Migraines for Dummies or Pocket Guide to the 12 Steps

Migraines for Dummies

Author: Diane Stafford

If you get migraines you know how laughable it is to hear them described as “headaches.” As one poet put it, “the migraine is a beast from Hell, a bone-crushing, brain-twisting, heart-rending, apocalyptic scourge—an insult to all that’s holy.” And that’s putting it mildly. People have been trying to tame the migraine beast for thousands of years. Some early healers bored holes into their patients’ skulls, the Greeks inhaled the smoke of burning coffee beans, while in ancient Egypt, doctors tied herb-stuffed clay crocodiles to migraine sufferer’s heads. Fortunately, we live in more enlightened times and there are now medically sound approaches that are relatively simple and inexpensive—and they don’t leave scars or involve extreme fashion statements.

Your complete guide to taking charge of your migraines and getting your life back, Migraines For Dummies offers a focused, fleshed-out program that works in the real world. This friendly guide fills you in on what you need to know to:

• Understand migraines and why you get them
• Relieve symptoms
• Pinpoint pain triggers
• Sort through the various medications
• Evaluate alternative remedies
• Make simple migraine-busting lifestyle changes
• Stop migraines from disrupting your family and work lives
• Find a good doctor to help you manage the beast

The authors look at the whole spectrum of the problem—from dealing with the number-one issue of pain relief, to handling the peripheral problems like absences from work skepticism from friends, and impact on family. They also explore a range of critical related issues,including:

• Different types of migraines, including abdominal, ocular, hemiplegic, opthamoplegic, and women’s hormonal migraines
• Triggers, such as environmental allergens, stress, dietary triggers, and even exercises that can cause migraines
• Over-the-counter medications, vitamins and herbal supplements
• Biofeedback, meditation, massage, acupuncture, and other alternative remedies
• The pros and cons of prescription remedies, including ergotamine derivatives, antidepressants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, botox and more

You’ve tried Aunt Edna’s camphor-soaked head cloths. Now explore a sensible, medically sound approach, and get on the road to full-fledged pain relief with Migraines For Dummies.

Table of Contents:

	Introduction	1
	About This Book	1
	Questions answered	2
	Solutions offered	3
	Caution given	3
	Foolish Assumptions	4
	How This Book Is Organized	4
	Conventions and Icons Used in This Book	7
Part I	Looking at the Big Picture: Migraines Demystified	9
Chapter 1	Knowing What You're Dealing With: An Overview	11
	Getting a Take on What Migraines Are and What They Aren't	12
	Tripping through the Types of Headaches	14
	Looking at Some of the Reasons Why	15
	Getting an Under-the-Hood Inspection and Tune Up	15
	Handling Family and Work Issues	16
	Exploring Options Galore	17
Chapter 2	Coping with the Symptoms	19
	Taking on the Big Three: Auras, Sensory Sensitivity, and Stomach Problems	19
	Encountering Other Migraine Signs	22
	Using Quick Fixes as a Stopgap	23
Chapter 3	Knowing Your Foes	27
	Keeping a Journal to Discover Reasons and Triggers	27
	Understanding Inherited Migraines	29
	Checking Your Environment for Allergens	30
	Finding Dietary Villains	31
	Zeroing in on Exercises that Make Your Head Hurt	33
	Keying in on Other Migraine Triggers	35
	Stopping Triggers in their Tracks	37
Part II	Getting Diagnosed	39
Chapter 4	Distinguishing a Migraine from Other Head Pain	41
	Sorting Headache Types	42
	Understanding What Makes a Migraine a Migraine	49
	Identifying Variations on the Migraine Theme	54
	Recoiling from Rebound Headaches	56
	Defusing the Myths	61
Chapter 5	Finding a Good Migraine Doctor	63
	Seeing Your Everyday Doc	63
	Discovering Whether Your Physician Understands Migraines	67
	Turning to a Headache Specialist	69
	Preparing for the Headache Specialist	74
Chapter 6	Having Your Head Examined and Coming Up with a Plan	77
	Huddling with Your Doctor	78
	Taking the Tests	80
	Hunkering Down to Come up with a Migraine-Busting Plan	84
Part III	Giving Migraines a Knockout Punch	87
Chapter 7	Spelling Relief without a Prescription	89
	Counting on Over-the-Counter Medications	89
	Sidestepping the Side Effects of Too Many OTC Drugs	92
	Using Vitamin and Herbal Supplements	93
Chapter 8	Taking Care of Pain with Prescription Drugs	99
	Looking for Relief in All the Right Places	100
	Finding Out What to Expect and How You React	104
	Fighting Back: Abortive Medications for Migraines Underway	104
	Stopping Migraines Upfront: Prophylactics	111
	Trying Newer Treatments	117
	Choosing a Delivery Method	118
	Calling on Superhero Medications	119
	Getting Nausea Relief	123
Chapter 9	Sampling Alternative Remedies	125
	Sampling Mind-Body Methods	126
	Working with Behavioral Headache Bashers	132
	Pursuing Alternative Physical Treatments	135
	Micromanaging Your Own Treatment Program	137
Chapter 10	Making Medical Decisions Even When You're Migraine-Hazy	139
	Making Good Choices Despite the Migraine Haze	140
	Negotiating the Emergency Room	143
Part IV	Committing to Lifestyle Changes	145
Chapter 11	Catching and Rejecting Food Triggers	147
	Tracking Down Dietary Triggers	148
	Pulling the Plug on Migraine Foods	154
Chapter 12	Getting Physical with Your Migraines	159
	Loosening Migraine's Grip with Movement	159
	Avoiding Exercise that Induces Migraines	168
Chapter 13	Eyeballing Environmental Enemies	171
	Investigating Your Environment	171
	Kicking Troublemakers Out of Your Home	172
	Checking Your Surroundings	173
	Preparing a Personal Oasis	177
Chapter 14	Looking at the Link between Migraines and Sleep	181
	Waking Up to Your Sleep Patterns	181
	Defining and Treating Sleep Disorders	184
	Benefiting by Changing Your Behavior	190
Part V	Staying Connected to the People in Your Life	195
Chapter 15	Living the Good Life Despite Migraines	197
	Singing the Why-Me Migraine Blues	197
	Feeling Free to Get Pain-Free	199
	Deciding Whether to Go Out and About or Hunker Down at Home	200
	Joining in the Social Whirl	201
	Keeping It Real When Migraine-Free People Think You're Faking It	204
Chapter 16	Managing Migraines at Work	205
	Minimizing Migraine's Impact at Work	206
	Coping with Attitude and Agony	207
	Staying in a Positive Self-Image Place on Migraine Days	210
	Working with Periods of Disability	212
Chapter 17	Handling Your Home Life	215
	Giving Cues to Loved Ones	216
	Making Your Mate an Advocate	218
	Being Realistic about Your Children's Reactions	219
	Handling the Negative Attitudes of Family Members	221
Part VI	Managing Special-Situation Migraines	223
Chapter 18	Spotting the Dangerous Headache	225
	Paying Attention to First-Ever or Worst-Ever Headaches	225
	Spotting ER-Worthy Red Flags	226
	Getting Thee to the ER on Time	228
Chapter 19	Let's Hear It for the Girls: Hormonal Migraines	231
	Discovering Why So Many Women Are Plagued by Migraines	232
	Combating Menstrual Migraines	234
	Spelling Relief or Trouble: Oral Contraceptives and Migraines	237
	Tackling Migraines While You're Pregnant--and Afterward	238
	Ditching the Migraines of Menopause	239
Chapter 20	Helping a Child with Migraines	241
	Recognizing the Signs	242
	Hunting Down and Disarming the Causes and Triggers	245
	Seeking Treatment	251
	Managing the Emotional Side Effects	257
Chapter 21	Holding Off the Sex Migraine	261
	Laying Out Sex-Related Headaches	262
	Having a Candid Chat with Your Doctor	264
	Doing It without Getting Done In	264
Chapter 22	Sideswiping Migraines Caused by Stress	267
	Mastering Techniques for Calming Your Mind	268
	Rearranging Priorities to Scuttle Some Stressors	271
Chapter 23	The Senioring Effect: Aging and Migraines	275
	Losing Migraine Pain along with Your Hair	276
	Gaining Wisdom and Migraines	276
	Seeing Your Doctor for Help	278
	Looking Out for Eye Problems and Atypical Head Pain	282
Part VII	The Part of Tens	285
Chapter 24	Ten Tips for Dealing with Folks Who Don't Get Migraines	287
	Express Your Envy (At Least to Yourself)	288
	Shrug Off Unhelpful Advice	288
	Keep a Sense of Perspective	288
	Steel Yourself for the Very Irritating	288
	Try to Love Even the Headache-Free	289
	Be Matter-of-Fact about Having to Miss Engagements	289
	Warn People Up Front	289
	Don't Let Anyone Guilt-Trip You	289
	Help Your Hosts Accommodate Your Triggers	290
	Express Your Disappointment at Missing Important Events	290
Chapter 25	Ten Things You Can Do for the Migraine Sufferer You Love	293
	Be On Call	294
	Stay Cheerful	294
	Crank Up Your Compassion	294
	Resist the Urge to Cajole	294
	Serve as a Social Secretary	295
	Take Charge of the Kids	295
	Make Necessary Work-Related Phone Calls	295
	Call the Doc if the Headache Worsens	295
	Be Thoughtful	296
	Ask What You Can Do	296
Chapter 26	Eleven Ways NOT to Treat a Migraine	297
	Go Off Your Program	297
	Take Too Many Drugs	298
	Ignore Dosage Recommendations	298
	Believe Crazy Claims	298
	Keep Taking a Drug that Doesn't Work	299
	Try to Gut it Out and Go Out	299
	Stuff Yourself with Tons of Food	299
	Try the Sun-and-Activity Remedy	299
	Doctor-Hop	300
	Foster a Sick-Person Reputation	300
	Become an ER Junkie	300
	Index	301

Book review: Managing Windows with VBscript and WMI or Blade Dancer

Pocket Guide to the 12 Steps (The Crossing Press Pocket Series)

Author: Kathleen S

Illuminating ... concise ... instructive ... The Crossing Press Pocket Series are little books packed with lots of valuable information. This comprehensive series explores today's vast universe of natural health, personal growth and spirituality in a clear, easy-to-use format. Pocket Guides are ideal introductions for the expanding consumer interest in improving health, quieting the mind, and healing the spirit. Pocket Guides also make the perfect gift. Attractive, space-efficient displays are available, free with low minimum orders.