The U.S. House of Representatives could begin debating their revised health care reform bill. There is even talk of voting as early as this Friday, but as we all know, the political process can take many different turns and detours. Whatever your personal thoughts on the proposals at hand, be sure to contact your own representative and express those views. Read more about health care reform. Will you need to find a new doctor? What questions should you be asking doctors?

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We all know that pollution is unsightly, smells horrible, and generally detracts from a community. Now researchers believe that pollution may also contribute to headaches. In a study published earlier this month in the American Journal of Epemiology, researchers looked at the effect pollution is having in urban centers in Chile. They found that increased pollution levels were associated with higher rates of hospitalization for headaches of all types. So now we have one more reason to clean up the environment.

Do you know of other headache triggers?

What about headache triggers in your diet?

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The economy hasn't been everything we'd all hoped it would be this year, and with the holiday season approaching it's easy to get discouraged. Medication costs have increased steadily for years and it seems there are more and more people taking more and more medication. An organization called the Partnership for Prescription Assistance is here to help people who are having a tough time paying for their medicines.

If you are someone who doesn't have prescription drug benefits through any insurance program, you may qualify for help through the PPA. They are dedicated to finding ways to pay for medications, as well as resources for the uninsured or underinsured. This may be a nice holiday bonus for some of you out there.

Have you or your doctor thought of the best prescription medications to treat migraines?

What about prescriptions to prevent migraines?

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With all of the hype surrounding flu season, especially the H1N1 variety, it's important to remember that a headache isn't always a headache. It can be a sign of a more significant illness so it's a good thing to take note. Do you have fever or other "flu-like symptoms" as well? Is anyone else sick in the household? Is this headache a bit different than your "usual" headaches?

Take time to learn more about influenza and the H1N1 virus.

Have you thought about a flu shot?

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First anti-oxidants, and now migraine prevention. The news keeps getting better for chocolate. At the International Headache Society's 14th International Headache Congress in Philadelphia, researchers presented preliminary evidence that a diet supplemented with cocoa may be beneficial in preventing migraines. Cocoa seems to increase anti-inflammatory compounds in the brain, which may reduce the incidence of headaches. Missouri State University researchers are quick to point out that all of this information is in the early stages, and so far all of their information comes from studies done in rats. Keep your eyes and ears open for chocolate studies in humans soon. Maybe they need volunteers.

Read about other foods that may trigger migraines.

What are some other headache triggers?

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It's always nice to see prominent people use their notoriety to promote good. In the case of Cindy McCain, she has decided to make migraine research a priority in her life. At the 14th International Headache Congress, hosted by the American Headache Society, Mrs. McCain gave the keynote address and pledged to raise awareness for migraines among the public and health professionals, with the goal of increasing funding for migraine-related research.

Cindy McCain is one of an estimated 36 million migraine sufferers. She had this to say:

I have seen migraine`s potential to transform, nearly instantly, a productive, healthy, and happy individual into a bedridden patient, wracked with pain and nausea, forced to rearrange or abandon numerous commitments to family and work. . . . I can hardly begin to describe the number of times I have had to cancel events, tell my family that I could not fulfill responsibilities, or abandon professional commitments, all because that familiar twinge of impending migraine.

Hopefully her own Washington insider can be a good resource as she sets out to fight for headache sufferers in the United States.

Who are other famous people with migraines?

What should you ask when finding a headache doctor?

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Not a very cheery title, but I've been seeing a lot of articles lately talking about pediatric migraines. Since so many children went back to school this week, or will be heading back soon, headaches in children seem to be on the rise. This just means that parents need to be back on their toes in looking for headache warning signs and triggers. Also, don't forget that many children actually don't have headaches with their migraines, so be warned. Abdominal migraines and silent migraines are actually quite common in kids and can be a reason they end up missing a lot of class time. Let's hope this school year can be a good one for your little migraine sufferer.

Read more about pediatric headache treatments.

How safe is tylenol?

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I was doing some research for an upcoming article and came across a recent study done by a Spanish research group. They wanted to connect migraines and smoking as we are always looking for more reasons for patients to quit smoking (as if cancer and emphysema weren't enough!). Researchers looked at nearly 400 medical students, paying particular attention to their migraine histories and smoking habits. What they found is that smoking migraneurs seemed to have more attacks than non-smoking migraine sufferers. Also, as few as five cigarettes in a day were enough to trigger a headache. This is hardly earth-shattering evidence, but it does seem to suggest that smoking may adversely affect your health in one more way.

What are some common migraine triggers?

How can diet trigger a migraine?

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Remember that scene in "The Christmas Story" where Ralphie is helping his father change a flat tire and drops all the nuts for the wheel? It's the scene where he "didn't say 'fudge.'" If he was having a migraine we shouldn't be so hard on him. A recent study in NeuroReport says that a swear word once in a while may be a good pain reliever. Profanity can kick in the "fight or flight" response, releasing endorphins, which can lead to some level of pain relief. The study found that swearing was most effective in those who didn't swear all that often, suggesting that frequent profanity use when one isn't in pain may eventually lessen the therapeutic response. Researchers also found that, in general, women experienced more pain relief than men. Whether this is due to the frequency of profanity use or some other factor isn't known.

Looking for other alternative headache relief?

What are people doing to cope with headache pain?

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Have you ever had a headache so bad that you just wanted to rip all the muscles off of your face so you would stop hurting? OK, maybe that is a bit drastic, but researchers have been looking into facial surgery as a way to stop migraines. In the August 2009 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, there is a study discussing the surgical removal of migraine trigger points. Surgeons removed tissue from one of three sites on the face and head and then tracked patients' headaches. What they found is that over half of the migraine patients who received the surgery reported having less headaches, and many of them actually said their migraines had stopped altogether. Researchers also included a placebo procedure group who were far less affected by the surgery.

So, should you rush out and schedule facial surgery for your migraines? It's too soon to tell, but add this to the list of possibilities for treating migraines in the future.

Learn about other alternative headache remedies like acupuncture or osteopathic medicine.

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