I have mentioned in my previous blogs that sensitisation of the brainstem has been demonstrated in migraine, tension headache, menstrual migraine and cluster headache.
What I may not have made clear is that this sensitised state is present even when you are free of your headache or migraine, that is, your brainstem is sensitised constantly.
Then what [...]
In recent times the International Headache Society has added a third primary group of headache(s) to the two primary headache types – migraine and tension-type headache.
This third primary group includes Cluster headache, Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania, and SUNCT (Short lasting Unilateral Neuralgia form headache attack with Conjunctival injection and Tearing!) and Hemicrania Continua.
Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania is [...]
Amazing! I have just come across a gentleman who in 1888 who described the migraine process in this way: “… we must not ascribe too much significance to throbbing of the increase in the pain by the cause of vascular distension; these may be due merely to the over sensitiveness of the central structures.” In [...]
The recent research has shown convincingly that migraine and headache is underpinned by sensitisation of the brainstem or central sensitisation.
One of the potential sources of senstisation of the brainstem is abnormal information from a disorders of structures within the head, structures which are supplied by the trigeminal nerve. It is then interesting to find that [...]
Interesting to note that a recent study when reviewing migraine-associated characteristics including aura, allodynia-associated (excessive tenderness to touch) symptoms, photophobia (sensitivity to light), phonophobia (sensitivity to noise), and nausea were similar for both menstrual migraine and non menstrual migraine sufferers.
Furthermore the triptans were equally effective for both menstrual related migraine and non menstrual migraine patients.
I [...]
As I have mentioned previously, recent and substantial research demonstrates that the different types of headache and migraine develop from a common, shared disorder, and that this disorder is sensitisation of the brainstem.
Auras, which initially were thought to only accompany migraine and menstrual migraine, have now been reported in Cluster Headache and Hemicrania Continua, and [...]
Given what we know about ‘sinus’ headache in adults, it is not surprising that a recent survey has concluded that children with recurrent headaches are misdiagnosed as sinus headache and receive unnecessary Xrays and sinus treatment.
Of 214 patients, approximately 40% of patients with migraine and 60% with tension-type headache had been misdiagnosed as ‘sinus’ headache; [...]
Cheers
Dean
Consultant Headache and Migraine Physiotherapist; Adjunct Lecturer, Masters Program, School of Physiotherapy, University of South Australia; PhD Candidate, Murdoch University, Western Australia
Menstrual Migraine
Cheers
Dean
Consultant Headache and Migraine Physiotherapist; Adjunct Lecturer, Masters Program, School of Physiotherapy, University of South Australia; PhD Candidate, Murdoch University, Western Australia
Migraine Treatment
Cheers
Dean
Consultant Headache and Migraine Physiotherapist; Adjunct Lecturer, Masters Program, School of Physiotherapy, University of South Australia; PhD Candidate, Murdoch University, Western Australia
Migraine Treatment
