a publication OF THE east bay headache support group
a member of the American Council for Headache Education (ACHE) support group network
Volume 9, Issue 5
September, 2004
September 14th Meeting: Talk It Over Night Discussion with Dr. Michael Stein, Headache Specialist
It’s time for another Talk It Over Night, a great opportunity for headache sufferers and their families/friends to share experiences and learn from each other about coping with headaches. Dr. Michael Stein, a neurologist specializing in headache treatment, will be on hand to provide medical expertise. Dr. Stein will update us on the latest headache medications, including the news that the FDA has just approved topamax for migraine prophylaxis. (Prophylaxis means it is used as a preventative, not as an abortive medication.)
We will meet in the Hanson Room, downstairs at John Muir Medical Center, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday,
September 14. For more information, call Leslie at 925-685-8775.
Morning Headache a Widespread Problem By Ed Edelson, HealthDay Reporter
Monday, January 12, 2004 (HealthDayNews) — A morning headache is a common experience for one of every 13 persons,
a new survey finds, and these painful awakenings are closely associated with depression and anxiety.
The survey included 18,980 residents of five European countries, and the incidence of morning headaches is almost certainly similar in the United States, says Dr. Maurice M. Ohayon, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.
He reports his results in the January 12, 2004 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine.
The high incidence of morning headache “is very surprising,” Ohayon says. “It means that a lot of people are suffering.”
“With a population of 300 million in America, it means that 27 million people are suffering,” he says. “These are people who do not sleep well, who wake up with pain. There are probably a lot of consequences, in their work and their personal relationships.”
Heavy drinkers, people with high blood pressure and those with conditions affecting muscle and skeletal function are among those most likely to start the day with a throbbing head, the survey finds. But the highest incidence was among people with depression and anxiety disorders.
In all, 1,442 people, 7.6% of those who were questioned, said they have chronic morning headaches — 1.3% every day, 4.4% “often,” and 1.9% “sometimes.”
Women are slightly more likely to have chronic morning headaches (8.4% versus 6.7% of men) and one of every 11 middle-aged persons, aged 45 to 65, is a persistent sufferer.
The survey produces one “do” and one “don’t” for people with chronic morning headaches, says Dr. Seymour Diamond, executive chairman of the National Headache Foundation and director of the Diamond Headache Center in Chicago.
“If you wake up with a headache every morning, you should check your blood pressure,” Diamond says, because of the link between high blood pressure and morning headaches found in the survey.
But don’t think surgery to correct a breathing disorder will do much for the headache problem, Diamond says.
“There is a lot of literature about morning headaches are due to obstructive nose disease and other types of obstructed breathing,” he says. “This survey does not validate that opinion.”
Mainly, Diamond adds, “this survey solidifies the fact that depressive disorders can cause frequent early morning headaches.”
The best medications for chronic headache sufferers are the older tricyclic antidepressants such as amitryptyline (Elavil) and amoxapine (Asendin) Diamond says. They are available in less expensive generic versions and have been “more effective in my clinical practice” in preventing headaches than newer SSRI antidepressants such as fluoxetine (Prozac), he says.
More Information
A summary of the morning headache problem is offered by the National Headache Foundation at www.headaches.org, and more on depression can be found at www.nimh.nih.gov. 0
SOURCES: Maurice M. Ohayon, MD, PhD, associate professor, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California; Seymour Diamond, MD, director, Diamond Headache Center, Chicago, Illinois; January 12, 2004, Archives of Internal Medicine.
Found on the Internet at www.healthscout.com/news
Risk Factors for Headache By Debra Wood, RN
A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a disease or condition. It is possible to develop headaches with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your likelihood of developing headaches. If you have a number of risk factors, ask your health care provider what you can do to reduce your risk.
Risk Factors for Tension Headache Specific Lifestyle Factors
Poor posture, such as holding a phone between your shoulder and ear puts stress on the muscles and can result in tension headaches.
Medical Conditions
Certain conditions are associated with tension headaches and tightening of the muscles in the neck, face and scalp. These
include:
· Depression
· Anxiety
· Teeth clenching or grinding
· Insomnia
· Sleep apnea
· Arthritis in the neck
Gender
Women are at greater risk of tension headaches than men.
Risk Factors for Migraine - Specific Lifestyle Factors
Several lifestyle factors may trigger a reaction in the blood vessels that brings on a migraine headache. These include:
· Lack of sleep
· Skipping meals
· Drinking alcohol, especially red wine
· Excessive exercise
· Eating foods with monosodium glutamate (MSG) or nitrates, such as red wine and nuts
· Stress
Medications
Use of certain medications may trigger a migraine, including:
· Birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy (there may be some relationship between female hormones and migraines)
· Drugs that dilate the blood vessels, because they change blood flow in the brain
· Headache remedies used on a daily or near daily basis
Age
Migraine headaches are much more common among younger people.
Gender
Migraine headaches are more common among females. There may be some relationship between female hormones and migraine.
Genetic factors
Migraines seem to run in families. This may be due to an inherited problem in blood vessel regulation.
Other
Migraines may be triggered by the blood vessels overreacting to a variety of factors, including:
· Menstruation
· Fatigue
· Changes in altitude, weather, or time zone
· Glaring lights
· Perfumes or other odors
Risk Factors for Cluster Headache - Specific Lifestyle Factors
Cluster headaches seem to occur more often in heavy smokers and drinkers. The reason is not understood.
Medical Conditions
Having head surgery or a head injury increases your risk of cluster headache.
Age
Risk is greatest between the ages of 20 and 50.
Gender
Males are at greater risk for cluster headaches than females.
Risk Factors for Sinus Headache - Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions increase nasal secretions and cause swelling in the tissues lining the nasal passages. These changes lead to nasal congestion and stuffiness. The nasal passages become blocked and normal drainage cannot occur. Secretions that are trapped in the sinuses may become infected with bacteria or, rarely, fungus. The swollen tissues or infection may
create pain and pressure.
Conditions that increase sinus pressure and increase your risk of sinus headache include:
· Allergies
· Asthma
· Persistent cold or upper respiratory infection
· Ear infections
· Nasal polyps
· Tooth abscess or infection
· Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
· Nasal deformities, such as a deviated septum
· Cystic fibrosis
· Problems with the immune system
· Prior sinus surgery
· Facial injuries that block sinus passages
Other
Swimming in dirty water can cause an infection leading to a sinus headache if the water enters the nasal passages.
Sources:
· National Headache Foundation
· National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Found on the Web site for Healthgate Data Corporation, at www.community.healthgate.com
Causes of Migraine During Menopause
For women whose headaches have been closely linked with their menstrual periods, the elimination of that headache trigger with menopause can result in real improvement in headaches, although it is rare for them to disappear entirely. Getting older also usually is associated with headaches becoming less severe. Many women, for example, notice that nausea, vomiting and even headache pain are much less severe as time goes by. So it may not be only menopause, but also aging, which produces headache improvement in many cases.
In women experiencing spontaneous menopause, migraine headache improved in 67%, was unchanged in 24% and worsened in 9%. Surgical ovariectomy (removal of the ovaries), on the other hand, led to improvement in 33% and worsening in 67%.
Unfortunately, not all women find menopause improves their headaches. For some women, the worsening of migraine (and occasionally even the onset of migraine) is seen just prior to the onset of menopause. This period
in a woman’s life is referred to as “perimenopause.” It is characterized by hormonal fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone. Symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats and emotional symptoms, as well as worsening of headaches. Once a woman is completely menopausal, she no longer has the wide fluctuations in hormones and may then experience improvement in her head-aches. However, if a perimenopausal or menopausal woman goes on HRT (hormone replacement therapy), she should carefully monitor her headache pattern. Worsening of her migraines could be associated with HRT.
The worsening of migraine just prior to menopause in some women may be related to hormone fluctuations. As menopause progresses, the plasma levels of sex steroids decline and migraine headaches frequently abate. Researchers feel that, at least in part, these changing levels of hormones cause headaches for some women. However, in the general population over the age of 55 to 60, the incidence of migraine in females is still higher than males (2:1). This suggests that some factors other than sex hormones contribute to the predominance of migraine in women, and reasons for this are not well understood. 0
Found on the Web site of the American Council for Headache Education, www.achenet.org
6th Annual
Women’s Health Fair
Visit the Women’s Health Fair presented by the Women’s Health Center, part of the John Muir/Mt. Diablo Health System. This FREE event will be held Saturday, September 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Women’s Health Center and adjoining Grower’s Square Pavilion. The address is 1656 Northern California Boulevard in downtown Walnut Creek.
Stop in to say hello at the East Bay Headache Support Group booth, and then check out the other resources and businesses which offer services and products specific to women and their families.
--
The East Bay Headache Support Group is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a forum for headache sufferers. The support group meets the second Tuesday every other month at John Muir Medical Center from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. It is open to all headache sufferers and their families, and interested persons. The meetings are free (however, donations to cover printing, postage, and Web site
expenses are appreciated!). The support group meetings include lectures by guest speakers, question and answer sessions, and informational materials.
Directions to John Muir Medical Center: Take Highway 680 to the Ygnacio Valley Road exit in Walnut Creek; go East (toward Mt. Diablo) approximately 1-1/2 miles, and turn right onto La Casa Via. Turn left into the medical center parking lot, and enter at the main lobby. Take stairs or elevator to the lower level and follow signs to the meeting room.
We value your input! Call, fax, write, or e-mail us if you have any comments or suggestions, or would like to help. The planning committee meets occasionally in the evening and welcomes new members. Michael Stein, MD, Advisor; Leslie Davis, Editor; Dana Giese, Webmaster; Donna Johnson, Treasurer; Carol Bartlett, Reg Fong, Joan Kelley, Richard Tomchalk, Janet Young, Jean Tamayo.