January 25, 2012 | 
Author The pain of fibromyalgia, migraine and irritable bowel syndrome are more common in women than in men. New research from Stanford University proposes that women seem to suffer more from pain, even if its from the same condition, such as a back problem or arthritis. The findings, however don’t indicate why women report higher pain levels. It has been suggested that men are socialized to be more stoic, thus underreporting pain. However, Dr. Atul Butte, an associate professor at Stanford’s medical school said “You have to think about biological causes for the difference.”
An extensive study by the International Association for the Study of Pain reported that sex hormones may be a factor in gender pain differences. The study found that once women reached menopause, headache and abdominal pain began to subside.
Interestingly, some researchers believe pain experience may change for women who have given birth. They may have a different threshold for “worst pain ever” and consequently underreport some types of pain. In the end, according to Dr. Butte, ”It comes down to what the brain perceives as pain.” NYTimes.com Stuart Bradford
We all know laughter is good for us. It stimulates the pituitary gland to release its own opiates, which suppresses pain, and it controls the stress chemicals cortisol and epinephrine in the body. Besides the health benefits, laughter makes us feel happy!
Humor psychologist Richard Lewis (no relation to the comedian) at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor has researched the experience of people understanding the essence of a joke. He says our pupils dilate the moment we realize a joke is funny. Lewis used an eye-tracking device to record eye movements and pupil dilation while volunteers read cartoons from the New Yorker magazine. Lewis found that about a half-second after they eyed the part of a cartoon that was crucial to humor, they laughed. This work may assist researchers studying humor-related brain activity with magnetic resonance imaging or electroencephalograph (EEG)…… The Scientific American Day in the Life of Your Brain Judith Horstman
A group of older adults was recently studied to see if if their risk of progressing into mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was lowered by exercising on a cybercycle versus a traditional stationary bike. MCI, which can precede Alzheimer’s is a state of cognitive decline more serious than normal aging, but not so advanced that it impedes daily activities. A cybercycle is a stationary bike equipped with a virtual-reality screen. This screen enables the rider to “navigate” through situations, and “interact” with other bikers. The researchers found that the riders who rode the cybercyles lowered their risk of progressing into MCI by 23% compared to the traditional stationary riders. The virtual screens enabled participants to exercise their brains and bodies, with the bonus of boosting their cognition scores….. Time Magazine January, 30, 2012
Algorithms(decision trees) do not work for headache patients(some illnesses, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, are more amenable to algorithms). So, official “guidelines” as to headache treatment do not work very well. This is becuase everybody is unique; if we have 100 different headache folks, we will go 100 different ways with medicines, non-medication therapies, etc. What drives where we go with meds is the headaches and comorbidities. The headache part includes: what type of headache(migraine vs. tension/chronic daily), severity, frequency, how well the “as needed” abortives work, etc.. The comorbidities include other conditions going on in the person, including anxiety, depression, IBS(irritable bowel syndrome), as well as other medical conditions(HTN, arthritis, diabetes, etc.). For instance, many people with chronic frequent headaches also have anxiety or depression or IBS; these color and influence our medical decision-making. In addition, of course input from the patient is paramount; they may not want to take a daily preventive, or may not want certain types of meds. Costs of meds, and insurance, also play a significant role. The care and treatment of a headache patient takes time and patience and significant thought; for some return visits, it would be helpful to have 2 hours! In addition, it “takes a village” to help a severe headache or pain patient; we “get other villagers” involved(whether it is psychotherapy, physical therapy, yoga, etc. etc.).
Relative humidity, barometric pressure, temperature and precipitation can trigger headache for many migraineurs. Lisa Mannix, MD, Headache Associates, West Chester, Ohio believes the change in weather pattern, not the distinct weather itself is the triggering factor.
Having a genetic susceptibility to migraine may also be a factor for weather sensitivity. Dr. Mannix notes “That inherited sensitive nervous system is likely responding to changes in weather.”
While we can’t control mother nature, eating a healthy diet, having good sleep habits, exercising regularly, and managing stress can help to minimize headache. Dr.Mannix also recommends talking to your healthcare provider about medication to reduce headache frequency…..NHF Headlines Number 176
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have recently identified three genes in which a genetic variation is linked to an increased risk for migraine headache. Of these newly identified genes, one is solely connected to women. This discovery may help to explain why women are nearly three times more likely than men to experience migraines. The findings, published in the journal Nature Genetics also point out that inheritance of any of these genetic variants prompts the likelihood of migraine by 10 to 15 percent.
Lead author Daniel Chasman, PhD, assistant professor at BWH and Harvard Medical School believes this new information is significant towards understanding migraine headache. ” While migraine remains incompletely understood and its underlying causes difficult to pin down, identifying these three genetic variants helps shed light on the biological roots for this common and debilitating condition.” Headwise National Headache Foundation Volume 1, Issue 2
Multiple studies have shown that keeping physically active reduces the risk of cognitive decline. Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, along with improved blood flow to vital organs and muscles. A simple 30 minute walk could lower the risk of cognitive decline. It was also shown that as the activity levels increased, the rate of cognitive decline decreased. So the minimum recommendation of 30 minutes of physical activity, five days a week, is not only good for your waistline, but for your brain.
“What did we do before the Internet?” That’s the question Columbia University psychologist Betsy Sparrow asked her husband four years ago after looking up some movie trivia online. Has Google, and its ability to to pass on information to us at lightning speed changed how we think? Four experiments later Sparrow has published her findings in the August, 2011 edition of SCIENCE.
In one of the experiments, two groups of college students were presented with trivia statements. Students in one group were told they could retrieve information on their computer at a later date. The other group was told ahead of time that they could not go to their computer. Sparrow found that the students who were allowed to use their computer had worse recall than the students in the other group. ”The Web is an external memory storage space, and we make it responsible for remembering things,” she says. Should we be concerned based on these results than that using the Internet is toxic for our brain? Sparrow says no… our brain may just be adapting to present circumstances. ”We’re in an Internet world.” Scientific American Mind January/February 2012 Anne Casselman
Consuming an adequate amount of dietary potassium in your diet could reduce your risk of stroke. Researchers found that for every 1,000 milligrams of additional potassium consumed, the risk of stroke was decreased by 11%. Such examples of potassium rich foods include, sweet potato, tomato paste, baked potato, white beans, yogurt, prune juice, halibut, soybeans, tuna, lima beans, winter squash, bananas and non-fat milk. It is recommended that adults over age 19 should consume 4.7 grams of potassium per day. Potassium can also combat high blood pressure and improve blood-vessel functioning.
For additional information please visit http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/42/10/2746
Stop and Breathe! Sounds so simple, yet it can have such an impact on headaches, stress and daily life. Susan Ginsberg, a certified yoga/meditation instructor, will be at Robbins Headache Clinic every Thursday morning by appointment to teach breathing, relaxation, and visualization techniques. This practice allows patients to relax and reduce anxiety, providing them with a positive effect on their health and well-being.
Please call Robbins Headache Clinic at (847)-480-9399 and make your appointment. You may also visit www.stopandbreath.org for additional information.
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Tags: breathe, headaches, meditation, relaxation, stress, Susan Ginsberg, visualization, yoga | 
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