Sciencenews.org has a very interesting story about the accidental result of surgery to close a patent foramen ovale (PFO), which is a hole between the upper chambers of the heart that all fetuses have, but that are supposed to close over on their own after the baby is born. In the U.S., complete closure doesn’t occur in 25% of the population.
The accident is that the patients report being cured of migraine headaches. Although comprehensive studies have yet to be done, the theory is that the hole allows foreign objects in the blood like air bubbles, clots or dissolved chemicals to bypass the lungs where they would be exhaled or broken down, and head straight up to the brain, causing migraines, and eventually, strokes. It’s the stroke victims that have had this procedure done that are reporting migraine relief.
I’ve suffered from headaches and migraines my entire life; I can’t pretend not to find this extremely interesting.
#1 by Susan at August 29th, 2005
I have had 3 to 5 migraine headaches every month since 1981. My headaches seem to be hormonal, but the information on the heart was intriguing. I have Mitral Valve Prolapse. I wonder if the floppiness of the Mitral Valve could do the same thing that the hole in the heart is doing.
Anybody know?
Susan
#2 by Jennifer at November 28th, 2005
I just heard about PFO last week after my uncle read about it. Then I started doing some research into it. It’s very interesting. I have suffered from migraines my whole life…I remember getting them even before starting kindergarten. I’m now 24. I sometimes have a headache every day of the week. No one has ever found a reason for them. Just last year I was found to have an irregular heartbeat. Now I am wondering if the two things are linked.
#3 by carolin at June 29th, 2008
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