Welcome to Migraine Guide
Migraine Support Article
Migraines
Dr. Michael L. Johnson
Migraine headaches can be classified into two types: classical and common. The classical migraine is a headache that follows an aura or some type of spontaneous event such as numbness or tingling. The aura may be flashes of light, squiggly lines, or a halo effect. The common migraine does not have an aura associated with it. Most people who suffer from migraines suffer from common migraines, usually at a 3:1 ratio.
Some 28 million Americans suffer from migraines, and millions go without treatment. Scientists once thought migraines were caused by abnormally dilated or enlarged blood vessels. New imaging devices have allowed them to watch brains during migraine attacks, and scientists are discovering that sufferers have abnormally excitable neurons, or brain nerve cells.
The latest research in regard to migraines is a mechanism called cortical spreading depression, or CSD. Prior to the onset of pain in a migraine, researchers have observed a sudden burst of cortical activity that occurs most commonly in the occipital lobes (back part of the brain). The occipital lobe will increase in frequency of firing, or have a burst of activity, and then there will be an episode of silence of depressed activity. The actual activity of the brain becomes depressed when compared to normal. The resulting pain comes from either the brain stem activation, the blood vessels inflamed by rapidly exchanging blood flow, or both.
As a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist, I take a different approach to the treatment and prevention of migraines. After a thorough neurological exam, I determine which part of the nervous system is not functioning properly. In many migraine patients, I find a high mesencephalic output.
There are three parts to the brain stem: top, middle and lower. The mesencephalon is the top part of the brain stem. A high output of the mesencephalon will cause an increased pulse and heart rate, the inability to sleep, or a waking, fitful sleep. Other symptoms might include urinary tract infections, increased warmth and sweating, and sensitivity to light. Along with a high mesencephalic output, the migraine patient may present with a decreased output of the cerebellum. The cerebellum controls balance, coordinated movement, and the involuntary muscles of the spinal column.
No matter what the condition, it is imperative that the chiropractic neurologist performs a thorough and comprehensive exam to determine the exact nature of the patient’s condition.
About the Author
Dr. Michael L. Johnson is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist with over twenty years of experience in private practice, over 850 hours of neurological studies, and 3800 hours of postgraduate education. His best-selling book "What Do You Do When the Medications Don't Work? - A Non-Drug Treatment of Dizziness, Migraine Headaches, Fibromyalgia, and Other Chronic Conditions" is available wherever books are sold. © 2005 M. L. Johnson
Migraine Support Best products
Migraine Support News
Little Support for Oxygen Therapy for Headache - MedPage Today
Little Support for Oxygen Therapy for Headache MedPage Today, NJ - Only modest evidence supported use of hyperbaric oxygen for migraine and normobaric oxygen for cluster headaches, Michael H. Bennett, MD, of Prince of Wales ... |
Waking up with West Nile - Jacksonville Journal Courier
Waking up with West Nile Jacksonville Journal Courier, IL - Each time I would wake up from a migraine or coma, I would only want to know “What is wrong with me and when will it be over? ... |
A terrible ache that's not all in the head - Irish Times
A terrible ache that's not all in the head Irish Times, Ireland - Migraine sufferers Mary Caulfield and her daughter Cathy at their home in Holles Street, Dublin. YOUR YOUNG child is off form, a little pale, ... |
Headaches sideline Church again - San Francisco Chronicle
Headaches sideline Church again San Francisco Chronicle, USA - After coming out of Saturday's game against Philadelphia with a migraine, Church, who went on the DL in June with post-concussion syndrome, returned to New ... Mets' Church goes back on DL |
MAP Pharmaceuticals Initiates Phase 3 Clinical Trial in Patients ... - Trading Markets (press release)
MAP Pharmaceuticals Initiates Phase 3 Clinical Trial in Patients ... Trading Markets (press release), CA - The study also demonstrated efficacy trends in treating nausea, photophobia and phonophobia, the other key measurements in treating migraine. ... |
Migraine Study Shows Merck's Telcagepant Promising - ClinicalTrialsToday
Migraine Study Shows Merck's Telcagepant Promising ClinicalTrialsToday, MA - "These findings provide further support for the development of telcagepant as a potential new acute migraine treatment based on its novel mechanism of ... |