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Aromatherapy: Top 5 for Migraine or Headache

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I’m a secret fan of aromatherapy.  All right, not so secret, I guess.  But there’s one thing that drives me crazy.  When people go for aromachology, thinking they’re getting aromatherapy.  What a rip-off.

Aromatherapy

What is true aromatherapy?  The former Health AtoZ put it this way: "Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of plant-derived, aromatic essential oils to promote physical and psychological well-being."

You see, the aromatherapy I want means 100% pure essential oils.

But sometimes the word aromatherapy is used, but what it really means is aromachology.  That’s just aromas – any kind, from any chemical, and probably not 100% natural and pure (even if it does contain some essential oils).  That may be fine at times, but when I want to fight a headache, I want to know what’s going into my nose.  I prefer it not to contain 6 ingredients with long names that I can’t pronounce with numbers in the middle.

I wish the two would be differentiated more, but aromatherapy is the "in" word, and marketers want you to think you’re getting it when you’re really not.

For me, it’s worth it to go with real aromatherapy.  The 100% pure essential oils last a long time, and are 100% natural.  (More on aromatherapy and aromachology)

I’m combed through the literature and studies on both headache and migraine, and I’ve come up with the top 5 recommended essential oils to fight an attack.  Here they are, in no particular order:

  • Peppermint
  • Sandlewood
  • Lavender
  • Eucalyptus
  • Rosemary

Personally, I’m a big lavender fan for a migraine attack.  Also, this time of year I have to admit a weakness for pine essential oil.  I also like cinnamon leaf – not for a headache or migraine but just because.

For real high potency natural 100% essential oil, follow the links here.

What about you?  What essential oils do you like during an attack (if any)?  There are some great mixtures out there too – let’s hear your recommendations!

Headache and Migraine: Too many not seeing a doctor

, 6

… at least that’s the impression I get from our latest poll.  I shouldn’t be surprised – but I was.

Let’s look at the results from the recent poll we ran here at Headache and Migraine News. An incredible 67% of visitors confessed that it was several years after their first attack before they saw a doctor!  Now, perhaps some of those people had very few attacks, but still, that is incredible.

Headache help delayed

13% said it was several months, and 10% said it was several weeks.  10% said they had had 5 or fewer attacks before seeing a doctor.

Why do we wait so long?  This isn’t a matter of waiting before trying a new treatment (that’s another story), this is a matter of not even seeing a doctor or specialist once.

In my case, one reason I waited so long was because I didn’t realize what was going on.  I was young and thought the symptoms I was experiencing were a normal part of life.

I would like to suggest that one of the biggest reasons people aren’t getting to a doctor or specialist is because our society tells us that headaches are normal.  Everyone gets them, and so we should just deal with them.

There is one type of headache that is very common – tension type headache.  TTH feels like a band of pressure around the head.  It is a steady pain, rarely throbbing.

However, a headache can be a sign of something very serious.  And if you’ve never seen a doctor qualified in headache treatment, how can you be sure what kind of headache you have?

Headaches are not normal, in the sense that you should just ignore them.  Ignoring a headache could mean permanent damage.  Ignoring a headache could mean it will be harder to treat down the road.

And remember – often, very often, those over-the-counter painkillers are not the best way to go.

So if you have any kind of head pain, let’s get it out of our heads that it’s just "normal" and you should just "put up with it".  Don’t let your friends get away with saying "oh, don’t worry about me – it’s just a headache".

Go see a doctor – at least once – if you have a headache for the first time, or have new symptoms, or a worst-ever headache.  You could be saving yourself a lot of pain in the future by acting now!

Probiotics for IBS – study review

, , 12

We’ve been talking lately about the use of a probiotics supplement for migraine.  A probiotics supplement is especially attractive to those who are trying to avoid yogurt, which triggers migraine attacks in some.

One unwelcome visitor that often comes along with migraine is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).  So a recent review of studies done of patients with IBS taking probiotics supplements caught my eye, because it has implications for both groups (more on the link between IBS and migraine).

Probiotics for IBS and migraine
© Photographer: Eraxion | Agency: Dreamstime.com

In a nutshell, the studies were presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting.  Researchers suggested the following:

  • Probiotics are safe
  • Probiotics help lessen symptoms of IBS
  • Multistrain probiotics are effective
  • Probiotics were also effective for teenagers and children

Why does this matter to migraine sufferers?  Most obviously, because many are also suffering from IBS.  But there’s another reason – the evidence is mounting that multistrain probiotics actually do help.

That may seem obvious, but some have argued that by the time the supplement gets into your system (especially into your intestines), you’re lucky if there are any probiotics that are actually still there to help you.  There’s no doubt this is true for some brands (more on that in a moment).  But a quality probiotic is actually improving your body’s functioning, and that is major news.

Previously I recommended Nature’s Way Primadophilus Optima.  I chose this particular brand because
(1) It’s a multistrain probiotic (14 strains, including bifidobacterium infantis)
(2) It seems to be among the best when it comes to getting the maximum amount of probiotic benefit into your body.  Many brands of probiotics fall far short of the label’s claims about the amounts of each strain, once you actually go to take the supplement.  Buying the wrong brand (this goes for yogurt too, by the way) may mean you’re taking something with very little benefit.

To maximize the benefits, be sure to refrigerate the bottle as soon as it arrives.  And don’t buy 243 bottles in advance – stick to 2 or 3.

You can find Primadophilus Optima at Vitacost (above link).  Primadophilus Optima is also available on amazon.com.

There is growing evidence that taking care of your "gut" (intestines) can be a powerful way to fight migraine.  Finding ways to do this that are safe and effective will continue to help migraineurs make smart decisions.

Read more about the studies at Science Daily: How Effective Are Probiotics In Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Health Insurance – 6 ways to Maximize Your Coverage

, 4

When finances get tight, it’s more important than ever to be sure you’re getting the coverage you need from your insurance company.  But for people with migraine, or chronic daily headache, et cetera, things aren’t always so simple.  Sometimes it turns out that, when you most need the help, the insurance company lets you down.

Health insurance
Image © Yury Shirokov | Dreamstime.com

We’ve talked about this issue before.  We discovered from our online health insurance poll that about 30% of you still pay at least 50% of the cost of your medications out of pocket.  From many of your comments I’ve been reminded that we’re often reluctant to use treatments that could help because of the cost.  And remember the challenge of getting the drugs you need when you need them.

So what do you do?  Well, our visitors have risen to the challenge to share their best tips in the most recent Community Question.  I’ll let you read their comments for yourself, but here are some brief ideas to make sure you get the funding you need, when you need it:

  • Be involved – be involved in your treatment, be involved with the insurance company – don’t just sit back and accept whatever happens.
  • Be persistent – don’t give up!  Go through the process, ask questions, ask "why", ask for information, talk to someone else, find another doctor.
  • Be creative – think outside the box.  Try to see it from the other person’s perspective.  Keep your eyes open for other options.
  • Be organized – keep records on file, have a copy of your insurance policy, take note of who you last talked to on the phone.
  • Be informed – know the facts and myths about your treatment, know the latest options and discoveries (hey, you’ve come to the right place!), know the official policies of your insurance company, know the law, know about the options the drug company may offer.
  • Be bold – don’t be afraid to ask and question and ask again.  Remember, you’re not only helping yourself, you’re helping those that come after you in a similar situation!

But you’ve heard enough from me – go and see what our visitors had to say in our new article – Insurance: Getting covered with headache and migraine

12 ways to Evaluate Migraine News

4

I’ve read hundreds of news stories on migraine, cluster headache and other types of headache.  I’ve listened to the radio, heard podcasts, watched TV and read magazines.  And I’ve learnt two things.  News stories can be helpful.  But sometimes they can obscure the truth more than they reveal it.

Evaluating migraine news

Below are 12 ways to evaluate news stories, especially those about migraine or headache.  This is especially helpful when your Aunt Zelda mails you an article she clipped out of her local newspaper, informing you that at last there’s a cure (ie you no longer have any excuse to lie around sick)!

One disclaimer.  You’ll notice a lot of these tips are negative.  Don’t get me wrong – I appreciate good journalism, and of course I’m including here your evaluation of blogs like this one.  Just because an article does something wrong, almost never means you should discount it completely.  It might mean you should question conclusions, or check more sources (I like to see at least two or three sources and usually some more background before I report on something).

Very few of these things make me totally discount the whole story, although I admit a at least one or two make me pretty annoyed.

  1. Be suspicious of "too-good-to-be-true" or miraculous claims
    Be extra suspicious if you read about the suppressed or newly-discovered treatment that will soon sweep the world.  It may be true – I hope it is, but experience shows two things.  First, it probably isn’t so.  Second, if it’s that newly discovered there are probably years and years of testing ahead before it will be available to you.  Keep your eyes open, watch for progress, look up other sources, and be patient.
  2. Try to find information beyond TV, radio, and headlines
    TV and radio are notorious for giving us little bits of information, but not going into more depth.  If you’re really interested in a topic, go to the library and pull out some books, magazines and journals.  Or, surf the web for credible information from a variety of sources.

    In the same way, headlines are often very misleading.  Read the rest of the article, and look for facts.

  3. Realize that the same story from the same source is recycled and reused many times
    "But I heard the same thing on CNN!  And on FOX!  And on CBC!  And in the Times, and the Sun!"  Yeah, me too.  And you might find that they all had suspiciously similar wording.  The reason is, they all got the information from one source and just recycled the story.

    There’s nothing wrong with that – however, just remember that just because it’s often repeated does not mean it’s true!  Count all those similar articles as one, then look for more in-depth information, sources, and background.

    You may wonder why I often send you to other websites in my articles.  It’s because I never want you to rely on one source – look at the same thing from many points of view.  Good sources with good research can disagree.

  4. Watch out for the words "press release"
    Often a drug company or maker of a supplement will come out with a "press release" that makes great claims for their new migraine or headache treatment.  That’s fine, but remember that there’s bias here in favour of the people trying to sell you something.  They may even quote studies (that they might have funded) – but you can bet they’ll overlook studies that aren’t so positive.
  5. Analyze the research
    Where was it done? how many people? was it "controlled"? were the subjects only from a certain country, or economic class, age, or gender?  I could write a whole article on how to do this, but for now just realize that the value of studies varies drastically.  For example, a study of 12 women in a clinic in New York is a lot different than a study following 234 men and 344 women over 12 years.  One study is also different than a "meta-study", which collects data from several studies.  The Cleveland Clinic has some good tips on evaluating studies and trials.
  6. Don’t get too excited about personal stories
    "I feel like I have my life back, and I’m so grateful."  "It is great that he is enjoying his life now."  "Her agonizing migraines had stopped their monthly, miserable appearances."

    Have you heard quotes like these in news stories?  Me too.  They’re great – they add that human interest element, and give hope.  However, realize that this is one person out of millions.  It may turn out that there are very few people who will benefit from whatever the treatment is.  Don’t make the jump from one person to millions with migraine.

  7. Be suspicious of words like "cure"
    I did a survey of migraine news reports over the past 5 years.  Of the reports that made claims of a cure for migraine, 95.2% were actually talking about what I would call a treatment.  In fact, many of the articles went on to explain that the so-called cure only helped a percentage of migraine sufferers, or only decreased the number of attacks.

    The other 4.8% of articles weren’t talking about a cure either – they were talking about websites that claimed that they had a cure – scams, in other words.  None of the news articles were actually talking about a real cure for migraine!  No wonder your family and friends are confused.

    To make matters worse, many of these treatments have since fallen out of favour with new research.

    I have to admit, this one really drives me crazy.

  8. Remember that statistics can be deceiving
    I love statistics.  They’re fascinating.  Often very helpful.  But often not.

    Statistics can contradict each other.  Depending on how the study was done, and how you report it, you can often make them say what you want.  Statistic usually do tell us something, but ask yourself what that is.  News stories often tend to jump to conclusions beyond what the data is suggesting.

  9. Don’t jump to conclusions
    Oh yes, don’t you jump to conclusions either!  But you already knew that, right?  😉
  10. Check the date
    In this day and age when you can check news stories from the 1800s on the Internet, be sure to find out when the story was printed, and when the study (if there is one) took place.  Sometimes a news story will report on a study years old, which is fine (many are overlooked!), but you need to know that.  If the story is old, check to see if there have been any updates on the treatment.

    11. Cure sick headache - 1885

  11. Check the sources
    Where did this information come from?  Where was the study done?  Was it published in a recognized medical journal?  Who funded it?  Can you check with the information on the website of the source (university, etc)?
  12. Watch out for old-fashioned words
    The world of migraine research is changing fast, and so is terminology.  Be cautious when you hear terms that are confusing.  The classic is the term "migraine headache".  What’s that?  Well, it does exist – it’s a symptom of migraine disease, but often it’s mistakenly used instead of the term "migraine".  Migraine is not a headache!

    Another example is "visual migraine".  What’s that?  It’s an old term for – well, that’s the problem, sometimes it’s used for different things.  (read more about terms like eye migraine and ocular migraine here)  Are they talking about retinal migraine?  Migraine with aura?  Migraine aura without headache?

    I don’t totally discount stories using old terms.  For whatever reason, some of the world’s top experts still use them.  But it is reason to double-check and make sure the person talking has the credentials to say what they’re saying.

Be careful out there.  There’s a lot of information, a lot of claims.  We need to ignore the bad and find the good.

I only have 12 tips – I probably could have had 15 or 20.  What have you learnt about deciding if a news story is worth your time?  Share a comment!

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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.