By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
April 15, 2001
Have you ever heard of The London Migraine Clinic? I hadn't until a recent trip to England. What I discovered is that many migraine sufferers can be helped just by taking Aspirin. In fact, you may not need any other medication if you use this common and effective pain killer the right way.
A patient once described to Oliver Sachs, a British physician, how she was affected by a migraine attack.
"The wallpaper started to shimmer" she said. "A few moments later my hand began to vibrate. Then flashing dots moved across my vision. The pattern on the carpets started to change and I had visions of flowers opening and closing. These images were dazzling when I closed my eyes. They lasted 30 minutes followed by a splitting headache."
Migraine has always plagued the human race. It's also subject to myths and misconceptions. Such that it only affects hysterical women and that it's something sufferers have to learn to endure.
Usually a migraine attack is a two stage affair. Initially visions and hallucinations appear as blood vessels become constricted. Later, vessels near the surface of the scalp dilate producing an excuriating headache.
About 90 percent of patients are afflicted by nausea, 50 percent by vomiting, 75 percent by feelings of lightheadedness and four out of five are pained by ordinary light.
Dr. Anne MacGregor, Director of the London Migraine Clinic is a neurologist and gynecologist. She says migraine strikes both sexes. But it affects three times as many women as men. And the onset is usually during childhood or adolescence.
Many factors trigger an attack such as missing or delayed meals. Some suffer an attack after consuming red wine, chocolate and occasionally cheese. For others, the headache is associated with overexertion, weather conditions, strong smells and menstruation.
Talking to Dr. MacGregor about the treatment of migraine was an eye©opener for me. For instance, it surprised me that The City of London Migraine Clinic has been successfully using Aspirin as its primary treatment for many years.
Until now this important message hasn't crossed the Atlantic. Moreover, Dr. MacGregor claims that Aspirin works just as well as Immitrex in 40 to 50 percent of cases. I asked her the obvious question. If Aspirin has such a good track record why isn't it prescribed for more migraine sufferers in North America?
Dr. MacGregor had two explanations. Doctors do not prescribe Aspirin in large enough doses. And they must use soluble Aspirin to increase its effectiveness.
What is soluble Aspirin? It's simply regular Aspirin dissolved in water. The suggested dose, 975 milligrams (three Aspirins of 325 milligrams each). This first dose can be repeated in two hours if needed.
But why soluble Aspirin? This allows quick absorption into the blood and speedier relief of symptoms.
Dr. MacGregor says that most patients do not require more than 975 mg of Aspirin twice a day. If this dosage is ineffective or has to be used more than twice a week, it's prudent to use other medication.
My visit to the London Clinic was interesting for several reasons. It confirmed the tendency today to prescribe newer more potent medication when the old simple remedies may be equally effective.
It was also interesting that the day I visited the clinic there were no patients. In a city the size of london I expected to see several patients being actively treated for migraine. I asked why not?
Dr. MacGregor explained that the clinic used to be extremely busy. But that it has gradually put itself out of business. In effect, the clinic has educated London's family doctors so well about the use of soluble Aspirin that they rarely refer patients.
Today clinic neurologists primarily consult on complicated cases, ones that fail to respond to usual treatment.
Doctors at the clinic stress an important point. Headache can be due to several problems. There are also different types of migraine. So don't self©diagnose recurring headaches. See your doctor as in rare instances the pain may be due to other causes such as brain tumour.
Aspirin recently celebrated it's one hundredth birthday. It's been rightly called the "drug of the century" for good reason. We know that it decreases the risk of coronary attack, stroke and large bowel cancer. And if you have an irregular heart beat Aspirin reduces the risk of stroke by over 50 percent.
So why resort to other medication if Aspirin works? When a drug has stood the test of time so well, there are few surprises and many benefits.Ô 0*0*0*
W. Gifford-Jones M.D is the pen name of Dr. Ken Walker graduate of Harvard. Dr. Walker's website is: Docgiff.com
My book, �90 + How I Got There� can be obtained by sending $19.95 to:
Giff Holdings, 525 Balliol St, Unit # 6,Toronto, Ontario, M4S 1E1
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