Allergy Sinusitis And Sinus Headache Resources
There are a number of very good resources available for people suffering from allergies, sinusitis, and sinus headaches:
Who Is At Risk For Abdominal Migraine
Abdominal migraines mostly affect children, with the first episode occurring between 3 and 10 years old. Most children seem to outgrow the condition, though abdominal migraines in adulthood are just starting to be studied. A child with a family or personal history of migraine headache has an increased chance of developing abdominal migraine.
What Is An Abdominal Migraine
Mostly common in children, abdominal migraine are episodic abdominal pains with various other migraine features. The child might complain of severe abdominal pains without any headache symptoms. This condition is largely misunderstood and under diagnosed due to lack of information and awareness.
This condition is common in children with abdominal pain especially if there is a family history of migraine. Abdominal migraine is one of the most common causes of functional abdominal pain in children. Many sufferers will have headaches at other times too or go on to get more classical symptoms of migraine later. Some continue to get abdominal migraine symptoms into adulthood.
Chronic and recurrent abdominal pain is a very distressing symptom that causes significant morbidity in affected children impairing their school performance and overall quality of life. Abdominal migraine is one of the most common causes of functional abdominal pain in children
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How Do You Take Anti
Most of the time, the anti-nausea medication can be taken by mouth with a glass of water.
Before reaching for the medication, though, you need to know which ones to take, and how theyâll work with other migraine medications youâre taking. Your doctor can check for any drug interactions you need to know about, and give you specific directions.
Wondering if you can take an over-the-counter like Tums® or Pepto-Bismol® along with an antiemetic like ondansetron? Yes, itâs generally safe to combine these medications, but you might be better off just sticking with the antiemetic.
You wouldnât take Tums® or Pepto-Bismol® to help with a headache, and it doesnât make much more sense to use them to treat migraine nausea. Thatâs because even though youâre feeling sick to your stomach, the nauseaâs really coming from your brain.
Treatment For Abdominal Migraine
Treatment for abdominal migraine often focuses on prevention rather than abortive methods. There are medications that are effective for some patients, but doctors are usually hesitant to prescribe them to children unless the attacks are frequent, or the symptoms are very severe.
One of the major problems is that, while typical migraine medications may work, many are not approved for children. This is the case with two popular triptans, Maxalt and Imitrex . The medications are not approved for children, but some older children may be able to use sumatriptan delivered as a nasal spray.
Other medications for abdominal migraines include:
- Periactin is an antihistamine that also helps calm stomach problems
- Inderal is a beta blocker used to treat heart conditions but is also effective for migraines
- Sandomigran is benzocycloheptene-based drug that is often used to treat migraine headaches
- Depakote or Depakene is used to treat seizures as well as bipolar disorder and can help stop abdominal migraine attacks
Unfortunately, most treatments for abdominal migraines are pharmacological in nature, Dr. Caminez says. Anti-seizure, anti-inflammatory or even anti-depressants are common treatments and, in many cases do help, but fail to address the underlying condition which caused the problem in the first place.
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Talking To Your Childs Doctor About Abdominal Migraine
If your child is experiencing symptoms that you feel may be abdominal headaches, the more you can tell their doctor, the better. Show them the migraine diary that you have been keeping for your child and tell them about any symptoms that really concern you.
Abdominal migraine is an unusual condition and many doctors are not well acquainted with the symptoms, diagnostic criteria, or treatment. A migraine specialist may be a better option for diagnosing and treating your child. These doctors specialize in migraines and may be better equipped to provide a diagnosis. They can then work with you to create a treatment plan for your child that will help prevent attacks and relieve symptoms in the event an attack occurs.
However, talking to a specialist or your childs pediatrician can be a daunting task. Having an open, honest conversation and sharing as much information as possible give the doctor insight into certain lifestyle triggers and any familial traits that can be causing the attacks. Often, though, the diagnosis starts at home. It begins with parents observing their childs behavior and noting their illness. From there it leads to the doctors office and testing. Still, the parents are the key. Dr. Caminez offers some signs parents can look for.
What Is Excedrin Migraine
Excedrin Migraine contains a combination of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine. Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and a fever reducer. Aspirin is in a group of drugs called salicylates . It works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain, fever, and inflammation. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It relaxes muscle contractions in blood vessels to improve blood flow.
Excedrin Migraine is used to treat pain caused by tension and migraine headaches.
Do not use aspirin for heart or blood vessel conditions unless your doctor tells you to.
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Sensitivity To Light And Sound
About 80% of people who get migraine headaches are sensitive to light. That’s called . People who get attacks only from time to time are less likely to be light-sensitive than those who have chronic migraines.
Researchers think photophobia starts in your optic nerve, which carries messages from your eyes to your brain. The response can be so severe that you may need to wear dark sunglasses or lie down in a dark room to feel better. You can also try window blinds and soft lighting. And avoid glare when looking at screens.
Being sensitive to loud noises, called phonophobia, often comes along with light sensitivity. Try to avoid those noises or use a white noise machine. But you may not want to avoid all sound. If you surround yourself with silence, you can become even more sensitive, and that could lead to headaches that are more painful.
Reducing The Risk Of Migraine Hangover
Migraine hangovers can be reduced, or better managed, by maintaining good headache hygiene. When consistently practiced, these preventative measures can reduce the severity and length of a migraine hangover.
Stay well hydrated throughout all four phases of a migraine. While it can seem daunting, getting out of bed, stretching or very light activities can help the healing process. Avoiding factors which exacerbate the symptoms is important, and avoiding overstimulation may hasten the pace of recovery.
Caffeine during the prodrome phase can have a positive effect for some people, but others find it makes their symptoms worse. Many find comfort food, ice packs, heating pads, massages and additional rest helps to soothe their migraine hangover. Ignoring or pushing through the effects of the postdrome phase doesnt give the body necessary time to recover, and can increase the risk of having another attack. Take it easy and rest during this time.
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Articles On Migraine Symptoms
If you’re like a lot of other people, you probably think a migraine means you’ve got a splitting headache. But there’s a lot more to it than that. Along with the pain, your body will send you other signs, from shifts in your spirits to feeling sick to your stomach. The sooner you recognize what’s happening, the quicker you can get the right kind of relief.
Treatment For Abdominal Migraines
Your childs doctor might prescribe anti-migraine medications that your child can use daily to prevent future attacks or at the time to relieve discomfort during an attack. Cognitive behavioral therapy can also be helpful when managing chronic pain or reducing stress that could trigger a migraine episode. Occasionally your childs doctor might recommend complementary therapies such as acupuncture.
Once your childs abdominal migraines are under control, you will no longer need to see a GI specialist.
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Treatment Options And Prevention
For young and older adults with continuing abdominal migraine, the treatment plan is essentially the same as it is for traditional migraine. You may need a combination of preventive and rescue migraine medications to manage attacks of abdominal pain depending on the severity and frequency of your episodes.
You can also make some lifestyle changes to prevent migraine attacks or at least reduce the frequency of them, including:
- Managing your stress and anxiety
- Eating a nutritious diet
- Staying hydrated
- Getting enough restorative sleep
Some people also find therapeutic strategies like acupuncture, meditation, and vitamin supplementation to be useful additions to their migraine treatment arsenal.
While younger children can benefit from many of these lifestyle changes to treat and prevent migraine, unfortunately there are not as many pharmaceutical options recommended for pediatric use.
Nothing is approved for use in kids and most of what we use is off-label, says Dr. Elton. Thats not to say that these medications are safe, but they dont carry an FDA label for approved use in children.
Abortive prescriptions for treating abdominal migraine in children |
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What Happens If I Overdose
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death.
The first signs of an acetaminophen overdose include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sweating, and confusion or weakness. Later symptoms may include pain in your upper stomach, dark urine, and yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
Overdose symptoms may also include ringing in your ears, headache, diarrhea, hallucinations, fast or slow heart rate, or seizure .
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Abdominal Migraines In Children
Abdominal migraine is prevalent in children ages five to nine years old and rarely occurs in adults. The prevalence among children is 4 percent while the mean age of onset is 7 years old. Abdominal migraine resolves in about 66 percent of patients by their late teens and 50 to 70 percent will go on to develop migraine attacks associated with head pain that is a well known and prominent feature of migraine, said Dr. VanderPluym. Migraine is a polygenetic disease and, similarly, the incidence of abdominal migraine is linked to other family members with migraine.
Common Symptoms Of A Migraine
The main symptom of a migraine is usually an intense headache on 1 side of the head.
The pain is usually a moderate or severe throbbing sensation that gets worse when you move and prevents you carrying out normal activities.
In some cases, the pain can occur on both sides of your head and may affect your face or neck.
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Abdominal Migraine Vs Migraine Headache
Scientists believe that an abdominal migraine and a migraine headache have the same causes, rooted in the neurological system. Migraine headaches in adults are usually characterized by pain in one side of the head. People with migraine headaches can find themselves sensitive to light and sound, and they may experience aura, which can include vision changes.
With abdominal migraines, the symptoms present as a dull, aching pain in the gut, usually near the belly button. In both cases, the pain is severe enough to interfere with a persons normal daily functioning.
Migraines are cyclical, which means that attacks happen sporadically. In between attacks, a person with migraines of either type usually feels fine.
Although the symptoms are very different, the diagnosis and treatment of abdominal migraine in adults are very similar to those of migraine headaches. Migraine headaches occur more often in adults, while abdominal migraines are most common in children ages 310. Adults can experience them in isolated cases and sometimes in addition to migraine headaches, too.
How Is Abdominal Migraine Treated
Once a child is diagnosed with abdominal migraine, treatment generally falls into two categories: relieving symptoms during an episode and preventing future episodes.
While there are few studies on the treatment and management of abdominal migraine, doctors may prescribe the following medications, based on their usefulness in treating migraines:
- NSAIDs or acetaminophen to relieve the pain.
- Triptans. This family of drugs is commonly used to treat migraine headaches and, if taken as soon as a migraine starts, can prevent symptoms from progressing.
- Anti-nausea medication. Anti-nausea drugs act by blocking chemicals in the brain that trigger vomiting.
Some studies have shown evidence to support the use of the following medications in preventing abdominal migraine:
- Pizotifen, a benzocycloheptene-based drug.
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When To Get Medical Advice
You should see a GP if you have frequent or severe migraine symptoms that cannot be managed with occasional use of over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol.
Try not to use the maximum dosage of painkillers on a regular or frequent basis as this could make it harder to treat headaches over time.
You should also make an appointment to see a GP if you have frequent migraines , even if they can be controlled with medicine, as you may benefit from preventative treatment.
You should call 999 for an ambulance immediately if you or someone you’re with experiences:
- paralysis or weakness in 1 or both arms or 1 side of the face
- slurred or garbled speech
- a sudden agonising headache resulting in a severe pain unlike anything experienced before
- headache along with a high temperature , stiff neck, mental confusion, seizures, double vision and a rash
These symptoms may be a sign of a more serious condition, such as a stroke or meningitis, and should be assessed by a doctor as soon as possible.
Signs And Symptoms Of Abdominal Migraine
The symptoms of abdominal migraines are distinctive the most prevalent being midline abdominal pain. This means that the pain is in the middle of the abdomen, around the belly button. The pain does not extend to the sides.
Axon Optics published the Guide to Types of Headaches in 2016. In it, abdominal migraines are characterized as:
A migraine that does not affect the head, but rather the abdomen and can last from a few hours up to 72 hours. During attacks at least two of the following are symptoms: anorexia, nausea, vomiting, paleness. This is mostly commonly found in children and symptoms do not remain between attacks. Many children who suffer from abdominal migraine have migraine later in life.
The symptoms are what define this unusual condition and also include:
- Severe abdominal pain or intense soreness in the stomach
- Pain that causes
The onset of the attack is usually sudden and the symptoms or attack itself usually very severe. An abdominal migraine can occur with no aura or warning at all. An attack can last anywhere from 1 hour to 72 hours, but usually it lasts 4 or more hours. Patients do not experience any symptoms between their attacks.
The pain of the attacks is intense. Abdominal migraines predominantly occur in children and the symptoms may render the child non-functional. They may scream and cry in pain to the point that their parents take them to the emergency room.
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Are Migraines A Serious Health Condition Under Fmla
The final regulations also provide examples, in section 825.114, of conditions that ordinarily, unless complications arise, would not meet the regulatory definition of a serious health condition and would not, therefore, qualify for FMLA leave: the common cold, the flu, ear aches, upset stomach, minor ulcers.
What Are The Symptoms Of Abdominal Migraine
As mentioned, abdominal migraine causes pain in the abdomen that can be severe and debilitating. It is typically located in the middle portion of the belly, often around the umbilicus. Cramping, nausea, and vomiting can accompany the pain. Pallor of the skin is often observed. There may not be associated headache. The symptoms are usually relieved by sleep and can last anywhere from one hour to several days.
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What Is Abdominal Migraine
Healthcare providers are still trying to figure out exactly how or why thebrain communicates with the gut during an episode of abdominal migraine. It seems like the same neurological trajectory as a traditional migraine is triggered, except for the fact that pain receptors in the abdomennot the headbegin firing.
In fact, other than this one difference, an abdominal migraine attack is extremely similar to a common migraine attack there is a surprising amount of overlap between symptoms, triggers, and treatment. The most common symptoms of abdominal migraine are abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The abdominal pain is usually in the central abdomen and often described as soreness or achiness.