Posted by DocGreg (24.131.169.145) on June 17, 1999 at 23:16:13:
In Reply to: Centrifugal force(long) posted by Doug on June 17, 1999 at 10:45:37:
Well, here's a little explanation of how/why the headaches occur with the vasodilitation (at least how I understand it).
There is actually a combination of effects between the nerve (5th cranial nerve, or trigeminal) which malfunctions for some reason, causing dilitation of the arteries (people with migraines occasionally get constriction first - causing the prodrome).
Anyway, when the arteries open up, the blood flow slows down...as you can imagine water flowing slowly through a large hose rather than quickly through a small opening. Blood needs to get around fast to oxygenate well. So when the arteries are inappropriately open, the brain actually gets too little oxygen, not too much. One of the reasons O2 works so well for CHs is that it not only increases the amount of O2 in the blood, but oxygen has some vasoconstrictive (narrowing) properties, also.
So, I honestly think that pulling the blood away from the head might only make things worse, slowing the flow even further.
But I don't see any harm in giving it a try. Next time your wife has a headache, walk over to one of those playgrounds and spin her around. See what happens. If you spin hard enough, she might pass out...just stop. Don't recommend spinning her that hard...but it wouldn't really hurt her (assuming she doesn't fall off! ;)
Good luck...and keep up with the ideas. Let us know if it works!
Greg