Headaches

I have long thought that I have a lot of inflammation in my body, which is why I still have a headache, and was brought on by the sinus infection caused by removing my wisdom teeth. New research by Dr. Todd Rozen, at the Michigan Head Pain and Neurological Institute, suggests that almost all NDPH patients have an elevated level of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). As about 30% of NDPH patients have their headaches start after an infection or illness, the possibility of a persistent state of systemic or central nervous system (CNS) inflammation comes into question. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in brain immune and inflammatory activities, as well as in pain initiation. Elevation of CSF TNF α levels has been found in a select number of … Read more

Dr. Pamela Blake, of Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital in Houston, has pioneered a new minimally invasive surgery for patients with chronic daily headaches. She said that usually, the headaches aren’t migraines or tension headaches, but, rather, an irritation of one or more of the nerves that emanate from the back of the skull.  Blake said the results are good for the more than 100 operations she has supervised. “About 64 percent of patients had a greater than 50 percent reduction of their headaches after surgery,” she said.  While I personally think these numbers are good I don’t think chronic headache sufferers should run to see her.  It’s important to try out other treatments before considering surgery. You may want to try out medication or in the case of rebound headache, ease off of your medications. There are many other options … Read more