The past week has been busy for the FDA. Last week they held a two-day meeting discussing Tylenol acetaminophen) overdose and what can be done to improve patient safety. Acetaminophen is a popular pain reliever that is often used alone, but is in a lot of combination products, notably over-the-counter cold remedies and prescription pain killers such as Percocet and Vicodin. One of the problems, according to many experts, is that patients are unaware of how much acetaminophen is in each of these medications so they are taking more than the maximum daily dose, which is 4000 mg for most adults. Michael Ashburn, director of pain medicine and palliative care at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, says that since the components of Percocet (oxycodone and acetaminophen) are available separately, maybe they should be prescribed independently as well. This would be one way to ensure patients are aware of their dosages.

Just yesterday the FDA issued a press release about Darvocet, another acetaminophen-containing product. It has been linked to fatal overdoses, especially in the elderly, so the FDA will soon require that it carry a "black box" warning, emphasizing the potential for overdose.

Since so many headache sufferers are on these pain relievers it will be interesting and important to watch and follow where we are headed. Pulling these drugs off the market is one potential outcome, and should it come to that, there will be a lot of patients looking for alternatives.

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If you have migraines are you at greater risk of suffering a stroke? It's not entirely evident at this point, but a recent study on migraines noted that women who have migraines with aura in their "middle years" are more likely to have brain lesions later in life. Men don't seem to have the same association, nor do women who have other migraine variants. Researchers are careful to say that although there seems to be a link, they aren't sure what it all means at this point. What is always true is that it is important to discuss your symptoms and concerns with your health care provider so you can best evaluate and treat your migraines and headaches.

What else should women with migraines know?

What are the important headache warning signs you should be aware of?

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Caffeine has long been thought to have a connection with migraine headaches. Caffeine is a common component of over-the-counter and prescription headache remedies. Withdrawal from regular use has been associated with increased migraines. Now researchers are continuing to make discoveries about how caffeine and migraines are related.

A recent study coming out of Norway looked into heavy and lighter use of caffeine and how it relates to headaches. What they found was interesting, if not a bit confusing in the end. High caffeine consumption was "weakly associated" with an increase in infrequent headaches. Lower use seemed to cause an increase in frequent headaches. Also, non-migraine headaches were more likely to be connected to caffeine than migraines.

In the end, no one is quite sure what to make of all the information. In fact, the research team had this to say:

The results may indicate that high caffeine consumption changes chronic headache into infrequent headache due to the analgesic properties of caffeine. Alternatively, chronic headache sufferers have reduced the intake of coffee and tea to avoid worsening, whereas individuals with infrequent headache may be less aware that high caffeine use can cause headache.

The bottom line is you need to pay attention to how caffeine affects you as an individual and see if there are other triggers you can eliminate or reduce to improve your health.

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This week is National Headache Awareness Week, and I saw an article that reminded me of an important fact about migraines: a lot of kids get headaches. The National Headache Foundation (NHF) reports that nearly 20 percent of all kids ages 5-17 suffer from headaches. Most of these children have tension-type headaches, but many also have migraines. Children usually have similar triggers to adults, but they usually have a more difficult time dealing with them. One of the most important things you can do as a parent is understand about the different types of headaches so you can start to understand what it is affecting your child. Kids with headaches can also take the time to educate themselves about what they can do to prevent and treat headaches when they start.

The NHF has two sites that can start to make a difference. The first is called Headache Headstart, and it is a place children can go to learn all about headaches and what they can do to help themselves. The other is called Headache U. This is a site where anyone can start to gain a headache education one step at a time. Both are excellent resources to supplement any other research you are doing. Start learning today what you can do to help your children better function and cope with headaches.

Start to understand how headaches affect children.

What should you know about treating headaches in children?

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Well, if you live on the east coast of Britain you may need to worry. The brown tail moth caterpillar, previously only found along the southeast coastal region of Britain, has up to 2 million hairs that can break off and end up causing severe health problems including allergic reactions, breathing problems, and headaches. Warmer temperatures have encouraged the caterpillar to move northward, extending the plague-like conditions that exist currently. Of course, if you don't live in England or travel there in the near future it won't end up being a big problem, but this just goes to show how headache triggers are everywhere.

Experts say that once the caterpillar becomes a moth the problems really don't exist, so in four weeks or so everything should be back to "normal." Until that time, review good prevention and treatment strategies for headaches and hope for the best.

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Health care has always been considered a "recession proof" profession, but that may not be the case this time around. A recent survey released by the American Academy of Family Physicians shows that patients are visiting their physicians less and less, even postponing important health screenings like Pap smears and colonoscopies. Appointment cancellations are up, as are the number of uninsured patients visiting the office. All of these trends are quite concerning to family physicians in particular since they are often the ones managing chronic conditions and ensuring patients receive appropriate screening tests.

One of the most concerning stats to come out of this survey is that people are stressed out more than ever. Nearly 90% of physicians surveyed said that patients are expressing a concern over how they will pay their bills. And, 87% physicians said they are seeing an increase in patients with signs and symptoms of severe stress. As headache sufferers, you will recognize that stress can be a common trigger for headaches. It can also increase one's risk of a variety of health problems like heart disease. If you are concerned about the rising costs of health care, discuss these concerns with your health care provider and see what he or she can do to help you.

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About.com has launched a new feature: User Answers. Articles that have been set up to accept your input allow you to contribute your thoughts to the topic at hand. I've set up two articles so far and have plans to set up many more. Sharing personal thoughts and experiences may help someone else deal with their migraines and headaches. Check in and give your input so others can learn from you. Here are the first two articles set up on the Headaches and Migraines site:

Finding a Doctor

Is It a Migraine?

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So you think you've heard it all, right? Well, researchers at the University of California-San Francisco think magnets may be the next big thing in migraine treatment. In a presentation at the American Academy of Neurology's annual scientific seminar, researchers discussed transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, a treatment involving magnetic pulses applied directly to the head in hopes of successfully treating migraine headaches. Earlier research on TMS, performed at Albert Einstein College showed that it was more effective than placebo in specifically treating migraines with aura.

Preliminary research at UCSF was performed on rats, so there is still a lot of work to be done before they can recommend magnetic therapy for all migraine sufferers, but hopefully the verdict will be out soon on this novel therapy.

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The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has recently launched a new patient information website, or rather, they've redesigned their previous site. It is a place where patients and their families can go to learn more about neurological conditions such as migraines and headaches, stroke and Alzheimer's. They can also learn about current research, form connections using the community feature, and find a neurologist in their area.

The AAN is also receiving support from a somewhat unconventional source. Viewers of Grey's Anatomy, the popular ABC television program, eagerly anticipate the wedding of two of its main characters, Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Derek Shepherd. There is even a website where you can follow the couple's preparations for the wedding, including an online wedding gift registry. In lieu of gifts, you can make a donation to the AAN or another medical charity. The wedding is in 14 days so there is still a chance to support the efforts of the AAN in educating patients and looking to improve treatment of a variety of neurological conditions, like migraine headaches.

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Many people who experience migraine headaches notice that certain exercises--sometimes lots of exercises--can actually make their headaches worse. Swedish researchers think they have found the perfect exercise program for migraine sufferers, though. In a study published in the April 2009 issue of Headache, they discuss a program of exercise focusing on using a stationary exercise bike over a period of 3 months. Twenty migraineurs used the program under the supervision of a physiotherapist. Early results seem to indicate that this type of exercise program will improve patients' cardiac functions without increasing the likelihood of developing a migraine. More research is, of course, necessary to determine how significant this study will end up being.

The good news for the average migraine sufferer is that it appears there are aerobic exercises you do without causing a migraine to appear. The important thing is to begin slowly and pay attention to your usual headache triggers. As always, discussing any exercise plan with your health care provider is a good idea.

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