Sunday, March 7, 2010

Sorry


I'm so sorry I have not been blogging as much but for the last 10 days I have been dealing with a really bad migraine :(


It has been so bad to the point that the TV is to bright and I have to ware sunglasses to even watch TV.....Crazy Right

So I was so happy because Last night we went to a place called Cottage Inn to celebrate My Aunt and Uncles 30th Wedding Anniversary and I was feeling good because for the fist day in DAYS my head was feeling so much better.

See there I am with Hubby and Muff at the Restaurant Looking HOTTTTT and my head was not hurting :)


But this is Me today.....

Not so HOTTTT why??????Because My head is killing me again...It was so bad that I could not play a game with Muff because my eyes could not even stay open....

So with this Lovely migraine that is happy living in my head I thought I would look up some ways to make my Headache go away. And I found this really great Article from
One of my fav magazine's. About headaches this is what it has to say....

Smart Ways to Stop A Headache
Tension & Migraines

About 45 million people suffer from headaches every year. And women are twice as likely to get them as men. While all headaches are painful, migraines are especially so. "That no one dies of migraine seems to someone deep into an attack an ambiguous blessing," mused the writer Joan Didion. Here we give you the typical symptoms of many types of headaches, including migraines, so you can figure out what makes your head pound. You'll also find out the right remedies, so you'll be pain free in no time. However, anyone who has recurring headaches should see a doctor.

Tension

Who gets it: Almost everyone. This most common type of headache has been experienced by up to 90 percent of adults, according to the American Council for Headache Education.

What it feels like: A dull, nonthrobbing ache or a gripping, viselike sensation on both sides of the head. This type of headache is not associated with nausea or vomiting and is usually not disabling.

What it's caused by: For a long time it had been thought that tension headaches were caused by muscle tension. Experts now believe this is not the case. Although they are not sure what causes them, these headaches can be triggered or made worse by stress, anxiety or fatigue.

What it's treated with: OTC analgesics, such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen. But be careful: Taking these drugs more than twice a week can cause rebound headaches (which are brought on by overuse of pain medication).

Migraine

Who gets it: Nearly 28 million Americans (70 percent of whom are women) routinely suffer from this brutal pain.

What it feels like: Stabbing pain, typically on one side of the head (but can also occur on both sides), sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, a runny or stuffy nose and watery eyes. It can last up to 72 hours. About 15 percent of migraine sufferers get an early warning before the headache (called an aura) with visual disturbances like flashing lights or zigzag lines.

Migraines can be extremely debilitating. The National Headache Foundation reports that 53 percent of sufferers go to bed until they're over.

What it's caused by: The latest thinking is that the tendency to get migraines might be inherited. If both your parents had migraines, there's a 75 percent chance that you will as well. Even if a distant relative of yours has migraines, there is a 20 percent chance that you'll get them too. Researchers also believe that migraines might be a brain disorder, similar to epilepsy. Hypersensitive nerves in the brain stem fire inappropriately in response to internal or external stimuli. This prompts a cascade of neurochemicals, including serotonin, that cause inflammation and blood vessel dilation in the brain's covering (called the meninges). Pain messages are sent back to the brain stem (precipitating nausea), then to the cortex (causing light and sound sensitivity).

Practically anything can induce a migraine. While stress is the most common trigger, others include weather changes, perfumes, pollutants, lack of sleep, skipping meals, and even certain foods, like red wine, aged cheese or cured meats. Research suggests that migraines that occur around your period are triggered by estrogen levels dropping at the beginning of menstruation.

Migraines often coexist with depression and anxiety. Generally one condition does not cause the other. Rather, there appears to be an underlying brain condition common to all three, possibly involving changes in the levels of the brain chemical serotonin, according to Stewart J. Tepper, M.D., assistant clinical professor of neurology at Yale University School of Medicine.

What it's treated with: The best treatment is prevention, which is possible if you can sleuth out your migraine trigger and then avoid it. Keep a headache diary, noting the circumstances surrounding each headache to see if a pattern emerges. For instance, note if a migraine strikes every time you drink a glass of red wine.

Lying in a dark room with ice on your head may reduce the pain. Mild migraines often respond to OTC migraine formulations such as Excedrin Migraine. This medication contains aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine, which constrict blood vessels and reduce pain and inflammation.

For moderate to severe migraines, "triptans are usually the first line of treatment," says Christine Lay, M.D., director of the Women's Comprehensive Headache Center at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. Triptans are prescription medications that reduce inflammatory chemicals in the brain, bringing blood vessels back to normal size, thus alleviating the migraine. Triptans work best at the first sign of pain.

For migraines that don't respond to triptans, preventive medications, taken daily, may help. These include antidepressants (such as Elavil, Celexa, Desyrel), which regulate serotonin levels; beta blockers (such as Inderal) or calcium channel blockers (such as Verapamil), which stabilize blood vessels, making them less apt to dilate; and anticonvulsants (such as Depakote and Topamax), which regulate the activity of the central nervous system.
Sinuses and More

Who gets it:Anyone who has such symptoms as nasal congestion, green or yellow nasal discharge, postnasal drip and sometimes a fever most likely has an acute sinus infection.

What it feels like: Sinus headaches cause mild to severe pain around the forehead, eyes, cheeks, ears and upper teeth that gets worse when you bend over or lie down.

What it's caused by: Swelling or blockage in the sinus and nasal passages traps nasal secretions in the sinus cavity, which becomes infected with bacteria, causing inflammation, pain and pressure. True sinus headaches are caused by bacterial infection, colds, flu or allergies.

What it's treated with: Antibiotics and decongestants.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

Who gets it: The National Institutes of Health estimates roughly 10 million people - about twice as many women as men - experience pain related to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects the lower jaw to the temporal bone of the head and the surrounding muscles used for chewing. Because headache is part of a constellation of symptoms caused by temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD), it's not known how many people suffer specifically from TMJ-related headaches.

What it feels like: A dull ache in front of the ears, at the back of the head, or at the temples, neck or forehead that's exacerbated by talking, chewing or yawning. Other symptoms can include difficulty opening the mouth, jaw popping or clicking, and soreness in the jaw muscles.

What it's caused by: Experts think TMJD can be caused by one of several things, including clenching or grinding the teeth (which stresses jaw muscles, resulting in spasms and tightness), joint misalignment, or injury or arthritis in the joint (which can result in inflammation and pain).

Natural Remedies

Magnesium Since some women with migraine, particularly menstrual migraine, are thought to be deficient in magnesium, taking 200 to 800 mg a day of the mineral may help prevent headaches. In a 12-week German study of 81 migraine patients, those given magnesium reported a nearly 42 percent drop in headache attacks along with a slight reduction in intensity and duration. Diarrhea is a common side effect, says Stuart Stark, M.D., medical director at the Neurology and Headache Treatment Center in Alexandria, Virginia, who recommends starting with approximately 200 mg a day of magnesium, then increasing this amount by 100 mg each month (up to a maximum of 800 mg) until you feel better. If you develop unpleasant side effects, stop taking the supplement. High-dose intravenous magnesium administered in the emergency room can also stop full-blown migraines.

Riboflavin Some migraine researchers theorize that low levels of riboflavin may play a role in migraines, so supplementing with this B vitamin may prevent attacks. In a Belgian study of 55 migraine patients, 59 percent of those taking 400 mg of riboflavin a day for three months had fewer and shorter migraines than those given a placebo.

So for all of you out there that have a pain in your head like I have been having for the last few days I hope this helps...And I hope that Your head will feel better....

Till Next Time.....

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