European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 4, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Ylidia Wasowicz United press International no longer derided a neurotic  Suller ers Are coming of of the closet. With hem Mac emerging new theories and realm cols thai May Lessen the pain for Sullo rets. New scientific Dala on Iho agonizing thru Tiirik burning or bursting in 1h Skull. A Hind to eyes or on the Sido of if o head arc prompting doctors to 1ocu5 on therapies thai go beyond a Niri Kilkis prescription which May actually Worsen thu condition.  physicians arc even recommending stops toward headache proven Hon with doses of such drugs As Whoso commonly used of heart problems depression and arthritis. Witti evidence pointing 1o biological Caus rooted in the Complex chemistry of Iho brain headaches Are finally beginning to be perceived As a genuine disease. Medical science historically believes that which to Don t understand is psychological. To used 0 of tank of epileptics As crazy people said or. Joel headache and neurological Insl Itule. The lust such can scr in me United Stales. Now we have reached somewhat of a revolutionary time in headache research. We Are going through an evolution of knowledge and Are rethinking our entire attitude toward headache which is beginning to be seen As a serious  doctors now can control constant headaches and or their accompanying Constellation of symptoms in up to 90 percent of patients but there Stilt is no cure Lor the chronic disease said Saper. The search or a cure is hampered by Difili cuties ichor on in attempts to study brain unction and an airmen As subjective As pain which cannot be measured like say blood pressure. If we suspect liver problems we draw blood and run a series of tests Saper said but if something goes awry with a  a chemical in the Bra into have no Good Lesl to determine exactly what the matter  in Addison there is no animal  like the mice used in cancer research Lor studying the physiologic mechanisms underlying headaches or for testing new drugs scientists do no know whether animals even gel headaches. Although the cd Tel cause of chronic headaches remains a mystery studies have disclosed the importance of heredity. Nearly bal percent of migraine Sulla res share the disorder with at least one member of their family. Saper said a person s sex also plays a role in children Ages 9 1o 12, boys and girls have an equal number of headaches bus 12 years later rethinking attitude toward headaches Between Ages 21 and 24 women comprise 80 percent of the victims. We now knew oestrogen has a direct Impact on certain brain centers and blood vessels and that hormonal milestones such As menstruation pregnancy use of Ora contraceptives menopause All have direct influence on migraine headaches in women who Are Gene Licali predisposed to got them Saper said. More than a dozen other triggers of chronic headaches have been Ideal Iliad. Including stress alcohol such foods As Bacon Chicken livers chinese Lood. Chocolate herring aged cheese col tee or Tea which contain headache inducing chemicals environmental pollutants smoking head infections and injuries and Een sleeping late on weekends. Researchers have found migraines can set off a variety of symptoms including weakness numbness difficulty in speaking visual abnormalities blood pressure Elevation or decrease changes in the balance of body fluids pain in the Abdomen arms or legs dizziness and thinking disturbances. We have uncovered new and important  and How they work together to turn on or Oft pain signals Saper said. One important new piece of information is that Many o the people who suffer Art occasional migraine during sheif youth will develop daily headaches later in life. Migraine appears to go through an evolution in Many people and can become a progressive disease Hal worsens Over  until recently researchers divided chronic headaches into specific categories with different  Lenston headaches named for muscle contractions in response 1o stress and migraine or vascular headache presumed to be triggered by changes in blood flow. But recent studies indicate most patients share both aspects of headache. Although blood vessels and Muscles Are Stilt considered important they Are no longer seen As the original cause of pain. Instead changes or disturbances in brain signals May be the main culprits. Saper and some other researchers believe an excess or deficiency of brain chemicals including . Serotonin Prosela glands arid endorphins plays a part. These brain disturbances appear to link up with physiological changes outside the brain in the blood vessels and nerve networks to create circuitry hat we think is the process by which migraine occurs Saper said. The multiple triggers and in Curlain underlying cat discs can make treatment decisions difficult i. The soul Ion May be As simple As taking the Palione Oil alcohol or cigarettes changing his diet or starting relaxation exercises. For the harder cases drugs remain the major weapon. Saper warns against taking any pain reliever More than twice a week we knew now too much painkiller worsens headaches said Saper. Who theorizes the body May become dependent upon painkillers and develop a regular symptom pain to get Thorn. New data arc helping us determine How much a person can use effectively and How much becomes  in extreme cases migraine sufferers Are Given intravenous infusions of  the a synthetic version of Vergol fungus first found effective against headaches 50 years  Are increasingly trying to prevent headaches often turning to drugs developed Lor other uses to help patients who Sutler pain live or More Days per month. Doctors May recommend antidepressants which relieve depression by altering chemicals within the brain Hal communicate Between nerve cells. For headache they May enhance the chemicals that suppress pain. They May prescribe Bela blockers one of the Standard medications Lor realing High blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms As Well As anti Inola Malory drugs used in arthritis. Both ease headaches by acting on blood vessels. The newest research indicates Many of these drugs apparently work by having a direct or indirect Impact on serotonin metabolism Saper said. Now we Are in a better position to mix and match these drugs to create a broader Brush against the chemistry thai causes  Page in the stars and stripes tuesday october 4. 1988