Dr. Stephen Peroutka was slated to speak about genetics and migraine at our October meeting, but unfortunately, he will not be available. Rather than cancel the meeting, on October 13th we’ll meet for a "talk it over" night, to share our experiences in living with head pain and learn from each other. Dr. Michael Stein will be on hand to facilitate the discussion and answer questions. Join us in the Ball Auditorium at John Muir Medical Center on Tuesday, October 13th, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Call (925) 938-5252 for more information.

Have your headaches improved to the point where you can volunteer a little time and energy to the East Bay Headache Support Group? Don’t think of the adage,

"too many cooks spoil the soup," rather, "many hands make light work." More volunteers are urgently needed to help organize meetings, mail the newsletter, etc. The Planning Committee meets one evening per month in Walnut Creek and welcomes new members. Call Leslie Davis at (925) 228-1084 for information.

An estimated 35 million people experience such excruciating head pain that their entire face hurts, including their teeth. Often, a low grade fever, a runny nose, and coughing fits accompany the pain. This pain is all caused by something that is infecting or inflaming our sinuses and we spend $1.5 billion a year to ease this misery.

The sinuses are lined with the same kind of membranes found in the nose. They drain into the nose through passageways that are no wider than a sewing needle. When air and mucus get lodged inside the sinuses, pressure, and pain are the result.

"No one knows exactly what sinuses do," says internist and allergist Donald Pulver, MD, of the University of Rochester, New York. "They may be shock absorbers or have something to do with resonating the voice."

Sinus infection or inflammation (sinusitis) normally starts with a cold or the flu. Mucus stuck in blocked sinuses provides an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. "Any sinus blocked long enough will eventually get infected," says Dr. Gailen Marshall, Director of Allergy and Clinical immunology at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston.

The symptoms are evident: mucus, pressure, and pain in the cheeks and forehead, and a low grade fever.

Usually an antibiotic will need to be prescribed to knock out the infection. Over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines may aggravate the condition by thickening the mucus. If symptoms have not cleared up in three to four days, chances are the bacteria have become resistant to the antibiotic and a more potent one must be prescribed.

Chronic sinusitis is more difficult to diagnose. It can be caused by a number of things such as an allergy, vasomotor rhinitis (engorgement of the nasal blood vessels and membrane congestion brought on by pollution, smoke or weather), or not as common, by an anatomical obstruction, such as a deviated septum. When passages to the sinuses are blocked there is a good chance of an infection developing.

OTC nasal decongestants usually offer quick relief, but in the long run can aggravate the condition further if used for more than four or five days in a row. This condition is called rebound congestion. If the condition worsens from use of OTC decongestants, a prescription spray containing a steroid may be needed to reduce swelling.

Keeping the passageways unobstructed is essential for chronic sufferers. "It’s best to see an allergist or an ear, nose and throat specialist," says Dr. Michael Kaliner, Medical Director of the Institute for Asthma and Allergy at the Washington (DC) Hospital Center. A thin scope with a light is used to determine what is causing the blockage.

If allergy is the cause, tests will show whether the allergy is to dust, mold, or some other common allergens. Allergy shots will help if allergens are the cause. Common treatments for allergies and vasomotor rhinitis often include steroid nasal sprays to clear the sinuses and reduce inflammation and swelling.

Unlike OTC decongestants, prescription medications can safely be used with minimal side effects such as nasal irritation, nosebleeds, and sore throat.

This is an interactive reference book that informs how headaches can be eliminated using natural alternative therapies. Since this book is intended only as an educational tool to acquaint the reader with alternative methods of preventing and treating headaches, the use and application of these treatments must first be discussed with your family physician.

This book is divided into three parts. Part I discusses head pains, and kinds and causes of headaches. Part II covers causes, triggers, and alternative treatments of organic, tension, migraine, cluster, trauma, allergy, sinus, TMJ/dental, eyestrain, rebound, and exertion headaches. Part III discusses in detail self-care options and alternative medicine therapies recommended in this book. The appendix also includes an excellent resource to products, clinics, substances, herbs, equipment, books, and practitioners.

For chronic illnesses like asthma, diabetes, or migraine, patients are often given a written treatment plan that lists what they are to do in different stages in an episode of illness.

Having a plan in writing can be very helpful. For instance, you can use it to help your spouse, family members or others around you understand what to do when your headaches get bad. Also, you can take it with you to an urgent care center or an emergency room so the doctors there will know what medicines you are already taking. Your physician may also give you a special letter to accompany the plan, for use during a migraine crisis that results in a visit to an emergency room. The letter may contain specific emergency treatment procedures and medicines your physician prefers for your care and may help you avoid misunderstandings when you are traveling or using an unfamiliar emergency room.

Other helpful tips from this book are, Medical care when traveling with a migraine:

• Carry your treatment plan and a letter from your doctor that states your diagnosis, the recommended emergency room treatment, and any medications you can't take. In addition to the doctor's name and signature, the letter should include his or her DEA number. Tell the admitting  room nurse that you will be willing to pay for a long distance call to your doctor if needed.

• If you are going to be abroad on an extended trip to an area where English is not spoken, see if you can arrange to have your doctor's instructions translated into the local language before you go. Your local classified telephone directory contains a list of translators in your area.

• Take twice as much medicine as you will need for your time away. Carry half of it with you in hand luggage to allow for loss or damage to your checked luggage.

• Take written copies of your prescriptions with you.

• For international travel, be extra careful that your medications are kept in carefully labeled containers—customs officials will inspect them carefully.

• Some credit card companies (such as American Express and Visa and MasterCard Gold) offer their customers worldwide assistance in finding English-speaking physicians. Keep the contact number with you. You can also contact the American embassy or consulate for assistance in finding a doctor.