Many of us who have had migraines for so long that it seems like forever have seen studies come and go and seem to make little difference to our lives. It's worthwhile to note that those studies probably made more difference that we thought. They paved the way for all those that came after.
Thus far, the year 2000 seems to be the year when medical science is publishing study results that validate what we've been feeling and thinking -- migraines are not just a headache. There are genuine medical reasons for the headaches and associated symptoms. The year 2000 has brought us:
-
A June meeting at the National
Institutes of Health where new research was revealed and this statement was
made by Dr. Stephen Silberstein:
"Migraine, we used to believe, was a disorder of anxious, neurotic women whose blood vessels overreacted. Migraine is not that. Migraine is a neurobiological disorder of the brain." - The compilation and release of guidelines for the treatment of migraine from the U.S. Headache Consortium.
- Finally, this months release of the studies on quality of life and the link between migraine and depression.
In addition to validation, these developments should serve to bring us better understanding from healthcare professionals, family and friends. We should also begin to see new and better forms of treatment. Hopefully, as understanding about migraine and other headache disorders grows, we will also be able to deal with problems with insurance companies such as those who limit the amount of medication we are able to obtain. These studies should allow scientists to approach corporate and governmental sources of funding for increased resources to conduct more research into better treatments.
The next time you visit your doctor for care, please remember to tell your doctor all of your symptoms, emotional as well as physical. Help your doctor care for you as a whole person. It seems to be another chicken-or-the-egg scenario. Migraine can cause depression or depression can contribute to migraine. In either case, if both exist, get treatment for both.
