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Headaches May Injure the Brain
An alarming article recently appeared in Science Daily, indicating that migraine headaches may cause brain damage through oxygen deprivation:
“By combining two recently developed imaging technologies, Nedergaard’s team was able to get an unprecedented look at the events that happen in the brain of a mouse as a migraine unfolds. The team uncovered a complex, unexpected tale of supply and demand regarding blood flow and oxygen.
In short, the team found that the brain develops a voracious demand for energy as the organ attempts to restore the delicate chemical balance that is lost in the initial throes of a phenomenon known as cortical spreading depression, which is thought to underlie many migraines.”
Although most of us know what it’s like to suffer a headache, it’s far too early to worry that we may be causing significant damage. Rather, it appears the migraines may simply be a sign that we should be taking preventative measures against more serious insults such as stroke and aneurysm
