Tired of searching the internet for answers?
Tired of searching the internet for answers?
It’ s time to learn from those in the know. In every issue of HeadWise ®, our experts respond to reader-submitted questions about migraine and headache disorders.
MIGRAINE TREATMENT COMPLICATED BY CONCOMITANT DISORDERS
I suffered from migraines for over 30 years. I used to take Cafergot but my blood pressure is very high and was warned not to use it. In fact, I have aFib which gave me a stroke. I have now been using Fioricet with pretty good results. My neurologist said it’ s no good as it causes rebound headaches. Is this true? Now I get headaches from Trigeminal Neuralgia and use an anticonvulsant, Trileptal, but this doesn’ t help with headaches. Any advice?– Mike S.
The migraines are not related to the trigeminal neuralgia and those drugs will not help your migraines. Because of the high blood pressure, you cannot take anything with any possibility of constricting an artery, such as an ergot or a triptan. You could take Cambia which is a powder which you dissolve in water. If Fioricet helps, you can take it as long as it is not more frequent than twice a week. If your headaches occur more often than that, you should also work with your doctor to use a preventive medication as well, which hopefully would reduce the number and severity of your attacks. Some of these medications also treat high blood pressure.
Mark W. Green, MD Mount Sinai Hospital
New York, NY
HUMIDITY AND HEADACHE Someone said I have possibly barometric pressure headache. I began using a warm mist humidifier in my bedroom, door shut. I awoke in the morning, about an hour after the house heat turned on( have steam boiler and radiators). The room was very warm and I could feel some humidity in the air.
Problem: I had a headache. More like the inside of my head was pushing out from internal pressure( possibly sinuses?). I felt very groggy and a bit dizzy, it took a day for this to really shake out. I did not use the humidifier later as it has been warm outside. I’ m thinking maybe the boiling water in the humidifier and the plastic may be a toxin. What is your take on this headache?
– Linda K
Although it is true that barometric pressure changes, usually rapid drops, can precipitate a migraine attack, high humidity from a humidifier is not the same thing. Some people note increased migraine frequency when they are very hot, so that is not unusual. The question is whether there was a scent or essence which was dispersed by the humidifier, otherwise, this was an atypical observation.
Edmund Messina, MD Michigan Headache Clinic
East Lansing, MI
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14 HeadWise ® | Volume 6, Issue 3 • 2017