A Publication of the East Bay Headache Support Group
A member of the American Council for Headache Education (ACHE) support group network

March 14th Meeting: Are Your Hormones Giving You Headaches?

The East Bay Headache Support Group is again pleased to have Dr. Sondra Altman, a gynecologist, as its guest speaker.  Over the past 16 years Dr. Altman’s Walnut Creek private practice has evolved into a specialty of menopause, hormones and the problems they create.  And she personally suffers from menstrual migraines, which gives her an added perspective on this common problem for women.

Though Dr. Altman will be talking about female hormones and the role they play in triggering headaches in women, we encourage men to attend also to learn along with their partner about the major role hormones play in a woman’s life.

Dr. Altman is an entertaining speaker, and shares her medical knowledge with a sense of humor.  Bring your questions about this complex topic and join us in the Ball Auditorium downstairs at John Muir Medical Center—Walnut Creek Campus from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14. 

Call Leslie Davis at 925-685-8775 for more information.

    Future Meetings:

May 9, 2006:  Michael Stein, M.D. -  Treating Chronic Daily Headaches

July 11, 2006:  To be determined

 

Did You Miss the Last Meeting?

The East Bay Headache Support Group celebrated 10 years of educating and supporting headache sufferers with an exciting meeting on January 10, 2006.  We had refreshments and a raffle, and our dedicated volunteers were awarded Certificates of Appreciation.  Pictured from left to right:  Janet Young, Richard Tomchalk, Carol Bartlett, Jean Tamayo, Donna Johnson, Leslie Davis, Reg Fong (in back), and Dr. Michael Stein.  Not pictured:  Dana Giese.

On January 3rd the Contra Costa Times published an article about the group, and as a result, over one hundred persons attended our anniversary meeting.  Thank you Joan Morris and the Contra Costa Times!  After receiving phone calls from Texas, South Carolina and Idaho, we discovered the wire services picked up the article and it’s been reprinted in many daily and college newspapers across the country.

Dr. Lori Reisner, an Associate Clinical Professor of Pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Pharmacy, gave an excellent presentation on “Rx Treatment for Migraine” at the last meeting.  Notes of the presentation, including her many slides, have been typed up and will be available in hard copy at future meetings (suggested donation $2.00).  Or, if you have Internet access, visit our Web site at ww.headachesupport.org to read the notes.

Many Factors Determine When Inpatient Care is Necessary for Headache Sufferers

CHICAGO, IL – September 27, 2005

 – With 45 million headache sufferers in the United States, the National Headache Foundation (NHF) believes that it is critical for healthcare providers to have specific guidelines for determining when a patient’s case warrants inpatient treatment.

While outpatient care is often effective, sometimes inpatient treatment is needed to help sufferers manage their headache condition.  Inpatient management of headache is required depending when a patient’s treatment regimen has become complex and/or the patient has other medical problems.  As a result, overall hospital rates for migraineurs have been reported to be twice as high as overall rates for the normal population.

Compared with outpatient treatment, inpatient management is more costly for individuals, their employers and the insurance industry.  Therefore, the NHF recommends that headache sufferers be aware of the following inpatient treatment guidelines, recently updated from the NHF Standards of Care for Headache Diagnosis and Treatment.  This resource includes the most current headache diagnosis and treatment advancements in order to improve patient quality of life.

Factors which should be considered to determine whether hospitalization for headache treatment is warranted:

·       Severity of pain

·       Resistance to established treatment

·       Need for additional complementary treatment

·       Degree of toxicity and drug dependence

·       Degree of coping ability

·       Psychological health conditions

·       Presence of other medical conditions

 

    Patients who overuse medication and are unable to discontinue such use as an outpatient (which unfortunately occurs in the majority of cases) can benefit from safe and rapid detoxification along with management of the underlying migraine headache.  In a survey of 473 headache-treating physicians, 30-60% of patients required inpatient treatment for withdrawal of medication. 

 

    Finally, it is important to note that patients should not underestimate the importance of appropriate counseling from their healthcare provider.  Taking time during hospitalization to educate patients about behavioral methods of pain control as well as working with patients to establish realistic acute and preventive outpatient treatment plans can increase the chances of a successful treatment outcome.

“While it is not often that inpatient treatment of headache is required, it is important for sufferers to know that in    certain cases it is appropriate,” said Suzanne E. Simons, executive director of the National Headache Foundation.  “For patients with complicated, complex cases, successful inpatient care can vastly improve their quality of life.”

For more information on headache causes and treatments, visit www.headaches.org or call 1-888-NHF-5552 (M-F 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).  

The above Press Release was found on the Web site of the National Headache Foundation, www.headaches.org.

Inpatient Headache Units Within the United States

Editor’s Note:  Following is a nationwide list of inpatient treatment units found on the National Headache Foundation’s Web site, www.headaches.org, under “Educational Resources.”

CONNECTICUT
Stamford
Alan Rapoport, M.D., Director
The New England Center for Headache
778 Long Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06092
203-968-1799
Greenwich Hospital
Inpatient Headache Unit
www.headachenech.com

ILLINOIS
Chicago
Seymour Diamond, M.D., Director
Diamond Headache Clinic
467 West Deming Place
Chicago, IL 60614
1-800-432-3224

St. Joseph Hospital
Headache and Migraine Inpatient Unit
www.diamondheadache.com

MICHIGAN
Ann Arbor
Joel Saper, M.D., Director
Michigan Head Pain & Neurological Clinic
3120 Professional Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-677-6000
Chelsea Hospital
Head Pain Treatment Unit
www.mhni.com

PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia
Stephen Silberstein, M.D., Director
Jefferson Headache Center
111 So. 11th St., Ste. 8130 Gibbon
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-955-2243
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Inpatient Headache Unit
www.tju.edu

TEXAS
Houston
Ninan Mathew, M.D., Director
Houston Headache Clinic
1213 Hermann Drive, Suite 350
Houston, TX 77004
713-528-1916
Park Plaza Hospital
Inpatient Headache Unit
wwwhoustonheadacheclinic.com

Disclaimer:  The list does not purport to constitute a comprehensive list of all units in the U.S. who are interested in the diagnosis and treatment of headache. Additional units may be available upon inquiry from medical societies and other physician groups.  We have not undertaken any independent investigation concerning the qualifications, competence or experience of the Inpatient Headache Units named, nor the treatment protocols or compensation procedures which they employ, nor can we provide comment or opinions concerning the same. We therefore make no express or implied representations concerning such units, and we do not assume any responsibility for any action or omission on the part of any such unit. If you choose to engage any of the units listed, we urge you to conduct your own inquiries, interview and review in advance, in a manner prudent for the initiation of a medical relationship.

What Causes Red Wine Headaches? (includes clip art of red wine bottle and wine glass)

Q  I get headaches after drinking red wine.  Why?  I’m 56 years old and in excellent health.

A  Getting a headache after drinking red wine seems to be common, but no single explanation has been found.  Several theories have been proposed, but none has much evidence behind it.

One theory holds that the culprit is histamine, a compound found in grape skins.  Red wine contains more histamine than white wine because it’s made from the whole grape (including the skin), not just the juice.  Some people have a shortage of an enzyme that breaks down histamine in the small intestine.  Alcohol also inhibits the enzyme, so the combination may boost histamine levels in the blood, which can dilate blood vessels and cause a headache.

Tannins, another grape-skin constituent, could be at fault.  Tannins are plant chemicals that impart flavor to red wines and contain antioxidants.  But they also spur the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which at high levels can cause headaches in some people.  Other plant chemicals (polyphenols) may be involved.

Some experts think that sulfites, a preservative in wine, are to blame.  But sulfite sensitivity usually causes breathing problems rather than headaches.  Moreover, many white wines and other foods also contain sulfites. 

These potential culprits vary from wine to wine, so if you don’t want to give up red wine altogether, you might try different brands or grape varieties to see how they affect you.  When you try a new red wine, start with less than half a drink.  If it’s going to give you a headache, it’ll do so within 15 minutes. 

Any alcoholic beverage can dilate blood vessels in the brain and cause a headache.  Avoid drinking wine, beer, or liquor on an empty stomach or when you’re dehydrated.  Try to drink a glass of water between glasses of wine.  And limit your wine intake.  One glass per day is most healthful.  But if you have two at a sitting, they should be separated by at least an hour.

Celeste Ross-Nicholson, M.D., Editor in Chief, Harvard Women’s Health Watch www.health.harvard.edu)  Excerpted from Harvard Women’s Health Watch, January 2006

Web Site Review  (includes clip art of a computer)
 by Trish Harrison

Over the past month I have repeatedly used www.google.com to conduct various searches over the Internet looking for some good informational sites on “Migraine Headaches.”  What I thought would be a no-brainer actually turned out to be rather frustrating.  Several times I did come upon a list of the top ten migraine information sites only to find that the majority of sites on the list were no longer available.  However, in the end, I did find two sites that I thought were worth taking a look at:

·       www.migraines.org
This is the site run by M.A.G.N.U.M., which stands for “Migraine Awareness Group: a National Understanding for Migraineurs.”  M.A.G.N.U.M is a non-profit health care organization in Washington, D.C., also known as The National Migraine Association.  A portion of their mission statement reads:  “to bring public awareness to the fact that migraine is a true biologic neurological disease using the electronic, print and artistic mediums of expression.”  One of their goals is to change Federal Legislation to include Intractable Migraine as a disability.  Another is to debunk the myths surrounding migraine.  There is a lot of information on this site, both medical and practical. You will find lots of support here and the feeling that the people involved in this organization really “get it” when it comes to what it means to suffer from migraines.

 ·       www.migrainepage.com
This site, run by migraine sufferer Ronda Solberg, is “a forum for the free exchange of information,” according to her disclaimer.  It is exactly that, providing lots of chances to both give and get information.  There is a Chat Room, a discussion forum, links to many other migraine sites, a place to give your own migraine story and read that of others, and much more, including poetry and art inspired by migraine. I found this site to be the more interesting of the two and the one I most enjoyed exploring.  The majority of links on this site were current, though I did find that the site which listed the top ten migraine websites compiled and ranked by Dr. Stephen J. Peroutka, Chairman of the World Headache Alliance Internet Review Committee, May 2000, proved to be a disappointing dead end. I definitely recommend visiting www.migrainepage.com

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 evening every other month from 7:30 to 9:00 pm, at John Muir Medical Center—Walnut Creek Campus in Walnut Creek, CA.  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.

We value your input!  Call, write, or e-mail us if you have comments or suggestions, or would like to help.  The planning committee meets occasionally and welcomes new members.  Michael Stein, M.D., Medical Advisor; Leslie Davis, Editor/Webmaster; Donna Johnson, Treasurer; Carol Bartlett, Reg Fong, Trish Harrison, Holly Prehn, Jean Tamayo, Richard Tomchalk, Janet Young.

Notes…The East Bay Headache Support Group features medical and other professionals as speakers at its meetings.  Notes are taken of most presentations and made available for a suggested donation of $2.00 each, or read them on our Web site at www.headachesupport.org.

Past topics include:  Biofeedback therapy, genetics, care giving, dietary headache triggers, chiropractic treatment, pharmaceutical remedies, hormonal triggers, reducing stress in the workplace, dealing with holiday stress, acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy, children’s headaches, temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ), somatic headache relief, compounding medications, allergies, experimental headache drugs, prevention of stress headaches, non-traditional therapies, tension-type headaches, menopause, head injury headaches, environmental medicine, emotional impact of headaches, sleep disorders, chronic pain management, exercise headaches, cluster headaches, 5-HTP, Emergency Room visits, dealing with frustrations, Botox injections, naturopathic medicine, the Alexander Technique, effective  nutrition for headache pain management, acupressure, and many more.