Menu

James

About James

http://relieve-migraine-headache.com

Posts by James Cottrill:

Little tips add up

3

Sometimes just a few seconds of relief can make a big difference. Many of the tips you hear about don’t help everyone, or don’t help for long, but may help a little.

I just heard this tip from Terri from the USA. Here’s what she had to say:

Accidentally found a method that temporarily (at least) relieves some of the pain of my migraine (does not take away the headache) I apply pressure to the bottom of my nose…the piece of cartilage where the nose attaches to the face at the bottom. A steady upward pressure and the pain in my eye goes away…as long as I’m pressing…obviously not a practical long term solution…but just to feel some relief…a break from the pain…helps. Hope it helps someone else.

Actually, it does seem to work, at least a little. Thanks for the tip, Terri!

Do you have a tip to share? Leave a comment!

A Scientific history of Migraine

0

If you want a good overview of where the science of migraine has come from and where it’s going, you might want to check out an article in this month’s Scientific American.  It was written by Dr. David W. Dodick, a Professor of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and Dr. J. Jay Gargus, Professor of Physiology & Biophysics at the University of California Irvine.

The article provides a sweeping view of where migraine research has been, surprising developments in recent years, and where the research may take us in the years ahead.  Here’s an excerpt:

Not only has the specific understanding of blood flow changed, but so has the prevailing view of the root of migraine.  Migraine is now thought to arise from a disorder of the nervous system-and likely from the most ancient part of that system, the brain stem.  This newer insight has come mainly from studying two aspects of migraine: the aura, which precedes the pain in 30 percent of sufferers, and the headache itself . . . The most common form of aura is a visual illusion of brilliant stars, sparks, flashes of light, lightning bolts or geometric patterns, which are often followed by dark spots in the same shape as the original bright image . . . Aura appears to stem from cortical spreading depression-a kind of "brainstorm" anticipated as the cause of migraine in the writings of 19th-century physician Edward Lieving.  Although biologist Aristides Leão first reported the phenomenon in animals in 1944, it was experimentally linked to migraine only recently.

Read more about Why Migraines Strike from Scientific American.

Quick thanks to Sandy

0

Just for the record, I appreciate your comments and notes even though I don’t always have a chance to respond the way I’d like.  I even appreciate your feedback about the site itself.

For example, Sandy from Australia emailed me a few weeks ago, pointing out the the font on the menus of the main site was horrendous – terribly hard to read!  ANd boy was she right.

So, I’ve changed the font – you should find it much clearer and easier to read.

Thanks again, Sandy!  And thanks all of you who share your comments and suggestions.

A reminder – share your medical history!

, 2

No, don’t share it with everyone, but do share it with your doctor, or those that might be treating you in the emergency room, for example!  A recent story of a 38 year old who had some confusing symptoms reminded me of this.

I try to remind people that they need to talk to a doctor who knows their medical history.  I can’t emphasize this enough.  The more your doctor knows, the better she will be able to diagnose and treat you.  If she is missing information, you could very easily end up with a wrong diagnosis, and treatment you don’t need (that could make things worse).

Or, you could end up with treatment that could harm you because, for example, it interacts with that natural remedy you’re taking, or that other drug, or that medical condition you failed to mention.

The story comes out of Toulouse, France.  The 38 year old female patient came in with symptoms looking like serious cerebral stroke, and she was treated with this in mind.  But it wasn’t stroke.

What she was experiencing was migraine aura – atypical aura.  She hadn’t mentioned her history of migraine, and so she ended up being treated for the wrong thing.  (see Migraine with atypical aura in the recovery room: a sometimes complicated diagnosis!)

Take the time to share your medical history.  Have the pertinent information handy – maybe this means carrying around a sheet of paper, or having a medical USB drive.  Keep it handy and get the treatment you need.

Load More

Back To Top
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.