Another remedy for cluster headaches

October 31, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I saw your column about cluster headaches and wanted to tell you about my husband’s experience. He suffered with these for many years. He was on medication, hospitalized, and even had sinus surgery, but nothing worked. I began researching and found that he was most likely suffering from cluster headaches, something his doctors hadn’t told us. I also found that ginseng might help. He now takes ginseng tablets daily and has not had a headache since. The only kind that doesn’t seem to work is American ginseng, and the brand doesn’t seem to matter, either. I hope this helps some of your readers.

DEAR READER: Thank you for writing. I have printed your letter in the hopes that it will in fact reach those readers who need it most. [Read more...]

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Cluster-headache sufferer offers advice

September 12, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am 80 years old and have spent some 40 years in radiology as an X-ray technologist. Now that I’m retired, living in Pennsylvania, I write adult and children’s books.

When I was 19 years old, I developed cluster headaches that, at times, became unbearable. I presented all the classic symptoms. Our radiology office was located in a professional building, along with 40 other specialists. At the time, I became a guinea pig. I had everything from Novocain injections into my cervical nerve to histamine injections in my arm, all to no avail. I tried all the known remedies available at the time.
[Read more...]

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Reader offers help to other readers

August 8, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I enjoy reading your columns and have comments on two of them. The first one is concerning the writer who felt dizzy constantly. I had a similar situation a couple of years ago. I went to a chiropractor (for the first time), where I was adjusted several times over a two-week period. The dizziness disappeared.

The second article was from a mother about her son’s cluster headaches. I have been using essential oils for years now. Peppermint oil on the temples has been effective for migraines and cluster headaches, and also helps to relieve nasal congestion. Anyone who uses this remedy must be careful when using full-strength oils. Many people choose to dilute the oil in half with pure vegetable oil. Petroleum-based oils shouldn’t be used to dilute the essential oils because they can inhibit the effectiveness.
[Read more...]

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Mold causes headaches for sister

June 6, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My sister suffered from headaches for several years. When my brother visited her, he checked around her home and found mold underneath the house. She moved, and the cluster headaches have disappeared. I just thought you would like to let your readers know about this as it may help others who suffer from these awful headaches.

DEAR READER: Mold growth in homes can cause a plethora of symptoms, depending on the type of mold. Most often it is associated with cold-like or allergy-like respiratory symptoms, but headaches are definitely possible.
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Migraines controlled by smoking?

May 23, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 44-year-old female with migraines. I am otherwise healthy with no other medical problems, but I’m about 30 pounds overweight. I was diagnosed with migraines at age 12 and was put on medication, but because of the side effects, my parents chose to take me off it, and until recently, I haven’t had any trouble.

After smoking for 15 years, I finally quit when my mother passed away from lung cancer. Almost immediately after quitting smoking, my migraines came back and were so bad that I couldn’t function. With three active children, this was not an option for me, so I started smoking again, and the headaches went away.
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Cluster headaches debilitating

April 27, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My 43-year-old son has cluster headaches that began about five years ago. The first series was twice daily at about the same time each day. The bout lasted between six and eight weeks, and then stopped.

Two years later, they returned once daily. His doctor did an MRI that was normal and diagnosed him with cluster headaches. He was put on heavy doses of steroids that weren’t successful.

He recently began another series. They now occur once daily between 9 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. He went to a neurologist and tried several different medications that were unsuccessful. This time frame and duration fluctuates more, and he skipped two days twice. Pain medications don’t work.
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Head Pain Needs Diagnosis

February 19, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I hope you can help me. I am an 80-year-old widow, living alone, not overweight and active. I still mow my own lawn and have a garden and orchard. I grow veggies, berries, grapes, several types of tree fruits and walnuts. I have many other hobbies that keep me busy during the winter months. My faith is also very important to me. My only medication is thyroid hormone replacement which I have been taking for more than 60 years.

My problem is that for the past 40 years, when I go to bed, I awaken between 2 am and 4 am because of a pounding pulse and pain on the right side of my head that extends down through the back of my neck. The pain is very intense. A few years ago I found that taking an aspirin with caffeine stops the pain within a half an hour. [Read more...]

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Words Of Wisdom From A 14-Year-Old

December 24, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 14-year-old boy with both parents affected by two different and very rare illnesses. First, my 39-year-old father has had tingling and numbness in his legs for a year. This month he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or MS. He can barely walk now.

Then my mother had two weeks of non-stop agonizing migraines. She had an MRI that showed an unknown type of growth in her brain causing double vision and the smelling of things that weren’t there. The growth is twice the size of a golf ball and doomed to kill her without surgery. She’s scheduled for an operation in two days.

The point of this letter is not for your help or anyone’s sympathy. It is to tell people that things aren’t always what they seem. Those readers with constant migraines should see a doctor. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

November 19, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have a problem that I am hoping you can help solve.

Two years ago I started developing pains that seem to travel and throb from my sinuses to my head and from my buttocks to my legs. About a year ago I went for a physical and blood tests. The doctor told me I had probably picked up some strange virus while traveling.

In January of this year my ears started sounding muffled with a humming noise so I went to a naturopath. She told me to eliminate dairy products from my diet. The muffled humming stopped after I took her advice but these mysterious pains are still present.

The pain lasts for about two days, stops for a day or two and then comes back. I have also started losing my hair. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

August 5, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My daughter has been using Excedrin Migraine for about 20 years now and I fear it is damaging her kidneys.

She is a very active 44-year-old who lives and works in an office as an attorney. She takes the Excedrin whenever she has her menstrual cycle which cures her of the accompanying headaches. Is there an alternative solution?

DEAR READER:
Acetaminophen and salicylates combine to relieve pain and reduce fever. Several reports have indicated the duo may cause kidney damage or cancer of the kidneys or bladder. The side effects can occur if large doses are taken for a very long time. Taken according to recommended dosing and for short periods, these unwanted side effects are unlikely.

If your daughter takes Excedrin Migraine once a month during her menstrual cycle, [Read more...]

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