Archive for the ‘relaxant’ Category

Migraine Complications

Friday, May 30th, 2008

Sometimes your efforts to control your pain cause problems. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and aspirin, may cause abdominal pain, bleeding and ulcers — especially if taken in large doses or for a long period of time.

In addition, if you take over-the-counter or prescription headache medications more than two or three times a week or in excessive amounts, you may be setting yourself up for a serious complication known as rebound headaches. Rebound headaches occur when medications not only stop relieving pain, but actually begin to cause headaches. You then use more pain medication, which traps you in a vicious cycle.

Serotonin syndrome

A potentially life-threatening drug interaction — called serotonin syndrome — can occur if you take migraine medicines called triptans, such as sumatriptan (Imitrex) or zolmitriptan (Zomig), along with antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Some common SSRIs include Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil. SNRIs include Cymbalta and Effexor. Fortunately, serotonin syndrome is exceedingly uncommon.

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Migraine Headaches Causes

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

Although much about headaches still isn’t understood, some researchers think migraines may be caused by functional changes in the trigeminal nerve system, a major pain pathway in your nervous system, and by imbalances in brain chemicals, including serotonin, which plays a regulatory role for pain messages going through this pathway.

During a headache, serotonin levels drop. Researchers believe this causes the trigeminal nerve to release substances called neuropeptides, which travel to your brain’s outer covering (meninges). There they cause blood vessels to become dilated and inflamed. The result is headache pain.

Migraine triggers

Whatever the exact mechanism of headaches, a number of things may trigger them. Common migraine triggers include:

* Hormonal changes. Although the exact relationship between hormones and headaches isn’t clear, fluctuations in estrogen seem to trigger headaches in many women with known migraines. Women with a history of migraines often report headaches immediately before or during their periods, and this corresponds to a major drop in estrogen. Others have an increased tendency to develop migraines during pregnancy or menopause. Hormonal medications, such as contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy, also may worsen migraines.
* Foods. Certain foods appear to trigger headaches in some people. Common offenders include alcohol, especially beer and red wine; aged cheeses; chocolate; fermented, pickled or marinated foods; aspartame; overuse of caffeine; monosodium glutamate — a key ingredient in some Asian foods; certain seasonings; and many canned and processed foods. Skipping meals or fasting also can trigger migraines.
* Stress. A hard week at work followed by relaxation may lead to a weekend migraine. Stress at work or home also can instigate migraines.
* Sensory stimuli. Bright lights and sun glare can produce head pain. So can unusual smells — including pleasant scents, such as perfume and flowers, and unpleasant odors, such as paint thinner and secondhand smoke.
* Changes in wake-sleep pattern. Either missing sleep or getting too much sleep may serve as a trigger for migraine attacks in some individuals.
* Physical factors. Intense physical exertion, including sexual activity, may provoke migraines.
* Changes in the environment. A change of weather, season, altitude level, barometric pressure or time zone can prompt a migraine.
* Medications. Certain medications can aggravate migraines.

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Have a Headache or Migraine?

Friday, May 16th, 2008

Cause:

Headaches are a neurological condition with symptoms ranging from mild to severe and disabling. More than 23 million people in the United States suffer from migraine, corresponding to over 17% of all females and 6% of all males living in the U.S.

There are two main types of headache?

Primary and secondary. Primary Headaches include tension-type, migraine and cluster headaches and are not caused by other underlying medical conditions. More than 90% of headaches are primary.

Secondary Headaches result from other medical conditions, such as infection or increased pressure in the skull due to a tumor. These account for fewer than 10% of all headaches.

What May Help?

Watkins Superfood Multiple (Super Multi), Female Formula and Osteogen

Why?

Contain magnesium and calcium. Daily supplements of calcium and magnesium are recommended for those who suffer from Migraines. These minerals help to maintain healthy blood vessels, and low levels of magnesium are common in people who suffer from migraines. Superfood Multiple (Super Multi) also contains riboflavin (B-2) which may help to reduce the frequency of migraines.

What May Help?

Watkins Rezist Plus

Why?

Ingredients help to block harmful invaders from entering the body which may help to reduce the triggers that lead to headaches.

What May Help?

Watkins Peppermint Foot Cream

Why?

Research has shown that peppermint applied to the forehead and temples may help to ease headache pain and compares favorably with acetaminophen in its ability to reduce headache symptoms.

What May Help?

Foods high in omega 3 fatty acids, such as salmon, may help prevent migraines.

Why?

They may help to reduce blood vessel spasms.

Helpful Hint:

Certain foods and beverages are known to trigger migraines. If you suffer from migraines, try to avoid the following: Aged cheeses, onions, pickles, cured meats, chocolate, red wine, beer, sour cream, nuts, freshly baked yeast products, eggs, tomatoes, citrus fruits and caffeinated beverages.

Try This:

At the outbreak of a headache, apply Watkins Peppermint Foot Cream, Icy Blue Ointment or Menthol Camphor Ointment (Medicated Ointment) onto the temples, forehead and back of neck. Rub in circular motion. Repeat at least 2 times at 15-minute intervals.

If you experience chronic headaches, before going to bed, rub Watkins Menthol Camphor Ointment (Medicated Ointment) or Icy Blue Ointment onto feet. Put on a pair of cotton socks over the ointment. According to Naturopaths and personal testimonials, this may help to ward off headaches.

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Prophylactic Medications For Migraine

Friday, May 16th, 2008

Prophylactic medications are medications taken daily to reduce the frequency and duration of migraine headaches. They are not taken once a headache has begun. There are several classes of prophylactic medications: beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, antiserotonin agents and anticonvulsants. Medications with the longest history of use are propranolol (Inderal), a beta blocker, and amitriptyline, an antidepressant. When choosing a prophylactic medication for a patient the doctor must take into account the drug side effects, drug-drug interactions, and co-existing conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Beta blockers

Beta-blockers are a class of drugs that block the effects of beta-adrenergic substances such as adrenaline (epinephrine). By blocking the effects of adrenaline, beta-blockers relieve stress on the heart by slowing the rate at which the heart beats. Beta-blockers have been used to treat high blood pressure, angina, certain types or tremors, stage fright, and abnormally fast heart beats. Beta-blockers have been used for many years to prevent migraine headaches.

It is not known how beta-blockers prevent migraine headaches. It may be by decreasing prostaglandin production, though it also may be through their effect on serotonin or a direct effect on arteries. The beta-blockers used in preventing migraine headaches include propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin) etc.

Beta-blockers generally are well-tolerated. They can aggravate breathing difficulties in patients with asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema. In patients who already have slow heart rates (bradycardias) and heart block (defects in electrical conduction within the heart), beta-blockers can cause dangerously slow heartbeats. Beta-blockers can aggravate symptoms of heart failure. Other side effects include drowsiness, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, decrease in endurance, insomnia, nausea, depression, dreaming, memory loss, impotence..

Tricyclic antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) prevent migraine headaches by altering the neurotransmitters, norepinephrine and serotonin, that the nerves of the brain use to communicate with one another. The tricyclic antidepressants that have been used in preventing migraine headaches like amitriptyline.

The most commonly encountered side effects associated with TCAs are fast heart rate, blurred vision, difficulty urinating, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain or loss, and low blood pressure when standing.

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Medications Used for Treating Migraine

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

Narcotics are used to treat migraine headaches; however, these medications are potentially addicting and are not used as initial treatment.

In patients with severe nausea, a combination of a triptan and an anti-nausea medication, for example, prochlorperazine or metoclopramide may be used. When nausea is severe enough that oral medications are impractical, intravenous medications such as prochlorperazine and valproate are useful.

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Treatment for Moderate to Severe Migraine Headaches

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

Sumatriptans

The triptans attach to serotonin receptors on the blood vessels and nerves and thereby reduce inflammation and constrict the blood vessels. This stops the headache. The triptan with the longest history of use is sumatriptan .Sumatriptan is available as an injection, oral tablet, and nasal spray.

Side effects of Sumatriptans

The most common side effects of triptans are facial flushing, tingling of the skin, and a sense of tightness around the chest and throat. Other less common side effects include drowsiness, fatigue, and dizziness. These side effects are short-lived and are not considered serious. Men complaints of temporary impotency while taking the drugs.

Triptans should not be given to patients who have had heart attacks and strokes, or to patients who have symptoms of atherosclerosis such as angina, transient ischemic attack (TIAs) and intermittent claudication.

Triptans should not be used in pregnant women and are not generally used in young children.

Ergots

Ergots, like triptans, are medications that abort migraine headaches. Examples of ergots include ergotamine preparations like Cafergot and dihydroergotamine preparations Migranil. Ergots, like triptans, cause constriction of blood vessels, but ergots tend to cause more constriction of vessels in the heart and other parts of the body than the triptans, and their effects on the heart are more prolonged than the triptans. Therefore, they are not as safe as the triptans. The ergots also are more prone to cause nausea and vomiting than the triptans. The ergots can cause prolonged contraction of the uterus and miscarriages in pregnant women.

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Precautions with OTC Analgesics

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Children and teenagers should not use aspirin for the treatment of headaches, other pain, or fever, because of the risk of developing Reye’s syndrome, a life-threatening neurological disease that can lead to coma and even death.

Patients with balance disorders or hearing difficulties should avoid using aspirin because aspirin may aggravate these conditions.

Patients with active ulcers of the stomach and duodenum should not take aspirin and non-aspirin NSAIDs because they can increase the risk of bleeding from the ulcer and impair healing of the ulcer.

Patients with advanced liver disease should not take aspirin and non-aspirin NSAIDs because they may impair kidney function. Deterioration of kidney function in these patients can lead to rapid and life-threatening deterioration of their liver disease.

Patients should not overuse OTC or prescription analgesics. Overuse of analgesics can lead to the development of tolerance (increasing ineffectiveness of the analgesic) and rebound headaches (return of the headache as soon as the effect of the analgesic wears off, usually in the early morning hours). Thus, overuse of analgesics can lead to a vicious cycle of more and more analgesics for headaches that respond less and less to treatment and occur more frequently.

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Treatment of Migraine

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Life style changes for migraine

Preventing migraine takes motivation for the patient to make some life changes. Patients are educated as to triggering factors that can be avoided. These include smoking cessation, avoiding certain foods especially those high in tyramine or those containing sulphites or nitrates .

Generally, leading a healthy life style with good nutrition, adequate water intake, sufficient sleep and exercise may be useful..

What should migraine sufferers do?

Individuals with mild and infrequent migraine headaches that do not cause disability may require only OTC analgesics. Individuals who experience several moderate or severe migraine headaches per month or whose headaches do not respond readily to medications should avoid triggers and consider modifications of their life-style. Life-style modifications for migraine sufferers include: Go to sleep and waking up at the same time each day.

Exercise regularly (daily if possible). Make a commitment to exercise even when traveling or during busy periods at work. Exercise can improve the quality of sleep and reduce the frequency and severity of migraine headaches. Build up your exercise level gradually. Over-exertion, especially for someone who is out of shape, can lead to migraine headaches.

Do not skip meals, and avoiding prolonged fasting. Limit stress through regular exercise and relaxation techniques. Limit caffeine consumption to less than two caffeine-containing beverages a day. Avoid bright or flashing lights and wearing sunglasses if sunlight is a trigger.

Identify and avoid foods that trigger headaches by keeping a headache and food diary. Review the diary with your doctor. It is impractical to adopt a diet that avoids all known migraine triggers; however, it is reasonable to avoid foods that consistently trigger migraine headaches.

Medications:

There are two ways to approach the treatment of migraine headache with drugs:
1-prevent the attacks
2-relieve the symptoms during the attacks.

Medication therapies for migraine:

Pain relievers (analgesics).
* Many OTC analgesics are available. OTC analgesics have been shown to be safe and effective for short-term relief of headache.
* NSAIDs relieve pain by reducing the inflammation that causes the pain (They are called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
* Aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine also are available combined in OTC analgesics for the treatment of headaches.

Finding an effective analgesic or analgesic combination often is a process of trial and error because individuals respond differently to different analgesics.

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Fasting and Migraine

Monday, May 12th, 2008

Fasting possibly may precipitate migraine headaches by causing the release of stress-related hormones and lowering blood sugar. Therefore, migraine sufferers should avoid prolonged fasting.

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Sleep and Migraine

Monday, May 12th, 2008

Disturbances such as sleep deprivation, too much sleep, poor quality of sleep, and frequent awakening at night are associated with both migraine and tension headaches, whereas improved sleep habits have been shown to reduce the frequency of migraine headaches. Sleep also has been reported to shorten the duration of migraine headaches.

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