Summer migraines come on hard and fast. South Florida headache specialists offer new treatments
Published in News & Features
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — On a rainy, hot South Florida day, Sophia Garzon’s head throbs. Hovered over her, Dr. Maike Blaya injects Botox into the young woman’s scalp, jaw, neck, forehead and shoulders. Garzon closes her eyes, willing the Botox to take effect and her painful migraine to ease.
Gonzon, 22, of Boca Raton, spends at least a week a month lying in a dark room, waiting for the pain, light sensitivity and dizziness to go away.
Lately, though, life is a bit better for the up-and-coming recording artist.
Blaya, a headache specialist at the Memorial Neuroscience Institute Headache Center, has found a combination of therapies to relieve Garzon.
When the summer heat arrives, specialists like Blaya see a higher demand for headache relief. According to new research from the University of Cincinnati’s Gardner Neuroscience Institute, rising temperatures can trigger painful migraines and more headache occurrences.
“Weather change is one of the most common trigger factors for migraine,” a news release from the University of Cincinnati asserts.
“About 90% of people can’t function when migraine attacks come on,” Blaya said. “Fortunately, we can do a lot now for patients. For almost everyone who comes to see us, we have something to offer them.”
New discoveries in migraine treatment are bringing some hope this summer to Florida sufferers.
Migraines affect at least 39 million Americans, with women three times as likely to suffer from them than men, according to the American Migraine Foundation. A migraine attack is much more than just an awful headache; it imay include neck pain, nausea, dizziness, and sensitivity to light, sounds and smell. Sufferers often lose entire days, too disabled by the condition to complete daily tasks.
Garzon said her migraines triggers are stress, diet, smells or weather. Some women experience migraines caused by changes in their hormones, coinciding with their menstrual cycle.
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