Headache-Adviser: When “Experts” Can Confuse

An interesting site and blog I came across are at www.headache-adviser.com. The woman who writes and runs the site is a physician assistant practicing in neurology. She says she has “been specializing in headache medicine for over seven years” and lists other qualifications that make her an “expert.”

After that introduction, you’re probably wondering why I’m writing about her and the site and why part of the title of this entry is “When ‘Experts’ Can Confuse.”

The answer is actually pretty darned simple. In “headache medicine,” most specialists follow the gold standard for diagnosing and classifying headache disorders – the International Headache Society’s International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd Edition (ICHD-II).

There are health care professionals who give diagnoses that aren’t part of the ICHD-II, which might not be so confusing but for one detail. They don’t use these diagnoses consistently. One of the most frequently used of these so-called diagnoses is “ocular Migraine.” It’s not part of ICHD-II, and you can find it online used to describe all kinds of different symptoms from a Migraine with a mild visual disturbance to a Migraine that causes full blindness in one eye to any Migraine that has the visual aura, but no pain.

And this is what’s confusing about Migraine-Adviser. I’m not even going to go into the types of headaches she talks about that aren’t in the ICHD-II, but here are some supposed types of Migraines she writes about:

• Vestibular Migraines (She also says, “the name for this is just another name for vertiginous Migraine.”
• Cluster Migraine Variant
• Complex Migraines (She lists weakness on one side of the body as a symptom of “complex Migraine.” A check with a couple of Migraine specialists and researchers verified for me that the only form of Migraine with actual motor weakness as a symptom is hemiplegic Migraine.”
• Ocular Migraine

Oh, and here’s an interesting side note. This “expert” attended the International Headache Society meeting lass month. OK. Well, maybe  she’s unfamiliar with the IHS diagnostic criteria and classification system.

In any case, the point is that it’s disappointing to see sites that could do so much good possibly adding to all the rest of the online confusion instead.

Best,
Arabella ♥

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“No More Migraine?” A Vitamin Cure?

Greetings, dear readers!

Today, I get to report what I consider to be yet another “cure” scam without doing much work. Over on MyMigraineConnection.com, Teri Robert is reporting on “No More Migraine,” yet another cure e-book, from SufferingFromMigraine.com.

It seems that John Benak claims that taking a certain brand of a certain vitamin complex has cured his Migraines. It also seems that he’s so all-knowing that he says it’s safe for everyone, including children. It also seems that he feels that being down on his luck and out of a job entitles him to scam people. What a creep!

But, rather than go into more detail here, I’ll send you to the truth as written by Ms. Robert. Please take a look at her review of “No More Migraine.”

Best,
Arabella ♥

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Migraine and Headache Blog Carnival

The October Migraine and Headache Blog Carnival was posted today on Diana Lee’s Somebody Heal Me. The theme for this month is “Alternative Therapies.”

The purpose of a blog carnival is to bring together bloggers writing on a common theme or issue, then get their work out there for people to read. Diana does a great job of  putting this carnival together, and it features some top Migraine bloggers.

I hope you’ll take some time to read some great Migraine Truths in this month’s carnival. Alternative Therapies: October 09 Headache Blog Carnival.

Thanks for hosting this carnival and keeping it going, Diana! Is there any way you can work “Migraine” into the title of it?

Best,
Arabella ♥

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Closing the Squidoo Saga

I want to remind everyone reading this of   *WHY* I wrote about Squidoo on a blog called Migraine Truth, the purpose of which is, at least in part, to expose sites, products and services that are not in the best interests of the truth about Migraines.

There are entirely too many “lenses” on Squidoo that exist partly, primarily, or solely to sell products such as the Migraine Relief Guide. When I was rating lenses, I was focusing on those that were affiliates selling that “guide,” so I’m going to use it as a prime example of the spam lenses on Squidoo.

From having read it myself and from this review, I know without a doubt that it contains:

• information that is out-of-date
• information that is incorrect
• NO information that can’t be found elsewhere for far fewer $$ or even free

From reading it myself, from that review, and from other bloggers, I also know:

• The same $37 that is charged for the Migraine Relief Guide could be spent in a book store or on Amazon.com to buy two or three excellent Migraine books that would be FAR superior.
• Although sites for the Migraine Relief Guide have sections written or appearing to be written by Elizabeth Hayden, she no longer owns and sells the “book.” It is now owned by someone else.

Anyway, enough time spent on Squidoo. I’ve said what needed to be said about in regards to Migraine truths. I’ve passed information along to you, and that’s what’s important. The people at Squidoo couldn’t care less about a few people, and nothing I could ever say would change that.

Tomorrow will find me writing about something else related to the truth about Migraine disease, and that’s as it should be.

Best,
Arabella ♥

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