Common Migraine Triggers and Ways to Deal with Them

Commonly occurring in every 1 out of 7 people around the world, migraine is categorized as a chronic disease. The sudden onset of a migraine can be a state of everlasting pounding headaches, confined rooms, cold towels, and restlessness. With triggers varying widely from patient to patient, migraine can be a confusing state. While the arrival of migraine seems sudden and unexpected, however the attack warrants many signs that we must acknowledge.

To bring the pain down, one of the best things to do is to learn your personal triggers. Self-awareness and detailed knowledge can lead to proper management and preventive tools to reduce the effects of a migraine.

To effectively avoid future attacks, let’s take a step closer in managing this health issue; let’s understand a few common triggers and ways to deal with them:

1. STRESS

Migraine and Stress are directly proportional to each other. Any kind of Stress, whether anxiety, tension, etc. can vehemently welcome a migraine attack. It is believed that Stress is the trigger for almost 70% migraine attacks.

It is also associated with the fact that our constant worry of the future attack ultimately leads to Stress. This becomes a never-ending and exhaustive cycle.

How to Cope Up: As they say, ‘we should take charge of our health’; therefore, we must invest our time in practices that reduce our worry and stress. We must indulge in relaxation therapy, yoga, meditation, etc. to calm our body, nerves, and mind. We must also maintain our sleep cycle. Regular practice of these things shapes our body in a way that our reaction to stress reduces.

Did you know? According to a survey, at least 49% of adults in America were suffering some sort of significant stress last year.

2. CAFFEINE

There are varying reviews regarding caffeine, while some suggest that excess caffeine consumption leverages their migraine attack others believe that a cup of coffee helps in managing such attacks. Commonly, excessive use can lead to the onset of a migraine attack.

How to Cope Up: Patients with severe migraine attacks must lower down their caffeine consumption. Patients must note that coffee is not the only source of caffeine; in fact, the percentage is also present in chocolates, tea, etc.

3. COMPUTER SCREEN

In this tech-driven world, our jobs necessitate the use of computers. Spending long hours on computers can trigger migraine symptoms, especially in migraine patients. It becomes all the more harmful if we use a low-resolution monitor as they strain our eyes more.

How to Cope Up: Although we can’t change our jobs easily however we can take precautions in our own little ways. We must take regular breaks and put a glare screen on our monitor. We must also maintain the right posture while sitting and indulge in regular neck and back exercises to avoid muscle tension build-up in the neck and shoulders, etc.

4. Hormones

It is interesting to note that women account for three fourth of the total migraine patients, and this has to do with the changing nature of female hormones. In fact, in women, migraine can start as quickly as puberty and is closely linked to the menstrual cycle. Menstrual migraine occurs during the period time due to changes in the hormonal level.

How to Cope Up: One must consult a endocrinologist, for proper medication to stabilize hormonal related. Besides these changes in lifestyle and diet also contribute to preventing future migraine attacks.

5.  Irregular Sleep Schedule

A good night’s sleep is essential for health. With time, as sleep quality has decreased, it has invited a lot of problems related to body, mind, skin, etc. Irregular sleeping patterns or sleep deficiency heighten migraine symptoms. When our sleep pattern changes or becomes uneven, we are more prone to migraine attacks. In such cases, it is advisable to visit the best Pulmonologist in town, Dr Sumita Agarwal.

How to Cope Up: To save yourself from severe headaches, it is best to consult the best neurologist in Jodhpur Dr. Pratap Sanchetee and Dr. Kirti Sachdev for a proper solution to this condition. Severe migraine can lead to numbness, confusion, vertigo, and other neurological symptoms. During such conditions, one must head to the best neurology hospital in Jodhpur Medipulse Hospital for accurate diagnosis and specialized treatment.

A severe headache can also be a sign of brain abnormalities; therefore, our Radiology department is fully equipped to carry out MR Imaging of the Brain in migraine patients, under the expert guidance of Dr Sanjay Nathani. Book your appointment with us now. Don’t delay!

Epilepsy Treatment: New Advancements & Therapies Available

Neurological conditions, or illnesses caused in the brain and the spinal cord have always been one of the most complicated issues in the medical field. As per a research, almost about a 7th of the world’s population face one or other neurological problem at least once in their lifetime. That makes almost a billion people in the world.

Amongst several kinds of neurological conditions, Epilepsy happens to be that kind of disorder requiring utmost care and consideration. The characteristic behavioral traits of this disorder are abnormal brain activity. This ‘out-of-the-blue’ spikes in brain activity results in unusual behavior and sensations, sudden mood swings, loss of awareness, and the worst, seizures. There is no certainty that a person belonging to a certain gender, race, or age will only develop epilepsy. That is the reason why about 65 million people in the world are suffering from epilepsy of varying degrees.

So far, the treatment for Epilepsy was focused on the reduction of seizures to enable living with the condition. However, in the last decade, things have started to change for Epileptic patients because of the introduction of newer drugs and treatment options available in the field. Here is a look at what the new advancements in epilepsy treatment look like:

●     New Drugs: The last 10 years have seen the development of a number of new medicines, many of which have now become the norm of the field. The best part about them is the lesser side-effects and better map-ability of the condition. Recently, a new drug Epidiolex was found effective against severe seizures.

●     Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS): The vagus nerve runs to the brain through our neck. Research conducted in recent times have shown that stimulation can help blocking the impulses that begin a seizure. VNS has shown the capability to make a person seizure free.

●     Epileptic Surgery: Surgeries are not the last resort anymore. In cases of epilepsy, when the medications and therapies don’t work, surgeries have proved to do wonders for the patients. About 60% of the patients showed complete release from seizures when operated for temporal lobectomy.

●     Implants: In some cases where the medicines have ceased to show effects and surgery is not an option, there are a number of implants that help in the stimulation of the factors that control the seizures. Apart from VNS, there is a new implant called the NeuorPace, which is placed at the place where the seizures are suspected to arrise.

●     Ketogenic Diet or Keto Diet: An effective method for children with severe cases of epilepsy, the keto diet is becoming more and more famous. Keto works to starve our body of glucose, directing the brain to burn ketones to power itself. This, in turn, brings the seizures in control and makes children almost scot-free of seizures as they grow up.

Epilepsy is the 4th most common neurological disorder in the world after migraines, strokes, and Alzheimer’s. Taking a grasp on the ability of a patient’s brain to work, epilepsy has now begun to shrink in size because of the modern developments in the treatment options available. Leading the scene in the city are the best neurology and neurosurgery doctors in Jodhpur, - Dr. Kirti, Dr. SN Mathuriya, Dr. Pankaj Gupta and Dr. Rahul Ved at the department of neuroscience in Medipulse. These departments look after a number of neurological conditions, book your appointment now!

Brain Stroke is Treatable: A Guide To Treatment & Recovery

Brain strokes occur when blood supply to the brain is interrupted. They are one of the primary causes of death and disability among adults. However, detailed knowledge regarding the symptoms can lead to prevention of such stroke emergencies. In fact, prior information can also lead to immediate medical care in the event of sudden stroke emergencies.

So here’s everything that you must know for stroke treatment and recovery.

The Warning Signs

Our body has its way of reporting abnormalities. Brain strokes leave the impacted area of the brain immobile which means some of the normal body functions get challenging to perform. The common ones include:

• Drifting Arm: Difficulty in raising either pair of arms or numbness in one side of the body.

• Strange Speech: Difficulty in speaking as well as interpreting speech.

• Imbalance: Difficulty in walking or maintaining balance.

In most cases, a stroke, depending on the part of the brain affected, can cause painless paralysis of one side of the body, speech/vision issues, slow reactions, memory loss, etc.

The Treatment

Clot size, location, and type can vary from patients to patients.  Depending on the nature of the clot, there are two kinds of treatment for brain strokes, i.e., the Ischemic Stroke and Hemorrhagic Stroke. 

The Ischemic Stroke Treatment

This is the most common stroke caused due to the blocking of the brain artery. The most effective and minimally invasive treatment for Ischemic Stroke patients is Alteplase or the Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) injection. It is given through one of the veins of the arm. The patient must receive the (tPA) treatment within 3-4 hours of stroke symptoms.

In some cases, that requires a slightly longer time window, doctors prefer emergency endovascular procedures over tPA. In the endovascular procedure, the medication is delivered directly to the blood clot area using a catheter. Catheters are long thin tubes, which are inserted through one of the groin arteries and directed towards the blood clot to deliver medication. If the lumps are large, the doctor may remove the clot all together by inserting a stent retriever through the catheter. Over the years, endovascular procedures have proved to be a proven treatment for diagnosing as well as reversing disability impact of strokes.

In addition to this, Carotid endarterectomy, Angioplasty and stents procedures are also preferred treatments to reduce the chances of future ischemic stroke in patients.

The Hemorrhagic Stroke Treatment

In the case of hemorrhagic strokes, the brain suffers from internal bleeding; therefore, the treatment focuses on lowering brain pressure to reduce the bleeding.  If the medications prove ineffective, doctors opt for surgical procedures to stop the bleeding. The doctors may choose from a variety of methods as deemed fit.

    • Clipping.

    • Coiling (endovascular embolization).

    • Surgical AVM.

    • Stereotactic Radiosurgery.

In case of a stroke, every minute is crucial; therefore one is required to act fast. Several factors like the clot size, location, type, etc. dictate the use of drug and surgery needed for clot treatment.

The Recovery

The recovery time can vary depending on the extent of the damage caused to the brain tissues. The rehabilitation programme/treatment is planned to take into consideration the age, medical history, and impact of the stroke.

Depending on the condition of the patient and the side of the brain affected, stroke treatment may include consultations with a range of specialists like a neurologist, physiatrist, Dietitian, Recreational therapist, Psychologist or psychiatrist etc. Medipulse, best neurology hospital in Jodhpur, has one of the most advanced Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery Departments. The department is chaired by Dr. Kirti Sachdeva who brings years of experience and expertise in Dept. of Neurology like - Stroke Thrombolysis, CVT MGMT, Dementia, Parkinson's Disease etc.