Migraine Makeover | Medical News and Health Information

Reported August 8, 2011

Migraine Makeover -- Research Summary

BACKGROUND: According to the Mayo Clinic, a migraine headache can cause intense throbbing or pulsing that is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines can cause pain that lasts for hours to days. Sometimes, sensory warning symptoms (aura) such as flashes of light, blind spots or tingling in the arms or legs can precede a migraine. These headaches often begin in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. They are often under-diagnosed and untreated.

WHY DO THEY HAPPEN? Doctors don't know exactly what causes migraines, but they believe genetics and environment play a role. Migraines may be caused by changes in the brainstem and its interactions with the trigeminal nerve, which is a major pain pathway. Other factors like imbalances in brain chemicals, including serotonin, may also be involved. Serotonin levels fall during migraine attacks, and some believe this may trigger a person's trigeminal system to release substances called neuropeptides, which travel to the brain's outer covering. The result is headache pain.

TRIGGERS: There are many triggers for migraine. These may include:
· Hormonal changes: In women, fluctuations in estrogen seem to trigger headaches in those with known migraines. Women with a history of migraines often report headaches immediately before or during their menstrual cycles, when they have a drop in estrogen. Others tend to suffer from migraines during pregnancy or menopause.
· Foods: Common foods that may trigger a migraine include alcohol, aged cheeses, chocolate, aspartame, caffeine, monosodium glutamate, salty foods and processed foods.
· Stress: Stress at work or home can trigger migraines.
· Sensory stimuli: Bright lights and loud noises can trigger the headaches as well as unusual smells.
· Changes in sleep patterns: Missing sleep or getting too much sleep may be triggers for migraines.
· Environment: A change in weather or barometric pressure can prompt a migraine headache.
· Drugs: Certain medications can aggravate migraines.

PLASTIC SURGERY FOR MIGRAINES? Some doctors are using plastic surgery as a way to relieve the pain associated with migraine headaches. In one study, two neurologists and a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons investigated the effects of a brow lift procedure that included the removal of the migraine-triggering nerve areas. Of the 49 patients who had this procedure, 83 percent said that they were suffering migraines half as frequently as they did before. More than half of the patients reported that their migraines had been completely eliminated. MORE ► Migraine Makeover -- Research Summary | Medical News and Health Information: "Reported August 8, 2011 Migraine Makeover -- Research Summary /and ► Migraine Makeover | Medical News and Health Information: "- Enviado mediante la barra Google"
(SOURCE: www.newbeauty.com)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Nancy Collins
Director, Public Relations/Marketing
St. Joseph's Healthcare System
(973)754-4500
collinsn@sjhmc.org

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