Archive for the ‘pregnant’ Category

Headaches and Other Health Problems

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

There are other negative health conditions that can contribute to headache, and some of them are listed below.

* FIBROMYALGIA: This is a condition that is responsible for widespread muscle and soft tissue pains and tenderness.

* GLAUCOMA: This is an eye disease that damages the nerves and back of the eye.

* HYPERTENSION: This is an offshoot high blood pressure.

* HYPAGLYCEMIA: This is also known as high blood sugar and its twin brother is called HYPOGLYCEMIA which is low blood sugar.

* ARTHRITIS: This is the appearance of lupus, giant cell arthritis and other inflammatory problems.

* Waste build up in the blood as a result of kidney problems.

* Hypocalcemia ie low calcium level in the blood or over activity of the gland that helps control the release of calcium into the blood (hyperparathyroidism)

* LYME DISEASE: This is an infection caused by bacteria which spreads by some kinds of ticks.

* Anxiety, depression and other mental health problems.

* Preeclampsia, severe high blood pressure that occurs during pregnancy.

* Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

Review the emergencies and check your symptoms sections to determine if and when you need to consult your doctor. Indeed, headache can be a serious problem if it is left unattended to.

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Migraine Treating Symptoms

Friday, September 26th, 2008

Other medications are primarily given to treat the symptoms of migraine. Used alone or in combinations, these drugs can reduce your pain, nausea, or emotional distress. Medications in this group include:

* Nausea medicines such as prochlorperazine
* Over-the-counter pain relieves such as acetaminophen (Tylenol)
* Sedatives such as butalbital
* Narcotic pain relievers such as meperidine
* Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen

If you wish to consider an alternative, feverfew is a popular herb for migraines. Several studies, but not all, support using feverfew for treating migraines. If you are interested in trying feverfew, make sure your doctor approves. Also, know that herbal remedies sold in drugstores and health food stores are not regulated. Work with a trained herbalist when selecting herbs.

Every person responds differently to treatment. Some people have rare headaches that require little to no treatment. Others require the use of several medications or even occasional hospitalization.

Migraine Complications

Migraine headaches generally represent no significant threat to your overall health. However, they can be a long-term (chronic) problem and may interfere with your day-to-day life.

Calling your health care provider

Call 911 if:

* You are experiencing “the worst headache of your life”
* You have speech, vision, or movement problems or loss of balance, especially if you have not had these symptoms with a migraine before
* Your headaches are more severe when lying down
* The headache starts very suddenly

Such headaches may be the result of stroke, bleeding in the brain, aneurysm, or other serious condition and require the immediate attention of a health care provider.

Depending on the history of the headache, a CT scan or MRI may be done to rule out any of the above conditions.

Also, call your doctor if:

* Your headache patterns or pain change
* Treatments than once worked are no longer helpful
* You have side effects from medication, including irregular heartbeat, pale or blue skin, extreme sleepiness, persistent cough, depression, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, cramps, dry mouth, or extreme thirst
* You are pregnant or could become pregnant — some medications should not be taken when pregnant

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Migraine Causes, Incidence and Risk Factors

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

A lot of people get migraines — about 11 out of 100. The headaches tend to first appear between the ages of 10 and 46. Occasionally, migraines may occur later in life in a person with no history of such headaches. Migraines occur more often in women than men, and may run in families. Women may have fewer migraines when they are pregnant. Most women with such headaches have fewer attacks during the last two trimesters of pregnancy.

A migraine is caused by abnormal brain activity, which is triggered by stress, certain foods, environmental factors, or something else. However, the exact chain of events remains unclear.

Scientists used to believe that migraines were due to changes in blood vessels within the brain. Today, most medical experts believe the attack actually begins in the brain itself, where it involves various nerve pathways and chemicals. The changes affect blood flow in the brain and surrounding tissues.

Migraine attacks may be triggered by:

* Alcohol
* Allergic reactions
* Bright lights
* Certain odors or perfumes
* Changes in hormone levels (which can occur during a woman’s menstrual cycle or with the use of birth control pills)
* Changes in sleep patterns
* Exercise
* Loud noises
* Missed meals
* Physical or emotional stress
* Smoking or exposure to smoke

Certain foods and preservatives in foods may trigger migraines in some people. Food-related triggers may include:

* Any processed, fermented, pickled, or marinated foods
* Baked goods
* Chocolate
* Dairy products
* Foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG)
* Foods containing tyramine, which includes red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and certain beans
* Fruits (avocado, banana, citrus fruit)
* Meats containing nitrates (bacon, hot dogs, salami, cured meats)
* Nuts
* Onions
* Peanut butter

This list may not be all-inclusive.

True migraine headaches are not a result of a brain tumor or other serious medical problem. However, only an experienced health care provider can determine whether your symptoms are due to a migraine or another condition.

Symptoms

Vision disturbances, or aura, are considered a “warning sign” that a migraine is coming. The aura occurs in both eyes and may involve any of all of the following:

* A temporary blind spot
* Blurred vision
* Eye pain
* Seeing stars or zigzag lines
* Tunnel vision

Not every person with migraines has an aura. Those who do usually develop one about 10-15 minutes before the headache. However, it may occur just a few minutes to 24 hours beforehand.

Migraine headaches can be dull or severe. The pain may be felt behind the eye or in the back of the head and neck. For many patients, the headaches start on the same side each time. The headaches usually:

* Feel throbbing, pounding, or pulsating
* Are worse on one side of the head
* Start as a dull ache and gets worse within minutes to hours
* Last 6 to 48 hours

Other symptoms that may occur with the headache include:

* Chills
* Increased urination
* Fatigue
* Loss of appetite
* Nausea and vomiting
* Numbness, tingling, or weakness
* Problems concentrating, trouble finding words
* Sensitivity to light or sound
* Sweating

Symptoms that may linger even after the migraine has gone away include:

* Feeling mentally dull, like your thinking is not clear or sharp
* Increased need for sleep
* Neck pain

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The Pregnancy Headache And Its Causes

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

When a woman is pregnant she suffers many usual problems that include backaches, headaches, morning sickness, etc. While some of these trouble from time to time, a few trouble throughout the period.

The rise and fall in the levels of hormone during the pregnancy period cause headache frequently and intensely. Such types of headaches are known as tension headaches. Although it is not proved why or how pregnancy affects the severity of these headaches, there are many theories. One of them is lack of sleep and increased stress.

Apart from the increase in the level of hormone, the body also gets affected with the increasing weight of the growing fetus. This affects the mother and hinders her normal activities.
Simply lying down to take rest or nap is also difficult during pregnancy, especially when the fetus grows. If both mother and baby’s sleeping schedules differs, it will be difficult to sleep with an active baby inside. She might be unable to get a full night’s sleep, because she might not get a comfortable position. As a result of which the pregnancy headache may increase in both frequency and severity.

It will be wise if you consult a physician before taking any counter medication during pregnancy. During this period, taking Tylenol, Advil, or any other pain relief medication is safe if the given instructions are followed properly.

You should also find out what is the cause behind this headache. If it is caused by stress, never take the medicine for headache caused by sinus. It will be better if you speak to your doctor directly if you are facing persistent headaches or migraines. If you are facing any serious illness, like hypertension or diabetes, extra care should be taken. Don’t take any counter medication without the prescription of doctor.

It is always better to prevent than cure the illness. Always avoid foods which may cause headaches. Chocolates, MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate), spicy food, cheese, etc., are some of the food which should be avoid. Lack of rest, depression, dehydration, and hunger may also cause headache. Eating a balanced diet and having positive attitude, taking fresh vegetables and fruits can help avoid the occurrence of headache.

It is seen in most pregnant women, that the occurrence of headache becomes less during the second trimester. This may be because the hormones get stabilized and the body gets adjusted to the altered chemistry.

Despite the discomfort and headaches, pregnancy is a pleasant experience. When the woman gives birth and holds her baby in her hands she feels all the pain and trauma were worth it.

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Cluster Headache Treatment

Monday, June 16th, 2008

There’s no cure for cluster headaches. The goal of treatment is to help decrease the severity of pain and shorten the headache period.

Acute medication

The purpose of acute treatment is to stop or reduce pain after a cluster headache starts. Because the headache peaks quickly, acute medications must be fast-acting and delivered quickly, using an injection or inhaler rather than oral tablets. You must be ready to take the medication as soon as an attack starts. And you may want to teach family members about your medications so that they’ll be able to help you when you have an attack.

Because the pain of a cluster headache comes on suddenly and may subside within a short time, over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) aren’t effective. The headache is usually gone before the drug starts working. Fortunately, other types of acute medication can provide some pain relief. Treatment of cluster headache is focused more on prevention, with more medication options available to choose from.

Acute treatments include:

* Oxygen. Briefly inhaling 100 percent oxygen through a mask at a rate of 6 to 8 liters a minute provides dramatic relief for most who use it. Occasionally, a higher flow rate may be more effective. The effects of this safe, inexpensive procedure can be felt within 15 minutes. The major drawback of oxygen is the need to carry an oxygen cylinder and regulator with you, which can make the treatment inconvenient and inaccessible at times. Small, portable units are available, but some people still find them impractical. Sometimes, oxygen may only delay rather than stop the attack, and pain may return.
* Sumatriptan. The injectable form of sumatriptan (Imitrex), which is commonly used to treat migraine, is also an effective acute treatment for cluster headache. Some people may benefit from using sumatriptan in nasal spray form, but for most this is not as effective as an injection. Sumatriptan isn’t recommended for people with uncontrolled high blood pressure or ischemic heart disease.

Another triptan medication can be taken orally for relief of cluster headache. Although oral meds isn’t as effective as injectable sumatriptan, it may be an option for people who can’t tolerate other forms of acute treatment.

* Dihydroergotamine. This ergot derivative is available in intravenous, injectable and inhaler forms. Dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal) is an effective pain reliever for some people with cluster headache. When administered intravenously, the drug requires you to go to a hospital or doctor’s office to have an intravenous (IV) line placed. The inhaler form of the drug works more slowly. The dosage must be limited to avoid side effects, especially nausea.
* Octreotide (Sandostatin, Sandostatin LAR). This drug, a synthetic version of the brain hormone somatostatin, has traditionally been used to control severe diarrhea. However, some studies have shown that the injectable form is an effective treatment for cluster headache and is safe for people with high blood pressure and ischemic heart disease.
* Local anesthetics. The numbing effect of local anesthetics may be effective against cluster headache pain when used in the form of nasal drops.

Surgery

Rarely, surgery is recommended for people with chronic cluster headache who don’t respond well to aggressive treatment or who can’t tolerate the medications or their side effects. Candidates for surgery must have headaches only on one side of the head because the surgery can be performed only once. People with headaches that alternate sides of the head risk the chance that the procedure will be unsuccessful.

Several types of surgery have been used to treat cluster headache. These procedures attempt to damage the nerve pathways thought to be responsible for pain. However, residual muscle weakness in your jaw or sensory loss in certain areas of your face and head may result. The most common procedures are directed at the trigeminal nerve. They include:

* Conventional surgery. Using a conventional invasive procedure, your surgeon cuts part of the trigeminal nerve with a scalpel or uses small burns to destroy part of the nerve. This form of surgery provides relief for most people with chronic cluster headache.
* Radiosurgery. In a procedure called radiosurgery, a focused beam of radiation is used to destroy part of the trigeminal nerve. Radiosurgery is a noninvasive procedure that may have fewer side effects than does conventional surgery, but some studies have questioned the effectiveness and permanency of the results.

Potential treatments

As scientists learn more about the causes of cluster headache, they’re able to develop more selective treatments for the condition. One development that shows promise is the use of a device to stimulate the occipital nerve, which influences the trigeminal nerve. To treat people with frequent cluster headaches, researchers are testing a stimulator — a pacemaker-sized device that sends impulses via electrodes — that is implanted over the occipital nerve. A Mayo Clinic study of implanted occipital nerve stimulators found that the devices reduced chronic headache pain by an average of about half.

Similar research is under way using an implanted stimulator in the hypothalamus, the area of the brain associated with the timing of cluster periods. Stimulation of the hypothalamus in a small number of people with severe, chronic cluster headaches has produced complete and long-term pain relief with no significant side effects.

In addition, researchers are studying new medications for use in treating and preventing cluster headache.

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Esgic During Pregnancy

Thursday, June 12th, 2008

Hormonal birth control (birth control pills) may not work as well while you are using Esgic-Plus . To prevent pregnancy, use an extra form of birth control (condoms).

PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Esgic-Plus while you are pregnant. Esgic-Plus is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Esgic-Plus .

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Acetaminophen, butalbital, and caffeine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

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