Migranes and Headaches

The Myths of "Sinus Headache"

J. Wes Tanner, MD

#1) My nasal stuffiness means I have sinusitis -- myth.

Many myths confound the proper treatment of migraines presenting primarily as "sinus headaches." The nasal congestion caused by migraines fails to distinguish itself from allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and vasomotor rhinitis. Migraine causes inflammation in the nerves and blood vessels in the head. In the typical migraine headache the upper branches of the nerve, which supply the coverings of the brain, are involved and the head pain is
the predominant symptom.

In cases of "sinus headaches" the inflammation starts within the nerve, causing sinus pain and nasal discharge and/or stuffiness. The branch that gives touch and pain sensation to the nose causes nasal discharge and the lining of the nasal passages to become swollen. Nasal congestion is very common with migraines. The nasal stuffiness is usually reversible as demonstrated in studies of the nasal passages--congested and swollen during the migraine, however, are normal before and after. The nasal
congestion that develops in a migraine is not infection. Slowly, as the migraine goes away, the congestion will disappear.

#2) My nasal discharge means I need antibiotics for my sinusitis--myth.

If the patient has a 102 degree temperature and a thick yellow foul-smelling discharge, there certainly may be infection. It is even possible it could be bacterial. Then antibiotics would be appropriate. Many headache sufferers describe pain or pressure in areas around their sinuses. I was a medical investigator in a national study involving about 3000 patients with sinus pain thinking they had infections. Nearly 90% of the patients actually were having migraines.

Because of the location, many patients presume that their symptoms are caused by problems with their sinuses themselves. It takes infection under pressure to generate pain from bacterial sinusitis. Most patients with chronic bacterial sinusitis do not present themselves at the doctor's office with high fever or pain. Certainly allergies and sinusitis and changes in the weather or barometric pressure can be triggers for migraine headache. Upper respiratory tract infections, chemicals, or smells can irritate the trigeminal nerve, and this nerve through the migraine mechanism is the source of headache pain. It is not good to make your trigeminal nerve unhappy.

More myths of "sinus headache" will be covered in the next article. To find additional information about "sinus headache," migraines, fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), palpitations, vertigo, hypoglycemia, panic attacks and their interrelationship, go to http://www.migrainesyndrome.net.

About the author:
J. Wes Tanner, MD is a family practice and headache specialist who has been treating people for about 30 years. He has extensive experience in treating migraines and fibromyalgia with excellent success. In "Doctor, Why Do I Feel This Way?", Dr. Tanner exposes the secrets and myths about fibromyalgia and the migraine syndrome. To find out more, go to http://www.migrainesyndrome.net.

Important Information About Cluster Headaches

Bette Daoust

A small portion of the human population suffers from a type of headache known as cluster headaches. It is estimated that about 69 out of a 100,000 people will get cluster headaches. There is not a lot of information about these type of headaches however you should find out as much as possible so that you can accurately diagnose your problem should you ever suffer from a cluster headache.

Typically cluster headaches will first occur when people are between twenty and fifty years of age. Thirty years is the typical median age for these types of headaches. Although cluster headaches is a condition that can strike people at any age with some occurring even before ten years of age and over eighty years of age. Most often men get cluster headaches and only about one out of six people who get cluster headaches are
women.

By knowing the symptoms that happen with a cluster headache you will be able to understand whether or not you have a cluster headache. On average a half hour to two hours is the usual duration of a cluster headache. Attacks of cluster headaches can occur between once a week and six per day. The occurrence of cluster headaches varies depending on how severe the condition is. Cluster headaches often come in waves and will occur for four to eight weeks before going into remission. In severe cases cluster headaches can last for years, but this is only in a small percentage of people who have cluster headaches.

The condition of the nasal passage is the best place to look when trying to find symptoms that can help you diagnose cluster headaches. Often times those who experience cluster headaches will have a blockage of the nasal passages. Another sign of cluster headaches is a redness of the eye along with sweating from both the forehead and cheeks. At the start of cluster
headaches a persons heart rate will often increase quickly, which is something you should take note of. With a cluster headache the pain will typically begin around the eyes and the spread outward. Cluster headache will come on quickly and often reach the maximum pain level within two to fifteen minutes.

Currently there is no treatment for those who have cluster headaches but there are options that will help you reduce the amount of pain that accompanies the headaches. Aspirin and other common analgesics are often not effective enough when trying to reduce the pain caused by cluster headaches since it takes too long for the pills to take effect and by the time they do the headaches will be over or near the end. Doctors will often
prescribe antihistamines, calcium channel blockers and ergot preparation for people who experience cluster headaches in an effort to reduce the symptoms people experience.

You should speak to your doctor about cluster headaches if you find that the pain from your headaches effects your sleep, causes you to loose focus or you experience pain whenever you do active movement.

About the author:
Bette Daoust is the writer of http://www.migraineinformation.org/cluster-headaches.htm. She writes articles for http://www.soundsleeping.org and http://www.killstress.org.

Learn About Headaches

Kadence Buchanan

Headache statistics in United States are shocking. According to the American Headache Society, every ten seconds a person enters an emergency room due to severe pain related to a headache or migraine; more than one billion dollars is spent on over-the-counter drugs purchased to treat headaches and migraines; and lost work because of suffering from the migraine disease costs annually more than thirteen million dollars only
in the United States.

These being only a few of the thousands of statistics that are currently available about headaches and their impact, people tend to wonder how come and although we are able to travel to outerspace we cannot find a solution to problems like migraines and common headache. Although advertisers claim to promote that "miracle medication" that will alleviate any pain associate with common headaches or migraines, neutral statistical data suggest that even with the new medications being introduced the new
drugs are still not working.

Headache is the term used most often to describe pain that is felt in the head. Scientists have divided headaches into two main categories: 1) Primary, headaches that occur exclusively of other medical conditions and 2) Secondary, headaches that occur as a result of other medical conditions. Further categorizations in the primary headaches directory describe migraines, tension headaches and cluster headaches. Although primary and secondary headaches can be felt anywhere inside the human head, they are perceived differently from one individual to another, and their range of occurrence varies from frequent to rather sporadically.

Whether or not people use similar or diverse descriptions for classified headaches belonging to the category, headaches can occur as the outcome of a variety of causes. Most usually, medication, lifestyle choices, dietary habits, environmental issues, physical practices, and hormonal issues, have been reported to result in mild or severe headaches incidents.

Today, healthcare providers can begin making specific diagnosis when they are provided with the necessary information regarding the frequency and the type of pain resulted from the reported case of headache. Whether or not you do or have experienced any type of headache over the recent past, try to find the cause of your physical discomfort by asking a medical care provider to give you more information. Headaches are not an issue one can easily ignore. Treat yourself with respect and request as much
information as possible in order to find the best possible solution in treating your headache problem.

About the author:
Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including http://healthinformationsource.net, http://forahealthywoman.com, and http://iwomensworld.net.

*The opinions and assertions of these authors are in no way associated with or verified by Tuxedo Pharmacy. As always, these articles are provided for information purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for medical care. Consult you doctor about your specific medical conditions. For more informational articles addressing everyday health concerns, visit www.goarticles.com.