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How to Stop the Pain: The Latest Treatment for Headaches and Migraine

Recorded on 5/21/2005

PROGRAM DETAILS:

Serious headaches can cause anything from nausea to sensitivity to light. The good news is that there are now very effective medications to treat this condition so that you don't have to suffer. In this webcast, hear clear and useful information from one of the world’s top experts in headache, Dr. Sylvia Lucas. Dr. Lucas is a clinical professor of neurology at the University of Washington and director of UW’s Headache Center. She speaks with host Andrew Schorr about the causes and treatments for all kinds of headaches.

According to Dr. Lucas, almost 18 percent of women and six percent of men suffer from migraines and other types of moderate-to-severe headaches, and nearly 50 percent of people with migraine don’t even know that they have it. Dr. Lucas explains the difference between tension headaches, which are relatively mild and don’t require prescription medication, and something that might be more serious, like a migraine or a cluster headache. She also talks about how hormones, diet, caffeine, and other factors can affect headaches, and how knowing what causes your headaches can help you prevent them. While preventative measures can definitely help, migraine and cluster headache sufferers generally do need some type of medication. Dr. Lucas details when a person might need to seek prescription drugs, and when over-the-counter medication is enough.

When a headache is either misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, taking over-the-counter drugs can actually worsen your condition. Dr. Lucas stresses the importance of talking to your doctor to get treatment that will improve your life. She gives suggestions on how best to discuss the situation with a primary care physician or specialist, and tells headache sufferers what they need to look out for. Listen to this informative webcast to find out how migraine-specific medications work and why it’s so important to get a correct diagnosis.

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EXPERTS & GUESTS:
Sylvia Lucas, M.D., Ph.D.
Clinical Professor of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, UW Medicine
Dr. Sylvia Lucas is Medical Director of the Headache Center at the University of Washington Medical Center and Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She has extensive experience in lectures, research and has authored many pieces on various neurological topics. Dr. Lucas is board certified in neurology. more >

TRANSCRIPT:

  1. Introduction
  2. Types of Headaches and Their Symptoms
  3. Caffeine-Related Headaches
  4. Seeking Care for Headache
  5. Diagnosing Migraines and Treatment Options

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