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Ever had a headache so bad you felt like you wanted to die? With congestion, sweating and redness on one side of the face only,
pain worse than a migraine, cluster headaches are often described Bryson said.
as the worst pain known to man, but are generally misunderstood Migraines are painful and can last multiple days, but cluster
because they are so rare, said headache specialist Dr. Juline Bryson, headaches are like all the pain of a migraine wrapped into 30
assistant professor of neurology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical minutes or one hour, Bryson said.
Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Another significant difference is that a person suffering from
While headaches are among the most common disorders of the migraines may retreat into a dark room to lay down, while someone
nervous system, cluster headaches only affect one in 1,000 adults with a cluster headache is restless and cant sit still. Completely
and are three times more likely to strike men than women, according overtaken by the pain, a sufferer may bang their head against a
to the World Health Organization. Often called suicide headaches, wall, scream obscenities and basically stop functioning until the
cluster headaches are so painful they can induce suicidal thoughts. pain subsides, Bryson said.
Patients tell me it feels like theyre being mutilated with an ice
pick while at the same time someone is pushing their eye out Finding relief
with a hot poker, Bryson said. Because they are so rare, they are In most cases, this kind of headache is very treatable once it is
often misdiagnosed as migraines or allergies and arent treated correctly diagnosed, Bryson said. During an episode, we can
appropriately. inject a drug used to treat migraines, which can provide relief
within minutes. And there are several drugs available that are quite
Cluster vs. migraine effective in preventing these headaches.
Cluster headaches are a series of relatively short but extremely Although there are good treatments available, responses vary from
painful headaches that occur in clusters, usually at the same time person to person, and some people do have intractable headaches
of the day and night for several weeks, then go away, according to that can be very difficult to treat.
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. They
strike one side of the head, often behind or around one eye, and Not even all neurologists can recognize cluster headaches, and they
may be preceded by a migraine-like aura and nausea. They usually are often misdiagnosed as migraines or sinus headaches. Bryson
happen at the same time every year, usually spring or fall. recommends that people with cluster headaches seek out a United
Council for Neurologic Subspecialtiescertified headache specialist
The intense pain can continue for up to three hours and often wakes for treatment.
people from their sleep. Symptoms include tears, runny nose or
SHINGLES
Schaffner said.
What it is
Shingles is caused by the same pathogen
as chicken pox, varicella zoster virus.
The medical community doesnt fully
understand what causes the virus to pop
up later in life.
Its a misconception that shingles only
affects older people while it is most
common after age 60 about half of cases
are in people under 60. For people who
reach 80, between one-third and one-half
BY MELISSA ERICKSON | MORE CONTENT NOW
will develop shingles, Schaffner said.
One of the reasons shingles is more
prevalent may be because of an aging Since the mid-1990s children have been
population. As we age, our immune systems vaccinated for chicken pox. The hope is that the
weaken and it becomes more difficult for
our natural defenses to fight off the virus,
comprehensive vaccination of children
Schaffner said. Additionally, people whose will largely eliminate shingles in the future.
immune system is compromised such
Dr. William Schaffner,
as those fighting cancer or HIV, on certain
medications or undergoing stress are Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
WALK
HEART for
your
MANAGING
OSTEOARTHRITIS
What you dont
know is hurting you.
Twenty-seven million Americans suffer every day from chronic discomfort and
stiffness caused by osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There
have been limited advancements in osteoarthritis therapies, leaving patients
with fewer options and worsening symptoms. Because daily activities can be
such a struggle, doctors and patients have increasingly turned to synthetic
pain relievers like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids
(narcotics).
What many people may not know is that long-term use of NSAIDs and opioids director of the Spine and Pain Institute at MidState
can have dangerous side effects. NSAIDs come with serious warning labels and Medical Center in Connecticut and chairman of the
carry even greater risk for people with kidney, stomach or heart conditions. Connecticut State Medical Societys Task Force on
Prescription opioid use and resulting deaths have quadrupled over the Opioids.
last 20 years, according to the CDC. People using opioids are also at risk for heart There are safer options to manage OA symptoms,
issues, addiction, falls and other accidents due to extreme drowsiness. but many are underutilized due to lack of
Osteoarthritis patients just want to be able to get through their day, but knowledge and insurance coverage issues. One
opioids (narcotics) and NSAIDs should not be a first choice for chronic disease of these options is prescription medical foods,
management; we need to explore other options, says Dr. Dean Mariano, a class of medicines recognized by the FDA and
developed from powerful, natural molecules. What
makes a medical food?
The ingredients in medical foods have been
designated Generally Recognized as Safe
(G.R.A.S.) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Medical foods must be intended for the
distinctive nutritional requirements of a chronic
disease or condition.
Medical foods require physician supervision.
In our practice, many patients are surprised to
learn about the role natural prescription medical
foods can play in managing osteoarthritis, Dr.
Mariano says. We create individualized plans that
include positive lifestyle changes, medical foods
such as Limbrel, and a common-sense approach
to using traditional pain relievers where necessary
and appropriate.
Limbrel is a prescription medical food proven
safe and effective for long-term osteoarthritis
management. It contains two highly concentrated
and purified flavonoids that work by balancing
multiple inflammatory pathways in the body, which
causes significantly fewer side effects. Flavonoids
are natural molecules found in foods like green tea,
dark chocolate, and certain fruits and vegetables.
Learn more about medical foods for osteoarthritis at
limbrel.com. [BPT]
HEALTH MAGAZINE 2017 PAGE 11 WEEK OF JANUARY 22, 2017
HEALTH MAGAZINE 2017 PAGE12 WEEK OF JANUARY 22, 2017