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9 July 2014

Getting a Headache right after Drinking Alcohol?

You’ve had a little to drink – or maybe more than a little – and while you’re still having a good time, the headache strikes. What’s happening? Should you be concerned?

Yes, you should be. If you have a headache within two or three hours of drinking alcohol, you’re experiencing something different from the familiar “hangover”. In fact, the International Headache Society has classified these as two different types of headache.

The headache that arrives early is known as an immediate alcohol-induced headache. That doesn’t mean it happens right away, but if it happens within 2-3 hours, it qualifies. This has sometimes been called the “cocktail headache”.

If these symptoms are new to you, you need to go to your doctor and explain your symptoms and medical history, in order to be sure something serious isn’t behind the headache.

Be sure you tell your doctor about any other headache conditions you have. It could be that people with tension-type headache, or migraine attacks, may be more susceptible to this rare alcohol induced headache. It could also be that the alcohol is triggering an attack.

If you have another headache condition, your best first step will be to treat (or continue to treat) that condition. Getting migraine attacks under control, for example, should improve the situation.

Unfortunately, immediate alcohol-induced headache is notoriously changeable. You may drink a little one day and get a headache, and drink a lot another day with no problem. The only way to certainly avoid the headache is to avoid the alcohol.

Do keep a headache diary, paying special attention to any alcohol you’re drinking. This will help your doctor diagnose you correctly and find a treatment plan which works for you.

3 July 2014

Cluster Headache: Seasons and Temperatures

James Discoveries & Stats 2

Do changes in temperature trigger periods of cluster attacks? Researchers in Taiwan say yes, but the connection may not be as simple as you think.

Cluster headaches come in clusters. After a period with no headaches, these short-term and incredibly painful sharp burning headaches come and go, lasting only a few minutes to three hours. (For more on cluster, see this graphic)

Researchers are trying to get a better understanding of what exactly triggers cluster, and some of this research has focused on weather patterns.

In a study published in the journal Cephalalgia, the focus was on the temperature and the changes in seasons.

The study confirmed that autumn is the worst season for cluster patients. The fewest attacks happen in winter, with spring and summer being in-between.

Interestingly, the transition from autumn to winter and from winter to spring were also common times for clusters of cluster headaches.

Researchers also found that certain changes in temperature tended to increase the likelihood of cluster attacks. Higher temperatures were worse, but also changes in temperature following a warm period. You can read more about their findings here: Temperature variation and the incidence of cluster headache periods

Although a fairly large study, because it was done in Taiwan it could be that there are seasonal factors there that would be different in other parts of the world. However, this isn’t the first time that autumn and early spring have been marked as a bad time for cluster patients. And the further investigation into temperature may give us an idea about why certain times of year are worse for some. The more we know, the better we can prepare for and treat these cluster periods.

1 July 2014

Let’s Talk About Tension-Type Headache.

James Information, Medications, Tips, Treatments 0

It’s often called the most common headache. It’s been labelled stress headache, or tension headache, but research has shown us that these headaches don’t tend to come from either stress or muscle tension.

Just what a tension-type headache (TTH) is is still a bit of a mystery. We do know that the line between migraine and TTH isn’t as clear as most people think. Many people who think they just have a “normal” headache are actually suffering from migraine. And even those who really do have TTH may have a headache that has roots in common with migraine.

“Ordinary headache”, like migraine, seems to have a neurobiological basis. It’s diagnosed by the way it shows itself, not by what causes it. So a TTH will probably involve a “tight” pain, usually on both sides of the head, and it will lack typical migraine symptoms like nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.

Already someone out there is saying,”But wait – I am sensitive to light when I have a tension headache.” Guess what – you may have been misdiagnosed.

Treating Tension-Type Headache

The most important advice when it comes to TTH is this: see a doctor who takes your symptoms seriously. That’s it.

Why? Because the common course of action – take painkillers, take painkillers again, it’s just a headache – take more painkillers – is causing more problems than it’s solving.

First you need to get to a doctor and get a proper diagnosis. Is it really TTH? If so, what kind? Yes, there are various varieties of TTH which may call for different treatments. Is it mixed with other types of headache? If so, the treatment may be different.

Once you’re under the care of a doctor, common treatments include paracetamol / acetaminophen (Tylenol) and aspirin, depending on your symptoms and medical history.

In some cases, preventative medication may be required, at least for a time. This would include tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Endep, etc).

If you have more than one type of headache, other medications may be recommended.

Depending on the severity and frequency of your headaches, your doctor may also recommend lifestyle changes such as more activity and changes in your diet. Biofeedback has been shown to be beneficial for tension-type headache as well. Other complimentary treatments may help.

Remember, tension-type headaches are not normal, and they can be treated. They can be disabling, and significantly impact your day-to-day life. Don’t ignore them while they steal away bits of your life.

For more information:

Do you have tension headache symptoms?
Tension-Type Headaches (Cleveland Clinic)
Management of tension-type headache (British Medical Journal)

26 June 2014

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

James Highlights 0

It’s time to look at the most important stories from the past 3 months … the most important to you, that is! These are the posts that were most popular with visitors to Headache and Migraine News. Check out what you might have missed, and join the conversation!

24 June 2014

The Surprising Secret to being more Active

James Discoveries & Stats 1

Anyone with chronic pain is aware of the one great treatment that pain itself keeps us from – physical activity. Whether hampered by a simple inability to move, or intense pain when we do, exercise is the magic pill that we should all take, that’s often too hard to swallow.

Sleep with Chronic Pain - A Key to Being more Active?

But researchers in the UK have discovered a surprising secret – a way to increase physical activity by – well, in a sense, doing nothing at all.

It’s everyone’s dream, right? Improve your health by doing nothing?

All right, as you’ve guessed it’s not quite that simple. But researchers basically found that having a good sleep helped patients with chronic pain be more active the following afternoon.

Now here’s the interesting thing. It didn’t seem to matter if the person woke up depressed or happy. Or if that person had a morning with a lot of pain, or a relatively pain-free morning. Or even how “efficient” their sleep was. It seems that if patients feel that they had a good sleep, they will be more likely to be active the following afternoon.

The researchers commented that a previous study also indicated that a good sleep meant less pain in the morning (although the level of pain in the morning in this study made no difference to activity).

We’ve long known that sleep cycles are key when it comes to chronic pain, whether it be cluster headache, migraine, or tension-type headache. This study is yet another reminder that we need to focus on sleep.

Not only making sure we get to bed and do our best to get quality sleep, but that health professionals need to ask about sleep, test for sleep disorders when appropriate, and find solutions that may help lower the level of pain in patients with all sorts of disorders.

Sleep is a major key to finding good treatment.

Lead author Dr Nicole Tang says:

Engaging in physical activity is a key treatment process in pain management. Very often, clinicians would prescribe exercise classes, physiotherapy, walking and cycling programmes as part of the treatment, but who would like to engage in these activities when they feel like a zombie?

…

The finding challenges the conventional target of treatment being primarily focused on changing what patients do during the day. Sleep has a naturally recuperative power that is often overlooked in pain management. A greater treatment emphasis on sleep may help patients improve their daytime functioning and hence their quality of life.