headaches and migraines?

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vallee said:
My doctor did say we don't know the brain. We really don't understand migraines enough to know the trigger. I don't have a family history of them. Mine started in my 20's after a big drop in hearing loss. At that time the doctors said allergies. I went through years and years of doctors until I finally found one who put it all together.

On the plus side, for me, my CIs stopped it. That is the only differences from June to today.

Also exercise is a good for migraines. I lost around 30 pounds before my CI and still got migraines. I also try and drink a lot of water a day. That does help since I am not drinking coke.

Nice to know a doctor listened to me yesterday! Also nice he said I don't need a follow up, you let me know if you need me.
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I think you've meant to say "we don't know brain enough to know the cause of migraine",
because migraine triggers are actually known - it's food, hormones, weather, sound, light, smell, high altitude, too much or too little sleep, orgasm, BC pills, physical exertion, skipping meals, letdown period after stress, and stress is not a trigger per se but it aggravates other triggers.

And the fact that your migraine started in your 20ties is also very characteristic for this disease - migraine intensifies between the ages 20 and 50.

art-429665.fig1.jpg


Fuzzy
 
Liebling:-))) said:
No, I am the first person in the whole family who suffers migraine attack.
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It is proven migraines are genetic, although it's not the only 'cause' of them.
And you must remember there are migraines without headaches, so someone in your family could have migraine and not know it,
also - I am not sure if you have complete medical history from both sides of families farther than the second, or at best - third generation to be sure you are the only one..

Fuzzy
 
Kaitin said:
Me too.

Like Vallee, my migraines are less with exercise. If I don't run everyday or almost I get migraines.

But worst migraines are first day of vacation. Always. First day of vacation I relax, no stress, and I sleep late - headache! My brain likes stress I guess.:dunno2:
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It's more like sleeping longer than usual and skipping the first meal what is causes headache. In migraine sleeping in and missing the first meal even if it's only a cup of juice or coffee may cause blood sugar to drop too low and that may trigger migraine.

Fuzzy
 
Audiofuzzy said:
It's more like sleeping longer than usual and skipping the first meal what is causes headache. In migraine sleeping in and missing the first meal even if it's only a cup of juice or coffee may cause blood sugar to drop too low and that may trigger migraine.
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Maybe not with me. I was tested for hypoglycemia a few years ago and recorded my blood sugar - no migraine with low sugar, but migraine with good sugar.

Honest, reduce stress gives me migraine. My neurologist and ENT both say many patients get migraine on first day of vacation too - with any big change in stress, more or less, not just more sleep or not eating. My brain hates me maybe. :laugh2:

This is similar but not the same. My dad gives me medical articles with better information- change in stress levels can trigger or worsen migraine.

From eMedicine: Understanding and Changing the Impact of the Migraine Headache Cycle on Patient Lifestyle

Leisure headaches

Patients with migraine often report having leisure headaches or migraines during weekends or vacations. These patients report having a heavy workload, difficulties with the transition from work to nonwork situations, and stress associated with travel and vacation. Certain personality characteristics, such as an inability to adapt to nonwork situations, a high need for achievement, and a high sense of responsibility with respect to work, have been seen with such patients. Notwithstanding these personality traits, the threat of migraine during vacation and weekends looms large over these patients and causes much anticipation anxiety. These patients need to have an acute abortive treatment that provides rapid and complete relief. When planning a vacation, patients should consider potential vacation-related migraine triggers, including air travel and high altitude. Having to carry migraine medications at all times can be limiting and curtail the sense of spontaneity for adventur! ous individuals.

Not great information, sorry. I'm too tired to research. :)
 
Kaitin said:
Maybe not with me. I was tested for hypoglycemia a few years ago and recorded my blood sugar - no migraine with low sugar, but migraine with good sugar.

Honest, reduce stress gives me migraine. My neurologist and ENT both say many patients get migraine on first day of vacation too - with any big change in stress, more or less, not just more sleep or not eating. My brain hates me maybe. :laugh2:

This is similar but not the same. My dad gives me medical articles with better information- change in stress levels can trigger or worsen migraine.

From eMedicine: Understanding and Changing the Impact of the Migraine Headache Cycle on Patient Lifestyle

Leisure headaches

Patients with migraine often report having leisure headaches or migraines during weekends or vacations. These patients report having a heavy workload, difficulties with the transition from work to nonwork situations, and stress associated with travel and vacation. Certain personality characteristics, such as an inability to adapt to nonwork situations, a high need for achievement, and a high sense of responsibility with respect to work, have been seen with such patients. Notwithstanding these personality traits, the threat of migraine during vacation and weekends looms large over these patients and causes much anticipation anxiety. These patients need to have an acute abortive treatment that provides rapid and complete relief. When planning a vacation, patients should consider potential vacation-related migraine triggers, including air travel and high altitude. Having to carry migraine medications at all times can be limiting and curtail the sense of spontaneity for adventur! ous individuals.

Not great information, sorry. I'm too tired to research. :)
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I agree. I used to get migraines when I visited mom. I can relate. I agree I know my triggers and my aura. I understand when I need to do to not get a migraine. I can say most of it did not work for years. Medicine worked enough, but stress was my biggest problem. Also I know that I have not had a migraine since July 19th. That is worth it.
 
Kaitin said:
Maybe not with me. I was tested for hypoglycemia a few years ago and recorded my blood sugar - no migraine with low sugar, but migraine with good sugar.

Honest, reduce stress gives me migraine. My neurologist and ENT both say many patients get migraine on first day of vacation too - with any big change in stress, more or less, not just more sleep or not eating. My brain hates me maybe. :laugh2:

This is similar but not the same. My dad gives me medical articles with better information- change in stress levels can trigger or worsen migraine.

From eMedicine: Understanding and Changing the Impact of the Migraine Headache Cycle on Patient Lifestyle

Leisure headaches

Patients with migraine often report having leisure headaches or migraines during weekends or vacations. These patients report having a heavy workload, difficulties with the transition from work to nonwork situations, and stress associated with travel and vacation. Certain personality characteristics, such as an inability to adapt to nonwork situations, a high need for achievement, and a high sense of responsibility with respect to work, have been seen with such patients. Notwithstanding these personality traits, the threat of migraine during vacation and weekends looms large over these patients and causes much anticipation anxiety. These patients need to have an acute abortive treatment that provides rapid and complete relief. When planning a vacation, patients should consider potential vacation-related migraine triggers, including air travel and high altitude. Having to carry migraine medications at all times can be limiting and curtail the sense of spontaneity for adventur! ous individuals.

Not great information, sorry. I'm too tired to research. :)
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Sorry, I wasn't clear enough - I wasn't talking about some health conditions like hypoglicemia, diabetes but just normal regular sugar level fluctuations that are related to our diet and meal time.
If your body is used to have certain food at a certain time- for example Mon to Fri coffee at 7:30am - skipping this coffee on Sat and Sun will cause lower sugar level past 7:30 that normally it would be, and this in turn may trigger migraine episode. b ut that doesn't mean it's symptom of hypoglicemia - it is not.

As for stress and "let down" time after stress- it is also widely noticed that migraineurs for some reason are feeling worse due to relax than stress. It may be explained this way - if you are relaxed, your blood vessels usually widen, blood circulation slows down a bit, and dilatation is what causes migraine episode.

Fuzzy
 
Audiofuzzy said:
That goes without saying.


The exact cause of migraines is still unknown, although there are some hypothesis as to the cause, and it's most likely that migraine orginates in a brain stem. As researchers say, migraine is neurological disease based in genetic abnormality so yes, genetics play a role as well - and you are right, migraine can be inherited.
Hormones too are involved although they are not a cause of migraine.
I've never heard of brain lesions causing migraine - on the contrary, it's migraine who causes lesions in the brain.


Fuzzy
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Check with a neurologist. Soem migraines are caused by lesions. And there is only one brain stem. And hormonal imbalances are the preciptating factor for bring on a migraine of that variety, and therefore, are the cause of the manifestation of symptoms. And, hormones are not invovled in all cases of migraine. Some are caused by olifactory stimuli, some by visual stimuli.
 
Audiofuzzy said:
It is proven migraines are genetic, although it's not the only 'cause' of them.
And you must remember there are migraines without headaches, so someone in your family could have migraine and not know it,
also - I am not sure if you have complete medical history from both sides of families farther than the second, or at best - third generation to be sure you are the only one..

Fuzzy
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It hasn't been proven that migraines are genetic, but rather that there is simply a genetic link. And genetic illness has to start soemwhere, so perhaps she was the first generation.
 
Audiofuzzy said:
I think you've meant to say "we don't know brain enough to know the cause of migraine",
because migraine triggers are actually known - it's food, hormones, weather, sound, light, smell, high altitude, too much or too little sleep, orgasm, BC pills, physical exertion, skipping meals, letdown period after stress, and stress is not a trigger per se but it aggravates other triggers.

And the fact that your migraine started in your 20ties is also very characteristic for this disease - migraine intensifies between the ages 20 and 50.

art-429665.fig1.jpg


Fuzzy
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Not all migraines follow that pattern. Some children have migraines that are outgrown following puberty. Some adults have migraines that disappear post menopause. Some start with the menses, some begin much younger. There are gender differences in the patterns, as well as variations depending uponthe root cause. Some don't ever have migraines until they receive some sort of head injury. And some don't start until there is a change in other health factors.
 
Kaitin said:
Maybe not with me. I was tested for hypoglycemia a few years ago and recorded my blood sugar - no migraine with low sugar, but migraine with good sugar.

Honest, reduce stress gives me migraine. My neurologist and ENT both say many patients get migraine on first day of vacation too - with any big change in stress, more or less, not just more sleep or not eating. My brain hates me maybe. :laugh2:

This is similar but not the same. My dad gives me medical articles with better information- change in stress levels can trigger or worsen migraine.

From eMedicine: Understanding and Changing the Impact of the Migraine Headache Cycle on Patient Lifestyle


Leisure headaches

Patients with migraine often report having leisure headaches or migraines during weekends or vacations. These patients report having a heavy workload, difficulties with the transition from work to nonwork situations, and stress associated with travel and vacation. Certain personality characteristics, such as an inability to adapt to nonwork situations, a high need for achievement, and a high sense of responsibility with respect to work, have been seen with such patients. Notwithstanding these personality traits, the threat of migraine during vacation and weekends looms large over these patients and causes much anticipation anxiety. These patients need to have an acute abortive treatment that provides rapid and complete relief. When planning a vacation, patients should consider potential vacation-related migraine triggers, including air travel and high altitude. Having to carry migraine medications at all times can be limiting and curtail the sense of spontaneity for adventur! ous individuals.

Not great information, sorry. I'm too tired to research. :)
Click to expand...

When stress is reduced, the levels of a hormone called cortisol drop int he blood stream. This drop in cortisol can trigger the migraine.
 
I found a interesting article about different migraines. I know some migraine have auras, some don't. But I didn't know so many subtypes.

From Grand Rounds Presentation, UTMB, Dept. of Otolaryngology: Migraine

There are several migraine subtypes which may be preceded by auras as well. The basilar type migraine affects the brainstem and patients can suffer dysarthria, vertigo, diplopia, tinnitus, hearing loss and ataxia. The visual symptoms are more likely to be bilateral. In ocular or retinal migraines, patients develop unilateral scotomata or blindness that lasts less than an hour. Hemiplegic migraine is associated with familial migraine syndromes and is manifested by motor and sensory symptoms that completely recover sometime after the headache has resolved. Menstrual migraines occur in the days spanning two days prior to and three days after the onset of menstruation 3.

Migrainous vertigo is a migraine subtype in which vertigo may be the prevailing or sole symptom 3. Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood is thought to be its early manifestation in which patients develop sudden vertigo attacks and go on to develop migraines at a later age (usually without aura). Patients report both spontaneous and positional vertigo with varied duration and sometimes subtle association with more common migraine symptoms. The IHS does not recognize migrainous vertigo as a distinct entity.

Maybe different subtypes because different problem with different cause and different brain location.
 
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jillio said:
When stress is reduced, the levels of a hormone called cortisol drop int he blood stream. This drop in cortisol can trigger the migraine.
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Interesting. I didn't know about cortisol and migraine. :ty:, Jillio!
 
jillio said:
Check with a neurologist. Soem migraines are caused by lesions. And there is only one brain stem. And hormonal imbalances are the preciptating factor for bring on a migraine of that variety, and therefore, are the cause of the manifestation of symptoms. And, hormones are not invovled in all cases of migraine. Some are caused by olifactory stimuli, some by visual stimuli.
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Links, please about lesion causing migraine.
And where did I said there is more than one brain stem?

Hormonal migraines are migraines than occur only during menstruation and sometimes ovulation, but it doesn't mean that these hormones "cause" migraine- the "cause" is still neurological.
It is not clear what exact role these hormones play in migraine but one thing is sure- a big role, since three times more women than men suffer with it.
Migraines are never caused by oflactory or visual stimuli - these are just TRIGGERS.

Fuzzy
 
Audiofuzzy said:
Links, please about lesion causing migraine.
And where did I said there is more than one brain stem?

Hormonal migraines are migraines than occur only during menstruation and sometimes ovulation, but it doesn't mean that these hormones "cause" migraine- the "cause" is still neurological.
It is not clear what exact role these hormones play in migraine but one thing is sure- a big role, since three times more women than men suffer with it.
Migraines are never caused by oflactory or visual stimuli - these are just TRIGGERS.

Fuzzy
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Look in any medical test, or consult a neurologist. Do you have links to support your information? I think not. And the trigger causes the symptoms to manifest. Does one have a migraine without symptoms? Get real, Fuzzy. And, hormonal changes other than those assoicated with menstuation have also been linked to migraines.
 
Kaitin said:
I found a interesting article about different migraines. I know some migraine have auras, some don't. But I didn't know so many subtypes.

From Grand Rounds Presentation, UTMB, Dept. of Otolaryngology: Migraine

There are several migraine subtypes which may be preceded by auras as well. The basilar type migraine affects the brainstem and patients can suffer dysarthria, vertigo, diplopia, tinnitus, hearing loss and ataxia. The visual symptoms are more likely to be bilateral. In ocular or retinal migraines, patients develop unilateral scotomata or blindness that lasts less than an hour. Hemiplegic migraine is associated with familial migraine syndromes and is manifested by motor and sensory symptoms that completely recover sometime after the headache has resolved. Menstrual migraines occur in the days spanning two days prior to and three days after the onset of menstruation 3.

Migrainous vertigo is a migraine subtype in which vertigo may be the prevailing or sole symptom 3. Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood is thought to be its early manifestation in which patients develop sudden vertigo attacks and go on to develop migraines at a later age (usually without aura). Patients report both spontaneous and positional vertigo with varied duration and sometimes subtle association with more common migraine symptoms. The IHS does not recognize migrainous vertigo as a distinct entity.

Maybe different subtypes because different problem with different cause and different brain location.
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There are two main types of migraine - migraine with aura, it used to be called "classic migraine",
and migraine without aura, it used to be called "common migraine".

Migraine with aura (or formerly classic migraine) is rarer form of migraine - only about 20%-30% people with migraine.

Other types of migraine like basilar, hemiplegic, acephalgic, abdominal - are even less common.
There is also certain type of headache called cluster headache.

While they are many different names for various types of migraine, the only ones that are recognized as "true" are those by IHS (International Headache Society).

Fuzzy
 
jillio said:
Look in any medical test, or consult a neurologist. Do you have links to support your information? I think not. And the trigger causes the symptoms to manifest. Does one have a migraine without symptoms? Get real, Fuzzy. And, hormonal changes other than those assoicated with menstuation have also been linked to migraines.
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Of course I have, looks like you don't. What information do you want me support with links, please? I'll be too happy to provide links.

Show me any link, any article that supports your opinion that brain lesions cause migraine disease.

The trigger starts the chain reaction that leds to migraine episode = head pain, nausea/vomiting, tremors, cold sweats, fast heartbeat, etc., even seizures and blackout in severe cases.

Does one have migraine without symptoms? ABSOLUTELY. Migraine is neurological disease with many symptoms, headache is only one of them and does not have to be present, and like in epilepsy the temporary absence of symptoms does not mean you don't have migraine. One have migraine all the time, but not neccessarily symptoms.

What "other hormonal changes" do you have in mind? be specific, because when you say "hormonal migraine" it usually reffers to the "menstrual migraine" that occurs only during menstruation and, yes, sometimes ovulation, but never at any other time,
and is related to natural changes in estrogen and progesteron levels that happen during monthly cycle.

If you have in mind also serotonin and norepinerphine and other hormones those are not exclusive to menstruation, (although serotonin is thought to uniquely react with female hormones which is one of the causes that more women than men suffer with migraines). bu like I've said it is not exclusive to menstrual cycle headaches.

There is of course HRT linked to migraines, BC pills are linked to migraine, even 'thyroid' is linked to migraine but so is many other things like PFO, MVP, some autoimmune diseases, depression, bi-polar disorder, but that does not mean these "cause" migraine. usually these conditions are co-morbid.

Fuzzy
 
Miss-Delectable said:
I believe in most cases, migraines are genetic. But it could be caused by stress, too.

When I was in elementary school, I'd get headache every single Monday, no kidding, and often had to go to bed like before dinner. I recall sometimes I'd go to bed at 4.30 or so and sleep through the night until morning.

Then as I got older, I'd get migraines but headaches has not happened as much. However, I agree with you all that migraine are quite painful and it's like someone's stabbing you in the temple or wherever.

My mum'd have really bad case of migraines where she'd be abed for days on end, vomiting and stuff. Thankfully it has reduced mostly now.

Val, that's great about how much your occurence of migraines has lessened.

Shel, I hope the medication'd work for your migraines.
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well said, and I agree with you 110% on the dot. Headhahce and migraines can cause any numbers of problems how it happens. :)
 
The latest scope on migraine says that stress, suprisingly, is not a migraine trigger by itself but just an exacerbating factor.

Stress is thought to aggravate other triggers, but not be a trigger itself.
The way for example you can not get a flu from stress alone, but your immune system is weakened during period of stress and thus more susceptible to fail.

Is stress a Migraine trigger or not?
Migraine - Is Stress a Migraine Trigger?

It sounds logical to me...


Fuzzy
 
 
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