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Headache Causes Difficulty Tuning out Visuals

Posted on 14. May, 2010 by wisdom.

A recent study from researchers from Scotland’s Glasgow Caledonian University has come out with implications for headache sufferers. The research suggests migraine sufferers even when they do not have a headache may process visual cues better in an environment with few visual distractions.

The study demonstrated migraine sufferers with auras were the actually the most affected by the addition of visual noise.

This research has practical implications for those who suffer from headache and migraine. It may thus be best to avoid environments with a lot of visual distractions. This can included several TV and computer screens along with loud noises.

D. Wagner, V. Manahilov, G. Loffler, G. E. Gordon, G. N. Dutton. Visual Noise Selectively Degrades Vision in Migraine. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 2009; 51 (4): 2294.

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Todd Rozen – Geisinger

Posted on 15. Aug, 2009 by wisdom.

Dr. Todd Rozen, who was formerly at the Michigan Head Pain and Neurological Institute has moved to Geisinger Health System in Danville, PA.

I saw Dr. Rozen several times while he was located in the midwest, since it was in driving distance. However now that he is in Pennsylvania, driving is out of the question and I don’t think I will be seeing him anymore. This is unfortunate since he is without a doubt the best doctor I have seen thus far.

I am not quite sure why he made the move as many at MHNI are quite upset. However, others in PA must be happy for the opportunity to possibly get treated for NDPH and their chronic headache conditions. I just thought I would make an update in case you missed it.

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Gene Linked to Increased Heart Disease in Migraine Women

Posted on 11. Nov, 2008 by wisdom.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death and stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Women who experience migraine with aura appear to be at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke if they have a certain gene.

For the study, researchers followed 25,001 Caucasian women for the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and ischemic stroke. About 18 percent of the women in the study had a history of migraine while 40 percent of those with active migraine reported migraine with aura. Migraine with aura can be described as neurological symptoms that usually last for about 30 minutes and most often lead to visual disturbances. The women were also tested for a certain gene variant in the methyleneterahydrofolate reductase gene.

During a 12-year follow-up period, 625 cardiovascular disease events occurred.

The study found that women who had both the gene variant and migraine with aura had more than three times the risk of cardiovascular disease, which was driven by four times the risk for stroke compared with women who did not have the gene variant and no history of migraine.

“This gene by itself does not appear to increase the risk for overall and for specific cardiovascular disease, but rather this research suggests a possible connection between the gene variant and migraine with aura. While it is too early to start testing young women with migraine with aura for this gene variant, more focused research will help us to understand these complex links and will help us to potentially develop preventative strategies,” said study author Tobias Kurth, MD, ScD.

“Doctors should try to reduce heart disease risk factors and advise young women who experience migraine with aura not to smoke and to consider birth control pill alternatives as these increase the risk of ischemic vascular problems,” said Kurth.

Adapted from Materials by the American Academy of Neurology.

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Root Canal Triggers Headache

Posted on 06. Aug, 2008 by wisdom.

I found an interesting article the other day written by a Chiropractor and describing how myofascial trigger points can mimic signs and symptoms of a neurological disease.

The case describes the patient as the following.

“A 44-year-old female, an office manager for a dentist for eight years, was referred by an EENT specialist with a chief complaint of headaches (HA), with a six- to eight-year history of HA and facial pain. Although all of her symptoms were usually on the right side of the face and head, the HA occasionally became bilateral when very intense. The facial pain was always located on the right. Once started, her symptoms lasted anywhere from four to ten hours. The only thing she remembers that may have triggered the onset was dental work done within six months of the start of the symptoms-several fillings and a root canal, all on the right side. Initially, the symptom was a pain in the upper molars, which appeared to be another cavity. Over the next few years, however, the pain developed into HA and facial pain.”

The article goes on to describe the different types of neuralgias that most closely resemble the symptoms experienced by the patient. Eventually myofascial triggers points were determined to be the cause.

“The patient was treated four times with adjustments to the cervical spine and intra-oral ischemic compression of the pterygoids. After the second treatment, her headaches and facial symptoms had disappeared. Eight months later, the headaches have not returned.”

To learn more and read the full article by Ronald Henninger which appeared in the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association in June 2002 visit the following link on the signs that mimic neurological disease.

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Pheochromocytoma

Posted on 27. May, 2008 by wisdom.

I am not sure how many of you who have headache problems have heard of pheochromocytoma, it is a tumor of the adrenal gland. This can cause the following symptoms:

Headaches (severe)
Excess sweating (generalized)
Racing heart (tachycardia and palpitations)
Anxiety / nervousness (feelings of impending death)
Nervous shaking (tremors)
Pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen
Nausea (with or without nausea)
Weight loss
Heat intolerance

It is rare and typically is not even found until an autopsy after death. If you believe you may have a pheochromocytoma than I would strongly recommend a 24 hour urine test to test for catacholamines. This test measures different types of adrenaline to see if they are out of normal levels. I personally had this test done but all of my catacholamines were within normal ranges.

You could also get an MRI scan done to look at your kidneys.

To find out more information I suggest the following site. http://www.endocrineweb.com/pheo.html

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