Physical Therapy for the Dizzy Headache Patient
Julie Mills Roth PT
5/11/2007
Many people with chronic headaches experience symptoms of dizziness that too often go untreated. Some patients with dizziness can benefit from physical therapy, and this article will help shed some light on the types of treatment available, and what to expect in terms of improvement.
|
|
Post-Trauma Discussion
Joel R. Saper, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.A.N., Founder and Director
3/12/2007
Concussion is defined as a temporary cessation of normal brain function as a direct result of a traumatic impact to the skull and thus to the brain itself. Generally it arises from a “blunt” impact, as distinct from a penetrating wound, such as a missile. Blunt trauma can actually cause major damage to the brain, including bleeding, alteration of brain cell function, and progressive changes in its chemicals and its connections. Although at one time it was believed that a concussion should be defined by the presence of a true period of loss of consciousness, it is now believed that even a momentary period of confusion or a moment of feeling “dazed” qualifies the injury to be a concussion. The more severe concussions are associated with loss of consciousness and coma.
|
|
Physical Therapy and Migraine Headache
Julie Mills Roth MPT
1/16/2007
Migraineurs frequently investigate many different avenues for treatment in their search for pain relief. Patients will often catalogue their many attempts: acupuncture, medications, massage, dietary changes, herbal supplements. Unfortunately, “cures” are generally elusive. So where does physical therapy fit into the management of migraine headaches? The answer depends on the individual headache sufferer, as there is a wide range of clinical presentations in patients with migraine headache.
|
|
High Oxygen Flow Rates Improve Headache Response In Previously Oxygen Refractory Cluster Headache Patients
Todd D. Rozen, M.D., Michigan Head Pain & Neurological Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan
1/8/2007
Effective abortive therapy for cluster headache is essential based on the extreme intensity of the pain. The two most effective cluster abortives are injectable sumatriptan and inhaled oxygen. As most cluster sufferers are cigarette smokers and at high risk of coronary artery disease, many develop contraindications to triptans. Oxygen, the safest of all cluster therapies, is not effective in every patient.
|