Is Your Migraine in Your Face?

What I mean is… are migraines part of your genetic facial blueprint? Can you tell just by looking at people whether they are migraine sufferers?

I decided to find out and look up face readers and came across a video about a lady who can tell you your life’s purpose just by looking at your face.

She says that your blueprint is indeed written all over your face and if you knew how to decipher it, your face will reveal to you your life’s purpose. She also claims that face reading will give you an immediate understanding of your client, boss, coworker, friends and family. Her name is Naomi Tickle and has been on CNN, NBC and Good Morning America talking about Personology. It’s a fantastic tool to validate yourself and to understand other people better, she says.

I was intrigued (I love to learn) and the skeptic in me decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. I was also curious to see if she would talk about specific conditions, such as migraines. The lecture was very interesting and for the most part illuminating for me, personally.

She talked about what the size and shape of the head, ears, eyes, nose, and forehead meant in terms of your personality and admitted that she only touched on general characteristics in an hour which if she were to go in details, would be 92.

For example she talks about how people with eyes that are closely set don’t like tardiness, are detail oriented and are a bit intense while those with a wide set eyes are very easy to get along with and more relaxed. Exposed eyelids when your eyes are open means that you are a person that cuts to the chase and will interrupt or get irritated if whoever you are listening to, takes too long to get to the point. While she quickly pointed out that when she worked with one set of clientele for example in prisons, there are no features that are common to ‘criminals’, it is possible to tell if someone is competitive, wants harmony, is unpredictable or if someone had an ear for music.

Here’s the link to the lecture I listened to.

(if the above doesn’t appear as a link, cut and paste in another window).

I found myself wondering if these were the set of features for migraine sufferers?

I browsed through her website (what else would you be doing on a Sunday?) to see if she writes about migraines.

Nothing on migraines but I found out that face reading is indeed a very ancient skill. Aristotle had one of the first known system for understanding faces. Since then the skills have been rediscovered many times during the past 4000 years.

According to Naomi, I have one of those noses that like to get to the bottom of things, so I sent her an email to ask her that very question, not really expecting a reply until possibly sometime next week by one of her staff. To my surprise she answered in less than 20 minutes and here is an extract of what she wrote:

Hello Sile,
There is no feature in the face that indicates some people may suffer from migraines. It may be people with close set eyes focus on situations until they are bigger than life. Plus they find it hard to turn off from the anxiety. The close set eye could indicate you tend to worry more on that side. This would also indicate one of your parents is less tolerant than the other.

I also noticed your teeth slant inwards which indicates someone who keeps their feelings to themselves. This is a habit that is formed when people shut themselves off. Orthodontists have tried to correct this, but until the behavior or thinking pattern has changed then the teeth will stay that way. The latter is a developed trait.

You might observe when people share with you they suffer from migraines, if they have close set eyes. My daughter suffers occasionally from migraines and she has close set eyes and a big worrier. She takes after my husbands side of the family and I believe my sister-in-law who has the same trait also suffers from migraines. One would have to do a study of at least 100-500 people before coming to any conclusion.

Ok, so no conclusive evidence but maybe there is something to Personology. What do you think? How closely set are your eyes, how much of a perfectionist are you, how much do you worry in a week? Please leave a comment below and let’s get a discussion started.

One thing for sure is that I am now a fan of Naomi who has the best customer service of any celebrity/expert I’ve seen so far!

For more information on Naomi Tickle and personology, here’s her website http://www.naomitickle.com

Is Your Medication Giving You Migraines?

When you feel that throbbing pain on one side of your face, the first thing you do is reach for your migraine medication, certainly not natural migraine relief products. After all, you think that migraines medication will get rid of your migraine faster than anything else and you certainly don’t want to waste a day cowering in pain. But if you’re experiencing migraine headaches more often or your migraines are getting steadily worse, your pain relief pills could be to blame.

Taking too many pain medications too often – as little as three times a week or 10 times a month – can put your migraines in a rebound cycle. Your body becomes accustomed to the pain medication being in your system, so when it wears off, you start to get another headache – prompting you to take more medication. Any painkiller can cause rebound headaches, though doctors think that drugs containing caffeine, aspirin and acetaminophen, and ergotamines and triptans carry the most risk.

Migraines on the rebound!

How can you tell if you’re suffering from rebound headaches? Most patients with rebound migraines experience low-grade headaches almost continuously. Many wake up with their head already hurting. Some find that their headaches get worse within a few hours of taking medication.

If you’re experiencing frequent migraines while taking pain medication, your best option is to go cold turkey – stop taking painkillers, and you will break the rebound cycle. Of course, giving up pain medication makes many patients nervous. Migraines are excruciating, and facing them without medication can seem like a terrifying prospect.

However, some all-natural remedies can provide relief without creating the rebound cycle caused by over-the-counter and prescription medications. Lipigesic-M, a migraine pain reliever, uses a unique sublingual delivery method to send its medicinal ingredients into the bloodstream quickly for fast relief. The individually packaged dosages contain migraine-fighting ingredients, including feverfew and ginger. Best of all, none of the ingredients are associated with rebound headaches, so you can relieve your migraine pain without worrying about making your headaches worse.

For more information, visit www.lipigesic.com.

Can Magnets Melt Away Migraines?

Firstly it’s been a while since I posted on my blog – the main reason has been my book which I’m writing and rewriting and rewriting… I’m told I suffer from another much under discussed debilitating condition called ‘perfectionism’ which has had me hum and haw over every sentence… but I think I’m getting better… and naturally so too!

I’ve promised myself and some friends that asked me that I’ll have the book out on this website by the end of this month. Yay!

Back to Magnets…

I’ve read in numerous articles how magnets can help migraine sufferers naturally. Since I haven’t tried it myself, I was wondering if anyone out there has – and can tell me about it so that I know if it is worth blogging about for everyone, from a personal perspective.

On the subject of magnets, I’ve taken an excerpt from another migraine blog (www.migraine.org.uk) on a study published recently in the journal The Lancet Neurology, and it suggests that a hand-held device that fires a magnetic pulse to the back of the head may offer new hope to migraine suffers.

In tests, the single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (sTMS) machine delivered pain relief for up to 48 hours with no noticeable side effects. Researchers used a portable device to apply magnetic pulses to the scalps of volunteer patients suffering attacks with aura.

201 patients were included in the study and were randomly assigned to receive either sham or a real machine treatment. Of the 164 patients who treated at least one attack, 39% from the device group were pain free after two hours compared with 22% from the sham group.

The study was led by Dr Richard Lipton from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

ooo000ooo

What I’d like to know is if anyone has tried it? And to what effect?!

Hugs to you all

How Graham Got Rid of His Migraines

Every January, I go to Orlando to recharge my batteries – not by going to Disneyland but by attending the Wizard course (www.wizardcourse.com).

It’s so awesome to hang out with over 3,000 Avatar Masters around the world all of whom are interested in taking more personal responsibility for their lives. Exploring my mental blueprint in 2005 was my first step to a fuller life, a life without migraines and I haven’t looked back since.

I met an good friend and kindred spirit I never met. What I mean is that I had never met him in person. I had chatted with him, knew what he looked like, shared migraine stories but we had never spoken to each other. We were facebook friends.

He had told me that like me, he used the Avatar tools to get rid of his migraines. So I asked him if he would write something for my blog viewers who suffer from migraines and who want to get rid of them. He said he didn’t know what or how to write something inspiring. I asked him just to tell his story (and asked and asked and asked until finally..!) here it is:

Dear Sile,

Here’s the piece, you’ve asked me to write… sorry, it’s been a long time coming.  I’m not a writer, really, so I put off  putting pen to paper. Anyway, here it is.  I like the idea of sharing my story on the internet if it means that more people will know that with the right training, they can get control over their migraines. I can still hardly believe it myself when I think about it.

Back to the beginning:

Migraines. The word itself put the fear into the biggest of man. My first contact with it was as a child not understanding it. I think I was about 10 years old. My mother had it and when she did she would tell my father that she would go into her room, lock the door, drew the curtains and we didn’t see her for days. I sat outside the door and listened to her as she sobbed herself to sleep.

I now know that from an early age I started getting migraines even though I didn’t know they were migraines because they were different to what most people complain about. I didn’t actually have the pain and still don’t. I got the numbness, lack of any feeling in my arms, legs and face and my words and speech would start to slow down. It was like my body would shut down. I was paralysed.

My father put it down to growing pains and didn’t give it any attention all these years. I don’t blame him though, as he didn’t know any better.

As an adult, I was afraid of driving long journeys for fear that if I got a migraine mid journey, I would put my family at risk. I’m over 45 now so I’ve had this a long long time. I carried pills with me, had an inhaler and when I felt a migraine coming on, I would have to stop what I was doing, pop some pills and press my head down on the (cold) ground until I felt fine again. Not the sort of thing you want to do in the middle of business meetings or if you are driving. But that was the only thing that helped me cope and feel better.

Until…

This time last year, I  did an Avatar course (www.avatarepc.com) which is all about looking at your own belief system and how you feel about the world we live in and how we can shape our future the way we want.  I loved it and continued to do the Masters course in the summer in Germany. Well, in the middle of the course, I had a migraine and as everyone knows too well, the panic started to set in which always made the problem worse. I wanted to leave course immediately. One of the trainers, John, came over to me gave me a specific exercise to do which was about deliberately directing my attention in a specific way. I did it for 20 minutes and the numbness vanished and it was ok for me to carry on the day. That was my first and fastest experience of getting on top of my migraines. In the last year I just did this exercise when I felt a migraine setting in and I’d get better faster and faster. Just knowing this makes me much more relaxed. And I know I am getting more and more in control of it.

I would never have believed it if you just explained it to me. I had to try it myself and it worked and was one of the best tools I’ve learned (and not just for migraines because I don’t think about them too much anymore)!

Lots of love,

Graham

PS I’ve thrown away my inhaler but still keep my pills in my bag, just in case. But before you ask, I haven’t taken a pill in a year.

ooo—000—ooo

I find Graham’s story very inspiring and insightful and I hope that you do too.  If you liked the post please leave a comment below. If you’ve gotten rid of your migraines without medicine, please leave a comment to share how you did it so that you can inspire others to do so too.

When Tummy Aches are Abdominal Migraines

Abdominal Migraines in Children

Migraine headaches usually involve head pain, but there’s another category of migraine that affects children known as abdominal migraine syndrome. Abdominal migraines in children are not as uncommon as most people believe. Children aged between 5-9 years old are most prone to this form of migraine. According to an article published in Family Practice News, abdominal migraines in children may account for a full 15% of unexplained, abdominal pain that recurs on a regular basis.

What is Abdominal Migraine Syndrome?

This is a frequently under diagnosed condition where a child experiences recurrent abdominal pain that lasts for anywhere from an hour to three days at a time. The child usually describes the pain as a dull soreness that’s difficult to pinpoint – although it’s most common in the mid-abdominal region. A child with abdominal migraine syndrome may vomit and be unable to eat. He or she may appear pale and experience episodes of flushing – although this isn’t always seen. Some kids experience sensory symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and sensitivity to light – similar to that seen with a migraine headache.

Why is It Called Abdominal Migraine Syndrome?

It’s called an abdominal migraine because many children who have this condition go on to develop typical migraine headaches. In fact, children who are diagnosed with this condition are four times more likely to develop migraine headaches later on in life. Many children with this syndrome have a parent who also experienced migraine headaches.

Although this form of abdominal migraine is primarily seen in children, it can occur in adults as well. The abdominal pain is severe enough to interfere with nomal daily activities. The pallor is often accompanied by dark shadows under the eyes.

Other disorders such as peptic ulcer, urogenital disorders needs to be ruled out by the physician before concluding it as abdominal migraine.

What Should You Know About Abdominal Migraines in Children?

It’s important to remember that the diagnosis of abdominal migraine is made only after other causes of abdominal pain are ruled out. Conditions such as appendicitis, peptic ulcer disease, obstruction of the intestines, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and viral and bacterial infections of the intestines can be difficult to distinguish from abdominal migraines. Some of these conditions can be life threatening if not treated – so always have a child evaluated by a doctor if he or she has abdominal pain.

How is Abdominal Migraine Syndrome Treated?

Treatment depends on the age of the patient, but usually consists of anti-inflammatory medications to reduce the pain and medications to relieve nausea. Most of the emphasis is on prevention of abdominal migraines which means avoiding stress and determining foods that seem to trigger the symptoms and avoiding them.

In children, acute attacks of abdominal migraine are treated with rest and this frequently resolves with sleep.

Abdominal migraine symptoms

The patient suffers from recurrent ( more than 5 attacks ) of Abdominal pain lasting between 1-72 hours. Symptoms including pallor, vomiting and nausea or anorexia is experienced.

The child suffers from recurrent Abdominal pain with one or more symptoms of vomiting, nausea or anorexia. The pain occurs mostly in the mornings on awakening and can also include sensitivity to light and sound.

If its not related to any other gastrointestinal or such disease, the diagnosis is made by the pediatrician. There is no diagnostic test to conclude abdominal migraine.

Most children with abdominal migraine will later develop migraine headaches.
They are also likely to develop migraine with aura or migraine without aura.

Abdominal Migraine Syndrome: The Bottom Line?

Any child who has abdominal pain needs evaluation. Don’t assume it’s an abdominal migraine until other causes have been ruled out. Most kids outgrow abdominal migraines, but, unfortunately, go on to develop migraine headaches later on.

Massage Oils Reduce Migraine Pain

If you feel a migraine coming on but you don’t want to swallow a whole load of expensive chemicals in your body, massage oils may be a natural alternative for providing quick relief. I’m grateful to Errilyn who shared this information with me and I hope that it helps you too.

Hi Sile

Hope you are well, just thought I’d pass on to you that I use massage oils on my neck when I have a headache whether it’s just a headache or one that is heading migraine way…

I use to use a blend of oils with Lavender & Rosemary which calmed it down a little however I ran out over a week ago & looked everywhere & couldn’t find any so grabbed some oils & made some up.

In the meantime Hubby went to a New Age Holistic store & found some it is based on Sweet Almond oil, apricot kernel oil, ylang ylang, Patchouli, sweet orange, Lavender, Sandalwood & Jasmine, at first I wasn’t sure about the mix But the first time used it within 15mins the headache had eased & within 1/2 it was gone, have used it a total of 4 times in the past week each time with the same results.

I was on medication (sandomigran) which I took 2 times a day however one of the side effects was rapid weight gain & after putting on 2 stone decided to ditch the medication ( gets very expensive when having to keep buying clothes etc in larger sizes all the time not to mention the health aspects).

Am much happier just using the oils & if I get a migraine so be it…
take care
xo Errilyn

If you enjoyed the post, or know of other massage oils that might benefit migraine sufferers, please leave a comment here below.

I Need Migraine Case Studies – Will You Help?

Over the past few months, I have been writing and mulling over my book, Natural Migraine Relief – Killing Your Pain Without Painkillers and to finish it, I really need your help.

I want this book to touch and help as many people as possible and I need a few more perspectives. I would like to have a few case studies about different migraine sufferers’ experience and find out what has and hasn’t worked for them. In return I will give you an ecopy absolutely free or a hard copy for free, if you pay shipping and handling – once it is finished.

Before answering the questions, I need to know if any of the Ten Top Tips have helped you (mentally and physically) become stronger and in a better position to tackle your migraines. Describe the state of your health now.

If you haven’t signed up yet, you can do so now  (there are a few hidden gems in there – http://naturalmigrainereliefnow.com) After reading and following the tips, I’d be grateful if you could let me know.

Please answer the 12 questions in the comments box below: (see website http://naturalmigrainereliefnow.com in case you are reading this anywhere else) .

1. Describe your migraine in detail (when did it first strike you and now, when does it happen? What happens to you? How long does it last? What do you do to cope?)

2. What do you think is/are the cause(s) of your migraines?

3. What alternative methods have you tried? What happened?

4. How often are you (mentally) stressed? What happens to your body?

5. What (events, foods, things, other)/who causes you stress?

6. How do you deal with this stress?

7. What do you believe about yourself and your migraines? (please list your most common beliefs about them)

8. Do you believe you can get rid of your migraines completely? If not, why not?

9. What would it be worth to you to get rid of your migraines?

10. Can you imagine how your life would be without migraines?

11. Can you describe how you would feel what you would do and what your day would now be like?

12. Would you be willing to try something you haven’t tried before?

Please answer every question in the comment box below.

Thanks  to everyone in advance who will take the time to answer these questions! Now I need to get back to writing.

Namaste!

How Can Yoga Help Manage Migraines?

What is Yoga? Yoga is an ancient Hindu discipline aimed aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility. This is achieved through a system of exercises practiced as part of this discipline to promote control of the body and mind.

The actual word is Hindi for Union between mind and body.  Its wisdom is as relevant today in understanding the human condition as it was over five thousand years ago. Perhaps even more so as the 21st century being is subjected to more stimuli in one year than our early ancestors had in all of their lifetime.

Yoga can be practiced by anyone regardless of age or fitness levels because there are so many practices to choose from or adapt to suit the individual. Yoga self awareness practices help us to identify our “trigger” habits to enable us to disarm them. Yoga teaches us to live in the present moment, an ability that promotes healing at all levels or our being.

I believe that stress is an important (and not fully discussed) trigger for migraine headaches. Whether you believe stress is unavoidable or not, it may help you to know that how it is managed can defuse the trigger – yoga stretches, breath work, meditation and relaxation all help us to manage stress. Yoga will help you develop an emotional suit of armour against all kinds of stress.

Yoga breathing practices will help sufferers manage, relieve and reduce pain. Poor posture produces chronic muscular tension, particularly in the upper back, shoulders and neck. Chronic neck tension often causes headaches. Regular practice of yoga relieves neck tension. An experienced yoga teacher will show you how to adjust and realign your posture to avoid neck tension.

Can yoga cure or prevent migraine headaches, and if so, what postures are recommended? If you have had a recent migraine headache or feel the start of a new one, yoga instructors will recommend a restorative practice.

Establish a regular home practice where you are in charge of determining your level of effort from day to day, and find an experienced teacher to guide you when difficulties arise. This will lead you on the road to better health, especially when it comes to coping with a health condition such as migraines.

Preventative Pose–Wide-Legged Forward Bend
Stand with your feet one leg length apart. Bend forward at the hip and place the palms of your hands on the floor. Rest the top of your head on the floor and relax into the pose. If you are unable to reach the floor, you can rest your head on a chair or bend your knees to assist the stretch. Hold the pose for 10 to 20 seconds.

Preventative Pose–Downward-facing Dog
Start on your hands and knees, with your hands directly beneath your shoulders. Lift your hips toward the ceiling so that your body forms an inverted V. Press both heels and the palms of your hands into the floor. Hold the pose for 10 to 20 seconds, then release back to your hands and knees. Repeat if desired.

Preventative Pose–Extended Puppy Pose
Start on your hands and knees and extend your arms forward and lower your forehead to the floor. Your hips should be in the air, and there should be a slight arch in your back. Hold the pose for 10 to 20 seconds, then release back to your hands and knees. Repeat if desired.

Restorative Pose–Legs Up the Wall Pose
Lie on your side, approximately 5 inches from a wall, with your hips facing the wall. Turn over onto your back and extend your legs up the wall. You should be able to relax and have your legs remain upright without any effort. If not, then adjust your position until your legs stay in place on their own. If needed, support the neck with a pillow or stack two folded blankets under your lower back. Rest your arms at your sides or on your belly. Cover your eyes with a cool compress or an eye pillow. Relax into the pose for up to 10 minutes. To release, roll onto your side and sit up.

Restorative Pose–Reclining Bound Angle
Sit with your legs extended and bring the soles of your feet together, making a diamond shape with your legs. Support the knees with pillows if the stretch is too intense. Lie back and rest your hands on your belly. Cover your eyes with a cool compress or an eye pillow. If needed, support the neck and lower back with pillows. Relax into the pose for up to 10 minutes.

Restorative Pose–Corpse Pose
Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms relaxed at your sides. If needed, support the lower back and neck with pillows. Cover your eyes with a cool compress or an eye pillow. Relax into the pose for up to 10 minutes.
Practicing Yoga With a Migraine: When experiencing a migraine headache, certain forms of yogasanas and in particular Pranayama are helpful postures in relieving the pain. It is important to practice yoga in a calm and composed environment with dim lights. Always remember to conclude your yoga session with shavasana with the help of an eye pillow or a small piece of clean (preferably cold) cloth over the eyes. Before you initiate the corpse pose, get started on the Dirga Pranayama which involves Oslo and deep breathing technique that arises from the stomach and the chest. It is important that you understand and examined the reasons for recurrent headaches or migraines.  Yoga can help to deal and control headaches related to migraines or cluster headaches. A number of yogasanas help to release the tension and the stress in the neck and shoulders, while encouraging blood circulation to their head and stimulating the nervous system. This can help in relieving headaches. In a majority of cases, headaches are the result of mental trauma such as depression and acute stress. Due to major imbalances, the brain is deprived of oxygen and the requisite amount of blood. Due to the lack of oxygen and blood in the head, the muscles then to contract and the consequent results take place in the form of a headache.
Deep breathing techniques as well as mental relaxation are known to be effective steps in curbing the occurrence of migraine headaches. Important yogasanas for relieving headache are the easy yoga posture, the downward facing dog position, the Cobra pose, the seated forward bend, the knee press, the reclining posture etc. One of the most easiest and common practices of yogasanas is the easy yoga posture which helps in straightening the spine, regulating the metabolic rate and keeping the mindset is. The shoulder stretch as well as the spinal twist are other forms of yogasanas and are important in containing headaches and relieving them. Other useful poses include the cow and cat position, the bridge pose, the reclining twist, the child’s pose, the corpse position and the pose that involves the movement of the legs up the wall. All these yogasanas are simple and safe and can be done during the day; especially in the mornings on an empty stomach. The daily practice of the above-mentioned yogasanas will greatly help in reducing the occurrence of headaches and neck pain.

Meditative Poses Deep breathing and meditation can help relieve migraine pain. Sukhasana is a standard meditative pose designed for relaxation. Individuals sit cross-legged on the ground with their hands on their knees and backs straight. With the eyes closed, slow, deep breaths are taken. This pose helps straighten the spine, open the hips, relieve fatigue and slow breathing, heart rate and metabolism. It also has a calming effect on the nerves and allows the user to keep her mind still and find inner tranquility.

Stretching Poses Because migraines can be caused by stress, it is important to relieve stress daily. Stress is often carried in our upper back, shoulders and neck. Yoga shoulder stretches can alleviate any tension in the upper body. A basic premise in yoga is the benefit of lengthening the entire body and muscles. A long, lean body is thought to function better. When the body is compressed, our organs and systems can suffer because they are not allowed to function properly. Stretching poses also relieve tension from the ribs and core, allowing you to breathe easier. Basic shoulder stretches are done by sitting on the floor, with a straight back and calves tucked under the upper legs. Holding a towel with both hands, individuals bring the arms straight out in front of the chest, then overhead and behind the neck in one sweeping motion. The idea is to make a half-circle around your head and release tension in the shoulder area.

Inversion Poses According to The Daily Headache website, “If you have a migraine or headache at the time of your practice, never do an inversion, which is any posture that raises your heart above your head. Blood rushing to your head during a headache or migraine will make it worse. For some people, doing inversions at all can trigger a headache.”

What types of yoga is best for me? There are many types of yoga that can help migraine sufferers. Hatha yoga practice can help reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine headaches. One contemporary theory of how migraines occur states that the arteries that feed the brain narrow temporarily due to a variety of factors, stress and muscular tension being two common ones. For a migraine sufferer, there is then a sudden shift in the blood vessels and they abruptly dilate, increasing the blood flow to the head. This sudden shift results in the intense pain of the migraine episode.

If you can somehow keep your body’s nervous system more relaxed from day to day, the initial narrowing of the blood vessels that predisposes someone to a migraine might be eliminated and the chance of the migraine minimized. A yoga practice can be of any intensity that you desire, as long as there is a conscious effort to keep it steady and even, and as long as you spend time gradually increasing the activity and then gradually cooling down through the course of a given practice.

Finding the yoga practice that suits you is an exercise in itself of trial and error.  I like an intense workout that brings 100% of oxygen to my body and found my ideal workout with Bikram Yoga.  www.bikramyoga.it

If you liked this post, please leave a comment in the box below.

The Truth About Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches (also used in singular: headache), also nicknamed suicide headaches, occur several times a day, they come on unexpectedly, do not last long, and are generally very painful. The pain is usually intense, and sometimes only on one side of the head. Frequently, the sufferer also feels pain around the eye.

A cluster-headache sufferer can wake up during the night because of the pain. Often, this occurs at the same time each night. The eye on the painful side of the head may be reddened and watery. The individual’s nose may be runny or blocked on the side of the nose where the pain is.

In northern countries cluster headaches tend to occur more frequently during the autumn (fall) and spring. Alcohol or extreme variations in temperature can trigger an episode during a cluster period – generally, the change in temperature refers to a rapid rise in body temperature.

Cluster headache attacks occur cyclically, hence the name. A bout of regular attacks – cluster periods – can last from a few days, weeks, to even months. This is followed by remission periods during which no headaches are felt.

Cluster headaches are not very common – they are said to affect about 1 in every 1,000 people. Unlike migraines, they affect men more often than women; about 80% of sufferers are men, most of them smokers. Fortunately, they generally have no long-term effects on the sufferer’s physical health. There are therapies, such as oxygen therapy, available which can significantly reduce the number and intensities of headaches.

Each cluster can last from 15 minutes up to several hours – the majority of cases do not last more than an hour. Typically, a patient will suffer from one to three clusters each day.

According to Medilexicon’s medical dictionary:
Cluster headache is “possibly due to a hypersensitivity to histamine; characterized by recurrent, severe, unilateral orbitotemporal headaches associated with ipsilateral photophobia, lacrimation, and nasal congestion.”
What are the signs and symptoms of cluster headaches?
A symptom is something the patient feels and reports, while a sign is something other people, including a doctor or a nurse may detect. For example, pain may be a symptom while a rash may be a sign.

Symptoms come on rapidly, generally without any warning, and they may include:
Intense pain, some describe it as excruciating. The pain is continuous, rather than throbbing. The pain often starts around the eye, and may then radiate to other parts of the head, including the face, and down to the neck and even the shoulders. Many patients feel pain in a temple or cheek.

• The pain remains on one side of the head
• The patient becomes restless.
• The eye on the side of the pain is watery and tearful
• The eye on the side of the pain reddens
• There may be swelling around the eye on the pain side
• Stuffy, blocked, or runny nose on the pain side
• Pallor – skin of the face is pale
• Face is sometimes sweaty
• Pupil size may shrink
• Eyelid on the pain side may droop

Patients often describe their pain as stabbing, sharp, burning and penetrating; as if a hot poker had been plunged into one of their eyes. The individual will usually pace around during the episodes of pain, unable to stay still for long. When they sit many may rock back and forth in an attempt to sooth the discomfort (sometimes this helps).

While migraine sufferers prefer to lie down during an attack, most people with a cluster headaches say that lying down worsens the pain.
Chronology of cluster headaches (time patterns)

A cluster period typically lasts from 1 to 12 weeks. They often start at similar calendar moments – perhaps during springtime or at some time in the fall (autumn).
Episodic cluster headaches – patients experience a series of searing headaches for about one week. Then nothing for six to twelve months. Then the week repeats itself.

Chronic cluster headaches – in this case the cluster periods can persist for several months, even for a year or longer. While periods of remission (periods with no pain) are short; perhaps just a month long.
A cluster period may consist of:
Daily occurrences, with symptoms appearing several times each day.
Just one attack, lasting from 15 minutes to up to three hours.
Attacks occur each day at approximately the same time.
Most attacks occur between 9pm and 9am (source: The Mayo Clinic, USA)
The pain will suddenly go as quickly as it appeared. Sufferers will be pain-free afterwards, and are often worn out.

If you start getting headaches, it is advisable to see your doctor. Usually, headaches do not have an underlying cause (some illness or condition). However, sometimes they do. It is important for the doctor to rule out any possible underlying causes.
What are the risk factors for cluster headaches?

In medicine, a risk factor is a condition, illness, situation or environment which raises the risk of developing a disease or condition. For example, obese people are more likely to develop diabetes type 2 compared to people of normal weight. Therefore, obesity is a risk factor for diabetes type 2.

For cluster headaches, the risk factors include:
Being male – approximately 8 in every 10 sufferers are male.
Being an adult – nearly all suffers say their cluster headaches started after they were 20 years old.
Ethnic ancestry – people of African ancestry are twice as likely to suffer from cluster headaches, compared to Caucasian people.
Smoking - the majority of male sufferers are smokers.
Alcohol consumption – a significant proportion of sufferers claim that alcohol is a key trigger during a cluster period (not during remission periods).
Genetics – if you have a close relative (parent or sibling) who has (had) cluster headaches, your risk of having them yourself is greater.

What are the causes of cluster headaches?

Experts are unsure why cluster headaches occur. Some researcher neurologists have found that during an attack there is a great deal more activity in the hypothalamus – an area of the brain that controls body temperature, hunger, and thirst. It is suggested that perhaps that area of the brain releases chemicals that cause blood vessels to widen, resulting in a greater bloodflow to the brain, and subsequent headaches.

If the hypothalamus does act in this way, nobody knows why. We do know that such things as alcohol or a sudden rise in temperature, or exercising in hot weather may trigger attacks.

Biology – The cyclical nature of cluster headaches suggests there it may be linked to our biological clock, which is located in the hypothalamus.

Hormones - researchers have found that many people who suffer from cluster headaches have unusual levels of melatonin and cortisol during their attacks.

Apart from alcohol, cluster headaches are not linked to the consumption of any foods.  Even with alcohol, it is only a trigger when the sufferer is in the middle of a cluster period.   Some association has been found between cluster headaches and mental stress or anxiety.

Experts say there may be a link between cluster headaches and some medications, such as nitroglycerin, which is used for the treatment of heart disease.
What are the treatment options for cluster headaches?

Currently, public opinion states that there is no treatment that can get rid of cluster headaches completely. Modern therapy aims to alleviate some of the symptoms, shorten the periods of headaches, and reduce their frequency.

OTC (over-the-counter, no prescription required) painkillers, such as aspirin or ibuprofen are not effective for cluster headaches; because the pain comes on rapidly and goes away quickly too. By the time the medication has started to work the headache has probably gone. Therefore, many medications and treatments for cluster headaches are either aimed more at prevention, or fast action.

Fast-acting treatments (acute treatments)
Inhaling 100% oxygen – most patients find that if they breathe in oxygen through a mask at 7 to 10 liters per minute they experience significant relief of symptoms within 15 minutes. The only problem with this therapy is that the patient has to have an oxygen cylinder and regulator close at hand – carrying them around can be cumbersome. There are some small units on the market. In some cases this kind of therapy only postpones symptoms, rather than alleviating them.

Local anesthetic nasal drops. It is very effective for the treatment of cluster headaches.

Surgery – if patients do not respond adequately to aggressive treatments, or cannot tolerate some medications, surgery may be recommended – even so, surgery is very rare. Surgery can only be performed once, and is only suitable for sufferers who have pain on just one side of the head. Surgical procedures include:

Conventional surgery – the surgeon cuts part of the trigeminal nerve, which serves the area behind and around the eye. This is not a procedure of first choice as there are risks to the patient’s eye.

Glycerol injection – glycerol is injected into the facial nerves. This effective treatment is safer than other surgical procedures.

Stimulator (still being tested) – a small device is implanted over the occipital nerve and sends impulses via electrodes. According to researchers from the Mayo Clinic, USA, a significant number of patients experienced reduced chronic headache pain. The device appears to be well tolerated and safe to use. Another study is looking into implanting a stimulator in the hypothalamus. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the UK body that approves drugs and therapies for National Health Service (NHS) use, has not yet assessed either treatment.

Prevention of cluster headaches

As the medical experts are not yet sure what the causes of cluster headaches are, it is not possible to recommend proven measures for prevention. A comprehensive preventive strategy is vital for managing the cluster headaches – simply using acute therapies is not enough.

The following may help reduce the risk of future attacks:

Alcohol – during a period when headaches occur alcohol may trigger attacks. Abstaining from alcohol during these periods will help reduce the number of headaches. Alcohol does not appear to be a trigger during periods of remission.

Inhaled nitroglycerin – this medication causes blood vessels to dilate (enlarge) and can cause headache cluster attacks. The NHS (National Health Service), UK, recommends that cluster headache sufferers avoid this medication.

Exercising in hot weather – this is a well known trigger for cluster headache. Sufferers should avoid doing anything which may cause their body’s temperature to rise rapidly.

Smoking – a significantly higher percentage of cluster headache sufferers are smokers, compared to the rest of the population. Although not proven, some suggest that giving up smoking may help.

Can Magnets Relieve Migraines?

New animal research suggests that a noninvasive therapy called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may help treat chronic migraines. The hair dryer-size device triggers activity in the brain’s nerve cells and is already being tested as a way to treat depression.

What happens during TMS is this: the electrical activity in the brain is influenced by a pulsed magnetic field generated through coils of wire. The wires are wrapped in plastic and held close to the scalp. The location of the device allows for stimulation of specific areas of the brain.

In earlier human research, TMS relieved pain more effectively than placebo in patients who had migraines with auras, which are visual sensations (such as flashes of light) that occur before or during the pain of a migraine.

In this latest study, presented at the annual American Academy of Neurology scientific meeting in Seattle, researchers aimed to learn exactly how TMS may affect the brain to improve pain symptoms.

The authors found that the magnetic pulses of TMS may disrupt abnormal brain waves that have been linked to migraines. However, the authors state that more research in humans is needed to fully understand how TMS affects chronic migraines.

“I think for migraine, it’s extremely likely that this [device] will become part of the therapeutic armamentarium,” said Dr. Richard Lipton, director of the Montefiore Headache Center in New York. “I think for some people who don’t like taking prescription medications … or for people who have side effects to these drugs, this will prove to be a very useful option.”

TMS has also been studied as a potential therapy for chronic or treatment-resistant depression. Some research suggests that therapy may down regulate beta-adrenergic receptors and subsequently increase the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain.

Instructions:

Step 1
Use magnets and magnetic therapy under the care and guidance of a doctor or expert. An expert can place the magnets correctly at the right strength in order to best treat migraine pain.

Step 2
Adhere magnets in place as soon the migraine warning signs begin and leave them on until the symptoms pass. You can also use certain magnets to prevent headaches on a daily basis.

Step 3
Place stick magnets on either side of the spine, between the shoulder blade and spine. Magnets should adhere to the areas of the spine 1 to 2 inches above the bottom of your shoulder blade, 1 inch from the top of the shoulder blade and on the back of the shoulder above the shoulder blade.

Step 4
Wear a magnetic necklace, bracelet, earrings or headband and sleep with a magnetic pillow to reduce migraine pain daily. Start with a lower strength, as your body generally responds better to a lower strength magnet when relieving migraine pain.

Step 5
Find products at alternative medicine facilities, through your health care provider or online at websites such as Magnetic Products or Magnetic Therapy Magnets (or see my picks on right hand side).

Step 6
Use other pain treatment methods in conjunction with magnetic therapy, as they won’t interfere with magnetic therapy. For example, take a hot bath or shower and then apply magnets once completely dry.

Step 7
Use high quality magnets with the correct strength for your degree of migraine pain. Consult a book such as “Magnetic Therapy” by Gloria Vegari or ask an expert for assistance. If you use the wrong strength your symptoms could worsen, and if you use the wrong placement you might not get all the benefits that correct placement gives you.

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