Overuse Of Narcotics And Barbiturates May Make Migraine WorseA team of researchers led by investigators at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has determined that certain commonly-prescribed medications may have the unintended consequence of increasing the frequency of migraine attacks. This important finding could alter the way doctors prescribe migraine medicines.
1 In 4 Gulf War Veterans Suffer From Illness Caused By Toxic ExposureAt least one in four of the 697,000 U.S. veterans of the 1991 Gulf War suffer from Gulf War illness, a condition caused by exposure to toxic chemicals, including pesticides and a drug administered to protect troops against nerve gas, and no effective treatments have yet been found, a federal panel of scientific experts and veterans concludes in a landmark report released Monday.
500-Patient Study Measuring Cognitive Processing Efficiency During Migraine AttacksPHT Corporation, the market-leading provider of electronic patient reported outcome (ePRO) solutions used in more than 360 clinical trials worldwide, is providing its innovative LogPad(R) System to help headache experts at Clinvest Clinical Research measure cognitive deficits during migraine attacks in a sponsored clinical trial. This is the first time cognitive processing time has been tested in a major migraine research study.
Breakthrough's Comment On Research Suggesting Women Who Have Migraines Have A Reduced Risk Of Breast CancerResearch to be published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention suggests that women who suffer from migraines may have a reduced risk of developing certain types of breast cancer. Dr Sarah Cant, Policy Manager at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says: "This small study is the first to suggest that women who suffer migraines may have a reduced risk of developing certain types of breast cancer, so needs to be backed up by further research.
Pycnogenol Cut Jetlag Symptoms In Half For Passengers Taking 7- To 9-hour FlightsA new study published in the journal of Minerva Cardioangiologica reveals Pycnogenol, pine bark extract from the French maritime pine tree, reduces jetlag in passengers by nearly 50 percent. The two-part study, consisting of a brain CT scan and a scoring system, showed Pycnogenol lowered symptoms of jetlag such as fatigue, headaches, insomnia and brain edema (swelling) in both healthy individuals and hypertensive patients.
Women Who Have Migraines Have Lower Breast Cancer RiskWomen who suffer from migraines may take at least some comfort in a recent, first-of-its-kind study that suggests a history of such headaches is associated with a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Christopher I. Li, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center report these findings in the November issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.
Doctors Stress Pressing Need For Research Into The Best Treatment For Medication Overuse HeadachesThere is a critical need to review current treatment strategies for the increasingly common problem of medication overuse headaches (MOH), according to a series of international papers in the November issue of Cephalalgia. "MOH is associated with severe disability, unmet treatment need and little clinical data to support current management strategies" says neurology expert Professor David W Dodick from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Arizona, USA.
Targeting Neuropeptides Could Be Future For Migraine TreatmentTargeting a system which utilises peptides in the brain during a migraine could be the future of treatment for this debilitating condition. The future and recent developments in the field of migraine are discussed in a Comment in this week's edition of The Lancet, written by Dr Stephen D Silberstein, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Chronic Migraines Caused By A Hole In The Heart? "Highly Likely," New Research Says New research unveiled at TCT 2008 by Dr. Stephen Silberstein (a leading neurologist) suggests that 66 percent of chronic migraine sufferers have abnormal blood flow caused by a hole in their heart or a right-to-left shunt that bypasses the filtration process of the lungs. Most of these defects are known as a PFO, a heart condition prior research shows is found in 25 percent of the population.
Migraine Action Plan Could Help Millions Of Sufferers Find A Positive Way Out Of MigraineMigraines can be a debilitating condition and affect around 15% of the UK population, over 70% of whom are women. Recent research undertaken by Imigran Recovery reveals that over 81% of migraine sufferers cannot always control their migraine attacks while 71% say migraines leave them unable to function. For the 81% who are unable to control their migraines, a new interactive tool www.migraineactionplan.co.uk has been developed.
Pain In Chronic Headache Alleviated By Nerve Stimulation TherapyA novel therapy using a miniature nerve stimulator instead of medication for the treatment of profoundly disabling headache disorders improved the experience of pain by 80-95 percent, according to a new study from the University of California, San Francisco and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London.
Ulcerative Colitis/Stercoralis InfectionAlthough exacerbation of UC usually poses little diagnostic dilemma, physicians should remain cognizant to the possibility of an alternative cause for patient symptoms. An article published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this report. The research team led by Prof.
Children With Hay Fever More Likely To Experience Headaches, Facial PainChildren who suffer from bouts of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) are also more likely to suffer from headaches, facial pain, and ear aches than children without these allergies, says new research presented at the 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Chicago, IL. Allergic rhinitis is a collection of symptoms predominantly in the nose and eyes, caused by airborne particles of dust, dander, or plant pollens.
Migraine Research Foundation Announces Winners Of Grants To Spur Innovation In Migraine ResearchThe Migraine Research Foundation (MRF), the largest nonprofit funder of migraine research in the United States, today announced the winners of its second round of grants intended to spur innovation in migraine research. The grants totaled $200,000. The grantees were screened by MRF's medical advisory board, which is composed of leading scientists and clinicians from across the country.