December 20, 2004
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In this month's issue:
Hotspots in Migraine and Headache News
Coming up at Relieve-Migraine-Headache.com
Say What?! Meta-analysis
For the last three months I've been travelling across North America, and I've had the opportunity to talk to many people about migraine and headache. Now I'm home catching up on emails, news, and the comments many of you have left in the HeadWay Mailroom (remember, your password is nomoache). As I look back over the past few months, I thought it would be appropriate to take a quick look at some of the things that have been making news in the migraine and headache world...
Hotspots in Migraine and Headache News
COX-2 Inhibitors: This one has been news all during the fall season, and has resurfaced again. Cox-2 inhibitors are alternatives to traditional anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra are included in this category. Readers of Relieve-Migraine-Headache.com knew even before the summer that there was concern that these drugs may cause heart problems. In September, Vioxx was pulled from the market, and recent studies raised more serious concerns about Celebrex and Bextra as well. The cautious analysis at the moment seems to be that more studies are needed, and that those on higher dosages should consider alternatives. Read this article for more on Cox-2 inhibitors.New Treatments: New migraine and headache treatments are constantly trickling in. These include everything from new ways to take old drugs (such as dissolvable aspirin), "natural" treatments (from the brilliant to the bizarre), new combinations of old drugs, and new drugs. Watch the website for more on these in upcoming weeks. One such treatment comes from Dr Mark H Friedman of the Westchester Head and Neck Pain Center in Scarsdale, NY, USA. Dr Friedman's non-invasive device chills nerves in the mouth to bring headache relief.
Migraine and stroke: Back in February you read in HeadWay about the link between migraine and stroke. The research continues. Last week in the British Medical Journal, a report was published indicating that migraineurs are over twice as likely to have a stroke as the general population. The risk skyrockets among women who have migraine and who also take a contraceptive pill. As I wrote in February there are still two things to remember. First, this is not a reason to panic, since we are still talking about very low percentages and a limited number of studies. Second, this is further evidence that migraine is a disease that should be taken seriously. Migraineurs should not be told to "just deal with it" - keep looking for treatments for yourself, and support ongoing research and awareness. For more on the most recent study, visit the website of the British Medical Journal.
Coming up at Relieve-Migraine-Headache.com
Look forward to a flurry of new information on the website over the next few weeks. New treatments, updated information and resources. I'll be checking your suggestions in the HeadWay mailroom, and reviewing more relevant research. For now, it should be easier to find information that you may have missed with the all-new Migraine Search page.Those who have looked around the website for a while probably know that it was built with the help of Site Build It! technology. I've never mentioned it in the newsletter before, but it's time to say a big Thank You to the folks at Site Build It!, who helped bring this website to life, and an even bigger Thank You to you, who have helped put Relieve-Migraine-Headache.com among the top 5% most visited sites on the internet. If you're looking for a way to share your passion with the world, there are few better ways to do it than with SBI!. Technical skills are not required, just an a topic that interests you and a willingness to try. Websites are great for migraineurs because they don't put you on a schedule, and they are "always on" even when you're not!
Why mention this now? Because SBI! has a holiday offer for the next 5 days - take a moment now to check it out, and be sure to read about how you can try it without risk!
Say What?! Meta-analysis
The recent study on migraine and stroke is based on a meta-analysis. What in the world does that mean? Basically, the researchers combed through the statistics of previous studies and put all the information together. It's not a new study on people with migraine or stroke, but a new collection of information we already had.Have a great holiday season, and I'll see you in 2005!