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http://relieve-migraine-headache.com

Posts by James Cottrill:

Migraine and Bell’s Palsy

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A study published last month in the journal Neurology suggests that people with migraine may be at higher risk to develop Bell’s Palsy.

Bell's PalsyBell’s Palsy is a problem with the facial nerve which leads to temporary paralysis/weakness in the muscles of the face. The symptoms vary quite a bit, from mild weakness to total paralysis, and may include a drooping of the eyelid, drooling, ringing in the ears, and even problems tasting.

There is no agreement on what exactly causes Bell’s Palsy. It is most often connected with the common cold sore virus. But other types of infections, high blood pressure, and even trauma to the head, seem to be related in some cases.

So the authors of this study would like to add migraine to the list.

Bell’s Palsy is rare and temporary, with most patients fully recovered in less than a year. Less than 1% of those in the study developed Bell’s Palsy between 2005 and 2009. The point of interest is that almost 2/3 of those people also had migraine.

This study simply suggests that there may be an underlying cause or trigger for both diseases.

At the same time, we need to remember that some of these symptoms may actually be symptoms of migraine and not Bell’s Palsy at all. If you’re experiencing new weakness/paralysis, be sure to see a doctor right away, and a specialist as soon as possible, who can ask the right questions and get you the right treatment. Bell’s Palsy often requires no treatment at all, but the paralysis could be a sign of other disorders.

For more information:

When Your Vacation is a Battle, not a Break

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Finally! A whole week off! A whole week to do what I want, or to do nothing at all!

It sounds great, but for someone with a chronic headache disorder (not to mention other diseases and syndromes), things may not work out the way you hoped.

Daily pain may make the break seem more like a battle.

Break ... down?And how in the world do you answer questions like,“Did you enjoy your time off?” or “Feeling refreshed? Ready to get back to work?”

No, actually, I don’t feel refreshed at all. I feel like I just returned from a week in the trenches.

Here are a few tips to help you survive after a holiday or vacation that really wasn’t.

First, a couple of notes regarding the time off itself.

Here are three things to do during time off which will help you survive and keep going once it’s over:

  1. Keep life as stable as possible. That means keep a regular schedule, regular bed times and wake-up times, regular meal times, etc. Drastic changes tend to make things worse. This isn’t possible all the time, but the next tip will help with that.
  2. Get the rest you need. Whatever works for you. Don’t over-schedule or plan late nights every night. If you know the big party is coming up, plan to get extra rest before and after.
  3. Make memories. This is a little counter-intuitive, but it really can work. Do fun things with the family, and take pictures. Even if you’re in pain, the good memories can last longer than the memory of the pain. Obviously, if the pain is severe you just need to get away and deal with it however you can. But if it’s possible to do something, even something small at home, with people you trust and love, do it. Make memories.

All right, now your break/battle is over. How do you survive the days ahead? Here are some ideas – leave your own ideas in the comments.

  • Remember, you are responsible for your own attitude and response. If you decide that you’re a victim and there’s no hope, you’ll become inward focused and you’ll be more miserable than ever. Trying to make your life better is not denying that you have a serious health problem.
  • Forget the pain, bring on the memories. Easier said than done, of course. Even if you forget the pain, it’s harder to forget what you missed due to the pain. However, focusing on the good, looking at a few pictures, writing a few notes of thanks … these things can go a long way toward “redeeming” a “tough break”.
  • Ease back into your regular schedule. It can be motivating to have a fresh start, make ambitious goals, and tell yourself that “this year will be better”. But that doesn’t mean you should work for 18 hours on day 1. Be hopeful, but start slow and be forgiving of yourself if you can’t do it all in the first week.
  • Immediately plan your next (short) break. You may be thinking, why would I want to put myself through that disappointment again? Then again, after a week of your normal schedule you may be wishing for something else. Don’t plan a two week hiking and canoeing trip. Plan two days off in February with someone you love. Or a weekend away in March. Something small, simple, and easy on your body, that you can look forward to. Just because your recent time off was difficult doesn’t mean that the next one will be as bad.
  • Redefine “break”. While we’re talking about future breaks, it’s time to get creative. A break/holiday/vacation/sabbatical/whatever can be a thousand different things. A couple days at the beach. Taking a day off to visit that friend you haven’t seen in ages. How about a couple days just to read? Or three days at the hotel with your spouse to finish your wills, plan for the year ahead, and – well, do something fun! If you’re stuck thinking about a break as being one thing, get creative. Have a change instead of a rest. Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual – we need many different kinds of breaks.
  • Forgive. After your “break”, you might just need to forgive. Forgive that family member for not understanding. Forgive yourself for pushing too hard. Maybe you actually need to talk to someone, and ask forgiveness, or explain how they hurt you. Don’t bring grudges from your time off into the rest of your life.
  • Be honest, but… If someone asks how your time off was, be honest! You don’t need to be bitter, just explain in a few words. But – was there anything good about it? Take a few more words to talk about that. How can you express both of these things in 30 seconds to a co-worker or friend? Well, it was difficult, I was in a lot of pain. But I was thankful to spend some time with my Mother…

A few of us understand just how difficult a “break” can be. But on a Monday morning, if we can take just a little control, and demonstrate a little gratitude for something, we might be able to fight back just a bit.

Your Top Migraine Stories of 2014!

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Top Posts of 2014

It’s that time of year again! Time to look back over the past few months to see what the big stories have been, and what you have been talking about.

Early in the year, a study started an unfortunate rumour that headaches are caused by stress. We took a closer look at the study and talked about the perennial danger of blaming headaches on stress – read more at “Proof” that Headaches are caused by Stress?

Early in the year we also talked about a topic that is not new but is often overlooked – Ibuprofen: Dangers of a “mild” medication…

Next we took a quick look at vitamin D, and why some specialists are asking many of us to take more: Vitamin D: An important Migraine Treatment?

A surprisingly simple home remedy with some actual science behind it – Baking Soda for Headaches?

As we headed into the spring of 2014, we looked into some new technology to alleviate migraine symptoms – custom tinted contacts – Tinted Contact Lenses for Migraines?

And a rather important post for doctors treating patients with headache disorders, related to sleep: This Key Sleep Question Could Lead to Better Treatment for Headache Disorders

Heading into the summer, the conversation about new migraine drugs continued from 2013 – CGRP blocking meds: Will new Migraine Med fight Obesity and Diabetes?

And a fascinating look at an overlooked migraine symptom – Neck Pain: A Missing Piece of the Migraine Puzzle?

And fighting back at misdiagnosis, we took a look at lupus: Is it Migraine or Lupus?

And as we move late into the year… we all suspected it, but is there science behind it? Is Your Brain “Slower” During A Migraine Attack?

And I certainly learned something new this year – something about that “pounding” migraine pain – A Migraine Mystery (You’ll never guess this one…)

And in December we ended on a positive note, with an interview with Dr. Peter Goadsby: The “Revolution” in Migraine Treatment (Dr. Peter Goadsby)

10 Highlights from the past 3 Months (December 2014 edition)

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Here are the posts that have been most popular with your fellow readers over the past three months. This is a great way to catch up on the migraine and headache conversation! Hopefully we can look at some of the major conversations of the year in the days ahead.

  1. A Migraine Mystery (You’ll never guess this one…)
  2. Sleep Apnea and Migraine – Comments from You!
  3. Is Your Brain “Slower” During A Migraine Attack?
  4. Stabbing Headache – Could it be MS?
  5. The “Revolution” in Migraine Treatment (Dr. Peter Goadsby)
  6. TRPV4 and “Switching Off” Headache Pain
  7. Standard Blood Tests for Migraine – are they on the way?
  8. The Battle.
  9. Using Migraine as an Excuse
  10. Topiramate + Nortriptyline (and another reason why treatment is not simple)

Do You *Hear Voices* during a Migraine Attack?

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It’s rare, but it is occasionally reported in medical literature. Hearing auditory hallucinations, most often “hearing voices”, associated with a migraine attack.

Visual hallucinations are actually much more common, and can be something simple (such as seeing a flashing light) to something very complex (seeing people). But hearing things is so rare that it’s not usually considered a symptom or trigger of migraine.Hearing things during a Migraine Attack?

Researchers in the USA decided to do a little more research into this phenomenon. They confirmed that of all types of auditory hallucinations, hearing voices was the most common (but still only 58%). But the question remains, is this actually a symptom of migraine?

Most often the patients had the auditory hallucinations during the headache phase of the attack (75%), and it usually lasted less than an hour (67%). This seems to be something more common in patients who had at some time been diagnosed with depression, although many of the patients wouldn’t fit in that category.

In fact, it was difficult to say why these patients experienced this symptom, when the vast majority do not. We do know that in the case of these patients (12 of them – remember, this is very rare), the symptoms did always come with the migraine attack and disappeared afterwards.

So here definitions become important. Is this a migraine aura? A migraine symptom? Or could it be that auditory hallucinations are something caused by another factor, but triggered in some way by the migraine attack?

We do know that there are other physical problems that could lead to hallucinations such as hearing voices, such as blood flow to the brain or issues with the messages sent through the nervous system. But for now, although some patients may need special treatment just for the hallucinations, the answer seems to be the usual – treat the migraine attacks, and these strange symptoms should disappear as well.

Have you experienced anything like this during a migraine attack? We would love to hear from you!

Study abstract: Auditory hallucinations associated with migraine: Case series and literature review.

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The articles on Headache and Migraine News are © 2004-2026 J. Cottrill.
Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of each article, and to point you to further sources of information. However, this site is for informational purposes only and should never replace a visit to your doctor.