Highlights

Welcome to this month’s edition of the most popular posts!  These are some of the posts from the last three months that have been especially popular with our readers.  Thanks for joining us!

• 15 Diseases, disorders and syndromes that go along with Migraine
• Migralex finally launched – new abortive
• Chocolate for Migraine?
• Cluster Headache: Seeing is one step closer to believing
• Migraine and Out of Body Experiences
• Visual Snow and Persistent Migraine Aura – tests and treatments
• Persistent Migraine Aura and Visual Snow?
• Levadex – inhaled migraine drug on the way
• More on DHE: Home Therapy for Chronic Daily Headache?
• 1% Thursday: Be Prepared

Chocolate for migraine?  Prison camps?  Out of body experiences?  Grains in your pillow?  Injections without needles?

These are some of the strangest health posts you’ll ever see, and yet they’re popular with our visitors – find out why!

• Migralex finally launched – new abortive – learn about this long awaited abortive
• Chocolate for Migraine?  Really?  Check out the research in the continually contradictive world of chocolate…
• Those with Migraine more Sensitive to Stress?  Stress?  What kind of stress?
• Cluster Headache: Seeing is one step closer to believing  I’m so glad this post is popular, because it’s something people need to see.
• Easy injections and needle-free injections  So what’s all this about doing without those needles?
• Migraine and Out of Body Experiences  One of my most unusual posts ever, but believe it or not it’s a serious topic.
• 1% Thursday: Migraines, Computer Screens, and Headaches  Can you make peace with your computer screen?
• If People Only Knew – the Power of Getting the Word Out  This amazing study tells us a lot about why we need to tell people about headache, migraine and cluster.
• 1% Thursday: Try a Buckwheat Pillow  What kind?  Why?  Find out here.
• Monday Notes – Get fit, relax, and get into the new year…  Just some random notes to help you start your new year right.

It’s time for part 2 of your favourite posts from 2009!  You can read the last post which featured drugs, treatments and supplements here.

Key Information

• 5 Signs You have Retinal Migraine:  Retinal Migraine may not be what you think it is.  Do you really have it?  Here are some easy tips to help confirm your diagnosis.
• First Migraine then Bloodshot Eye – What’s up?  Getting an unexpected bloodshot eye along with your migraine attack?  What’s happening?  Answers to a common question.

News and Research

Here are some key news items that caught people’s attention – and yes, they just might have an impact on you personally.

• A Sleep Apnea Mystery Solved?:  A major solution to many suffering from sleep apnea may be simpler than machines and operations.
• Those with Migraine more Sensitive to Stress?  Maybe or maybe not – a better question might be, what is stress?  And what kind of stress?
• By the Way – Botox Lawsuit one to Watch…  Botox has been getting its name out there in more ways than one.  This lawsuit is an insight into the politics of medicine that have a huge impact on you the patient.
• Chocolate for Migraine?  Could a common trigger turn out to be a migraine-fighter?  Check out this recent research.

Key tips and ideas

• Get a Headache after Working Out?  A very common problem does have some excellent solutions.  Check it out.
• Don’t Ignore Migraine During Perimenopause:  Oh, it’s just a part of life.  But is it?  Don’t ignore a headache or migraine because you think it’s "normal" – it isn’t, and we’re here to fight it!
• 1% Thursday: Try a Buckwheat Pillow:  One of the more popular recent posts in our 1% Thursday series – key information about buckwheat pillows and why they might help ease your pain.
• A Review of Menstrual Migraine (the book):  One of our more popular recent book reviews.  You’ll be hearing more from this book in the months ahead, no doubt.
• How to avoid that Altitude Headache:  Surprisingly common, but there are some ways to fight back.
• The Migraineur’s Quick Guide to Reading Food Labels:  No more messing around – find out what those complicated labels are really telling you, and how to avoid the marketing tricks that are making you eat things that are giving you pain.

The Tailend

A couple more posts that proved to be especially popular this year.

• What is Migraine? (The Life Impact Story):  Part of our series of key information about migraine, this one really struck a chord because it gets down to how migraine really changes our lives.  Cousin Mig is the villian, but we’re not putting up with him.
• Stress, Diet, and searching for Triggers:  Is stress really a migraine trigger?  Some say no, some yes.  But this migraineur has his own opinion from experience, and it’s quite an experience.

Your favourites?

What posts did you find most helpful over the past year?  I hope that I’ve been able to help in the fight we’re in against migraine, cluster, and various headaches.

 May 2010 be a year of even more progress – and may many of you become symptom-free in the months ahead!  Let’s work together to make it happen.

Today instead of looking at some of the highlights from the past three months as we often do, we’re going to look at some highlights from 2009 – posts that were popular with you!

Drugs/Medicines etc

Here are some of the most popular posts related

• New Migraine Topamax study: Adolescents:  The very popular drug Topamax (topiramate) being tested for a younger crowd.  How well does it work?
• DHE Migraine Treatment: Why some people still use it:  A very early migraine drug is still helpful in certain situations.  Read the post, and check out the helpful comments by our readers.
• The Latest on Tezampanel, a new Migraine Drug:  Well, it’s not the latest anymore.  For more recent news read Migraine drug brings down Drug Company?.
• New Migraine Drug Telcagepant – Not Dead Yet:  As you can tell, the road to becoming an accepted migraine drug is not an easy one.  Find out what’s going on with this one.
• New Botox Trials – Encouraging News on the bumpy road to acceptance:  Is Botox all that those selling it hope it can be?  Here are some thoughts on some recent trials.
• Easy injections and needle-free injections:  Have you tried needle-free injections?  Here’s some news on where they’re at.

Supplements and other Treatments

Here are some of your favourites:

• Trigger Points: Identification, Myths, and Preparing to Fight them:  I think this one is just popular because everyone is wondering if and when I’m actually going to continue the series!  Don’t worry – the research continues and I do plan to continue.
• Omega 3 and Migraine:  How helpful are omega-3 supplements, really?  And how should I take them?  Here are some thoughts on what the science seems to be saying…
• 1% Thursday: Learn a Relaxation Technique:  One of our weekly tips posts with some links to get you starting on this self-treatment.
• Biofeedback for Migraine and Headache (podcast):  Less than a month ago this podcast generated some interest in this often overlooked treatment.
• Magnesium: Top of the List for Migraine:  Yes, magnesium keeps coming up as a winner.

Coming up…

I’ll be back later with some more of your favourites from 2009.  Do you have a post that you found especially helpful, related to drugs, supplements and other treatments?  Feel free to comment!

Here are the posts that have been the most popular with our visitors over the past three months.  The ones in bold are very hot topics – popular two months in a row.

If you see something here that might be helpful to a friend, pass it on!  You’ll find the most popular posts first…

• Deeper into Migraine, Glucose and Insulin…  New research gives us insight into how these work together
• My Hair Hurts! Migraine and Allodynia  Paying attention to this common migraine symptom
• Migraine: Does your face hurt?  An often overlooked migraine symptom examined
• New Migraine Drug Telcagepant – Not Dead Yet  The latest news on the drug many are hoping for
• Generic Medications – The same but different?  Using generic drugs wisely
• How to avoid that Altitude Headache  Some studies offer important reminders
• Migraine and Cardiovascular Disease – Why?  One of the most important questions for a migraineur
• What is Verapamil?  A closer look at a drug used for cluster headache and migraine
• New Botox Trials – Encouraging News on the bumpy road to acceptance  The title says it all.
• Taking Control of TMJ: A Review of the Book  One of the most practical headache-fighting books I’ve read