Category Archives: Family Health
Not Just a Headache: The painful facts about migraines
By: TRANG M. PHAM, M.D.
More than one in 10 Americans suffer from migraines, but unless you experience them yourself you may have no idea how painful and crippling they can be. Here’s what migraines are and what can be done about them.
Migraine is more than just a bad headache
The cause of migraines is not well understood, but researchers believe they are a neurological disorder caused by brain chemistry imbalance. They cause intense pain (called an attack) that can be throbbing or pounding. But unlike headaches, they often come with other symptoms like sensitivity to light and sound, as well as nausea and auras.
Migraines can be with or without auras
Migraines occur with auras 25%-30% of the time, but they often happen without them. Auras come in many forms, including:
- Flashing spots
- Wavy lines
- Blurred vision
- Unusual smells
- Ringing in the ears
- Tingling sensations in your face or hands
Migraines can happen often and last a long time
Unlike headaches, which are usually short in duration, the average migraine lasts from four hours to three days — but severe attacks can last weeks, badly impacting a person’s work, family and social life. Some unfortunate people get migraines on 15 or more days per month, a condition called chronic migraine.
Anyone can get migraines
Migraines are more common in women (18%) than men (6%), but children also get them. They happen more in boys than girls, but that seems to switch in the teen years. Migraines seem to peak between the ages of 30 and 49.
Migraines are a serious medical condition
Besides the pain, research indicates a link between migraine and serious health issues, including heart disease, stroke and even suicide:
- Migraine can increase the risk of heart disease, including heart attacks and angina.
- It can also raise the risk of stroke, coronary events, and other related deaths by 50%.
- Suicide attempts are three times more likely among those who have migraines compared to those with no history of migraines.
There are effective treatment options
A cure for migraines is still to come, but there are treatment options that can reduce their frequency and severity. For example, a healthcare provider skilled in migraine management can help you identify and manage factors that may trigger attacks, such as:
- Stress
- Hormonal changes in women, including those from oral birth control or hormone replacement therapy
- Alcohol
- Bright lights and glare from the sun
- Loud noises
- Not getting enough sleep or poor sleeping patterns
Your healthcare provider may also prescribe several types of medicine:
- Pain-relieving medications – Once a migraine attack begins, you take these to reduce its severity.
- Preventive medications – You take these to reduce the number of migraines and their severity. You may use them on a daily basis.
- BOTOX® injections: BOTOX is the only FDA-approved, preventive treatment that is injected by a healthcare provider. MPCP offers BOTOX injections for adults with chronic migraines – they can prevent up to nine headache days a month. Talk to your provider to see if you are eligible, or click here to learn more.
Your healthcare provider can diagnose migraines
If you suspect migraines, no lab or imaging tests are needed to confirm it. Your MPCP provider can make the diagnosis with a medical history and physical exam. In some cases, they may refer you to a migraine specialist.
Dr. Pham is a Maryland Primary Care Physicians, LLC partner and is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She earned her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and sees patients in the Pasadena office.
Let’s Go for a Walk – The surprising health benefits of nature’s simplest exercise
By: GEORGE ABRAHAM, M.D.
The weather is beautiful. You really want to start exercising more, but you don’t want to spend hours cooped up at the gym, and you hate the idea of running.
Good news: Walking has many of the same health benefits as harder workouts. It is the simplest form of exercise, and anyone can do it. You can walk alone, with a friend or pet. And the only equipment you need is a sturdy pair of shoes.
Physical benefits
Walking is the recommended workout for many people, especially those with knee, ankle, and back problems, and also for people who are overweight. Walking is a low-impact exercise, saving wear on your joints, and can be done for longer periods of time.
Researchers compared moderate-intensity walking and vigorous-intensity running, and found they produce similar reductions in risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. This means you can get the same benefits by walking as running, as long as you’re using the same amount of energy.
Walking is also a low-impact way to burn calories and lose weight. The key is to walk fast enough to raise your heart and breathing rates for an extended period. The longer you walk and the faster your pace, the more calories you’ll burn.
Mental benefits
Walking is a proven mood booster. One study found that just 12 minutes of walking resulted in an increase in happiness, energy, concentration, and self-confidence. Walking in nature, especially, was found to reduce negative thinking, lowering the risk of depression.
Getting started
To get the full health benefits of walking, work up to walking briskly for at least 30 minutes five days a week. “Brisk” means that you can still talk but you may be puffing slightly.
Start with shorter walks and build up your strength and endurance. Here’s a four-week plan to help you get the most out of walking.
Moderate activities such as walking pose little health risk, but if you have a medical condition, check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program.
Dr. Abraham joined Maryland Primary Care Physicians in 2021 and sees patients in the Arundel Mills office. He earned his medical degree from St. George’s University, School of Medicine.
Double Trouble: Flu Season and COVID-19
By: LAUREN BOND, CRNP
The annual flu season is expected to begin this month with the onset of cold weather. And for the second year, COVID-19 is likely to be spreading at the same time, making this flu season an especially dangerous time.
Flu – short for influenza – is a common virus that infects millions of Americans each year. For most people, the flu isn’t dangerous, but people over 65, young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic medical conditions are at greater risk for serious complications, such as pneumonia and sepsis.
The flu vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu. This season, all flu vaccines are designed to protect against the four strains of the flu virus that are expected to be the most common. The vaccine is not 100% guaranteed to prevent the flu, but it greatly lowers your risk. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months or older get the shot before the end of October.
See the CDC Influenza Map to track the severity of flu in Maryland.
Flu and the Coronavirus
It’s not possible to be sure what will happen in the fall and winter, but the CDC says it’s likely that flu viruses and the coronavirus will both be spreading at the same time. With COVID-19 prevention measures (such as stay-at-home orders and mask mandates) being relaxed, this may result in more COVID-19 cases during flu season.
It’s possible for a person to be infected with the flu and COVID-19 at the same time, and the results can be very serious, especially for people older than 65 or with certain medical conditions. Flu and COVID-19 are both respiratory illnesses and share some of the same symptoms ‒ such as a fever, cough, and runny nose ‒ so testing may be necessary to tell which disease a person has.
The best way to prevent a double flu/COVID infection is to make sure you are vaccinated for both the flu and COVID-19. MPCP can give patients the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time for the best possible protection.
Next steps
- All MPCP offices now have the flu vaccine, so make an appointment to get your shot.
- Think you may have the flu? Check your symptoms.
- If you get the flu, antiviral drugs can be used to treat your illness. They can’t cure the flu, but they can make your illness milder and shorter. Ask your doctor about antiviral drugs.
Lauren Bond, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner, cares for patients in MPCP’s Queenstown office. She is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in Family Practice.
Do These Four Things to Keep Your Eyes Healthy
By: ERIN YATES, CRNP
Many people are fortunate enough to take good vision for granted, however, there are more than 4.2 million Americans 40 years and older who have low vision or are legally blind.
The leading causes of blindness and low vision are these age-related conditions:
- Macular degeneration: Disease of the retina – the light-sensitive membrane lining the inner eyeball ‒ resulting in the loss of central vision.
- Cataracts: Clouding of the eye lens, the transparent section in the front of the eye.
- Diabetic retinopathy: Disease of the retina caused by uncontrolled diabetes.
- Glaucoma: Damage to the optic nerve ‒ which connects the eye to the brain ‒ caused by a build-up of fluid in the eye.
Four Ways to Protect Your Vision
- Find out if you are at risk for eye disease
Your risk for eye disease is higher if you:
- Are overweight or obese
- Have high blood pressure or diabetes
- Have a family history of eye disease
- Are African American, Hispanic or Native American
Talk to your primary care provider about ways to lower your risk.
- Take care of your health
Healthy habits like eating well and being active can lower your risk for conditions that can lead to eye or vision problems, like diabetes or high blood pressure. Follow these tips to support your vision health:
- Eat healthy foods. Be sure to have plenty of dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens. Eating fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids ‒ like salmon, tuna and halibut ‒ is good for your eyes, too.
- Get active. Being physically active helps you stay healthy. It can also lower your risk of health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, all of which can cause vision problems.
- Quit smoking. Smoking increases your risk of diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts, and it can harm the optic nerve. If you are ready to quit, talk to your primary care provider about methods and support.
- Protect your eyes
There are ways to protect your eyes from things that may harm them.
- Wear sunglasses. Protect your eyes from the sun by wearing sunglasses, even on cloudy days. Be sure to look for sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB radiation.
- Wear protective eyewear. Safety glasses and goggles are designed to protect your eyes during certain activities, like playing sports, doing construction work, or doing home repairs.
- Give your eyes a rest. Looking at a computer for a long time can tire out your eyes. Rest your eyes by taking a short break from looking at the screen every 20 minutes.
- If you wear contacts, take steps to prevent eye infections. Always wash your hands before you put your contact lenses in or take them out. Be sure to disinfect your contact lenses and replace them regularly.
- Get an eye exam
Even if your eyes feel healthy, you could have a problem and not know it. That is because many eye diseases do not have any symptoms or warning signs. A complete, dilated eye exam is the only way to detect certain eye diseases early and early diagnosis can often make these diseases easier to treat.
If you are generally healthy, you should have a complete eye exam at age 40. This is the age when some vision changes and eye diseases are likely to start. If you are 60 or older, have your eyes checked every 1 to 2 years.
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you are at higher risk for diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to vision loss. Everyone with diabetes should have yearly eye exams as a part of their diabetes management. MPCP offers screening for diabetic retinopathy in our offices, so ask your provider about setting up an exam.
Erin Yates, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner, received her Master of Science in Nursing degree from George Washington University in 2018. She cares for patients in the Columbia office.
