Mayo Clinic Q&A: Treating Migraines, Cluster Headache
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What’s the difference between a cluster headache and a migraine? Is there a way to treat severe headaches without prescription medication? ANSWER: There are various differences between cluster and migraine headaches, including how long the headaches last, how often they occur, and the area of the head they affect. Several options are […]
Headaches: What to Know, When to Worry
Everyone gets the occasional when-will-this-day-end headache. These headaches may even follow a certain pattern. (Mine usually strike like clockwork if I miss my morning cup of French press coffee.) But when is a headache cause for concern? “Most bouts of regular headaches are not serious and can be treated on their own,” says Elizabeth Loder, […]
Migraine Linked to a Usually Harmless Heart Defect
The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts Q: I recently had an echocardiogram that showed I have a hole between the two upper chambers in my heart. My doctor thought it might be connected to my headaches. What might that mean for me? A: Everyone starts off with an oval, flap-like opening (called a foramen […]
Diet can impact migraines
Eliminating that morning cup of joe, consuming processed foods high in nitrites or monosodium glutamate (MSG), and enjoying too much alcohol are potential headache triggers for individuals battling migraines, says Vincent Martin, M.D., professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine. There are two different approaches to […]
Finding Relief for Chronic Migraines
Marie Syzdek, 54, grew up thinking that migraines were a normal part of life. Ever since she was a teenager, Syzdek suffered from migraines—a constant low-grade headache, that peaked several times a week into a painful, throbbing, full-blown attack. When she got married and had children, her family often would find her lying on the […]
Strong link between depression and migraine headaches
By Howard LeWine, M.D. Ask the Harvard Experts Q: Is there a link between depression and headaches? A: Yes, they are connected. People with depression tend to have more frequent and more severe headaches compared to those without depression. And as headaches occur more often and become more intense, it’s likely that the person will […]
The Brain at War
A Cure for Chronic Migraine Pain May Only be a Decade Away The word migraine comes from the Greek words “hemi” meaning half and “krania” meaning skull. This is a fitting name for the kind of excruciating headache that tortures one half of the brain at a time. With the pain, migraines also come with […]