical side a drug based on the substance topiramate has proved effective, while non-medical treatments with well-documented effects include relaxation exercises.

No previous evidence

Exercise is also frequently recommended as a treatment all though there has not been sufficient scientific evidence that it really has any effect on migraine patients.

In a randomized controlled study researchers from the University of Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska Academy have now analyzed how well exercise works as a preventative treatment for migraines relative to relaxation exercises and topiramate.

40 minutes of exercise

Published in the journal Cephalalgia, the study involved 91 migraine patients, a third of whom were asked to exercise for 40 minutes three times a week under the supervision of a physiotherapist, with another third doing relaxation exercises, and the final third given topiramate. The study lasted for a total of three months, during which the patients’ migraine status, quality of life, aerobic capacity and level of physical activity were evaluated before, during and after their treatment. Follow-ups were then carried out after three and six months.

Exercise just as effective

The results show that the number of migraines fell in all three groups. Interestingly, there was no difference in the preventative effect between the three treatments.

“Our conclusion is that exercise can act as an alternative to relaxations and topiramate when it comes to preventing migraines, and is particularly appropriate for patients who are unwilling or unable to take preventative medicines,” says Emma Varkey, the physiotherapist and doctoral student at the Sahlgrenska Academy who carried out the study.

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What Are Some Relaxation Techniques I Can Use to Help my Headaches?

In order to learn how to relax and cope with migraines and headaches, you need to become familiar with your own breathing patterns and change them in ways that will help you relax. Your breathing pattern is often disrupted by changes in emotion. People who are anxious tend to hold their breath and speak in a high-pitched voice as they exhale. On the other hand, people who are depressed tend to sigh and speak in a low-pitched voice as they exhale.

Below are a few relaxation exercises. But first, be sure that you have a quiet location that is free of distractions, a comfortable body position, and a good state of mind. Try to block out worries and distracting thoughts.

• Rhythmic breathing: If your breathing is short and hurried, slow it down by taking long, slow breaths. Inhale slowly then exhale slowly. Count slowly to five as you inhale, and then count slowly to five as you exhale. As you exhale slowly, pay attention to how your body naturally relaxes. Recognizing this change will help you to relax even more.

• Deep breathing: Imagine a spot just below your navel. Breathe into that spot, filling your abdomen with air. Let the air fill you from the abdomen up, then let it out, like deflating a balloon. With every long, slow exhalation, you should feel more relaxed.

• Visualized breathing: Find a comfortable place where you can close your eyes, and combine slowed breathing with your imagination. Picture relaxation entering your body and tension leaving your body. Breathe deeply, but in a natural rhythm. Visualize your breath coming into your nostrils, going into your lungs and expanding your chest and abdomen. Then, visualize your breath going out the same way. Continue breathing, but each time you inhale, imagine that you are breathing in more relaxation. Each time you exhale imagine that you are getting rid of a little more tension.

• Progressive muscle relaxation: Switch your thoughts to yourself and your breathing. Take a few deep breaths, exhaling slowly. Mentally scan your body. Notice your headache, if you have one, and other areas that feel tense or cramped. Quickly loosen up these areas. Let go of as much tension as you can. Rotate your head in a smooth, circular motion once or twice. (Stop any movements that cause pain!) Roll your shoulders forward and backward several times. Let all of your muscles completely relax. Recall a pleasant thought for a few seconds. Take another deep breath and exhale slowly. You should feel relaxed.

• Relax to music: Combine relaxation exercises with your favorite music in the background. Select the type of music that lifts your mood or that you find soothing or calming. Some people find it easier to relax while listening to specially designed relaxation audio tapes, which provide music and relaxation instructions.

• Mental imagery relaxation: Mental imagery relaxation, or guided imagery, is a proven form of focused relaxation that helps create harmony between the mind and body. Guided imagery coaches you in creating calm, peaceful images in your mind — a “mental escape.” Identify your self-talk, that is, what you are saying to yourself about what is going on with your migraines or headaches. It is important to identify negative self-talk and develop healthy, positive self-talk. By making affirmations, you can counteract negative thoughts and emotions. Here are some positive statements you can practice.

• Let go of things I cannot control.

• I am healthy, vital, and strong.

• There is nothing in the world I cannot handle.

• All my needs are met.

• I am completely and utterly safe.

• Every day in every way I am getting stronger.

Relaxation and Exercise Relieves Migraines

A treatment program for migraine sufferers that includes exercise and relaxation therapies is more effective than conventional treatment alone, according to a new study in Headache (2002;42:845–54).

Migraine is a disorder characterized by episodes of severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, and light and sound sensitivity. An estimated 30 million people in the United States suffer from migraines. This high prevalence and the significant disability associated with migraines make finding acceptable and affordable treatment a high priority.

Conventional treatment focuses on drug therapies, including nonprescription and prescription pain relievers, and medications designed to interrupt the biochemical processes that cause migraines. Most of these medications relieve migraines by restricting blood flow to the head, but their effects on blood vessels in other parts of the body can be problematic, particularly in people with heart and blood vessel diseases, people using other medications that affect blood flow, and pregnant and breast-feeding women. It is possible to become dependent on some of these medications. Furthermore, long-term frequent use of any of these medicines can result in additional headaches, known as medication overuse headaches, which are far more difficult to treat than common migraines. For these reasons, more than half of people who suffer from migraines stop seeking medical care for their headaches.

In the current study, 80 participants with migraines were randomly assigned to receive either a six-week comprehensive treatment program or standard medical care from family practice physicians. Standard medical care in this study included medications, referrals to other providers, or no treatment, while comprehensive treatment included drug therapies as needed along with exercise and relaxation therapies, two relaxing massages, and a lecture on diet. Participants were evaluated for pain and disability, quality of life, and medication use at the end of the six-week treatment period and three months later.

Pain frequency, intensity, and duration all decreased significantly after six weeks in the group receiving the comprehensive treatment program but increased slightly in the group receiving only medical treatment. In addition, the comprehensive treatment group rated their ability to function as improved by nearly 35% and their overall quality of life as improved by more than 35%, while the conventional treatment group reported slight reductions in their ability to function and in their quality of life. The improvements noted by the comprehensive treatment group were even more significant at the three-month evaluation, with ability to function increased by 51% and quality of life by 57%. Individuals who continued with their exercise program had more improvement than those who did not.

Studies over the past 30 years have consistently found that behavioral therapies, primarily relaxation training and stress reduction, effectively reduce migraines and another type of headache known as tension headache. A review of these studies revealed that behavioral therapies consistently reduced migraine and tension headaches between 35% and 50%. Few studies, however, have compared behavioral therapies with conventional treatment. One such study found that the combination of behavioral and drug therapies was more effective than drug therapies alone in treating medication overuse headache. The current study shows that a comprehensive treatment program is also a better approach for treating uncomplicated migraines. Furthermore, participants in this study found that exercise therapy was the most important aspect of their treatment.

Dietary approaches, such as limiting foods high in the amino acid tyramine and identifying and avoiding allergenic foods, are helpful for some people with migraines. Although participants in the comprehensive treatment group were given a lecture on diet, the authors did not describe the type of dietary advice given, and did not attribute the reduction in migraines to any specific dietary changes.

Does Smoking Trigger Migraine Headaches?

A study published in the Journal of Headache and Pain found that smoking 5 or more cigarettes a day can trigger migraines and that in general smokers have more migraines than non-smokers.

The research involved 300 medical students who were well trained in being able to identify a migraine from another type of headache. According to Dr. Pascual, the lead researcher in the study, “smoking is a precipitating factor of this type of headache, as the prevalence of active smokers is one third higher in migraine sufferers and there is a direct relationship between the number of cigarettes consumed and the frequency of migraine attacks”.

Though there is no proven mechanism for why smoking increases the frequency of migraines, it is possible that smoking generates excessive amounts of free radicals, causing substantial oxidative stress, which is known to contribute to inflammation, which may then affect the nerves.

So, if you both smoke and suffer from migraines, try to keep your number of daily cigarettes below 5.

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

Related Article : MORE ABOUT SMOKING, MIGRAINES AND HEADACHES

Related Product – MIGRELIEF-NOW fast-acting neurological comfort – BUY or LEARN MORE

Vertigo & Dizziness Accompany Migraine With Aura

Though symptoms of dizziness and vertigo occur in the general population that doesn’t suffer with migraine attacks, there is a substantial increase in the occurrence of these symptoms, especially in people who suffer from migraines with aura.

Two studies, published in the Journal Headache in 2007 and 2011, confirm that people who suffer from migraines accompanied by aura may experience the symptoms up to 50% of the time during attacks.

Anecdotal information reported by patients indicates that some preventative options may substantially lower not only the frequency of migraines, but may lower experiencing these symptoms when attacks do occur.

For more information about nutritional support for migraine sufferers, go to www.migrelief.com

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

Magnesium for Migraines-Is it Enough?

MAGNESIUM FOR MIGRAINES – IS IT ENOUGH?

Numerous studies support the use of magnesium as a supplement for preventing migraine headaches. In fact, yet another study just published in the Journal Neurosciences found that serum levels of magnesium were substantially lower in migraine sufferers than in the general population of people who didn’t get migraines.

In fact, the researchers found that as serum levels of magnesium decreased the frequency of migraine attacks significantly increased.

Magnesium supplementation in the correct forms and amounts has to be part of any healthy regimen for migraine sufferers. But is it enough?

The answer is yes, for some sufferers, and, no, for many other sufferers. The reason for this is that there is not just ONE malfunctioned or dysfunctional mechanism or imbalance that is known to cause migraine attacks.

THE UNDERLYING NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES AND IMBALANCES COMMON TO MIGRAINEURS ALSO VARY AMONG MIGRAINEURS

Vasospasm, inflammation, stress, and nerves are just a few of the possible contributors to our resultants of migraine attacks. So while magnesium certainly plays a role in helping to address or balance some of these contributing factors, by itself, it doesn’t work for every chronic migraine sufferer.

This is probably why we have received literally hundreds of letters asking why MigreLief worked for a particular user when taking the individual ingredients, at the same doses did not. ***

MigreLief Ingredients:

1. MAGNESIUM (OXIDE & CITRATE) – 360 mg (daily dose)
2. RIBOFLAVIN B-2 – 400 mg (daily dose)
3. FEVERFEW (Puracol – proprietary whole leaf and extract) – 100 mg. (daily dose)

All 3 ingredients in MigreLief are listed in The American Acedemy of Neurology’s Evidence Based Guidelines for Migraine Prophylaxis.

Research studies show that almost half of all migraine sufferers have low blood levels of Magnesium, which is critical in controlling vasospasms (the contraction and dilation of blood vessels in the brain which occurs during migraines). Migraine sufferers also suffer mitochondrial energy deficiencies, which Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) can improve when given in high dosages. The plant material Feverfew has been shown to reduce platelet aggregation, which can lead to vasoconstriction. All 3 ingredients have been recommended for years by many doctors and top headache specialists based on the clinical studies behind them.

We just don’t know which individual factor or combination of factors is casual in each different migraine sufferer. The presence of 3 natural medicines in MigreLief, each with 3 different mechanisms of action, seem to cover ALL of the bases for a majority of chronic migraine sufferers, not just one or two.

There may even be synergies between the 3 ingredients that comprise the effective triple therapy in MigreLief that we just can’t completely explain.

If you are a migraine sufferer please visit www.migrelief.com for more information.

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

***EFFECTIVENESS: The raw ingredients in MigreLief are individually tested by independent laboratories and monitored for quality, purity and potency. Raw ingredients in supplements, especially herbs can very in quality and potency for numerous reasons, therefore so can their effectiveness. This may be another reason why many consumers have reported MigreLief to be effective whereas consuming the individual ingredients separately, at the same doses, generated from different sources was not.

MigreLief™ and this information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Please consult with your licensed medical practitioner if you have, or suspect you may have, a health problem.

WHEN MIGRAINES GET OUT OF CONTROL

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 3 million Americans went to emergency rooms trying to get relief for headaches or migraines. 81,000 of these people were admitted into the hospital. 1/3 of the emergency room patients and 2/3’s of the hospitalizations were due to migraines.

Women made up 75% of both the emergency room visits and hospitalizations. (To me this indicates a hormonal component to the headaches, and I suspect that the 1/3 of the emergency room visits believed to be migraines, is a very low percentage and that in reality, the percentage was probably much higher.) Migraines were about 4 times more common in women than men.

Going by age, the most likely to make an emergency room visit were in the 18-44 year old range.

Geographically, – The Midwest and South had the highest emergency department visit rates for headache, 1,158 and 1,131 per 100,000 people. The Northeast showed 809 visits per 100,000 people and the West had 744 visits per 100,000 people. (People in the West either have fewer migraines or they just couldn’t get to the emergency room because of the traffic!)

We believe, that for most migraine sufferers, the answer to controlling your migraines and staying out of emergency rooms and hospitals, is prevention. Visit www.migrelief.com to learn more about our #1 doctor recommended natural migraine supplement created to correct the underlying nutritional deficiencies and imbalances common to many migraine sufferers.

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

Ulcer Causing Bacteria May Increase Migraines

The bacteria helicobacter pylori are thought to be the cause of ulcers and also possibly lead to stomach cancer.

A group of Iranian researchers have reported that after studying 105 chronic migraine sufferers, they found that patients who were diagnosed to have helicobacter pylori infection (which is done using a simple breath or blood test), suffered on average, 3 days a month more from migraine attacks.

This may not sound like a lot, but for those of you with migraines, you know how debilitating and painful pylori patients suffer more migraine days, but the researchers found that their migraines were more intense, as well.

If you are a chronic migraine sufferer, you may want to discuss with your physician testing for helicobacter pylori infection via the simple tests that are available. Though many people with helicobacter pylori infection have NO symptoms, others will experience one or more of the following symptoms:

Pain or discomfort in the abdomen
Vomiting
Bloating
Burping

Should you be found to be positive for the bacterial your physician can recommend a combination of antibiotics to treat the infection. For those of you who are found to be positive for the infection and would first like to try natural ingredients, (instead of antibiotics) that may help eliminate the helicobacter pylori and/or its symptoms, (if you have any), try eating broccoli sprouts (not the mature heads which don’t have enough of the sulfur containing phytochemicals that are thought to help eliminate the symptoms and possibly the bacteria themselves). Discuss this choice with your physician, so that he or she can monitor your results. If it doesn’t work then the antibiotic regimen will probably be necessary.

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

Migraines and Decreased Risk of Breast Cancer

SECOND STUDY CONFIRMS ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HAVING MIGRAINES AND DECREASED RISK OF BREAST CANCER

A new study published in the July issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, confirmed the findings of a smaller study published last year that revealed that women diagnosed with migraines had a 26 percent lower risk of breast cancer than women who did not suffer from migraines.

The reduction in breast cancer risk applied pretty much across the board:

Whether or not the women were pre or post menopausal
Regardless of the medications they took
Regardless of the age at which they were diagnosed
Regardless of which migraine triggers they tried to avoid

Though it is known that both breast cancer and migraines have hormonal factors that are involved in their etiology, the researchers could not explain why having migraines would decrease the risk of getting breast cancer.

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

WHY DO MIGRAINE SUFFERERS NEED TO AVOID THE LIGHT?

Although most migraine sufferers run for a dark room to avoid the light that seems to worsen their headaches, the reason for this is not generally known.

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston have identified a new visual pathway that may explain the high sensitivity to light in both sighted as well as blind migraine sufferers.

It’s estimated that 85% of migraine sufferers are also hypersensitive to light (photophobia). Even low levels of light during an attack can prevent sufferers from doing simple things like, driving, reading or writing.

The researchers postulated that certain receptor cells trigger neurons in the brain that became hyper excited by the light stimulus and continued to be stimulated up to 20-30 minutes after the light source was removed.

In people who were totally blind, with no optic nerve activity at all, the light did not cause a problem. But even in people who were legally blind but could still sense some light, their migraines worsened when exposed to a light source.

So, I was going to say that your feeling that light was a problem to your migraines was NOT in your head, but actually, it is!

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

MIGRAINEURS MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO HANGOVER HEADACHES

Researchers at the Jefferson Headache Center suggest that migraine sufferers may be more likely to develop an alcohol induced headache after an evening of consuming alcoholic beverages.

It was originally thought that either dehydration, caused by the alcohol consumption, or impurities in the alcohol, caused the headache. In their experiment with rats that got migraines, they made sure the rats stayed well hydrated and provided alcohol that was impurity free.

The rats that got migraines had more pain several hours after alcohol consumption than the rats that didn’t get migraines.

Whether or not the study applies to humans, is not clear. However, if you do experience your share of headaches after drinking alcohol and also suffer from migraines, this may be why.

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

Are Your PMS Symptoms More Than Just an Annoyance?

For some women, the symptoms of breast pain, cramping, bloating, depression, anxiety related to PMS are problematic enough to require treatment.

This slideshow by WebMD is a well done and informative presentation about PMS.

If one or more of the symptoms of PMS is troublesome enough to you that you need to do something about it, take a look at MigreLief+M at /migreliefm. It’s not just for migraines, but helps to balance the hormone fluctuations that cause PMS as well as migraines.

http://women.webmd.com/pms/slideshow-premenstrual-syndrome-pms?ecd=wnl_wmh_091211

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