The Migraine Brain
Description
Praised for her excellence and compassion, the founder of the Women's Headache Center near Boston, and a migraine sufferer herself, Dr. Bernstein has helped hundreds of her patients get better. Now, with The Migraine Brain, the most comprehensive, up-to-the-minute book on migraines ever written, you will be able to do the same -- reduce the frequency and intensity of your migraines, learn how to prevent and curtail them and how to recover from them more quickly, and mitigate migraine's effects on every aspect of your life: in the workplace and at home and during sex and travel. Every migraine is different because everyone who gets a migraine has a distinctive "Migraine Brain" with its own sensitivities and triggers. That's why it's so important for you to develop a personalized wellness plan to radically reduce the number and severity of your migraines.
Dr. Bernstein also explains why migraines happen, why they are so often misdiagnosed, and why so few people get the right treatment for them. She reveals the latest research that shows that Migraine Brains share a hypersensitivity to stimuli -- the Migraine Brain can actually look different from others on a brain scan -- and is more likely to experience a cascade of neurological reactions that give rise to the common clusters of migraine symptoms. This breakthrough medical knowledge makes treatment and recovery possible with new migraine-specific drugs as well as with complementary treatments such as yoga, biofeedback, and an exercise regimen.
With the extraordinarily thorough recommendations of The Migraine Brain in your hands, you will be fully equipped with all the latest information you need to understand migraines and to help your family and co-workers understand that migraine isn't just a headache: it's a serious, yet treatable disease.
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Content
Migraine Quiz
PART ONE
Chapter 1 -- Is Yours a Migraine?
The Migraine ChecklistOr...Is It a Tension Headache?
Mixed Headaches
Sinus Headache -- Migraine in Disguise?
Other Kinds of Headaches
Kinds of Migraine
When to Call a Doctor -- Beware of Change
Chapter 2 -- The Migraine Brain: How It's Different -- and What That Means for You
Cortical Spreading Depression -- the New Science of MigraineQuestions for the Doctor
The Trigeminal Nerve
Migraine and Seizure
The Genetic Link
The Heart-Migraine Connection: "PFO"
Your Migraine Brain May Change Over Time
What Migraine Is Not
A Strange, Fascinating Disease
Migraine Lore, Famous Migraineurs, and More
Chapter 3 -- The Four Stages of a Migraine
The Four StagesStage One: Prodrome
Stage Two: Aura -- Visual and Other Changes
Stage Three: The Main Migraine or Pain Phase
Stage Four: Postdrome, or the Migraine Hangover
Building Your Migraine Profile
Chapter 4 -- Your Migraine Triggers
What's Your List of Triggers?The Headache Diary
How to Avoid Your Triggers
My Personal Top Ten Migraine Triggers
Chapter 5 -- Female Hormones and Migraines Through the Life Cycle
The Role of Female HormonesAre Your Migraines Related to Menstruation?
Migraines During Your Life Cycle
Planning for Pregnancy
Pregnancy
Perimenopause
Menopause
Chapter 6 -- Men's Migraines
Important News for Men with MigraineMen: Taking Care of Your Health
PART TWO
Chapter 7 -- Measuring Your Migraine: The Best Self-Tests
Your Migraine Toolbox
Chapter 8 -- How to Find the Right Doctor
What Kind of Doctor Should You Choose?How to Find a Headache Specialist
If You Can't Find a Headache Specialist
The First Appointment
Chapter 9 -- Medicines That Work
A Variety of Migraine MedicationsPrevent, Abort, Rescue -- the Three Types of Drugs
Preventive Drugs
Abortive Drugs
Rescue Drugs
Over-the-Counter Drugs
Surgery and Other Options
Chapter 10 -- When You Have to Go to the Emergency Room
How to Make Your ER Visit Successful -- A Signed Doctor's FormWhat to Take with You to ER -- Your ER Kit
If You Are Admitted to the Hospital
Recovering from Migraine
In-Patient Treatment for Migraine
Chapter 11 -- Complementary and Alternative Treatments
BiofeedbackOther Relaxation Techniques
Acupuncture
Yoga
Meditation
Massage
Ice Massage
Magnesium
Riboflavin, Coenzyme Q10
Herbs and Herbal Supplements
Energy Healing
PART THREE
Introduction
Eight Steps to Wellness for Your Migraine Brain
Chapter 12 -- Exercise, Sleep, Nutrition, Relaxation
ExerciseSleep
Healthy Eating
Relaxation and Stress Reduction
Chapter 13 -- Family, Home, Sex, Mental Health
Living with a MigraineurHow to Make Your Home Migraine-Free
Sex and Migraines
Mental Health and Migraine
Chapter 14 -- Migraines, Work, and Travel
WorkTravel
Chapter 15 -- Migraine Makeover: Creating Your Own Personal Migraine Plan
Migraine Makeover: My Personal Treatment Plan
Appendix
Index
