Can’t believe we are in June already. With everything happening around us, it seems like time…days….and months are just running together. While I talk Scoliosis and Migraines all the time to bring some awareness to these pains, June is awareness month for both.

Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that tends to happen just before puberty. It has been found to be most common in females and most cases are mild. Although some cases become more severe, more curved. It has also been seen to be hereditary in some children. There hasn’t been an exact cause found yet.

Some symptoms:

• Uneven shoulders
• Uneven hips and waist
• Having a shoulder blade that sticks out
• Ribs that stick out more obviously on one side

Some schools do Scoliosis spine checks, and Doctors do them at well visit checks. Scoliosis curves are also closely monitored with x-rays to make sure the curve doesn’t get worse. In some cases, children will need to wear a brace to keep the curve from getting worse. And in severe cases a spinal fusion will be needed to correct the curve.

Scoliosis is disabling and affects the entire body, not just the spine and back. When the spine starts to curve, it twists and rotates the ribs too thus affecting the organs around it. It reduces the space in the chest and limits the capacity for the lungs to function properly. And no two Scoliosis cases are alike, which makes it difficult to treat, and research.

Scoliosis Awareness Day is June 27.

June is also an important awareness month for Migraines and headaches. Those suckers huuurrtttt! For serious. I have been hospitalized more for migraines, than my Scoliosis.

Migraines can have severe throbbing or pulsating on one side of your head. Yes, migraines differ from person to person. Because the throbbing killer head pain isn’t enough, other pals that come to the party are:

• Nausea
• Vomitting
• Sensitivity to light, sounds, and smell

Migraine attacks last anywhere from hours to days. The pain ranges too. You can function through it, or need to be in a dark quiet room. Sometimes, some people experience what is called an aura which is like a warning that a migraine is coming. An aura can be visual disturbance like flashing lights, or something like tingling on your face, arms or legs. Some migraneurs also experience difficulty speaking and trouble focusing.

Taking the right medication at the right time is life changing. Migraines are one of THE toughest pains to get rid of. If you wait too long to take something, the harder it is to get rid of. It’s stubborn.

A migraine goes through 4 stages, although not everyone experiences all of them: Prodome, Aura, Attack, Post-Drome.

PRODOME

A few days before your migraine, you might notice a few changes. It might be good to write things down to see if you can notice a pattern that way you can be prepared.

Some might be: Constipation, food craving, thirst, mood swings, frequent yawns. But again, everyone may experience different things if this stage at all.

AURA

This second stage is tricky because it can be experienced before or during the migraine. It is a reversible symptom of the nervous system. It is mostly visual but it can happen with other disturbances. Each symptom begins gradually and builds up lasting up to 60 minutes.

Some Aura examples:

• Seeing spots, flashes, shapes
• Losing vision in one eye
• Facial or body numbness
• Difficulty speaking

ATTACK

This stage is the horrific part. This is when the pain hits. Some migraines are 4 hours to 3 days. But I have experienced it for a whole week several times a month, which is considered rare.

POST-DROME

This is the migraine hangover as I call it. Because you feel EXHAUSTED! But sometimes it also brings on another migraine which is just a bad.

Migraines, headaches, anything that causes head pain is nothing to be taken lightly. If you get them too often or they come on suddenly PLEASE seek some medical care immediately.

Soooo little is known about migraines. Since again, everyone has different triggers, symptoms, length of pain, and treatments. So I try and share my experience as much as possible since my case has been considered a rare form of migraines.

Migraine Awareness Day is June 29.

I will be sharing more throughout the month but wanted to just touch on both because they are super close to me. I have suffered with Scoliosis since I was in Elementary, and Migraines since my second Spinal Fusion and many people close to me including my son and my best friend. I hate to watch them suffer silently and I wish I there was something else that could be done.

-g