Migraines, Sleep Habits and Melatonin
February 4th 2008 03:45
Migraines, Sleep Habits and Melatonin
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Migraines, Sleep Habits and Melatonin
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Migraines, Sleep Habits and Melatonin
Another new study has linked Migraine headaches and sleep disturbances.
When hyperactive nerve cells send impulses to blood vessels, Migraines can be the result. This is accompanied by the release of brain chemicals and inflammatory substances that cause the pulsations to be painful.
Research recently published in the journal Headache demonstrated a link between migraines and sleep disturbance. Researchers conducted a detailed sleep interview with 147 women with migraines. When asked whether they were refreshed or tired upon waking, none reported feeling refreshed, and more than 80% said they were tired when they woke.
In a second study on sleep habits and migraines, also published in Headache, researchers provided stronger evidence that good sleep habits reduce both the number and intensity of migraine headaches. In these findings, 43 women with transformed migraines received behavioral sleep instructions or placebo instructions in addition to usual medical care. The women recorded their migraine headaches in diaries. At the end of the study, the women who received behavioral sleep instructions reported a significant reduction in migraine headache frequency and intensity.
Taking melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime can help curb migraine headaches, according to a small study by Brazilian scientists.
Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain's pineal gland; it helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Imbalances in the level of melatonin in the body may be related to headaches like migraines and cluster headaches.
The findings, which come from a team of researchers led by Mario F.P. Peres, MD, PhD, of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Sao Paolo, Brazil, show that melatonin may be used as a preventive therapy for frequent migraine sufferers.
During the study's last three months, participants took 3 milligrams of melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime.
Sources:
Peres, M. Neurology, August 2004; vol 63: p 757
American Headache Society: "Headache Hygiene Tips." The International Headache Society: "Epidemiology of Headache." WebMD Medical Reference: "Women and Headache: Migraine." The Women's Guide to Ending Pain by Howard S. Smith, MD, and Debra Fulghum Bruce, PhD. Calhoun AH. Ford S. Finkel AG. Kahn KA. Mann JD. Neurology. 2006; vol 46: p 1039. Calhoun AH. Ford S. Headache, 2007; vol 47: pp 1178-83. Vincent Fortanasce, MD, neurologist, psychiatrist; author, Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription. Ronald Fieve, MD, professor of clinical psychiatry, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center; author, Bipolar II. The Fibromyalgia Handbook, Harris H. McIlwain, MD, and Debra Fulghum Bruce, PhD. Medicinenet, "Migraine Headache."
Labels: Headache, Nutrition, Research (non-chiropractic), Sleep
posted by Dr. David Richards at Saturday, January 19, 2008
Meet Dr. Richards
As a chiropractor, Dr. Richards is privileged to help the people of Hendersonville as well as surrounding areas. In fact, patients come to the clinic from as far as South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. Besides helping people recover from back pain, neck pain, headaches, injuries, disc problems and other conditions, Dr. Richards also lectures to companies in the Asheville and Hendersonville area about such health topics as wellness and injury prevention. Additionally, the office regularly provides free health screenings to the Hendersonville community. In 2007 Dr. Richards was elected president of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association's Western District.
Posted by middle one at 5:28 PM 0 comments
Color, Imagery and Comfort
I found this on webmd.com and thought it was a pretty cool idea.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
There are different types of imagery that people can use to assist in stress reduction and pain relief. There is the image that focuses on going somewhere and doing something specific that represents leaving something behind--usually the offending problem. There is another approach that can be used for stress reduction and pain control. That type of imagery requires a lot of concentration but when done successfully, it can lead to the relief of intense pain.
Many years ago, I went to the University of Vermont in Burlington to learn about biofeedback and self-hypnosis. I worked with a therapist for several weeks and learned several techniques that enabled me to rechannel my circulation and decrease the severe and debilitating pain of clusters and migraine headaches. It took a lot of practice but once mastered, I found I could use the techniques for a variety of painful conditions caused by arthritis and back injuries--to name a few.
Give your pain a color
Think about your pain for a moment. Think about the most distressing pain you have ever experienced. Now if you were to assign a color to that horrific pain, what color would that be? Well for me I usually choose black to represent the worst of anything. Now think about what it feels like to be comfortable. Notice I said comfortable and not pain-free because sometimes being totally pain-free is not a realistic expectation--think about this and assign a color to that like you did the horrible pain. I often choose my the color white for this one.
Imagine an object
Next, think of something--an object. A favorite fruit or a flower can work just fine.
Strip away the color gradually
When you are in severe pain, picture this object being covered by the color you assigned to represent the highest level of pain you can possibly endure--the ugliest and harshest pain you have ever experienced. With this type of imagery, you focus on removing the dark color from the object and replacing it with the color representing your comfort level. Now the trick of it is to focus on it as if you were scraping away the darkness little by little--paying close attention to the detail of the object and the location of the color around it.
In the beginning, you might want to just hurry up and remove the "bad" color and go right to replacing it with the "good" or comforting one but what I have found to be key is taking a little more time and watching the change reveal itself gradually--just like pain tends to respond to comfort measures...Rather than go directly from black to white, I selected colors in between that I felt represented different levels of pain and comfort. As I moved closer to my comfort level, my colors progressed from the darkest to the lightest shades. As I carefully and methodically removed the black color from my object, I found a layer of a little lighter color waiting for me. I could not move onto the next color until I had completely removed the previous one.
Imagine the removal of color as removal of pain
Now it is important for you to equate the removal of color with the removal of pain or discomfort because remember--your color represents your pain at any given level. What I have found is this--as I progressed toward the white color, my pain levels would ease a little--sometimes more than others. Perhaps sometimes you will practice this form of imagery when your pain is moderate rather than severe.
In this case, you might select a different color along your color spectrum and start the fading process from that point. And maybe you will change your particular object to other things when your source of pain differs. The neat thing about these skills is that you own them and if something specific works for you then by all means incorporate it. Some people imagine very large objects when they have "very large" headaches and they go about ridding of their painful color using a paint brush that has wide strokes. Others prefer to use an eraser and erase their pain away as if in layers until they reveal a perfectly clean and white object. If this works for you then use it!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Migraines, Sleep Habits and Melatonin
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Migraines, Sleep Habits and Melatonin
Another new study has linked Migraine headaches and sleep disturbances.
When hyperactive nerve cells send impulses to blood vessels, Migraines can be the result. This is accompanied by the release of brain chemicals and inflammatory substances that cause the pulsations to be painful.
Research recently published in the journal Headache demonstrated a link between migraines and sleep disturbance. Researchers conducted a detailed sleep interview with 147 women with migraines. When asked whether they were refreshed or tired upon waking, none reported feeling refreshed, and more than 80% said they were tired when they woke.
In a second study on sleep habits and migraines, also published in Headache, researchers provided stronger evidence that good sleep habits reduce both the number and intensity of migraine headaches. In these findings, 43 women with transformed migraines received behavioral sleep instructions or placebo instructions in addition to usual medical care. The women recorded their migraine headaches in diaries. At the end of the study, the women who received behavioral sleep instructions reported a significant reduction in migraine headache frequency and intensity.
Taking melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime can help curb migraine headaches, according to a small study by Brazilian scientists.
Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain's pineal gland; it helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Imbalances in the level of melatonin in the body may be related to headaches like migraines and cluster headaches.
The findings, which come from a team of researchers led by Mario F.P. Peres, MD, PhD, of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Sao Paolo, Brazil, show that melatonin may be used as a preventive therapy for frequent migraine sufferers.
During the study's last three months, participants took 3 milligrams of melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime.
Sources:
Peres, M. Neurology, August 2004; vol 63: p 757
American Headache Society: "Headache Hygiene Tips." The International Headache Society: "Epidemiology of Headache." WebMD Medical Reference: "Women and Headache: Migraine." The Women's Guide to Ending Pain by Howard S. Smith, MD, and Debra Fulghum Bruce, PhD. Calhoun AH. Ford S. Finkel AG. Kahn KA. Mann JD. Neurology. 2006; vol 46: p 1039. Calhoun AH. Ford S. Headache, 2007; vol 47: pp 1178-83. Vincent Fortanasce, MD, neurologist, psychiatrist; author, Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription. Ronald Fieve, MD, professor of clinical psychiatry, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center; author, Bipolar II. The Fibromyalgia Handbook, Harris H. McIlwain, MD, and Debra Fulghum Bruce, PhD. Medicinenet, "Migraine Headache."
Labels: Headache, Nutrition, Research (non-chiropractic), Sleep
posted by Dr. David Richards at Saturday, January 19, 2008
Meet Dr. Richards
As a chiropractor, Dr. Richards is privileged to help the people of Hendersonville as well as surrounding areas. In fact, patients come to the clinic from as far as South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. Besides helping people recover from back pain, neck pain, headaches, injuries, disc problems and other conditions, Dr. Richards also lectures to companies in the Asheville and Hendersonville area about such health topics as wellness and injury prevention. Additionally, the office regularly provides free health screenings to the Hendersonville community. In 2007 Dr. Richards was elected president of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association's Western District.
Posted by middle one at 5:28 PM 0 comments
Color, Imagery and Comfort
I found this on webmd.com and thought it was a pretty cool idea.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
There are different types of imagery that people can use to assist in stress reduction and pain relief. There is the image that focuses on going somewhere and doing something specific that represents leaving something behind--usually the offending problem. There is another approach that can be used for stress reduction and pain control. That type of imagery requires a lot of concentration but when done successfully, it can lead to the relief of intense pain.
Many years ago, I went to the University of Vermont in Burlington to learn about biofeedback and self-hypnosis. I worked with a therapist for several weeks and learned several techniques that enabled me to rechannel my circulation and decrease the severe and debilitating pain of clusters and migraine headaches. It took a lot of practice but once mastered, I found I could use the techniques for a variety of painful conditions caused by arthritis and back injuries--to name a few.
Give your pain a color
Think about your pain for a moment. Think about the most distressing pain you have ever experienced. Now if you were to assign a color to that horrific pain, what color would that be? Well for me I usually choose black to represent the worst of anything. Now think about what it feels like to be comfortable. Notice I said comfortable and not pain-free because sometimes being totally pain-free is not a realistic expectation--think about this and assign a color to that like you did the horrible pain. I often choose my the color white for this one.
Imagine an object
Next, think of something--an object. A favorite fruit or a flower can work just fine.
Strip away the color gradually
When you are in severe pain, picture this object being covered by the color you assigned to represent the highest level of pain you can possibly endure--the ugliest and harshest pain you have ever experienced. With this type of imagery, you focus on removing the dark color from the object and replacing it with the color representing your comfort level. Now the trick of it is to focus on it as if you were scraping away the darkness little by little--paying close attention to the detail of the object and the location of the color around it.
In the beginning, you might want to just hurry up and remove the "bad" color and go right to replacing it with the "good" or comforting one but what I have found to be key is taking a little more time and watching the change reveal itself gradually--just like pain tends to respond to comfort measures...Rather than go directly from black to white, I selected colors in between that I felt represented different levels of pain and comfort. As I moved closer to my comfort level, my colors progressed from the darkest to the lightest shades. As I carefully and methodically removed the black color from my object, I found a layer of a little lighter color waiting for me. I could not move onto the next color until I had completely removed the previous one.
Imagine the removal of color as removal of pain
Now it is important for you to equate the removal of color with the removal of pain or discomfort because remember--your color represents your pain at any given level. What I have found is this--as I progressed toward the white color, my pain levels would ease a little--sometimes more than others. Perhaps sometimes you will practice this form of imagery when your pain is moderate rather than severe.
In this case, you might select a different color along your color spectrum and start the fading process from that point. And maybe you will change your particular object to other things when your source of pain differs. The neat thing about these skills is that you own them and if something specific works for you then by all means incorporate it. Some people imagine very large objects when they have "very large" headaches and they go about ridding of their painful color using a paint brush that has wide strokes. Others prefer to use an eraser and erase their pain away as if in layers until they reveal a perfectly clean and white object. If this works for you then use it!
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