Headaches

Target specific brain cells to help with neuropathic pain

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Researchers from Rutgers University have explored treating chronic neuropathic pain which affects over 1 million Americans. Neuropathic pain results when nerve damage is caused due to injury, surgery or a some disease. Researchers showed that pain could be reduced in animals when microglia brain cells are targeted which are supposed to provide immunity. The researchers say that the microglia brain cells are supposed to be beneficial to the nervous system but in those with neuropathic pain these cells known as microglia have proliferated and instead become toxic. The researchers say that if they catch the injury within one to five days to inhibit microglia after nerve injury the development of chronic pain can be partially reversed. Neuropathic pain persists after the nerve has healed and is often resistant to normal pain medications. In lab mice the researchers used chemotherapy drugs to prohibit the microglia brain immune … Read more

Diseases that causes rashes on the skin can trigger neurological problems

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An interesting chapter titled “Acquired neurocutaneous disorders” which appeared last year discusses how diseases that cause rashes and skin problems can trigger neuroglical conditions such as migraine headaches and strokes. The article was published in Handbook of Clinical Neurology by three authors affiliated with the Department of Neurology of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. The authors say that a variety of neurological diseases have skin related manifestations that precede, coincide with or follow neurologic findings. A few of the diseases described in the article that cause both skin and neurological problems are: Sjögren syndrome. Sjögren syndrome is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks its own tissues. The most common skin problem Sjögren syndrome causes is xerosis which causes dull, itchy skin with a fine, white bran-like scale. Neurologic problems caused by Sjögren syndrome include aphasia (inability to talk … Read more

Migraine in Children Can Lead to Reduced Performance in School

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In an article titled “Migraine and migraine subtypes in preadolescent children Association with school performance,” appearing in Neurology in 2012 by Marco A. Arruda and Marcelo E. Bigal, a discussion is made that children with migraine may have below average school performance than kids who do not have headaches. The study looked at 5,671 children ages 5 to 12 from Brazil and found that those with migraine were 30% more likely to have below average school performance than those children with no headaches. The researchers collected information from the student’s teachers on their performance and also completed a questionnaire screening for emotional and behavioral problems. Further, the researchers interviewed parents of the students from medical history and other potential useful information. Of the 5,671 children around 0.6% had chronic migraine occurring 15 or more days per month and 9% had … Read more

Acheiving Optimal Peformance with Biofeedback and Neurofeedback

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 I came across an interesting discussion about biofeedback in the journal called Biofeedback. I have experience with biofeedback and have discussed some of this here http://www.teethremoval.com/biofeedback.html. The article presents the narrative of a young cellist who is able to realize the potential of his talent and also able to eliminate migraine headaches. William, the name young musician described in the article, sought relief from migraine headaches that were affecting him almost daily. His therapy, however, did not take the approach of treating the headaches, but of focusing on William as a person and as a performer. By improving his functionality, working through moments of obsessiveness, self-criticism, fear, and anxiety, the headaches could also be resolved. William used sensors to read his brainwaves using software which gave feedback to the brain through a visual display and sound. This technology is able … Read more

Headaches after Traumatic Brain Injury Highest in Adolescents and Girls

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A recent study has been conducted by the Seattle Children’s Research Institute and appeared in Pediatrics, vol 129, number 1, January 2012, pages 1 to 9, titled Headache After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: A Cohort Study, wirtten by Heidi K. Blume and et al. The article discusses how in the adult population 18% to 33% of those who suffer from traumatic brain injury suffer from headaches 1 year after the injury. In the child population most of the investigations conducted have been small, retrospective, lacked a control, or involved only short term follow up. Chronic headaches with children are associated with interference in social function, parental productivity, and poor quality of life. The study randomly selected 1507 patients with TBI and 495 controls with arm injury (AI) for the study. However, some patients were not reachable, others were inegligible, and … Read more