Best place in USA to live for migraine/headache sufferers?

[Aldika1956]

If migraines and headaches are affected by air pressure, humidity, etc., then where would be the ideal place to live for someone who suffers from migraines and headaches, and also allergies?  Any ideas?

[Eddie1994]

The same situation occurred for both my Mother and my Grandmother-In-Law, however, an interesting correlation between both were that they worked until age 65 at which time both retired.  Their migraine episodes also stopped at that age.  It's my belief that hormones or menopause wasn't the cause for their relief, but that both left work environments whereby they were exposed to electric fields all day, every work day.  One worked in a large retail store having large and numerous floursecent (sp) lights and the other worked in a garment factory surrounded by electric motors, fans humming all day long.  I've long advocated that EMF's are at the root of migraines for quite a few reasons.  I am also consulting with a Neuropsychologist currently whom is using EEG coupled to a small stimulating electric currents that help bring the brain neurons and central nervous system back into a harmonious balance as it would be in it's un-assaulted state.  The first treatment of a patient yielded some amazing and unanticipated positive results.  I'd like to discuss this treatment more but the data is proprietary and I don't have permission to discuss it.  I hope to be able to have more information after a few more treatments with this patient.  Let me also say that the triggers you mention all have substances in common with each other.  

[cstr8]

Thanks for the posts.  I had migraines starting before age 5, had chiropractic and they stopped from 6-20 when I had a car accident.  I've since been bothered by them with differing frequency, duration, debilitation, etc.  Subscribe to the theory William Walsh, M.D. has that it's a combination of factors--Barometric pressure changes are the leading culprit for me along with food or airborne allergens (including fragrance), with stress the icing on the cake. I had hoped aging would make them less frequent (as my mother suffers less post menopause) but so far not the case for me.  Moving from MN to CA has helped, although the weather changes enough here (95350) to still cause outbreaks.  

[Eddie1994]

I get the acronym now :)  That's interesting, I too taught computer science courses about ten years ago as a adjunct, I really enjoyed it but had to give it up.  Maybe some day I'll restart it again.

Just as a FYI, I read a report yesterday about botox now causing some residual problems for some patients.  The topic dealt with the body developing antibodies to the toxin and it not working.  If you do a web search you may find additional information about this subject.

My wife is in the 2nd day of a migraine and this morning she developed a severely painful pinched nerve just below the neck.  What a double whammy!  I was able to get her good relief by applying a strip of a Lidoderm patch that I use for certain joint aches and I used it in the past for a stiff neck as well and it worked for both of us.  She got such great relief that she asked if she shaved her hair, would it work for her migraine pain.  I didn't know but tomorrow I will ask her Neurologist whether a similar medication could be specially compounded and applied as a gel so she won't have to cut her hair.  

So you see, innovation isn't for technology only.  If it can be done and we get it I will let you know.  (Give my regards to your live-in Doctor :)        

[msteechur]

Thanks Eddie. I'll look that up. It's interesting because when I first brought up that I noticed pain changes in relation to weather my doctor disagreed. (Because you know he was living in my head.) I'm not a complainer by any stretch of the imagination so when I say I'm in pain, I am in pain. As an athlete I listen to my body very closely and have a high pain tolerance. (I am a long distance runner. Ran a 50k yesterday, in fact. Had headaches off and on throughout, but it was manageable.) Right now there is a storm blowing through and my head is KILLING me.

Anyhow, finally after a year and after he had another patient who had the same residual chronic headaches, he's starting to believe me. I will have Botox treatments on Thursday. I'm not sure if they will be the answer, but I do like the idea of not having to (eventually) take medications daily.

[Eddie1994]

No obvious cause, so each head pain episode is scary, WOW.  The only foreign object would be the residual discharge.  I've read that it takes quite a while for it to be reabsorbed - so it must be something related to the blood brain barrier.  Just as an FYI, the University of North Carolina/Duke describes Magnetohydrodynamic effects when an electrically conductive fluid, such as blood, endolymph fluid, or aqueous fluid flows within a magnetic field, an electric current is produced, as is a force opposing the flow.  I can't provide much more on this effect because my research is limited to metal devices in the cranial environment but maybe this might provide you a lead as to why your head pain occurs.  Most folks are apathetic to ambient environmental effects as a cause of their headaches, but I place quite a bit in the credence in electromagnetic fields as a primary cause because I see it occur first hand.  Apparently the research at Duke understands some element of it as well.

[msteechur]

That is very scary to me as well, Eddie. I did not have clipping or coiling as my SAH was perimesenphalic (no underlying AVM or aneurism, although there may have been an aneurism prior that burst).

My neurologist was very honest that they don't know why Botox works, but for some patients it does. He said his theory is that it breaks the cycle of the brain pain --> tension --> increasing pain but that he honestly doesn't know.

I have a good friend who also had an SAH about nine months before mine. We have very similar lifestyles (avid runners, healthy eaters, so active and tons of energy). She had Botox and it didn't help. She also got the rebound headaches. I feel like I have to try anyhow. I have no choice. If that is not the answer then when summer break comes I will seek out headache specialists in Seattle.

Today we have a storm blowing through and my pain woke me a number of times last night. I'm not at work because it hurts to lift my head or move, and not moving only means the pain level goes down to an 8--and that's after 2 doses of pain meds. (I am careful about those so I do not have rebound headaches.)

With just about 16 months I feel completely defeated--I don't know how your wife handles 19 years. I'm the most up, Pollyanna in the world but this has got me so far down I don't know how to even look up.