No magic bullet for migraines - Effective treatment varies from patient to patient

by **Tee** Sun Jul 31, 2011 2:14 am

By TARA PARKER-POPE The New York Times
Sat, Jul 30

Migraines can be debilitating for those who suffer from them. Treatment ranges from healthful lifestyle choices to drugs.

The news that the U.S. presidential candidate Michele Bachmann suffers from severe migraines has touched off a discussion about a surprisingly common disorder that is little understood and often undertreated.

Migraine patients are coming forward with their stories. And while each one is different, they have two common threads: suffering and trying to cope.

For some, a migraine represents throbbing head pain and nausea so severe they retreat to a darkened room for a day or more. For others, it’s about a scary moment, driving on the highway when a migraine-induced aura or vision change forces them to pull over.

"Imagine someone having driven a nail straight through your head," said Craig Partridge, 50, chief scientist for a high-tech research company in East Lansing, Mich., who began having migraines in his late teens. "And then they periodically tap on it to remind you it’s there. It’s that painful."

More than 10 per cent of adults and children suffer from migraines — which is three times as common in women and girls as in men and boys — and the Migraine Research Foundation reports that nearly a quarter of households are affected. The World Health Organization ranks migraine among the top 20 most debilitating health conditions; more than 90 per cent of sufferers are unable to work or function normally during an attack, which can last for hours or even days.

Some sufferers say the attacks are so debilitating they couldn’t imagine taking on a job with significant responsibility.

But others note that years of experience and new drug treatments have helped them find ways to cope. Some say the condition forced them to take better care of themselves and adopt healthful behaviours, like getting enough sleep and learning to manage stress.

Partridge has learned to avoid caffeine and bright lights, and is vigilant about wearing sunglasses in strong sunlight. Years of taking ibuprofen to treat headaches led to an ulcer. Eventually, he learned that a magnesium supplement reduced the frequency of his headaches, and now he gets only about three a year.

"As far as I can tell, everyone is a little different," he said. "Some people have auras, but I never had auras. I get tunnel vision. My tongue starts to get heavy and I have trouble talking."

Kat Smith, a 47-year-old mother of three in Bryn Mawr, Pa., never experienced migraines until a bike accident in her 20s. Then, after the birth of her son, she had them "regularly and fiercely" about 12 times a month. She discovered that small amounts of alcohol and vigorous physical activity acted as a trigger.

"I was a fairly carefree person, but I became rigid, very disciplined with myself," she said. "It seemed I had to eliminate things that other people associated with joy."

She adapted, giving up ice hockey and aerobics and switching to yoga. But sometimes she pushes her limits. This weekend she took part in a vigorous dance class and was punished with a migraine.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Science/1255782.html

by **Tee** Sat Sep 17, 2011 2:57 am

Just spoken to someone who is having great results from Resolution Magic.

It is a programme of mental exercises to make unwanted feelings and physical symptoms disappear...... Has anyone ever tried this?

http://www.resolutionmagic.com/