Serena Williams
After an intense headache cost
tennis star Serena Williams a tournament match, she learned her pain was
related to her menstrual cycle. "I'd never heard of [menstrual migraines]
before," she says. "All this time, I thought it was a regular
migraine." About 60% of women with migraines say it gets worse
during their periods, and hormones may be to blame. Your doctor may suggest
medicines to even out your hormone levels.
Ben
Affleck
Mostly women get migraines, but
about 6% of men get them too. Actor and director Ben Affleck is among those who
have been slowed down by migraine pain. While directing Gone, Baby, Gone
in 2006, he had a migraine so bad it sent him to the hospital. "I just
kept on going and going and hardly slept," Affleck says. A regular sleep
schedule helps prevent migraines. Go to bed and get up at the same time every
day, even on weekends.
Lisa
Kudrow
Childhood trips to Disneyland
usually bring on smiles. For actress Lisa Kudrow, "A day of excitement and
eating would always end in a horrible headache," she says. Kudrow's father
and siblings were also familiar with migraine pain. Migraines run in families.
Children have a 50%-75% chance of having migraines if their parents do. Knowing
your family history of migraines may help your doctor know how to treat you.
Marcia
Cross
Actress Marcia Cross seemed unstoppable
as perfectionist Bree Van de Kamp on the TV show Desperate Housewives.
Off camera, she struggles with migraines. "Having a migraine and trying to
work was impossible for me," she says. "I became nauseous and my
vision was affected." Cross has been a spokeswoman for a triptan migraine
medicine. Triptans reduce migraine pain and nausea by narrowing blood vessels.
Janet
Jackson
In 2008, singer Janet Jackson
canceled a string of concerts after suffering from vestibular migraines. This
type of migraine gives you vertigo -- a feeling like the room is spinning.
Bright lights and loud sounds may also bother you. About 30% of people with
migraines also feel dizziness or vertigo. Vestibular migraines are treated like
other migraines, with medicines and by avoiding headache triggers.
Kristin
Chenoweth
Actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth
nursed a migraine after winning an Emmy in 2009. Then her doctor suggested
Botox. "I haven't had a full-blown headache since," she says. Botox
is approved for people who have 15 or more migraines a month, but it may not
completely cure you. Studies suggest that Botox offers only modest headache
relief.
Cindy
McCain
Cindy McCain has described her
migraine pain as torture. "It feels like someone swung an axe and
hit me in the forehead," she says of one of her headaches. The attacks
were especially bad during Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign in 2008.
The bright lights from cameras often triggered headaches. "Sunglasses are
a migraine sufferer's best friend," Cindy McCain says.
Troy
Aikman
Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman
started having headaches when he was a boy. "When you make a living
getting hit, almost everyone has a headache, so it's not something that's much
talked about," Aikman says. Constant travel and missed sleep made them
worse. Migraine triggers vary among people, but travel can disrupt your regular
routine and lead to migraines. Even weather changes and motion sickness can
trigger them.
Elle
Macpherson
To fend off migraines while working
under bright lights, model Elle Macpherson prefers an overall health approach.
"I have acupuncture regularly," she says. A 2009 review of 22
acupuncture studies found that people who used it as well as medicine had fewer
headaches. Others who used it instead of medicine got more relief from
migraines than those who used medicine. Acupuncture may improve mood and sleep
and reduce triggers like anxiety.
Terrell
Davis
Head pain sidelined former Denver
Bronco Terrell Davis during the 1998 Super Bowl. "I was seeing double and
triple," he says. After taking medicine, Davis scored a touchdown and was
named the game's MVP. When he first started having migraines, Davis didn't tell
anyone. "I thought people would think I was crazy," he says. Now, he
avoids foods that may trigger migraines, like chocolate, caffeine, and the food
additive MSG.
Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar
Basketball legend Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar blames stress for his recurring head pain. Stress can cause
muscles in the neck and scalp to contract, leading to tension headaches and
migraines. Since his first migraine at age 14, Abdul-Jabbar has used a variety
of stress relievers, including yoga, acupuncture, massage, and biofeedback.
"You can't eliminate stress, but what I've finally been able to do is
learn how to manage it," he says.
Michele
Bachmann
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann
addressed her migraines while she was on the presidential campaign trail in 2011.
She said the migraines were "easily manageable with medication," and
that they don't keep her from doing her job. Many people with migraines
eventually get one on the job. It's important to follow your doctor's advice to
help prevent and treat your migraines.
Susan
Olsen
You may remember Susan Olsen as
pigtailed Cindy Brady on "The Brady Bunch." Since her
"Brady" days, she's spoken publicly about her migraines. "When I
suffered my first migraine [at age 11], my doctor kissed me on the forehead and
told me I was too conscientious," recalls Olsen. She takes triptans to
keep her migraines in check. As many as 10% of children 15 and under have been
affected by migraines. More than half will continue to have them as adults too.
Carly
Simon
When Grammy winner Carly Simon
crooned, "I haven't got time for the pain," she wasn't referring to
migraines. But she could have been. Simon has made a lot of lifestyle changes
to prevent headaches. "I don't smoke, I sleep for eight hours, and coffee
is not a part of my life," Simon says. She also avoids alcohol, a common
trigger for some people. Red wine, in particular, seems to set off migraines.
Source: Web MD
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