my head hurts

I've been getting migraines since my early 20's. Fortunately, the frequency and intensity has decreased as years go by as I have been able to weed out many of the factors that trigger them. Stress is a big factor, as is diet and certain physical activities (i.e. anything that has to do with a lot of stress on my arms like rock climbing or water skiing, for some weird reason). Sometimes I just seem to get them for no reason at all. The visual aura part of the headache comes first and would be really kind of cool if the pain and nausea didn't go along with it. I've had to pull over to the side of the road when driving because my vision is so blurred. It sucks. But, like I said, I've been doing better on the headache front as time goes by.

I bring this topic up because I was reading an article in the NY Times Magazine this past weekend about a guy (a guy from MST3K, by the way) that has had a headache DAILY for the past 20 years! (oh, and I have a headache right now.) He has seen doctors about it and they all say basically the same thing: "bummer, dude." Twenty friken years! I've read a lot about headaches over the years and the medical community really doesn't know all that much about why we get them. Sinus headaches make sense - pressure causes pain - but migraines and everyday headaches are still a mystery. When I was really having trouble with the migraines, I tried a myriad of medications without success. (One med caused me to have stroke-like symptoms and projectile vomiting. Fun city.) Now I just let them run their course while hiding in my room under the covers. If I were still having them often, I would definitely try acupuncture.

I guess I'm writing about this because I am distracted by the complexity of the human body and our ability or, as in this case, our inability to figure out how it all works. House is my favorite TV show and I have been known to watch forensic shows for hours at a time. NY Times Magazine has a medical mystery article once a month or so and I pride myself on trying to figure out what's wrong with the patient! The one they had last week was something that House diagnosed this past season so I knew what it was! What a dork I am. If only I could use these powers for good! My head really hurts now.