Chronic Conditions
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Do Migraines Make You Smarter?
By Dr. Scott Olson
If you suffer with
migraines, you know how hard it can be.
People with migraines not only have to deal with the pain and inconvenience of
the headaches, but they are also at higher risk for a variety of other diseases.
Research supports migraine sufferers have double the risk of
heart disease[1],
an increase in eye disease[2]
(diseases of the retina), and even suicide[3].
But what is surprising, even to the researchers of a recent study, was that
people who suffer from migraines are protected from cognitive decline as they
age.
Pain in the Head
Migraines are the type of headache that usually occurs on
only one side of the head and can be preceded by strange visual changes called
an “aura”. Not every person who suffers with migraine headaches has an aura, and
this, it turns out, is somehow important for mental protection. During an
attack, people can also be sensitive to light, and have nausea and vomiting.
Migraines are known to last for hours and even days. When a
migraine strikes, people usually run to their bedrooms, make the room as dark as
possible, and usually feel very tired the next day.
Strange Research Results
Researchers had known for a while that people who have
migraines tend to score lower on cognition and memory tests. Dr. Amanda
Kalaydjian and her team decided to try and find out what effects having migraine
headaches might have on the brain. While the exact cause of the headaches
remains a mystery, scientists have known for a while that blood vessels in the
brain and other parts of the body constrict (get smaller). This constriction,
the researchers reasoned, must affect the brain over the long term.
Scientists are fairly certain that this reduction in blood
flow caused by the constriction of blood vessels is what is responsible for the
higher risks of other diseases associated with migraine headaches. If the heart
is getting less blood, then it would makes sense that people who have migraines
would have a higher risk of heart disease. The same is true for the eye and
disease of the retina. But, would this association hold up in the brain?
The researchers decided to follow 1,448 women (204 of which
had migraines) for 12 years and see what happened to their mental functioning
over time.
The women who had migraines scored lower on cognition and
memory tests than the women who didn’t have migraines at the beginning of the
study. Twelve years later the researchers re-tested the women and were
astonished to learn that the women who had migraines lost much less of their
cognitive abilities than the women who didn’t have migraines[4].
Women who had migraines with an aura were the ones who scored highest on tests.
Researchers are now scratching their heads trying to
understand the findings of the study. The only theory that they have right now
is that some of the drugs that migraine sufferer’s use may help keep their
brains young, or that there is something about having migraines that protects
the brain. The drugs scientists think are most likely to protect the brain are
the over-the-counter pain-relievers, NSAID (like Tylenol, Ibuprofen) and their
link to reducing inflammation.
You Don’t Have To Suffer
If you have migraines, there is much that you can do to
treat them and protect your brain at the same time.
Uncover the Trigger: Scientists have debated the
reality of triggers for a long time, but most people who have migraines can
point to something that triggers an attack. Triggers can be anything from:
- Exposure to chemicals in the environment
- Strong odors
- Foods such as chocolate, red wine, and others
- Menstrual periods,
- Stress
- Lack of sleep
Once you have identified your particular trigger, do you
best to minimize exposure to that trigger, or in the case of something you can’t
avoid (such as menstrual periods), make sure you take extra care of yourself
during those periods. Triggers can be worse when there is more than one. Not
sleeping well, eating poorly, all during a menstrual period is almost a recipe
for a migraine if you are a sufferer.
Choose good quality supplements: There are many
great ways to treat migraines with natural medicine.
- Magnesium: a quality magnesium is a great way to treat
migraines. Magnesium plays many essential roles in the body and most people
don’t get enough in their diets.
- 5-HTP: 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a well-studied
supplement for migraine headaches. It acts as a starting point of many brain
chemicals.
- Feverfew: This plant has been used for hundreds of years as
a headache remedy and recent research confirms that it is good for migraines. It
works best when taken over a long period of time.
- CoQ10: Coenzyme Q10 plays many roles in the body and excels
as a supplement for people with heart disease. It also works great for migraine
headaches.
Better ways to reduce inflammation: Assuming that
the researchers are correct and that inflammation may have something to do with
the reason people who have migraines do not suffer from cognitive decline as
they age, taking anti-inflammatories is a great idea.
The problems with many over-the-counter and
prescription anti-inflammatories is that they often do as much harm as good.
Aspirin is well known for causing stomach bleeding and in responsible for over
100 deaths a year. Other anti-inflammatories, such as the NSAIDS, can cause
problems with the liver. The newest breed of anti-inflammatories, called COX-2
inhibitors have recently experienced a rash of bad news, with a few being pulled
from the market by the FDA because of increased heart problems associated with
their use.
There are much better ways to reduce inflammation, without
the side effects:
- Fish oil: Fish oil is one of the best anti-inflammatories
on the market because it reduces inflammation by decreasing the hormone-like
substances (called prostaglandins and leukotrienes) that cause inflammation in
the body. Not only that, but fish oils satisfy many of the body’s other
essential needs.
- Enzymes: Certain enzymes taken between meals act as
powerful anti-inflammatories. These need to be of good quality and sufficient
amounts in order to work well.
- Herbs: many herbs have anti-inflammatory properties.
Ginger, tumeric, garlic and others work to calm inflammation.
While there is often bad news associated with having
migraine headaches, there is now some good news. The real good news is that
there is much you can do to avoid these headaches, you must stay vigilant and
maintain your supplementation.
Cited Sources:
- Rose KM, Carson AP, Sanford CP, et al: Migraine
and other headaches: associations with Rose angina and coronary heart
disease. Neurology. 2004 Dec 28;63(12):2233-9.
- Rose KM, Wong TY, Carson AP, et al: Migraine and
retinal microvascular abnormalities: the Atherosclerosis Risk in
Communities Study. Neurology. 2007 May 15;68(20):1694-700.
- Wang SJ, Juang KD, et al: Psychiatric comorbidity
and suicide risk in adolescents with chronic daily headache. Neurology.
2007 May 1;68(18):1468-73.
- Kalaydjian A, Zandi PP, et al: How migraines
impact cognitive function: findings from the Baltimore ECA. Neurology.
2007 Apr 24;68(17):1417-24.
Last Updated: Friday, September 07, 2007
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