The Misery of Migraine & Headache.. and what to do about them

The Misery Of Migraine & Headache… and what to do about them

Migraine covers a multitude of symptoms from one-sided head pain, aura and light sensitivity, nausea, vertigo & dizziness and even unilateral paralysis and weakness.

The first step in trying to remedy migraine is trying to unearth the cause. These can be primary or secondary. Secondary migraine or headache result from another disease or condition. Primary headaches means there is no underlying disease process, the headache is a result of issues with pain sensitive structures in the head.

Primary Headache

Muscular tension

Trigger points in muscles can cause an astonishing array of symptoms ranging from pain in the head mimicking migraine to dizziness, sinus pain and tinnitus. In 1998 researchers discovered a connection between a small muscle in the neck (rectus capitis posterior minor) and the pain sensitive dura matter that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. When this muscle is tight it pulls on the dura and creates pain in the head.

Since 1940’s Dr Janet Travell (President JFK’s physicians, no less) has advanced the work of trigger point therapy, finding numerous other relationships between muscular tension and pain in the head. The main tenant of “trigger point” being that tightness in a muscle can refer pain into another part of the muscle or into another area entirely.

Nutritional deficiencies

Vitamin D. Spend a lot of time indoors? Symptoms get worse in the winter? Don’t eat much in the way of fish, eggs or diary? Perhaps you have a Vitamin D deficiency. Particularly important to check out given that Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk of cancer.

Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to demyelination of nerve sheaths (essentially damaging the nerves), mimicking symptoms of MS; weakness, tiredness, numbness and tingling, depression. There are two aspects to B12 deficiency.

1) Not eating enough B12 rich foods (red meat, fish, shell fish, fortified soy products, dairy).

2) Not absorbing nutrients efficiently. In this case B12 injections are often needed.

Calcium. Calcium deficiency can cause a variety of symptoms; muscle spasms and cramps, numbness and tingling, brittle nails and confusion and memory loss. Its a common myth that dairy is the only source of calcium. In contrast greens such as broccoli and kale are excellent sources, as are sardines and almonds. Sufficient vitamin D is needed to effectively absorb calcium.

Magnesium. Magnesium is an essential electrolyte, important for proper muscle and nerve function. Deficiency can result in muscle weakness, twitching, dizziness, nausea and irritability. It can even be the root cause of low calcium or potassium levels.

Sleep Apnea

Poor breathing during sleep can lead to lower blood oxygenation levels. Low levels of oxygenation equals low energy and can contribute to migraine. If you have to drag yourself out of bed in the morning, find yourself tired and lifeless you may be suffering sleep apnea. Its worth checking your blood oxygenation either with a monitor at home (bearing in mind these devices are not hugely accurate) or via a blood test.

Secondary Headache

When looking at secondary migraine you’re essentially ruling out the scary (and quite often the least likely) causes:

Tumour

A rare cause of headache – but well worth ruling out, for peace of mind. A CT or MRI scan can detect tumours. Typically the headache will be recent. There may be changes in behaviour, memory recall and persistent nausea and vomiting – rather than the fleeting bouts symptomatic of migraine. Unfortunately many symptoms of tumour are very similar to symptoms of migraine.

Aneurism & Haematoma

Feeling sick, stiff neck, double vision, seizures, weakness on one side of the body. Unfortunately these symptoms again can mimic migraine.

Carotid artery Disease

The carotid artery is the main artery in the neck. Narrowing of this artery can cause visual & light disturbances with symptoms similar to migraine.

High Blood Pressure

High Blood pressure can put extra tension on sensitive blood vessels causing extreme headaches. If you’re also having problems breathing, feel fatigued, have chest pains and pounding in neck and ears you may have hypertension.

Low Blood pressure

Low Blood Pressure can lead to inadequate blood supply to the muscles around the neck and head and can lead to poor supply to the brain.

Both high and low blood pressure can be easily checked by your GP.

Hypothyroid

Fatigue, weight gain and hair loss in combination with headaches may point to low thyroid function. This is often diagnosed by a blood test with your GP. In some cases you may need further tests under an endocrinologist.

Anything Else Worth Considering – Can Acupuncture Help?

If you want to avoid medication then acupuncture can be a very effective treatment for migraine. Fortunately its also got the seal of approval by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) who recommend a course of up to 10 treatments for both migraine and tension headache.