Migraines are notoriously tricky to treat. Those who suffer from these disabling headaches often try a dozen or so medications before they find something that works. What’s more, many migraines do not get properly diagnosed, according to the doctors and researchers I spoke with. That can lead to a lot of extra pain — and expense — for the afflicted.
A reason migraines are so maddeningly elusive is that they are not simply bad headaches. They stem from a genetic disorder (yes, you have your parents to blame) that afflicts 36 million Americans and manifests as a group of symptoms that besides head pain may include dizziness, visual disturbances, numbness and nausea.
Some of the symptoms resemble those from other disorders, like sinus headaches, epilepsy, eye problems or even strokes. And to further complicate matters, sufferers react in varied ways to medications.
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“What might be a miracle drug for one person could be a dud for another,” said Dr. Joel Saper, director of the Michigan Headache and Neurological Institute, a treatment and research center in Ann Arbor. “There is no universally effective therapy.”
Researchers are learning that pain and the medications used to treat pain can potentially change the biology of the brain.
“Migraines are built into the biology of the brain,” Dr. Saper said
“Migraine patients don’t respond well to change,” Dr. Dodick said.
Sometimes just keeping one’s patterns and habits predictable can reduce attacks. Lack of sleep, erratic schedules and lots of plane rides are disorienting for even the hardiest people, but they can literally send migraine sufferers to their beds, or worse, to the E.R.
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Steven Wilson has joined others reduce their dependence on medications for pain relief, sleep disorders and low energy. For a free sample call or email steven@stevenwilson.com
