People ask me all the time what NDPH is and I try to tell them in a sentence or less. It doesn’t really clarify it for them. I seem to sugar coat things and downplay the reality of it as much as possible. I can’t stand hearing the phrase “oh, you poor thing.” Drives me crazy, really. Yet, it is important for family and close friends to fully understand what we are going though if they are going to be supportive in this struggle.
The following video explains exactly what New Daily Persistent Headache is and how it impacts a persons life. The woman in the video finds a drug combo that works for her (after two years), but they do go on to say that some people suffer for decades with little relief.
How far would you go to get rid of your headache pain? Most of us with NDPH would try just about anything to make the pain go away, but I think this maybe a little over the top for me. That’s just me. Ask me again, maybe in 15 / 20 years when I will actually want a face lift!
I originally saw this as a news story on CBS / NY this past weekend. Here is a video that explains in further detail, what this surgery entails. Please take note of the fact that around 50% of the placebo group also experienced a decrease in pain.
Obviously, more research needs to be done to prove that this is a possible cure for migraines. I don’t really see it as a cure for me, because my NDPH pain is not always in the exact same spot behind the eye or in my forehead. My pain wanders…
What’s your opinion? Would you try this (even if you didn’t want the facelift to go along with it)?
If you suffer from NDPH, chronic daily migraines or cluster headaches, you need to take the time to fully evaluate your reaction to the food you consume. Discovering my own food triggers has been a long and difficult process, but avoiding certain foods and adopting a high nutrient diet has greatly decreased my daily pain.
It’s worth the effort.
Your doctor probably went through the traditional list of common food triggers with you when you were diagnosed, BUT you could possibly be sensitive to foods that are not on the list. How do you figure out what your food could be setting off the pain? I’ll get to that in a minute…first, here is a list of the most common triggers:
Soy
Fermented cheeses
MSG
Nitrates (commonly found in processed meats)
Red Wine
Chocolate
Eggs
Bananas
Ice Cream
Do you know your headache triggers?
I’ve found that making drastic changes to my diet has been the most effective way to decrease the daily pain of NDPH. None of the medications I have tried (and there have been many) have had any effect on the frequency or intensity of my pain. They have, however, left me with some very negative side effects. The long term effects of most headache medications are dangerous. In my opinion, they are more dangerous to my health long term than NDPH itself.
The plan that I follow – or try to follow to the best of my ability – is from Dr. Joel Furhman’s books Eat To Live and Fasting and Eating for Health. He outlines a specific diet plan to eliminate your headache (s) and claims a 90% success rate.
The major cause of both tension headaches and migraines is the retention of toxins or tissue irritants within the central nervous system. These chemical irritants may cause an over sensitivity of nerve tissues to other stimuli.
He goes on to point out that a high protein diet is one of the main reasons people suffer from headaches, and that a build up of toxins in the body from other unhealthy foods can also be to blame. Take the time to read through his website. I encourage you to also read his books and give his high nutrient headache diet plan a try. Even if you can’t limit yourself as strictly as he recommends (I have not yet been successful at cutting out all caffeine and sugar), you will hopefully see a decrease in pain. You will certainly experience weight loss and all of the health benefits that go along with a healthy high nutrient diet.
My advice is based purely on personal experience. I am not trying to sell you the book – I just want to share the one thing that has helped me with living with NDPH. I sincerely hope it helps you as well.
If you suffer from NDPH, chronic daily migraines or cluster headaches, you need to take the time to fully evaluate your reaction to the food you consume. Discovering my own food triggers has been a long and difficult process, but avoiding certain foods and adopting a high nutrient diet has greatly decreased my daily pain.
