Date: 1-9-01

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS #2106 - HEADACHES

VOICE ONE:

THIS IS SARAH LONG.

VOICE TWO:

AND THIS IS BOB DOUGHTY, WITH SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, A V-O-A SPECIAL
ENGLISH PROGRAM ABOUT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN SCIENCE AND
MEDICINE. TODAY WE DISCUSS TREATMENTS FOR THREE DIFFERENT KINDS
OF A COMMON DISORDER.

(THEME)

VOICE ONE:

RECENTLY, THREE PEOPLE WORKING FOR THE SAME ORGANIZATION BEGAN
SUFFERING FROM SEVERE PAIN IN THEIR HEADS ON THE SAME DAY. SUCH
PAIN IS KNOWN AS A HEADACHE. IN EACH OF THE THREE PEOPLE, THE
CAUSE OF THE HEADACHE WAS DIFFERENT.

ONE PERSON HAD A MIGRAINE HEADACHE, ANOTHER HAD A CLUSTER
HEADACHE. THE THIRD WORKER HAD A TENSION HEADACHE. SEVERAL
YEARS AGO, THESE THREE PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE SUFFERED SEVERE PAIN FOR
SOME TIME BEFORE THEIR HEADACHES ENDED. ON THIS DAY, HOWEVER,
EACH ONE USED A DIFFERENT TREATMENT THAT EITHER REDUCED THE PAIN
OR ENDED IT.

VOICE TWO:

PEOPLE WHO GET MIGRAINE HEADACHES GET THEM REPEATEDLY -- MONTH
AFTER MONTH, YEAR AFTER YEAR. SOME OF THEM SAY THEY HAVE
DIFFICULTY SEEING BEFORE THE SEVERE PAIN BEGINS. OTHERS CANNOT
SEE AT ALL WHEN THE HEADACHES BEGIN. SOME MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY
THINKING. OTHERS SEE STRANGE LIGHTS IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES.
MANY HAVE UPSET STOMACHS AND CANNOT KEEP FOOD DOWN.

SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THOSE WHO GET MIGRAINE HEADACHES ARE
WOMEN. IN THE UNITED STATES, ONE OF EVERY FIVE WOMEN GETS
MIGRAINE HEADACHES.

DOCTOR GLEN SOLOMON IS A HEADACHE EXPERT AT THE CLEVELAND CLINIC
IN OHIO. DOCTOR SOLOMON SAYS MIGRAINE HEADACHES COST A GREAT DEAL
IN HUMAN SUFFERING. HE SAYS THEY ALSO CAUSE MAJOR FINANCIAL LOSSES
BECAUSE MIGRAINE SUFFERERS ARE UNABLE TO WORK WHEN THEY GET THE
HEADACHES. DOCTOR SOLOMON SAYS THE AVERAGE MIGRAINE PATIENT IS
BETWEEN TWENTY-FIVE AND FIFTY-FIVE YEARS OLD.

VOICE ONE:

CAROLYN IS A PERSON WHO SUFFERS FROM MIGRAINE HEADACHES. FOR
MANY YEARS CAROLYN'S LIFE WAS LIMITED BECAUSE OF REPEATED
MIGRAINE HEADACHES. HER STORY IS SIMILAR TO MANY WHO SUFFER SUCH
HEADACHES.

OTHER MEMBERS OF HER FAMILY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THAT IS TRUE OF
NINETY PERCENT OF MIGRAINE PATIENTS. RESEARCHERS BELIEVE THAT
PARENTS CAN PASS THE PROBLEM OF MIGRAINE HEADACHES TO THEIR
CHILDREN.

CAROLYN HAD HER FIRST MIGRAINE HEADACHE WHEN SHE WAS A YOUNG
ADULT. IT WAS SO SEVERE THAT SHE REMAINED IN BED FOR SIXTEEN
HOURS. DURING THAT TIME SHE COULD NOT EAT. SHE COULD NOT KEEP
FOOD IN HER STOMACH. SHE SAYS THE PAIN WAS ON ONE SIDE OF HER
HEAD. IT FELT AS IF SOMEONE HAD STRUCK HER WITH A HEAVY STICK.
FOR A WHILE CAROLYN THOUGHT SHE WOULD DIE.

THE NEXT DAY, CAROLYN FELT BETTER. SADLY, HOWEVER, IT WAS ONLY
THE BEGINNING OF HER EXPERIENCE WITH MIGRAINE HEADACHES. SHE
BEGAN TO HAVE THE HEADACHES EVERY MONTH.

VOICE TWO:

DOCTORS ORDERED MEDICINES FOR HER THAT WERE DESIGNED TO REDUCE
PAIN. THEY ALSO SUGGESTED SHE MAKE SOME CHANGES IN HER LIFE.
THEY TOLD CAROLYN TO STOP EATING CHOCOLATE AND CHEESE. THEY TOLD
HER TO STOP DRINKING ALCOHOL. SHE WAS ADVISED NOT TO SLEEP LATE
IN THE MORNING -- EVEN IF SHE NEEDED MORE REST. THE DOCTORS TOLD
HER NOT TO LOOK AT BRIGHT LIGHTS. THEY ALSO TOLD HER TO AVOID
BEING ANGRY OR SAD.

THE PAIN MEDICINE HELPED REDUCE CAROLYN'S PAIN. HOWEVER, IT ALSO
MADE HER WANT TO SLEEP. SHE HAD TO PLAN ALL HER ACTIVITIES
AROUND THE HEADACHES.

RECENTLY, ALL THAT CHANGED FOR CAROLYN. SHE BEGAN TAKING THE DRUG
FLURBIPROFEN ('FLOOR-BY-PRO-FIN). NOW SHE CAN EAT AND DRINK WHAT
SHE WANTS. AND SHE CAN SLEEP LATE IF SHE NEEDS MORE REST.

VOICE ONE:

DOCTOR SOLOMON SAYS FLURBIPROFEN PROVIDES A NEW LIFE TO THOSE WHO
SUFFER FROM MIGRAINE HEADACHES. IT CAN BE TAKEN EVERY DAY TO
PREVENT THE HEADACHES FROM STARTING. OR IT CAN BE TAKEN TO
REDUCE PAIN AFTER THE HEADACHES BEGIN. DOCTORS MUST ORDER
FLURBIPROFEN FOR THEIR PATIENTS WITH MIGRAINE HEADACHES.

THE UNITED STATES FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVED THE FIRST
MEDICINE FOR MIGRAINE HEADACHES THAT PEOPLE CAN BUY WITHOUT A
DOCTOR'S ORDER. IT IS CALLED EXCEDRIN MIGRAINE. IT CONTAINS THE
COMMON MEDICINES ASPIRIN AND ACETAMINOPHEN TO EASE PAIN. IT ALSO
CONTAINS CAFFEINE, A SUBSTANCE FOUND IN COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE.

VOICE TWO:

DOCTORS BELIEVE THAT MOST MIGRAINE HEADACHES BEGIN WHEN BLOOD
PASSAGES IN THE BRAIN BEGIN TO ENLARGE. CAFFEINE HELPS THE BLOOD
PASSAGES REDUCE TO THEIR NORMAL SIZE.

VOICE ONE:

DEVELOPMENTS IN MEDICINE HAVE NOT YET HELPED RICHARD, WHO SUFFERS
FROM CLUSTER HEADACHES. PEOPLE WHO GET THIS KIND OF HEADACHE SAY
THEY ALMOST WOULD CHOOSE TO DIE INSTEAD OF SUFFERING THE PAIN
THEY EXPERIENCE. HOWEVER, LIKE CAROLYN, RICHARD IS LIVING A MORE
NORMAL LIFE BECAUSE OF NEW MEDICINE.

DOCTORS SAY CLUSTER HEADACHES MOST OFTEN STRIKE MEN WHO ARE MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS OLD. ABOUT ONE PERSON IN EVERY THOUSAND PEOPLE GETS THE HEADACHES. RICHARD WAS THIRTY-SEVEN WHEN HE HAD HIS FIRST CLUSTER HEADACHE.

VOICE TWO:

RICHARD SAYS HE FELT A TERRIBLE PAIN IN HIS FACE, AROUND ONE OF
HIS EYES. HE SAYS THE PAIN FELT AS IF SOMEONE WAS STABBING HIM
IN THE EYE WITH A KNIFE. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS THE PAIN STOPPED.
BUT SOON HE HAD ANOTHER HEADACHE. THEN HE HAD ANOTHER. SOME
LASTED ONLY THIRTY MINUTES. OTHERS LASTED AS LONG AS THREE
HOURS.

LIKE OTHER VICTIMS OF CLUSTER HEADACHES, RICHARD HAD THEM IN A
SERIES EACH TIME. SOMETIMES HE HAD NO HEADACHES FOR MONTHS.
THEN HE WOULD HAVE ANOTHER SERIES OF HEADACHES CAUSING SEVERE
PAIN.

IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE HEADACHES MIGHT BE CAUSED BY WORRYING
OR EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS. YET, RICHARD COULD NOT FIND ANY
CONNECTION BETWEEN UNPLEASANT EVENTS IN HIS LIFE AND THE CLUSTER
HEADACHES. HE COULD NOT LINK THEM TO ANYTHING HE ATE OR DRANK.

VOICE ONE:

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, DOCTORS TRIED DIFFERENT DRUGS TO TREAT
RICHARD'S HEADACHES. THE MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT WAS A CHEMICAL
CALLED CAPSAICIN. CAPSAICIN IS FOUND IN RED PEPPERS. IT GIVES THE
PEPPERS A HOT, SPICY TASTE.

DOCTOR SOLOMON SAYS THAT THE CHEMICAL IS PARTLY EFFECTIVE IN
STOPPING THE SERIES OF HEADACHES. HE SAYS THE PATIENT PLACES
CAPSAICIN IN HIS OR HER NOSE WHEN THE HEADACHE STARTS. THE
TREATMENT CAUSES SOME BRIEF PAIN. HOWEVER, THE CLUSTER HEADACHES
DO STOP, AND CAPSAICIN DOES NOT CAUSE THE POSSIBLY HARMFUL SIDE
EFFECTS OF OTHER TREATMENTS.

VOICE TWO:

A TENSION HEADACHE IS NOT SO SEVERE AS A MIGRAINE HEADACHE OR AS
CLUSTER HEADACHES. STILL, TENSION HEADACHES INTERFERE WITH THE
LIVES OF MANY AMERICANS ESPECIALLY WOMEN. A STUDY SAYS WOMEN ARE
FIFTEEN PERCENT MORE LIKELY TO GET TENSION HEADACHES THAN MEN.

PAIN FROM TENSION HEADACHES USUALLY AFFECTS BOTH SIDES OF A
PERSON'S HEAD. MUSCLES IN THE NECK, FACE, JAWS OR SHOULDERS MAY
BECOME EXTREMELY TIGHT. COMMON ANTI-PAIN MEDICINES OFTEN CAN
REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF TENSION HEADACHES. YET, THERE IS GOOD
REASON TO SEEK MEDICAL HELP IF THIS KIND OF HEADACHE CONTINUES
AND IS SEVERE.

DOCTOR SOLOMON SAYS THE CAUSE OF TENSION HEADACHES MAY BE
CHEMICAL DEPRESSION.

PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM TENSION HEADACHES SOMETIMES HAVE
DIFFICULTY SLEEPING OR REMEMBERING THINGS. THEY ALSO MAY FEEL
VERY SAD AND HAVE DIFFICULTY KEEPING THEIR MINDS ON WHAT THEY ARE
DOING. THESE PROBLEMS ALSO DESCRIBE THE CONDITION OF PEOPLE
SUFFERING FROM EMOTIONAL DEPRESSION.

VOICE ONE:

FOR MANY YEARS, CLARE HAD TENSION HEADACHES REPEATEDLY.
SOMETIMES THEY COULD BE CURED BY REST AND THE ANTI-PAIN
DRUG ASPIRIN. HOWEVER, THERE WERE TIMES WHEN NOTHING HELPED
REDUCE CLARE'S HEADACHE PAIN. SHE HAD DIFFICULTY REMEMBERING
THINGS, AND COULD WORK FOR SHORT PERIODS ONLY.

FINALLY, CLARE SPOKE TO HER DOCTOR ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE DOCTOR
ORDERED TESTS. AFTER STUDYING THE TEST RESULTS, THE DOCTOR
SUGGESTED SHE TAKE SMALL AMOUNTS OF A THYROID SUBSTANCE. THE
THYROID IS AN ORGAN FOUND IN THE NECK. IT PRODUCES HORMONES THAT
CONTROL THE CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROCESSES OF THE BODY.

THE THYROID SUBSTANCE HELPED REDUCE THE PAIN OF CLARE'S
HEADACHES. ALTHOUGH THE HEADACHES ARE NOT COMPLETELY GONE, CLARE IS NOW ABLE TO WORK FOR LONG PERIODS. ALSO, HER HEADACHES
INTERFERE LESS WITH HER ABILITY TO REMEMBER.

VOICE TWO:

EVERYONE HAS A HEADACHE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. PAIN CAN BE CAUSED
BY MANY DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. THESE COULD BE EYE DIFFICULTIES, OR
BLOOD PROBLEMS. HEADACHES ALSO CAN BE THE RESULT OF LIFE-
CONDITIONS SUCH AS BLEEDING IN THE BRAIN OR A CANCEROUS GROWTH IN THE HEAD. DOCTORS SAY A PERSON SHOULD SEEK MEDICAL HELP IF HEADACHES HAPPEN OFTEN, OR ARE ESPECIALLY SEVERE.

((THEME))

VOICE TWO:

THIS SCIENCE IN THE NEWS WAS WRITTEN BY JERI WATSON AND SHELLEY GOLLUST. THIS IS BOB DOUGHTY.

VOICE ONE:

AND THIS IS SARAH LONG. JOIN US AGAIN NEXT WEEK AT THIS SAME
TIME FOR MORE NEWS ABOUT SCIENCE IN SPECIAL ENGLISH,
ON THE VOICE OF AMERICA.