Neurological Conditions

There's no single test to confirm a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. A variety of medical tests are done to rule out other health problems that have similar symptoms.  CFS and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) Some people believe that CFS and ME are two separate conditions while others believe that the two conditions are the same but symptoms are different. Myalgic means muscle aches or pains and Encephalomyelitis is inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.  When fatigue is the…

Patient education and trigger avoidance: The patient needs to understand the nature of the headache and what triggers it. The triggers need to be avoided. To help, the patient can keep a pain diary to record the features, duration and intensity of pain, along with trigger factors and associated symptoms. The treatment options are listed here Know your support team: Who can help General practitioners Neurologists Internal medicine specialists Specialists in treating headaches

Causes of Migraine Causes are multifactoral with various genetic and environmental factors playing important roles. The patient may have a history of migraine in the family. Mutations of the gene in chromosome 1 and 19 are responsible for positive family history. Disturbances in the release of certain brain chemicals called serotonin and dopamine may also cause migraine. Migraine has two parts: 1) the aura and 2) the headache. (Symptoms of aura are mentioned below.) Cerebral blood vessels…

Migraine cannot be diagnosed clearly by neuroimaging yet. Neuroimaging, like MRI, is done to exclude other conditions associated with headache, like a blood clot in the brain. Migraine diagnosis is based on history. The clinical criteria to confirm migraine are: Migraine without aura At least 5 headache attacks (in 15 days or more per month for more than 3 months) fulfilling 2 to 4 of the criteria given below. Headache lasting 4 to 72 hours The headache has at least 2 of the following…

Can migraines be prevented If you know what triggers your migraine, you can avoid it. Alternately, your doctor may prescribe preventive medications like beta blockers (propranalol, timadol, metoprolol, nadolol, atenolol), calcium channel blockers (nefidipine, diltiazem, verapamil). These drugs reduce the attack frequency in migraine patients. Other preventive medication are serotonin antagonists like methysergide, tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, nortriptyline, doxepin).

Symptoms Migraine pain can vary from mild to severe. If mild, patient has a tight feeling in the head and neck. In a severe migraine attack, the patient experiences throbbing pulsatile (pulsating) pain, which spreads to the shoulder and neck, too. Pain in adults may last for 4 to 72 hours, whereas in children it lasts for 2 to 4 hours. There are 4 phases in a migraine attack. They are:   Premonitory phase: This phase is also called prodromal symptom, which includes physical and mental…

Non pharmacological methods: Regular exercise, enough sleep and eating healthily at regular meal times help. Other non-pharmacological treatments include relaxation therapy and behavioural therapy, for instance biofeedback (where you learn to control your body’s functions), acupuncture, meditation, yoga and herbal treatments. Pharmacological methods: These include the following: Pain killers like aspirin, acetaminophen, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Ergotamine derivatives -…

There are 2 main types of migraine:  Migraine with aura/ sense of warning – classic migraine Migraine without aura - common migraine Complications of migraine include: Status migrainosus - headaches occur for a period of 15 or more days per month for 3 or more months Persistent aura without infarction - aura for duration of more than 1 hour and less than 1 week with absence of cerebral infarction. Infarction means obstruction of blood supply, hence, blood supply is not obstructed in this…

The central nervous system is made of numerous cells called neurons. Neuron consists of 2 parts - cyton (cell body) and axon. The axon is covered by myelin, which helps in the conduction of nerve impulses or signals between the neurons. In multiple sclerosis, myelin in certain parts of the central nervous system is destroyed thereby impairing the conduction of nerve impulses. The exact cause of MS is not known, but some factors like immunity and genes are thought to play a role.  MS could…

In additon to what is described in the treatment section, it is also important to  Adopt a healthy lifestyle - Keep the following in mind: Take rest Exercise regularly – walking, swimming, yoga (depending on your condition). Do exercises that strengthen and stretch muscles.  Stay cool – heat exacerbates the problem Eat a healthy, balanced diet with lots of fibre and fish. Omega-3 fatty acids protect against inflammation.  Reduce stress  Learn relaxation techniques Adapt…