Why migraines are often undiagnosed | Letters
Dr Sally Cheseldine reflects on the experience of people who cannot articulate their pain and the significance of cravingsDuring my clinical career, I noticed that migraine was rarely diagnosed in...
By Guardian Staff · The Guardian Opinion
Dr Sally Cheseldine reflects on the experience of people who cannot articulate their pain and the significance of cravings During my clinical career, I noticed that migraine was rarely diagnosed in individuals with severe intellectual disabilities or autism who were non-verbal and therefore unable to say that they had a sore head ( Letters, 24 July ). Instead, there was a high level of damaging head-banging, something that others say they feel tempted to do if they don’t have access to rapid pain relief for their migraine. I was interested in the suggestion that cravings for cheese might be caused by migraine ( The truth about migraines: what causes them – and how to find relief, 19 July ). Cheese contains tryptophan, and it was shown in the 1990s ( McDougle et al ) that people with severe autism who had very low levels of tryptophan showed dramatic increases of several stereotypic behaviours, including banging. Continue reading...