headache Archives - Hormones Matter

Please Folks – Migraine Is NOT A Headache

Published on August 22, 2013

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We continually make strides in migraine disease and headache disorders education but we still have much work to do. As we succeed to reduce the stigma that surrounds migraine and headache, it’s time for a definitive name for migraine. Once migraine is qualified as a disease, its stigma will be reduced and patients will be taken more seriously and most likely receive an accurate diagnosis sooner. In order to do this we need to use the correct terminology when discussing migraine disease and headache disorders; call migraine a migraine and headache a headache. After all they are two very different things.

A Migraine is not a Headache

The majority of people including many in the medical community continue to use ‘migraine headache‘ when discussing migraine disease. This is problem because migraine is a genetic neurological disease that impacts the entire body; migraine is a primary disorder – a disorder by itself. Headache may be either a primary disorder or secondary disorder, and may be a symptom that is caused from another disorder. Migraine disease is not caused by any other disease or condition. It’s not a symptom of any other disease or condition. To that end, many advocates, myself included become extremely aggravated when we hear the term ‘migraine headache.’

Dr. Oz and the TV ‘Experts’

A recent Dr. Oz show entitled The New Science to Reverse Aging included a segment on how to treat ‘migraine headaches‘ holistically. One of the first problems I notice are they talking about migraines or headaches? Neurologist Dr. Majid Fotuhi (who isn’t a board certified doctor in headache medicine from the United Council of Neurological Subspecialties) was one of the featured guests and talked about the various foods can help reduce ‘migraine headache’ pain. To his credit, Dr. Fotuhi said the most important “weapon against frequent ‘headaches‘ is prevention, prevention, prevention.” I’m fairly certain at this point he means migraines – so why not use the correct term? Dr. Fotuhi goes on to say the best way to prevent ‘headaches‘ is exercise, avoid trigger foods that trigger ‘headaches’ and monitor the foods you eat because certain foods may be able to reduce the frequency of certain types of ‘headaches.‘ Trigger identification and management along with exercise are important pieces of any migraine management plan. For some exercise will trigger a nasty migraine attack.

Terminology Matters

At this point in the show, neither doctor has taken the time to distinguish the difference between migraine disease and headache disorders. Dr. Oz goes on to explain ‘migraine headache’ pain occurs on one side of the head, with nausea and light sensitivity. Many times this is true, but not always. Migraine pain can occur on both sides of the head, be mild to moderate and/or severe to debilitating. An attack can last from 4- 72 hours, sometimes longer, and not everyone will experience nausea.

Dr. Fotuhi reports that foods high in riboflavin which is vitamin B2 can “help reduce certain types of headaches and migraine headache.'” Mushrooms, asparagus, quinoa, milk are indeed high in B2 and it’s used for migraine prevention, but again, some of these foods may be strong migraine triggers for certain people. The doctors continue to interchange migraine and headache.

‘Hormonal headache’ and foods used to prevent them include those rich in magnesium like sweet potatoes, spinach, chard and bananas Dr. Fohuti goes on to say. But eating these foods may be a strong migraine trigger for some. He continues to report that eating these foods can help reduce ‘menstrual headaches‘ and even suggests taking 450 mgs of magnesium will help prevent ‘hormonal headache. No mention here of checking with your doctor before you take the supplement. According to International Headache Society’s International Classification of Headache Disorders – III, 3rd edition, beta version or ICHD-III 3rd ed., beta version there is no diagnosis of ‘hormonal headache‘ or ‘menstrual headaches‘. However, pure menstrual migraine without aura, menstrually related migraine without aura and non-menstrual migraine without aura can all be found in it. Let me stress again how important correct terminology is.

Dr. Oz then describes tension type headache (a real diagnosis) as a “dull pain, band around the head, and the muscles behind your temples are contracting.” Eating foods with high levels of Coenzyme Q10 such as eggs, broccoli, cauliflower, tuna, organ meats and salmon may be beneficial for tension headache according to Dr. Fohuti – or they can be strong migraines triggers for some people. Dr. Fohuti says to avoid a tension type headache it’s imperative to get eight hours of sleep each night and practice daily relaxation. The truth of the matter is it’s more important to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, seven days a week, then get various eight hour pockets of sleep.

The doctors went over “cold or flu headache” which doesn’t exist in the ICHD-III 3rd edition, beta version. Dr. Fotuhi said when we have a cold we can become dehydrated, so eating foods that have a high water content include strawberries, pineapples, watermelon and cantaloupe will help with that. Becoming dehydrated is not a good idea at any point for people with migraine and can certainly trigger a migraine attack.

Dr. Fotuhi goes on to say not to take aspirin, ibuprofen and/or acetaminophen more than once a week when you have a ‘headache‘ or you may get medication overuse headache or moh, formerly called rebound headache. In part he is correct, but the reality is if we use pain relievers, whether over-the-counter and/or prescription or migraine abortive medication, more than two to three times a week we may get moh. He never discusses how many ‘headaches‘ are too many or when to see a doctor, intimating that we should be able to handle our head pain with these vitamin rich foods and supplements. This is neither true nor accurate.

In my opinion, when discussing migraine disease prevention and treatment, it would be nice to hear from an expert, someone who is board certified in the related field and really knows what they are talking about.

Resources

“Dr. Oz offers holistic help for headaches and migraines.” Examiner.com, July 22, 2013.

“Foods Solutions to Ease Headache Pain, Part I.” The New Science to Reverse Aging. The Dr. Oz Show. August 15, 2013.

A Crown for the Worst Headache or Migraine – Medical Marketing Gone Wrong

by Nancy Bonk

Published on April 25, 2013

2616 views

As if battling the stigma that surrounds migraine and headache disorders isn’t difficult enough, we can thank Excedrin for continuing it. Excedrin is currently running a sweepstakes called “Who Deserves Excedrin The Most – Help Decide Who Wears the Crown.” In this sweepstakes the idea is to vote on a collection of people or “headache sufferers” who are matched in a daily, “head-to-head” video format, enacting a story and/or situation. The idea is to vote for who deserves to wear “the crown.” E-gift cards are given out every day and your vote is then entered into the pool for the grand prize, a seven day trip for two to Jamaica.

Each of these 16 videos depicts a short story of a particular situation, event or everyday occurrence that in Excedrin’s mind, will give you a “headache.” Some of the videos include rambunctious children in the back seat of a car, the frustration of being on hold for a lengthy amount of time, horrendous flying experiences, raising children, difficult bosses, and completing your taxes at the last minute, to name just a few.

Really. Excedrin wants the public to “crown” someone the Headache King or Queen – celebrate it with a crown, what, like the Burger King? Comedian Molly Shannon is the spokesperson for the sweepstakes and recently said she is a “headache sufferer.” Ms. Shannon can be quite funny and may simply be trying to bring levity to a serious topic. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy a good laugh (even at my own expense) and believe humor plays an important role in our lives. But because the stigma is so high in headache and migraine, I think the slightest amount of banter may increase that stigma, it certainly doesn’t do anything to decrease it.

With over 300 different types of migraine and headache disorders and no test, tool or machine to diagnose them, shouldn’t we be concentrating on more important things than a “crown?” Does anyone ever want to be named the MS King or Breast Cancer Queen in a sweepstakes? Of course not, because the public would never allow that to happen. Here’s the thing – because “it’s just a headache” doesn’t mean we get a “crown” to wear. We all know headache and migraine are so much more than simply a “headache.” What do you think about Excedrin’s marketing idea?

Personal Perspective – Hormones, Mood and Endometriosis

by Angela Wice

Published on November 29, 2012

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When I think back to when I was 10, that is when I started to get chronic headaches. This must be when my hormones started to kick in. I got my period at 13 and from then on things for me have never really been the same.

Hormones, Menstruation and Mood: Was there a Connection?

I had emotional outbursts as a teenager but I couldn’t connect them to my periods at the time because my periods were all over the place. My period could come every 15 days or 45 days. I never knew when it would come. There was no consistency and I was never one to check it off on a calendar, or worry about it.

I remember my teenage years as being dark and depressing. I couldn’t seem to get out of a funk. It only got worse after I graduated from high school. To me that was the beginning of the end, with excruciating abdominal pain, migraines and mood swings. In the 10 years since leaving school, I was diagnosed with multiple co-morbid diseases such as Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Restless Leg Syndrome, Depression, complicated migraines and finally endometriosis when I turned 27.

Doctors made me feel so crazy in my head and were quick to tell me I was depressed. I was once told by a doctor that he couldn’t see me anymore because I cried too much. After seeing at least 40 doctors, I was starting to really breakdown mentally. Why was everyone ignoring what I was saying? No one seemed to listen. They just pricked me with needles and said I was fine. I knew I wasn’t fine.

Pregnancy and Postpartum Hormones

I had my daughter when I was 25 and from that point on, the hormones went through the roof. I thought I was losing my bloody mind. I started to get more and more migraines to the point I had no choice but to go to the hospital to get medicated. Nothing seemed to work because of how sudden they would come on. I didn’t know at the time that my hormones were so out of whack. All I knew was that my mental state started to deteriorate and I no longer felt safe in my own apartment. I was seeing demons in my room. I was freaking out on my daughter. She was only two years old at the time. I knew I was suffering from depression now, but this was too long after postpartum wasn’t it?

Could it be Postpartum Depression?

I was watching TV one day and saw a show about postpartum depression. I decided then and there that I was going to bring myself to the hospital and just pray they wouldn’t take my kid away from me. I ended up talking to some man that didn’t even get what I was saying. He just threw me some sleeping pills and told me I was just tired.

Hormones, Mood and Endometriosis: Maybe There was a Connection

Soon after being sent home with sleeping pills, for what was likely postpartum depression, I received the results from a recent ultrasound. The 10cm cyst that would eventually lead to my diagnosis with endometriosis, was found. I was put on Marvelon21, a form of hormonal birth control. From the first week, I swear on my life, I felt like my world was full of rainbows and butterflies. I didn’t have the depression or the horrible thoughts. I started to really calm down. To this day, it is rare for me to get really angry and yell. I really think my hormones had me trapped for far too long. It is probably the main reason why I don’t ever feel that I could stop taking Marvelon ever. It saved my life. One little white pill, a very low dose birth control pill worked for me. Although, I know it doesn’t work for everyone.

I definitely feel that there are more than just hormones that affected my state of mind. I don’t feel that my body has ever been normal. I was an object of wonder when it came to doctors and their students. I was treated like a piece of dirt by every doctor. Most acted like I was making this all up. The few that were actually nice, didn’t really tell me to do anything further with treatments. They just told me what diseases I had and sent me home. No follow-ups just more confusion.

I try not to focus on the co-morbid diseases like I once did. I take one problem at a time. I refuse to believe that I actually have some of these diseases. Either way, I am not going to let my ill-health steal my life or my mind another day.