Axon Therapeutic Eyewear for Migraine and Blepharospam: Celeste’s Chronic Illness Blogger Review

"I have been given this product as part of a product review through the  Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. "

According to the International Headache Society on beta 3 of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, migraine disease has many sub-types. But regardless of the type, many of us experience photophobia. A study published in the peer review journal, Cephalalgia, says approximately 80% of migraineurs experience light sensitivity during an attack. It is also estimated that up to 80% of people with blepharospasm, a facial movement disorder defined by eyelid twitching, experience the phenomenon due to bright light exposure. I happen to be in both groups. That’s why I was so excited to review “Axonoptics Therapeutic Eyewear”.

Studies show filtering out particular light rays contributing to photosensitivity reduces the number of migraines we experience. This is particularly important because these glasses are not the same as sunglasses, which I have used to help my photophobia. Axon glasses are different; they are therapeutic. 

When I first started wearing them, my usual squinting (even with sunglasses) stopped. During a migraine, the glasses really help too. Minimizing photophobia for me also means minimizing nausea and vomiting. I no longer worry about attending a conference or advocacy meeting in fear of the overhead lights triggering a migraine.

The glasses arrived in a handsome box, and a well-designed durable case.  

You can get other frames, send in your own, and get the lenses in your prescription. The frames I got are the Axon Optics JURA - Migraine Glasses for Migraine Relief and Light Sensitivity Relief. They are a stylish, classic, lightweight, unisex style spring frame, meaning they will hug your face without causing undue pressure. I must admit, the universal size scared me a bit at first, but the glasses fit my face with comfort. I hardly know there.

According to Axontherapeutics there are certain things to be considered, which I read before doing this review.

• They can be used every day.
• While the rose tint is not dark, which I love, they are not endorsed for night driving as a safety concern, and no research has been done to know if it would help.
• These lenses are indicated for migraine, light sensitivity, photophobia, blepharospasm, glare, eyestrain or irritation, headaches and traumatic brain injury.
• There are no limitations on how often they are worn.
• The FL-41 lenses have a premium coating that is anti-smudge, anti-moisture, and anti-scratch and block 100% UVA and UVB rays.
• The lenses I got are ideal for when using electronics, such as a computer or television, and protect against flickering or irritating light patterns. They are not indicated for outside because they aren’t dark (they do filter UV rays), but I find dark lenses give me eye strain and intensify my dry eye, so for me they are good for both inside and out, but if you need a dark lens, they also have outdoor lens for use as sunglasses.  

For me, it doesn’t matter if the sun is shining brightly or the sky is thick with clouds, I am sensitive, so even though I got the indoor tint, I also wear them when driving and enjoy knowing my eyes are protected from UV light rays, which can damage anyone's eyes. You might prefer a darker tint for sunglasses, but regardless of your preference, it is reassuring to know that photosensitivity  can now be minimized.

As migraineurs, we seek whatever means available to prevent and treat this horrific disease. And, I am happy to report these glasses are reducing blepharospasm, bringing relief from the incessant distraction of twitching eyelids. 

In healing,,Celeste

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Freelance Writer at Health Central & ProHealth —Advocate

The Harsh Reality of Migraine and Myofascial Trigger Points and Restless Leg Syndrome by Celeste Cooper

One thing of certainly is the uncertainly regarding migraine. Despite the fact that over 30 million Americans live with migraine, we don’t know what causes them. Because migraines originate within the central nervous system, they can be a great factor in decreasing our pain threshold making every nerve ending is fresh, raw and exposed. In this article we will discuss an often overlooked, yet harsh, reality to migraine: myofascial trigger points, and restless leg syndrome

*Warning. If it is a new symptom for you, have it checked out immediately as sudden onset, unusual headache can be an indication of an impending stroke.

The Myofascia and Migraine

It’s difficult to say which came first, the cart or the horse, but suffice it to say, if you have been a migraineur for most of your life, the aging process may contribute to your migraine. What was once a primary migraine, can become a secondary headache or migraine, or both!

As we age, or as an early disease process, our neck bones can develop arthritis and the discs between them can degenerate. For the migraineur, this can be a huge aggravating factor and can precipitate a migraine attack. You know it is a migraine because it has all the same hallmark symptoms. The difference is that the usual abortive medications (if they work for you) only work temporarily. In these instances, it is most important to know if you have myofascial trigger points, and if you do, it is important to address them. Degenerative neck disease can affect the muscles supporting the neck and head. 

From Summer Devotions 

If you have experienced a muscle that feels like a golf ball at the base of your skull, or if you find tiny strings of muscle fiber around your temple area (on the same side of your migraine), you have myofascial involvement. Neck and upper body muscles that are tight as banjo strings or hard as rocks that have pea sized knots that you can feel if the muscles isn't too tight can also contribute to, and/or sustain, your migraine. If you have neck disease, TMJ, or grind your teeth, you are at greater risk of developing these knots known as myofascial trigger points.

Migraine and restless leg syndrome (RLS)

Rest Leg Syndrome

Did you know different researchers have made a connection between migraine and restless leg syndrome?

This is not a new finding, but it is significant to note that research in this area continues. In a case-control study done by Fernández-Matarrubia, et. al, it was found that “RLS patients had higher lifetime prevalence of migraine than non-RLS controls, and active migraine without aura was significantly more prevalent in patients with RLS than in controls… Within the RLS group, patients with migraine had poorer sleep quality than those without migraine.”  Another study done in Italy by Zanigni, et al suggests “shared pathogenic pathway which would implicate new management strategies of these two disorders.”

So, why is this important? As discussed in our book, restless leg syndrome (and it’s cohort periodic limb movement during sleep) not only has a central nervous system component, it can also be affected by myofascial trigger points.

There Is Hope

According to the American Headache Society, there is a medication showing promise. “Developed by Alder Biopharmaceuticals, the drug is currently known by its experimental name: ALD403. It works on a small protein in the body thought to play an integral role in migraine headaches. The study involved patients with a history of 5-14 migraine days per month. They received a single dose of the new medicine by intravenous injection.”

Approved by the FDA is a new devise called Cefaly, a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit. Because trigeminal nerve may be involved in migraine, this device may be helpful. It is available in the U.S. by prescription only. Keep in mind, “The proof is in the pudding” and just like medication, cautious optimism is prudent.

If you suspect there is a myofascial component to your headaches, seek the help of a specially trained myofascial therapist, chiropractor, physical therapist  or pain specialist that understands myofascial trigger points and the pain patterns specifically related to migraine. If you also have RLS, talk to your doctor about a sleep study. There are options. Education is power, so take up arms against the harsh realities of migraine.

Conclusion

Disrupted sleep can contribute to both migraine and restless leg syndrome. Periodic limb movement during sleep makes sleep quality insufficient. So if you have migraine and RLS, expect, or suggest that you have a sleep study. Treating RLS and sleep could help. It’s worth a try. As migraineurs, we have no problem reaching for answers. I know I have been through enough trials, and after attending the American Headache and Migraine Association (AHMA) conference in Scottsdale, AZ last year, I know one thing, not all neurologists understand migraine or all available treatments. I am still searching for a headache specialist, and if you don’t have one, I suggest the same for you.

You can read about my personal story with migraines in my blog “My story as a migraineur by Celeste Cooper,” here.

Other blogs on migraine

Migraine Awareness – An exercise that might help when all else fails and some recent research, here.

Scream “4,”Cervicogenic Migraine and Myofascial Trigger points: June Awareness, here.

About migraine from my website by Celeste Cooper, RN, here.

Understanding Migraine and the Role of Myofascial Trigger Points, here.

Neck Pain, Migraines, and Myofascial Trigger Points, here.

Resources:

Ashkenazi A, Blumenfeld A, Napchan U, Narouze S, Grosberg B, Nett R, DePalma T, Rosenthal B, Tepper S, Lipton RB. Peripheral nerve blocks and trigger point injections in headache management - a systematic review and suggestions for future research. Headache. 2010 Jun;50(6):943-52. Epub 2010 May 7.

Bodes-Pardo G, Pecos-Martin D, Gallego-Izquierdo T et al. 2013. Manual treatment for cervicogenic headache and active trigger point in the sternocleidomastoid muscle: A pilot randomized clinical trial. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. [July 8 Epub ahead of print]. 

Boyer N, Dallel R, Artola A et al. General trigeminospinal central sensitization and impaired descending pain inhibitory controls contribute to migraine progression. Pain. 2014. [Mar 12 Epub ahead of print.] 

Fernández-Matarrubia M, Cuadrado ML, Sánchez-Barros CM, Martínez-Orozco FJ, Fernández-Pérez C, Villalibre I, Ramírez-Nicolás B, Porta-Etessam J. Prevalence of Migraine in Patients With Restless Legs Syndrome: A Case-Control Study. Headache. 2014 May 20. doi: 10.1111/head.12382. [Epub ahead of print]

Pinto Fiamengui LM, Freitas de Carvalho JJ, Cunha CO et al. 2013. The influence of myofascial temporomandibular disorder pain on the pressure pain threshold of women during a migraine attack. J Orofac Pain. 27(4):343-349.

Thomas K, Shankar H. 2013. Targeting myofascial taut bands by ultrasound. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 17(7):349.

Watson DH, Drummond PD. Cervical Referral of Head Pain in Migraineurs: Effects on the Nociceptive Blink Reflex. Headache, 2014

Zanigni S1, Giannini G, Melotti R, Pattaro C, Provini F, Cevoli S, Facheris MF, Cortelli P, Pramstaller PP. Association between restless legs syndrome and migraine: a population-based study. Eur J Neurol. 2014 May 20. doi: 10.1111/ene.12462. [Epub ahead of print]

(Signature line appended, March 2018)

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All blogs and comments are based on the author's opinions and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Scream “4,”Cervicogenic Migraine and Myofascial Trigger points: June Awareness

Feature

Cervicogenic Migraines and Myofascial Trigger Points

Migraine headaches are not only a severe pain source in their own right, they also co-exist more frequently with fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which overlaps with many other painful conditions, the domino effect.  Because they originate within the central nervous system, they can be a great factor in decreasing our pain threshold, every  nerve ending is fresh, raw and exposed.  

Cervicogenic migraine is a migraine attack that is perpetuated or preceded by neck pain. You know this excruciating pain is generated from the peripheral nervous system (anything outside the brain) when you feel a golf ball size muscle at the base of the skull, or the muscles that hold your head up are tighter than guitar strings. You know it is a migraine because it has all the same hallmark symptoms. An aura, preceding symptoms warning you of the impending attack,  may or may not be present, but migraines generally manifest themselves on one side of the head and are often accompanied by other symptoms, such as extreme sensitivity to light and sound, vomiting or nausea, blurred vision, lethargy, etc. This is the description of a cervicogenic migraine. You can read about other types of severe headaches on my website here. 

“A myofascial trigger point (TrP) is a self-sustaining, irritable area in the
muscle that can be felt as a nodule in a taut band. This irritated spot causes
the muscle to gradually shorten, interfering with the motion function of the
muscle and causing weakness and pain.” (Book excerpt, here) 

A common cause of cervicogenic migraine shares the overlapping condition to FM and ME/CFS called myofascial pain syndrome, read more here. Usually you start to feel the muscles in your neck tighten, or you feel a golf ball at the base of your skull scream F-O-R-E  or “4.”  They are doing this because some of the muscle fibers that make up the muscles are shortening causing pea sized knots you can easily feel unless the muscle is too rigid, in which case you can track the offending trigger point (TrP) by its referral pain pattern. Now, check that side of your face too.  Most likely you will feel tiny little strings of fine little muscles in the temple or around the eye.  These muscles are responsible for our facial function and expression.  I am not going to get to windy on the subject, and I could, but understanding this simple phenomenon could help bring you some relief.  We discuss all this at length in our book, here, but there are some key points to get your started on trigger point pressure therapy:

• Find the knots just mentioned
• If the muscle is too tight, you may have to massage it to get it to relax enough to locate the TrP. If you can get someone else to do it, all the better.
• If you have them and you are not too sensitive to odors, use essential oils to massage.
• Once you locate the knotted up piece of muscle (in the neck usually about the size of a pea, unless it is in one of the tiny muscles between the neck bones or on the face), hold pressure (about 80% of maximum) for 30 seconds or so. Try to locally stretch the TrP coaxing it back to its normal resting length. Do this periodically to tolerance and ability.

The neck muscles can get sassy for a number of reasons, stress (psychological or physical), degenerative neck disease, or the presence of myofascial pain syndrome, which is not uncommon in migraine either.  

Treating all of these TrPs can help with the attack, as can identifying the perpetuating factors. Once you become an expert at pressure therapy, and you have plenty of training ground to learn from, do this as preventative therapy. It is when you neglect your muscles that you are more likely to have this type of migraine, and the greater the neglect, usually, the more intense the headache and more difficult to treat.

If these types of headaches are a chronic problem, see a physician because other tests and treatments may be indicated.

In healing and hope, Celeste

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  For more information about the author see http://TheseThree.com

June is migraine awareness month. About migraine from my website by Celeste Cooper, RN

https://www.thesethree.com/Headache___Migraine.html#.UatjAECOAtg

SEVERE HEADACHE and MIGRAINE
by Celeste Cooper

What is a headache?

Headache means, simply, “pain in the head.” Headaches, AKA cephalgia, generally are a symptom, not a disease, and may be caused by various factors. If it is a new symptom for you, have it checked out immediately as sudden onset, unusual headache can be an indication of an impending stroke.

Migraines have been thought to be vascular in nature, however, there is new evidence they are caused by a nerve disruption in the brain that affects the vessels. Not only is the cause under debate, some believe  that migraine should be considered a disease.

Types of headaches

Migraines, often described as classic migraine (with aura), common migraine (without aura), cluster headache, hemiplegic migraine or ocular, but not always depending upon the resource. Terms and the way the experts look at migraine change as research and studies evolve.  If you have them, you will know the symptoms that apply to you. There is evidence that a tendency toward migraine is inherited.

Sinus and tension headaches are often misdiagnosed as migraine and confusingly enough the opposite can be true.  This is why you need to be under the care of a specialist if your severe headaches are chronic. 

Classic migraine is a recurrent, throbbing headache accompanied by other symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea and/or vomiting, fatigue, and sensitivity to lights, noise, and smells. They are usually on one side of the head, sometimes preceded by an aura, which is a transient visual, sensory, auditory, motor, speech, or cognitive symptom. They can last for hours and can occur frequently. 

Common migraine is accompanied by the symptoms of classic migraine but without aura. It is usually described as throbbing or a constant ache when lying still. It, too, is usually one-sided, and can shift from one side to the other either in the same attack or subsequent attacks.  Occasionally it can affect both sides of the head. Common migraines can vary widely lasting for several hours to several days. Frequently they involve the temple area or may start at the back of the head just below the skull. Myofascial trigger points in the neck can also refer pain to the temple and be a huge component to migraine that can be easily overlooked.

A cluster headache is an intensely painful headache with sudden onset and can last from minutes to an hour. It too is usually on one side and is frequently associated with flushing, sweating, runny nose, and increased tears.  Because they seem to repeat in groups of occurrence, they are called cluster headache. 

A hemiplegic migraine is a vascular headache that causes one-sided weakness or sometimes paralysis that lasts beyond the event. Hemiplegic migraine is a sub-type of migraine with aura (classical migraine). Three genetic markers have been identified.

Ocular migraine is sometimes non-painful or can be accompanied by other symptoms of migraine. It causes temporary loss of vision or blind spots in the visual fiend in one eye. This can be very scary unless and until a diagnosis is made. They can last for hours or several days. They are also described as retinal, ophthalmic, or monocular.

Tension headache is often associated with tight muscles indicating the involvement of myofascial trigger points.  They can also be perpetuated by cervical (neck) disease. Sometimes these are called cervicogenic migraine and can be episodic or chronic. I recommend Trigger Point Therapy for Headaches & Migraines, by Valerie DeLaune.  

Sinus headaches are often confused with migraine or be misdiagnosed as a sinus headache when it is a migraine.  Generally, they occur when there is inflammation of the sinuses, which are air cavities located in the face. Because rhinorrhea, nasal discharge, is also associated in some migraine, the two can be confused. The distinguishing feature is pain usually accompanied by other sinus symptoms, such as nasal discharge, feeling of fullness in the ears, pressure, fever (indicating infection), and facial swelling. 

Miscellaneous Headaches

According to the International Headache Society, miscellaneous headaches are classified as, idiopathic stabbing headache, external compression headache, benign cough headache, benign exertional headache, and headache associated with sexual activity.  

Triggers

A variety of factors can play a role in headache. Identifying your triggers can help you eliminate some perpetuating factors such as allergies, particular foods, bruxism (teeth grinding) and alcohol.  Some people with headache note they are increased during periods of hormonal fluctuations, and weather changes. Those of us with migraines, called migraineurs can often predict the weather better than the forecaster. 

Identifying the cause of your headache is important so that you can minimize the perpetuating factors.  You are certainly not alone, however, it is important to recognize that even if you do everything right, the migraine can still persist.  All we can do is the best we can do.

Treatments

There are medications. Medications for acute migraine attacks, medications to prevent migraine, some natural remedies and over-the-counter medications may be in order. Adjunctive therapies such as myofascial trigger point treatment, electrotherapy such as a TENs unit for cervicogenic migraine may help, and the use of a night guard if you are a teeth grinder. Antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatories are indicated if the headache is due to a sinus infection or chronic sinusitis. 

Some patients find ice packs helpful, others heat.  Some find acupuncture or biofeedback helpful. Trigger point injections can be helpful when done by someone who understands the myofascial component.  Botox therapy has fallen out of favor. 

For severe refractory migraine that occurs several times a week, neurostimulation may be indicated. It uses light electrical currents to activate or modulate neurons, and according to a study on implantable neurostimulators by Reed et al, in 2010, they found “combined occipital nerve-supraorbital nerve neurostimulation systems may provide effective treatment for patients with chronic migraine and refractory chronic migraine headaches. For patients with chronic migraine headaches the response to combined systems appears to be substantially better than occipital nerve stimulation alone.”  There could be a gut connection.  Research continues into the exact cause of migraine, components, and various treatments, and this is why some are hesitant to call migraine a disease.

I know personally that migraines and severe headache can be disabling and life limiting when they are chronic.  Seek help from someone who is specialized in the management of chronic migraine or severe headache as new advances are being made every day.

For more information see Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-body Connection.  Cooper and Miller. Vermont: Healing Arts Press, 2010.

Or 

MAGNUM, the National Migraine Association.

What the heck is a syndrome?

A syndrome is a collection of symptoms that remains the same throughout a particular patient group, but the cause is unknown. These might include fibromyalgia syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, Cushing’s syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, AIDS, Asperser’s syndrome, Barrett’s syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, leaky gut syndrome,  paradoxical orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, Sjögren’s syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, urethral syndrome,  restless leg syndrome, Raynaud's syndrome, CREST Syndrome (a form of Scleroderma), complex regional pain syndrome, and many more. You may not realize it, but even rheumatoid arthritis is considered a syndrome. 

Some disorders are confusingly called diseases, when they are actually syndromes.  Diseases generally have a known cause. And syndromes, even when we know something about them are still syndromes. For instance, research shows there is an excessive release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular (nerve to muscle) junction of a myofascial trigger point, but myofascial pain syndrome is still considered a syndrome. This is because we don’t know what causes the excessive release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, the chemical messenger between the body and the brain.

When invisible disorders have no biological marker, a test that says you specifically have the disorder/syndrome, and sometimes when they do, there is always the doubting Thomas.  We think these folks mission in life is to prey on our psyche.  Why is this? Pretty much the answer is simple; they don’t experience our pain, lack of restorative sleep, life altering fatigue, severe chronic headache, a bladder that is constantly on fire, constantly cold extremities, or feel like everything they touch is barb wire, just to mention a few symptoms of invisible illnesses. Syndromes are not seen as real because some people operate on the assumption that if you can’t see it, it isn't so, even some healthcare providers migraines were once attributed to a woman’s frenzied inability to cope with stress.

Newer research into genetic markers will plow under the misconceptions of those who do not share our syndrome. In the mean time, it is up to us to support those who support the research.  Orphan disorders of all sorts face the same challenges.

In healing and hope, Celeste Cooper, RN author, patient, activist

All blogs, posts and answers are not meant to replace medical advice.  www.thesethree.com

Neck Pain, Migraines, and Myofascial Trigger Points

This question came up in the discussion at our Integrative Therapies page on Facebook, so I thought I would share it here.

It is important to understand that latent trigger points (those that you can feel and hurt when you touch or manipulate them, but don't cause pain otherwise) for some reason in the FM patient can be activated just by a chill. Of course paying close attention to aggravating postures and activity is important too. I talk about the do's and don'ts of exercise in the book. If you have a copy, you might check that part out again, as it is important not to exercise a muscle with TrPs (trigger points) until they have been treated, otherwise you will activate latent ones or cause rebound of active ones.

Remember, anywhere there is muscle (and attachment of muscle to bone) there can be a trigger point. Each trigger point has a specific pain/symptom referral pattern that does not change between patients. The neck is a big issue for many of us and I suspect that is why so many researchers initially thought FM could be cured with neck surgery, yes this is true. It is however, a direct avenue, so to speak, to the central nervous system and is part of the spine that is more subject to injury as there are very few supporting structures other than muscle, and it has to hold up our heavy cranium.

Each bone of the spine has tiny little muscles that connect each vertebra. Even these minute little muscles called intervertebrals, meaning between vertebrae, can develop trigger points. You can feel them as tiny bands when you move your finger across them. Normally you would not feel this taut little band unless it has a TrP.

I use a tennis ball in a knee high hose and treat these every night and several times a day when I can.

Definitely this can be the source of a migraine, it certainly is mine. It is also important that you not miss any TrPs on your face, the temporal area, forehead all of it. I believe this is why so many with FM have migraines. We also have sinus problems which is an aggravator to facial TrPs and the whole cascade of events is off and running.

Sometimes the muscle with the TrP is well away from the pain area. Very basically put TrPs in any of the neck and head muscles, including the trapezius can contribute to migraine.

Often we develop satellite TrPs (TrPs in the referral area of the primary TrP) If you are treating only the satellite TrP and not the primary TrP, it will seem your therapy is not working when in fact, you have not treated the causative TrP. Also, the primary TrP could be latent (dormant), but still there. That is why it is so important to make sure you are treating all of your TrPs not just the ones that are screaming out at the time.

On 11/14/2010 I received word that the FDA has approved botox for treatment of migraine. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm229782.htm This makes sense, because many times one can find TrPs at the temples, and I read that serotonin release abnormalities may play a part in migraine like it does in FM. It it always good to have options. In my own personal experience, I had botox for TrPs in my neck (I have severe diffuse degenerative disc disease and stenosis). What happened was it paralysed the muscle involved, which put all the work load of the other muscles to keep my head erect. This resulted in activation of many latent TrPs in many layers of muscles in my neck and upper back, resulting in excrutiating pain and self treatment was minimally effective because of the continued stess on the muscles and no way to relieve the work load. I had to wait for the Botox to wear off, which seemed like an eternity. Having injections in the face would most likely not have this effect and is something to consider with caution.

Resources:

Clair Davies The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook - The illustrations are wonderful and he shows the referral patterns well. Sometimes the ONLY way you can locate a TrP is by tracing it back to by its referral pattern.


Valerie DeLaune's Trigger Point Therapy for Headaches and Migraineby , if you JUST want to look at myofascial TrPs in the head and neck and migraine.

Myofascial therapist that specializes Travell and Simons trigger point therapy. There is a listing of therapists that might be in your area.
http://www.myofascialtherapy.org/

Harmony and Hope, Celeste

Cervicogenic Migraines and Myofascial Trigger Points

Migraine headaches co-exist in both fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFID), and can be a great factor in decreasing our pain threshold. It is like every nerve ending we have is fresh, raw and exposed. One more insult has us ready to explode.

Though we still don’t know for sure what causes migraine, we are learning. Cervicogenic migraine is a migraine attack that is perpetuated or preceded by neck pain. http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/full/105/4_suppl/16S For me, and I suspect many others, I can feel the golf ball starting to form on the right side of my neck at the base of my skull, and I can feel little pea size or smaller trigger points even up my scalp. (I do have significant cervical disease, but this is different, it is myofascial, in the muscle). Before long, a whole cascade of events begins and the once latent trigger points (those that can be felt but aren’t painful until pressure is applied) in my face develop into full blown active TrPs, ones that hurt and radiate pain seemingly without warning without even touching them. I can feel them with my fingers and when I apply pressure, this helps if I can get them to release. If treatment is successful, you can feel them relealse under your finger, and sometime can feel the tell tale local twitch response. Treating all of these TrPs can help with the attack. It is when I neglect treating them before this point that I am more likely to have this migraine, and the greater the neglect, usually the more intense the headache.

“A myofascial trigger point (TrP) is a self-sustaining, irritable area in the
muscle that can be felt as a nodule in a taut band. This irritated spot causes
the muscle to gradually shorten, interfering with the motion function of the
muscle and causing weakness and pain.” (Book excerpt)

Migraines alter my life, my ability to think rationally, and breakdown my defenses. My migraines always start behind my right eye, whether they start from weather changes, an oops with my diet, stress, or my myofascial TrP disease (which scientists now believe all fibromyalgia patients may have in addition to the body-wide centrally mediated tenderness). Usually, when my migraines switch to the left, I know it is on its way out. Rarely, but when the attack begins on the left, it isn’t as severe, nor does it last as long. Most of my refractory migraines are cervicogenic in nature, and I believe that is because of the number of neglected trigger points. This peripheral pain impulse to my brain, keeps it in perpetual wind-up, not allowing it to function as it should to send out natural endorphins and chemicals to counteract the original upset.

Books have been written regarding the myofascial trigger points and migraine. I am certainly not the first to write on the subject, and likely not to be the last.

• Mine, Celeste Cooper, Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome and Myofascial Pain
• Devin Starlanyl & Mary Copeland, Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome
• Clair Davies, The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook
• Valarie DeLaune, Trigger Point Therapy for Headaches & Migraines
• Donna Finando, Trigger Point Self-Care Manual
• Hal Blatman, Art of Body Maintenance: The Winner’s Guide to Pain Relief

Migraine perpetuators related to myofascial trigger points

Bruxism is a fancy term for grinding teeth. This condition can aggravate facial trigger points, interfere with restorative sleep, cause teeth erosion, and, among other things, contribute to migraines. If you catch yourself grinding your teeth during the day, you most likely grind at night too, and according to my dentist, bruxism in sleep is four times more forceful. Is it any wonder that myofascial trigger points develop? Assistive devices, such as a nighttime mouth guard, can inhibit some of the pain associated with the disorder. Proper alignment, may abate the development of TMJ/TMD, but the force of bruxism can be a great contributor to the development and recurrence of TrPs in the face and jaw.

Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD/TMJ), occurs when your chewing muscles are uncoordinated. This puts apposing muscles under undue stress and increases the occurrence of myofascial TrPs. Temporomandibular dysfunction is often associated with chronic muscular headaches and craniofacial pain. Pain can also extend to the ears, neck, and shoulders. Some people experience clicking and grinding noises during movement of the jaw, this limitation could be related to untreated or undertreated myofascial trigger points and pain that occurs anywhere there is muscle, including inside the mouth.

Poor posture and injury can also aggravate the neck and surrounding/supporting muscles, and trigger points in the neck can refer pain to the head and other places. (There are other topics here on my blog that explain how trigger points develop and cause pain and dysfunction).

Treatment

First find the TrP in the taut band of muscle. It may not be easy to do initially, it takes practice. If you can find a good myofascial therapist to help you, such as a chiropractor or physical therapist that does active release therapy (ART), http://www.activerelease.com/ or a myofascial trigger point therapist, http://www.myofascialtherapy.org/ to help you, and self treatment in between, you may be able to lessen your headache frequency or intensity if they are cervicogenic.

Wishing you all a migraine free day, lamb hugs, Celeste

Helpful links for understanding migraine
http://www.achenet.org/
http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/news-features
http://headaches.about.com/od/internationalorgs/International_Headache_and_Migraine_Support_and_Advocacy.htm