Migraine
The images in the commercial flash by, each on screen for a fraction of second.
A video sequence that might be an annoyance for some is downright painful for Debbie Halverson. Within minutes, the Bellingham, Wash., woman's head starts to feel odd. Normally pleasant smells become irritating. Light starts to bother her eyes. And then the throbbing head pain starts.
"It's not all TV," says Halverson, 36. "It usually happens if I'm watching in the dark and they flash a bunch of images. Or if the screen goes quickly from dark to light."
For some migraine sufferers, watching TV, as well as working on the computer, can trigger a severe headache. But there are ways to elude migraine pain without living an unplugged existence.
TV viewing or computer work can trigger or exacerbate headaches in several ways, says Dr. Fred Freitag, associate director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago. "For some people the problem is eye strain," Freitag says. "For others, it is the light from the TV or the computer screen. Migraine sufferers' nervous systems tend to be more hyper-reactive than those of people who don't get these headaches."
What this means, Freitag says, is that bright light and quick flashing images can set off a cascade of events in the brain that ultimately culminate in a migraine.
Studies have shown that migraine sufferers are particularly affected by blue wavelength light, Freitag says, and that happens to be one of the common background colors for computer screens.
So a simple solution is to change the background color of the screen or to wear glasses that block out blue light, Freitag says.
Rapid changes from dark to light can also be a problem, and not just with TVs.
"If you're driving through a wooded area and the sunlight is shining through the gaps in the trees, you get a sort of strobe effect," Freitag explains. "This can trigger migraines in some people."
Too many hours reading text on the computer can lead to eye strain, says Dr. Steven Galetta, professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center in Philadelphia. This problem worsens with age as it becomes harder and harder to focus on close objects.
One way to counteract this problem is to give your eyes a break every 15 to 20 minutes by looking away from the computer and at something in the distance, Galetta says.
Exercises for the eyes
You can also do eye-strengthening exercises.
"We call them pencil push exercises," Galetta adds. "Hold the pencil in front of your face and slowly bring it towards your nose as you focus on the eraser. Move the pencil back and forth for approximately five minutes. It's like training any muscle that you want to make stronger."
The way you sit at your computer can also make a difference. If the monitor is set too high, it may lead to neck strain, which in turn may lead to head pain.
"If you're looking up at your computer monitor, your head may be extended backwards and that can put a lot of stress on the big muscles of the neck," Galetta says. "You want to make sure that (the center of) your computer monitor is a little lower than your eyes."
Freitag agrees. "Check to see that, ergonomically, your work station is OK," he says. "You want to make sure that you're not putting undue stress on the neck and shoulders, which could also serve as a mechanism to help trigger migraines."
A video sequence that might be an annoyance for some is downright painful for Debbie Halverson. Within minutes, the Bellingham, Wash., woman's head starts to feel odd. Normally pleasant smells become irritating. Light starts to bother her eyes. And then the throbbing head pain starts.
"It's not all TV," says Halverson, 36. "It usually happens if I'm watching in the dark and they flash a bunch of images. Or if the screen goes quickly from dark to light."
For some migraine sufferers, watching TV, as well as working on the computer, can trigger a severe headache. But there are ways to elude migraine pain without living an unplugged existence.
TV viewing or computer work can trigger or exacerbate headaches in several ways, says Dr. Fred Freitag, associate director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago. "For some people the problem is eye strain," Freitag says. "For others, it is the light from the TV or the computer screen. Migraine sufferers' nervous systems tend to be more hyper-reactive than those of people who don't get these headaches."
What this means, Freitag says, is that bright light and quick flashing images can set off a cascade of events in the brain that ultimately culminate in a migraine.
Studies have shown that migraine sufferers are particularly affected by blue wavelength light, Freitag says, and that happens to be one of the common background colors for computer screens.
So a simple solution is to change the background color of the screen or to wear glasses that block out blue light, Freitag says.
Rapid changes from dark to light can also be a problem, and not just with TVs.
"If you're driving through a wooded area and the sunlight is shining through the gaps in the trees, you get a sort of strobe effect," Freitag explains. "This can trigger migraines in some people."
Too many hours reading text on the computer can lead to eye strain, says Dr. Steven Galetta, professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center in Philadelphia. This problem worsens with age as it becomes harder and harder to focus on close objects.
One way to counteract this problem is to give your eyes a break every 15 to 20 minutes by looking away from the computer and at something in the distance, Galetta says.
Exercises for the eyes
You can also do eye-strengthening exercises.
"We call them pencil push exercises," Galetta adds. "Hold the pencil in front of your face and slowly bring it towards your nose as you focus on the eraser. Move the pencil back and forth for approximately five minutes. It's like training any muscle that you want to make stronger."
The way you sit at your computer can also make a difference. If the monitor is set too high, it may lead to neck strain, which in turn may lead to head pain.
"If you're looking up at your computer monitor, your head may be extended backwards and that can put a lot of stress on the big muscles of the neck," Galetta says. "You want to make sure that (the center of) your computer monitor is a little lower than your eyes."
Freitag agrees. "Check to see that, ergonomically, your work station is OK," he says. "You want to make sure that you're not putting undue stress on the neck and shoulders, which could also serve as a mechanism to help trigger migraines."
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