Category Archives: Headaches

Migraines – More and Longer Attacks Might Mean Early Hardening of Arteries

Intimal carotid artery thickening was seen in migraine sufferers with more and longer attacks.

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Simple Test For Medication Overuse Headaches

Medication overuse (not opioids in this study) is implicated in  chronic daily headaches.  A simple screening questionnaire has been devised to suggest this is a problem.

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Tryptan Plus NSAID – Not as Great as One Would Like For Migraine Relief

Sumatriptan (Imetrix) 85 mg plus Sodium Naproxen (like Aleve or Anaprox) 500 mg gave 29% – 2 hour painfree response and 24% sustained 24 hour painfree response yet 62% were satisfied/very satisfied.

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Think Sinus Headache? – Try a Tryptan and See

82% of cases diagnosed as sinus headahces will respond significantly to tryptans.; but take heart – I think it could be a double crunch

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Proof of Cervical- Trigeminal Convergence

Two cases of cluster headahces with drropy eye. Droopy eye rapidly disappeared with occipital nerve block confirming association of cervical and trigeminal systems

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Quick Fix For Headaches – Repeated Nerve Supraorbital, Infraorbital, and Occipital Nerve Blocks – and What To Do For The Very Bad

Series of 3 simple eyebrow, just below eye and bottom of skull posterior injections can give long-lasting relief of headaches. Now, just to get family doctors to pick up a syringe…

Posted in Headaches, Injection | 2 Comments

Need Help with Headache Sufferer – and Headache Convergence Site Good Pic

Good pic on how neck, scalp, occipital nerves, trigeminal nerves and face all impact on migraines and lady with nummular headache in posterior scalp ended up activating this convergence.

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Quick Questionnaire For Cluster Headache

Three simple questions have a  sensitivity of 53.8%  and a specificity  of 88.9% for cluster headache.

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Epicrania fugax – Like a Trigeminal Neuralgia of the Scalp

Have a case of lancinating severe jabs to right top of head. She had them before but they have recently returned. There was no trigger zone, no tenderness, and occipital, temporal and supraorbital nerve trunks were nontender. Write up on subject … Continue reading

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Chronic Migraines – Botulinum Helps

Repeated OnabotulinumtoxinA shots can reduce chronic migraine headache frequency from 20 headaches/month to 10/month.

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Easy Control For Bad Menstrual Cramps, Restless Legs in Fibromyalgia, and Occipital Migraines – Using Ivory Scent Oil

Ivory Scent oil patches were found to give quick relief for menstrual cramps and when applied to leg, for restless legs My Daughter and I are doing a survey of women with Fibromylagia. If you have Fibromyalgia, could you be … Continue reading

Posted in gynecologic, Headaches, Leg Pains, Topical Pain Treatments | Leave a comment

New Hope For Some Chronic Migraine Sufferers – Occipital Nerve Stim

39% of chronic migraine cases will achieve over a 50% improvement with adjustable occipital stimulation – but not with static stim

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Is Fibromyalgia a Mast Cell Disease – like some “somatization diseases” such as migraine, TMJ, irritable bowel, and interstitial cystitis

Sorry – trying to change fonts has duplicated some areas… It is become increasingly clear that so-called “somatization” “psychosomatic” diseases are associated with abnormal concentrations of mast cells – guardians of  peripheral sensitization and also carriers of allergy reactions such as hives. … Continue reading

Posted in Abdominal pain, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, Interstial Cystitis/Gynecologic, mast cell disease | 8 Comments

What Can One Expect From Amitriptyline and Topiramate For Headaches?

Study compared the two agents and found their effects comparable except topiramate offered better some quality of life

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Post Dural Puncture Headache Relieved by Occipital Nerve Blocks

After having a spinal, persistent headaches can occur from leaking spinal fluid through the hole requiring an injection of partient’s blood to be injected to “dural patch” the hole. Now was case resolved by just injection local into back scalp … Continue reading

Posted in Headaches, Injection | 2 Comments

New Hope For Chronic Daily Headaches – Continuous Infusions of Dihydroergotamine

Repeated IV infusions of DHE (dihydroegotamine) is the standard treatment for breaking transformed migraines (into chronic daily headaches). Unfortunately, arranging patient to be seen every 8 hours is just not viable in our community. Now a continuous infusion protocol may … Continue reading

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When to Use Opioids in Chronic Headaches

Afraid the “College” will get on your back for giving opioids to someone with chronic headaches? Can’t get your doctor to listen that you have no quality of life with your headaches? Well here are some guidelines (Not rules – … Continue reading

Posted in Drugs, Headaches | 1 Comment

Migraines More Common in Celiac Disease (Which Could Still Have Normal Biopsy)

5.5 % of children with migraine were found to have elevated tTGA antibodies. They were considered Potential Celiac Disease [CD] despite normal duodenal biopsies. It is suggested “These patients might develop villous atrophy on repeated biopsies performed 1–4 years later … Continue reading

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Got a Sinus Infection? Try a Migraine Triptan.

Cases with “sinus headaches” but negative workup were found to respond to tripans used for migraines 82% of time. 31% cases didn’t by into idea migraine and refused to be part of the study from the start – maybe, however, … Continue reading

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New Relief For Chronic One Sided Headaches

A new wonder of technology has created a new suboccipital stimulator at 1/12th the size of previous! It has been found useful for chronic one sided headache called chronic hemicrania for which indomethacin has been the mainstay of treatment

Posted in Headaches, Mechanical aids | 1 Comment

IV meds For Migraine and Approach For Resistant Cases

Recent article found both regimens below equal efficacy: prochlorperazine 10 mg and diphenhydranate 25 mg intravenously metoclopramide 20 mg and diphenhydranate 25 mg intravenously “Three quarters of subjects in both arms would want the same medication for their next migraine.”

Posted in Headaches, IV therapy | 1 Comment

New Treatment for Chronic Daily Headaches – Mexiletine

Chronic daily headahces has to be the bane of most doctors frustrated by fact use of painkillers will potentially only make things worse. Now it looks like Mexiletine may help but …the patient has to be prepared to accept side … Continue reading

Posted in Drugs, Headaches | 6 Comments

Migraine treatment options

Some years ago, I came across a graph, that explained some migraine treatments options. I found it handy to show patients but have upgraded it. The original graph was this: Therapeutic gain of migraine prophylaxis compared to placebo. Graph shows … Continue reading

Posted in Headaches | 2 Comments

Finger pressure can relieve many migraine headaches

Over three minute pressure to occipital arteries can greatly relieve migraine pain in over 1/2 of cases; almost sounds too good to be true.

Posted in Headaches | 11 Comments

Mast Cells Implicated in Migraines

Recent findings that mast cells may trigger migraines has significant implications on cause and treatment. Mast cells play a key role in Peripheral Sensitization – Neurogenic Inflammation where tissues become overly tender and swollen. They are, however, a cornerstone of … Continue reading

Posted in Headaches | 5 Comments