Health & SICKNESS -- Consumer Health . In the United States, eighteen percent of women, six percent of men, and four percent of children suffer from migraine headaches. All races are affected, although, for reasons which are unknown, whites are more likely than African Americans to be afflicted with the condition, and Asian Americans are least often migraine sufferers. Migraine is an inherited condition-many families can trace it back for generations-and it has enormous economic and social consequences, both to individual sufferers, and to the society as a whole. The cost to the U.S. society alone is in excess of $13 billion per year in lost productivity and in health care. Understanding Migraine and Other Headaches provides up-to-date information on the causes and diagnoses, as well as current preventive measures, effective treatments, and surgical procedures. The book gives an overview of every major type of headache, including the debilitating, nausea-inducing forms of migraine, episodic tension-type headaches (the most common form), chronic daily headaches, and more obscure head-aches such as trigeminal neuralgia and cluster headaches. This book is intended for those who are burdened by headaches as well as for their families, coworkers, employers, and friends. As such, it is written in a lucid and simple style that is accessible both to lay readers and medical professionals. In the last two decades, revolutionary new migraine-specific medications have been developed. This book undertakes a comprehensive look at medications for acute as needed treatment of headaches and for preventing the onset of an attack. It offers guidelines for assessing headache pain, the level and type of medication needed, possible side effects, and drug effectiveness. Stewart J. Tepper is director of the New England Center for Headaches in Stamford, Connecticut.

"English," wrote Virginia Woolf, "which can express the thoughts of Hamlet and the tragedy of Lear, has no words for the shiver and the headache. . . . let a sufferer try to describe a pain in his head to a doctor and language at once runs dry." Despite Woolf's astute observation and the apparent dearth of writings on such subjects, editor Kathleen O'Shea has managed to gather a wide selection of helpful excerpts, chapters, poetry, and even a short play in this anthology--all with a view toward increasing our understanding and ending the stigma attached to migraines and migraine sufferers. Unlike clinical materials, this anthology addresses the feelings and symptoms that the writers have experienced, sometimes daily. These pieces speak freely about the loneliness and helplessness one feels when a migraine comes on. The sufferer faces nausea, pain, sensitivity to light, and having the veracity of all these symptoms doubted by others. O'Shea, a professor of literature and a migraine sufferer herself, also includes an original essay of her own reflections. Offered as an alternative not only to medical writing but also to self-help books and internet blogs, So Much More Than a Headache addresses a real omission in the available works on migraine, provides a resource for those who may have underestimated the depth and range of writing on this subject, and challenges the cultural bias that dismisses migraine as "just a headache."

Navigating Life with Migraine and Other Headaches focuses on the many myths that exist around headaches and dispels common misperceptions by providing simple explanations on how headaches occur, and, most importantly, how to treat them. The authors give real, practical advice: when and how to manage your headaches, when to seek treatment, and when to be concerned. From vitamins to prescription meds; from when to go to the emergency department to optimizing doctor visits; options for managing headaches are presented in this accessible and easy-to-read resource. The more you know about headache, including the mechanisms that cause pain, the better you and your family can manage this common and chronic condition. Through the use of patient stories, a glossary of terms for easy reference, and key points for quick retention, this book is a high-quality resource for people looking for empowerment and a sense of control.

Understanding Your Migraines is a comprehensive and authoritative resource for people who suffer from migraine headaches, as well as for their families and their caretakers. Drs. Levin and Ward bring their vast experience studying and treating migraine to this book in a clear, practical and easily understandable volume which covers all of the aspects of migraine that plague individuals and their families. Numerous examples of real people with migraine help illustrate the options available for finding relief for this highly disabling worldwide health problem.

Draws on the latest scientific findings to identify the unique characteristics, chemical makeups, and structural differences of migraine-prone brains, offering insight into the role of the central nervous system while outlining a comprehensive program to reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches. Reprint.

Based on the breakthrough understanding that virtually all headaches are forms of migraine--because migraine is not a specific type of headache, but the built-in mechanism that causes headaches of all kinds, along with neck stiffness, sinus congestion, dizziness, and other problems--Dr. Buchholz's Heal Your Headache puts headache sufferers back in control of their lives with a simple, transforming program: Step 1: Avoid the "Quick Fix." Too often painkillers only make matters worse because of the crippling complication known as rebound. Step 2: Reduce Your Triggers. The crux of the program: a migraine diet that eliminates the foods that push headache sufferers over the top. Step 3: Raise Your Threshold. When diet and other lifestyle changes aren't enough, preventive medication can help stay the course. That's it: in three steps turn your headache problems around.