Best Exercise to Ease Migraines

Exercise to Ease Migraines

The relationship between exercise and migraines is quixotic.

Science says that exercise, by promoting the regular release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain controllers, should help ease the frequency and severity of migraines.

Many migraineurs claim that their attacks are triggered by physical exertion. Who is right?

Like many other aspects of migraines, the answer is contradictory because both groups are correct. Strenuous exercise can cause migraines in people who are prone to them.

Regular exercise can reduce the frequency and severity of migraine headaches as well as increasing overall health and wellness.

Regular exercise reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases like high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It also helps improve sleep patterns and relieves stress. All of which can subtly affect the likelihood of migraines.

Migraineurs who gave up exercise as a headache trigger should try again. Common exercise migraine triggers are things like:

* Not eating properly before exercising and causing a dramatic drop in blood sugar to occur
* Not taking in enough fluid and becoming dehydrated while exercising
* Starting a new eating plan and a new exercise plan at the same time
* Attempting strenuous exercise without warming up properly

To pinpoint exertion-related migraine triggers, migraineurs should keep an exercise log. It should include specific information:

* Time of day when exercising
* Last meal prior to workout
* Fluid intake
* Medication details
* Whether or not a headache occurred during or after the workout

The best type of exercise for migraineurs is regular, moderate aerobic exercise, at least 30 minutes three times a week. Recommended activities include:

* Power Walking
* Jogging
* Cycling
* Swimming
* Dancing

Any new exercise plan needs at least six weeks to discover if it has a beneficial effect on migraines.

The Real Sinus Headache

Sinusitis is the condition of having one’s sinuses inflamed. Sinus inflammation may be a result of but not limited to bacterial or viral infections or allergic reactions.

Symptoms of sinusitis include a sinus headache that may affect several parts of the head including the face, jaws and teeth.

During a sinusitis attack, the sinus headache may be localized to one or two pairs of inflamed sinuses but in severe cases,

all sinuses are swollen and therefore cause a sinus headache that can be felt in the forehead between the eyebrows, upper jaw and teeth along with tender cheeks and face, the sides of the nose.

In severe rare cases, one may also experience ear aches, neck and top of the head pains as part of the sinusitis headache symptoms. It is important to take note of

all the symptoms of sinusitis because a lot of individuals only think that they have sinus headaches when in fact, they are actually suffering from migraines instead.

It is important to note that sinusitis headache is not the only symptom of sinusitis.

If it is indeed sinusitis, you will experience inflammation and tenderness of tissues around the eyes resulting in swollen eyelids and red eyes. Aside from this, there can be a loss of smell from a congested nasal passage.

Furthermore, aside from sinus headaches and other symptoms already mentioned here, sinusitis could trigger fever and cough.

The cough can sometimes be a result of a post nasal drip from the draining of the sinuses that irritate the upper windpipe which causes it to be sore and encourages us to cough as a result. Sinusitis is also always accompanied by general weakness and tired feeling.

While it is true that up to 97% of individuals who think they suffer from sinusitis headache symptoms are mistaken because they are actually suffering from migraine, it is very important to make the correct distinction between the two.

First, one needs to be properly diagnosed for illness specific medication treatment. It can be quite frustrating to be taking sinus medication to treat sinus headache symptoms when in fact; the headache is cause by a migraine.

With this said, one must never take the sinus headache symptoms for granted and haphazardly assume that it is a migraine. In some rare instances of complications,

sinus headache symptoms may be a signal of acute sinusitis, which results in brain infection.It is therefore very important to get the proper diagnosis and treatment whatever the cause of the headache.

One Can Buy Imitrex Online and Get Relief From All Headaches

People who suffer the acute pain of migraine headaches may find relief with Imitrex.

In 1992 the FDA approved Imitrex the first drug in a class known as triptans. This class of drugs marked a huge sign of relief for headache sufferers.

Unlike some previous drugs that dulled the perception of pain, triptans stop the pain by narrowing blood vessels in the brain and reducing inflammation.

The triptan class of drugs, that includes Imitrex as well as Amerege, Zomig and Maxalt, acts on specific serotonin receptors in the brain and relieves headache, nausea and light sensitivity soon after onset. To ensure they are not vomited, triptans can be found as nasal spray, injection and pills.

Migraines typically create throbbing pain on one side of the head that can last for hours or even days. They also are known as vascular headaches because they are associated with constriction of blood

vessels outside the brain and in the face, neck, and scalp. Migraines usually stay with you all life long. The use of Imitrex helps relieve the pain and if taken right away can stop migraines cold.

Recent estimates of the number of Americans who have migraines vary widely from 11,000,000 to 23,000,000 individuals. They are much more prevalent in women, up to three times more so than in men.

About 70% of women who suffer from migraines report that they get them only in association with their menstrual periods or ovulation.

Migraine headaches are common in children in equal numbers among boys and girls, up to the age of 14. They may be inherited; about half of migraine patients have a parent who had them.

Imitrex was the first drug produced to attach migraines. It is used by nearly 13 million people to treat about 300 million attacks; it is available in the U.S. in three forms: subcutaneous injection, nasal spray, and oral tablet.

Although Imitrex is effective in alleviating pain in a high proportion of patients, it is not a cure for migraines but only a relief agent.

In addition, people with underlying heart disease should not take this drug because it may constrict coronary arteries. Its side effects include a mild, short-lived rise in blood pressure, fatigue, and drowsiness.

In two clinical trials held within the United States, more than 1,000 patients with acute migraine headaches were given a 6-milligram injection of Imitrex.

It relieved the pain in 75 percent of the patients within one hour. Some of them actually had relief within 10 to 30 minutes, and 80 percent of the patients felt pain relief after two hours.

Most headaches can be successfully treated with over-the-counter pain relievers. Now one can even buy imitrex online without taking the headache of going to market.

But you should seek professional help for headaches if they persist or get worse or if the headaches are keeping you from work and social activities.

You should also see a doctor if you’ve never had headaches before and you start having them, if you get headaches upon exertion or if headaches are accompanied by a stiff neck,

fever or neurological symptoms like dizziness or blurred vision. For more information, contact the National Headache Foundation at (888) 643-5552, www.headaches.org/ consumer/.

About Headaches

For many people, a headache is an infrequent annoyance that disappears after swallowing a few tablets. But for chronic headache sufferers, the effects can be far worse.

The World Headache Alliance has fourteen different classifications of headaches, from tension headaches and Migraines to headaches caused by ocular diabetic neuropathy.

Three of the most common forms of chronic headaches are tension headaches, Migraines, and cluster headaches.

The likelihood of being afflicted with different headache disorders seems to be gender-related, with women three times more likely to suffer from Migraines, and men four times more likely to get cluster headaches.

Cluster headaches are often called “suicide” or “ice pick” headaches due to the excruciating stabbing pain in or near the eyes.

This type of headache disorder is rare, with less than 0.5% of the general population affected. Migraine, in comparison, affects roughly 10% of the population, causing pain that can range from irritating to debilitating.

Most headaches (over 66%) are tension-related headaches with over 60% of people suffering at least one tension headache each year.

Tension-related headaches, unlike Migraines and cluster headaches, generally produce a steady ache rather than intense throbbing or shooting pains.

The most common treatments for headaches are analgesics such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. For more severe chronic headaches, however, a physician may prescribe antidepressants, muscle relaxers, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

With proper treatment, most headaches are gone within an hour or two, but in severe cases, the pain can last for days or even weeks without relief.

Herbal Medicine – Natural Cures and Remedies for Migraine

Migraines are probably one of the worst headaches that anyone can experience. For most of us, we’ve experienced migraines when we have a very high fever, nauseated from traveling, jetlag, or even from too much fatigue.

Apart from the piercing headache, migraine also carries other possible symptoms like nausea and vomiting, throbbing pain in the head, severe pain during physical activities, and even sensitivity to light and sound.

According to the National Headache Foundation, there are more than 29.5 million people in North America who suffer from migraines.

When over-the-counter or prescription medication won’t work, one can easily try out some natural cures and remedies for migraine.

1.) Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is considered as one of the oldest remedies for migraines, dating back its uses to Europe centuries ago.

Back then, Feverfew was used to treat migraine, arthritis, fever, headache, and pain, but in 1980, it became a popular alternative medication to migraine.

While there were studies that proved the effectiveness of Feverfew for the treatment of migraine, there are also studies that say otherwise.

2.) Magnesium is a mineral found in green vegetables, nuts, whole grain, and in various nutritional supplements.

Magnesium is required for more than 300 biochemical reactions and helps regulate blood sugar. It also serves as an immune booster, prevents blood pressure from rising, and to improve bone health, normal muscle growth, and nerve function.

Several studies have also been done to gauge the effectiveness of magnesium for the treatment of migraine, and in particular study, oral magnesium (600mg per day) was ingested by 81 people with migraine, while another group was given the placebo.

Within a span of nine weeks, the frequency of migraines was reduced by 41.6 in the group that took magnesium while the placebo group managed to reduce it by 15.8%.

3.) Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is a shrub that is found in Europe, Northern Asia, and some part of North America.

Its extracts were used to treat migraine as well as other symptoms like cough, allergies, and stomach cramps. Like Magnesium, a large study was done with a group of 245 people that took Butterbur extract (50mg to 75mg 2x a day) and a placebo.

After four months of treatment, 75mg was more effective in treating migraine, but there were mild side effects that accompanied the extract like indigestion, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation.

It should be noted that Butterbur belongs to the Ragweed plant family, so people allergic to herbs like daisies, marigold, or chrysanthemum should avoid using Butterbur.

Try out these natural remedies the next time you experience migraine.

Acupuncture Can Help Treat Migraines

Acupuncture can help treat migraines. This was discovered after a comparative study was done with conventional medical care. In some cases, it even prevents it from happening which helps improve the quality of life for the patient.

To understand how acupuncture helps migraine sufferers, you have to understand that in traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that an imbalance in the flow of blood and energy causes this to happen.

In order to treat it, the specialist must relieve the tension by inserting needles into the body to improve the blood flow to the brain thus reducing the pain experienced during an attack.

The needles used helps the body balance the serotonin levels since it is a neurotransmitter that affects blood vessels and has a role to play in migraines.

In fact the more frequent these sessions are the better. It may even come to a point where the specific point of contact is no longer needed but the general stimulation itself.

The end result of undergoing acupuncture is amazing. If you experience 15 to 20 days of agonizing pain, this may be count down to only 8 days. You won’t even need to use that much medication anymore as before.

For those who are working, this is good so that they are not absent from work that much and there won’t be that much deductions in their salary.

But how well acupuncture does for one patient may vary with another. This depends on the condition of the attack and the individual.

The best part about acupuncture is that there are no side effects and it is painless. Skillful professionals can do this so you don’t suffer from hematoma or pneumothorax.

Another disease is potentially dangerous is HIV or hepatitis which can be prevented of course as long as the needles used are properly sterilized. It will be much better if the person uses disposable needles.

Acupuncture has been practiced in the United States for more than 2 decades. Although tests have shown how effective it can be to treat chronic conditions and certain addictions, more studies need to be done to see where else it can be useful.

Although one test has proven that acupuncture can help migraines, other tests will also have to be done to prove if this is true. Until such time that other results are published, patients will have to rely on conventional medicine that is prescribed by a doctor.

But you don’t have to wait for the results to come out. If you think it is worth a try, go for it. Just ask for a referral from your doctor as there are many practitioners who have accepted the fact that alternative forms of medicine can also help a patient.

You can also find someone online. You can be sure they are certified if they are recognized by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Aside from that, you should also make some lifestyle changes as there are trigger factors that have been known to cause migraines. Stress is number one on the list so you get enough rest and exercise as well as a balanced diet.

Patients who are suffering from migraine should also check if acupuncture is covered by their HMO. Most insurance providers and HMO’s these days cover all or part of the cost but there are restrictions so you should check what is covered by your policy.

Migraine, Brain Tumor and Seizure: A Differential Diagnosis

The television series, House is widely enjoyed by millions of viewers all over the world.

The concept of the show revolves around a brilliant diagnostician and his team of doctors who try to determine the illness of their patients to be able to provide the appropriate treatment.

The method they utilize to uncover the mysteries of the patient’s condition is called differential diagnosis. In the field of medicine and health, conducting a differential diagnosis is very necessary since several illnesses may display similar symptoms.

A differential diagnosis is therefore done by observing the various symptoms manifested by a patient; doing different types of medical examinations; and by interviewing the patient or his family regarding personal, medical and social histories.

The main goal, therefore, of having a differential diagnosis is to avoid medical malpractice and to provide quality treatments for patients.

As mentioned earlier, several medical problems or illnesses may show similar symptoms or manifestations. This makes it more difficult for people and even physicians to identify treatment that should be provided.

Such can be the case in conditions such as migraines, brain tumors, and seizure disorders.

Among persons who suffer from migraine, it is of great importance to be knowledgeable of the causes and symptoms of this particular condition in relation to other illnesses such as brain tumors and seizure disorders that exhibit similar symptoms.

Knowing the differences among the said medical conditions will help people to better understand and appreciate migraine remedies.

The main similarity between migraines, brain tumors and seizures is that all of these conditions affect the neurological system.

These conditions should be given proper attention since these ailments affect the brain. Common manifestations or symptoms of migraines, brain tumors and seizures include: headache, aura,

nausea, vomiting, problems with vision, weakness, changes in mood or behavior and negative reactions towards certain sensations (sight, hearing, smell, movement).

Migraine headaches may, therefore, also be a result of abnormal electro-physiologic synchronization which occurs in seizures or maybe because of a damage in a particular tissue in the brain due to tumors.

To identify the root of the problem is to determine the possible causes.

A situation similar to this is when a child manifests a difficulty in repeating words which can be a result of either difficulty in hearing,

difficulty in moving the parts involved in talking or difficulty in understanding or processing the instruction which is to repeat the words.

Migraine is said to be caused by a possible disorder in the serotonergic control system. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain which regulates emotions such as anger and aggression, mood, appetite, sexuality and vomiting.

Another cause of migraines can be attributed to the exposure to or withdrawal of certain “triggers” which can be environmental, chemical, hormonal or behavioral.

On the other hand, seizures are caused by abnormal electric activity in a group of brain cells. Causes of brain tumors are still undetermined.

However, some studies show that a higher predominance of this condition is observed among those whose work include making contact with or exposure to high-chemical content substances.

Just by observation, the differences among the three conditions cannot be easily determined.

This is the reason why medical tests or evaluations are needed to be further done in the hope of acquiring more evidences that would lead or point to a certain condition.

Among the tests that can be done are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT scan and electroencephalography (EEG).

Conducting MRI and CT scan will show any abnormal cell growth within the brain while EEG recordings will determine unusual electrical activity in the brain.

Any anomalies observed among the tests mentioned can rule out that the headaches due to migraine alone. However,

when results of those tests indicate normal activity or conditions, conclusions still cannot be made. Further observation of the symptoms manifested needs to be done.

Though a lot of symptoms among migraines, brain tumors and seizures are similar, there are also certain differences which can be a main lead during differential diagnosis. Experiences of seeing auras usually occur only among those who have migraines and seizures.

People with brain tumors do not usually have this. Existence of aura, therefore, can possibly rule out having brain tumors. Also, unlike symptoms of migraines and seizures which are episodic, symptoms of brain tumors happen more consistently.

Symptoms of migraine such as headaches or feeling of nausea usually last from three hours to several days while those of seizures are usually of shorter duration only.

Thus, suspicion of possible migraine condition can be more strongly supported when the symptoms remain for a long time.

Differential diagnosis, however, though recommended to be understood and applied by common people, are more valid when done by certain professionals such as doctors.

Upon arriving to a certain conclusion, they are also the ones who can effectively prescribe the appropriate medication, remedy or management for the condition.

In some instances, there is an overlap between the medications of seizures and migraine remedies. Among these are depakene, depakote topiramate and topamax.

However, certain treatment only react effectively to the corresponding illness that they are made for. Also, aside from having no curative effects at all on the condition, taking the wrong medication could even worsen the problem.

Thus, a thorough investigation of the situation should really be done to conduct a highly evidence-supported differential diagnosis and, as a result, allow doctors to identify the appropriate treatment.

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