MigrainesWritten by 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 onset of pain in a migraine, researchers have observed a sudden burst of cortical activity that occurs most commonly in occipital lobes (back part of 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 brain becomes depressed when compared to normal. The resulting pain comes from either brain stem activation, blood vessels inflamed by rapidly exchanging blood flow, or both.
| | SciaticaWritten by Dr. Michael L. Johnson
If your sciatic nerve becomes inflamed, condition is called sciatica (pronounced si-ad'-i-ka). The pain can be intense! It often follows path of your nerve - down back of your leg, ankle, foot, and toes - but it can also radiate to your back! Along with burning, sharp pains, you may also feel nerve sensations such as pins-and-needles, tingling, prickling, crawling sensations, or tenderness. Ironically, your leg may also feel numb!To complicate matters, although sciatica pain is usually in back of legs or thighs, some people may feel pain in front or side of legs or even in hips. For some, pain is in both legs: bilateral sciatica! The quality of pain may vary. There may be constant throbbing, but then it may let up for hours or even days; it may ache or be knife-like. Sometimes postural changes like lying down or changing positions affect pain, and sometimes they don't. In severe cases, sciatica can cause a loss of reflexes or even a wasting of calf muscles. For sciatica sufferers, a good night's sleep may be a thing of past. Simple things like walking, sitting, or standing up can be difficult or impossible.
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