H1N1 Health Alert: Children With Asthma At Greater Risk From H1N1 Influenza

Children with asthma are at greater risk to develop serious symptoms from H1N1 (swine) flu than from seasonal flu, according to a new study. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a new Canadian study found that children hospitalized with H1N1 were more likely to have asthma (22%) compared to children hospitalized with seasonal flu (6%). However, severity of asthma did not seem to affect risk for H1N1. Children with asthma are among the high-risk groups the CDC has recommended be top priority to receive the H1N1 vaccine. Vaccination is the best protection against both H1N1 and seasonal influenza, and parents and caregivers of children with asthma are recommended to have their children vaccinated. To find out where to get an H1N1 or seasonal flu vaccination, visit http://www.flucliniclocator.org or contact your local department of health.

Parents of children with asthma should monitor their child’s health closely for signs of influenza. Symptoms of influenza include:

- Sudden onset of high fever
- Headache, muscle aches and joint pain
- Cough (usually dry)
- Chills
- Sore throat
- Nasal congestion and runny nose

Read more

What Are Cluster Headaches? What Causes Cluster Headaches?

Cluster headaches (also used in singular: headache), also nicknamed suicide headaches, occur several times a day, they come on unexpectedly, do not last long, and are generally very painful. The pain is usually intense, and sometimes only on one side of the head. Frequently, the sufferer also feels pain around the eye.

A cluster-headache sufferer can wake up during the night because of the pain. Often, this occurs at the same time each night. The eye on the painful side of the head may be reddened and watery. The individual’s nose may be runny or blocked on the side of the nose where the pain is.

In northern countries cluster headaches tend to occur more frequently during the autumn (fall) and spring. Alcohol or extreme variations in temperature can trigger an episode during a cluster period – generally, the change in temperature refers to a rapid rise in body temperature.

Cluster headache attacks occur cyclically, hence the name. A bout of regular attacks – cluster periods – can last from a few days, weeks, to even months. This is followed by remission periods during which no headaches are felt.

Cluster headaches are not very common – they are said to affect about 1 in every 1,000 people. They affect men more often than women; about 80% of sufferers are men, most of them smokers. Fortunately, they generally have no long-term effects on the sufferer’s physical health. There are drugs, such as sumatriptan, and therapies, such as oxygen therapy, available which can significantly reduce the number and intensities of headaches. Read more