Do you know about headaches and MCAS? You might not know that headaches are a common mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) symptom. This post discusses headaches as related to MCAS, and some ways to address them.
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Headaches and MCAS
There are several factors that make headaches and migraines common for people with MCAS:
- Mast cell activation can cause headaches and migraines.
- Mast cell mediators can affect how much blood is getting to the head and brain, which can cause pain.
- Mast cell reactions themselves can cause headaches and migraines.
What is MCAS?
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a chronic condition that affects all organ systems. MCAS is serious and disabling and people with MCAS experience often significant and debilitating symptoms daily, including anaphylaxis, which can be fatal.
MCAS is often found in combination with other chronic conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
Frequently healthcare providers do not know about MCAS, and the tests for MCAS are problematic because they are not uniformly reliable. MCAS can be difficult to manage. Treatments include blocking mast cell mediators with anti-histamines and mast cell stabilizers, as well as avoiding triggers.
Check out this post on how to manage MCAS.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1054475700229994536/The bucket theory
The Bucket Theory offers a helpful analogy for understanding symptom reactions with MCAS.
Think of your body as an empty bucket that you want to keep from overflowing. Different foods and activities fill your histamine bucket at different speeds but combine to form the total level of histamine in your body (how full your bucket is). A fuller bucket means you have more histamine symptoms. When you manage triggers, reduce exposure to known triggers, and take medications and supplements to reduce histamine, you can manage the level of your bucket.
Evaluating your symptoms for headaches and MCAS
So if you have a headache, the place to start with your inquiry is with your symptom progression.
If headaches are part of your symptom progression then the next level of inquiry would be to note any other symptoms you are experiencing, whether you have had any triggering events such as new foods or environmental exposures (pollen, car exhaust, heat or cold, emotional stress, etc.)
Know your typical symptom progression
One of the keys to understanding the level of your bucket is knowing your symptom progression. It is helpful to keep track of the symptoms you are having and to evaluate whether they are escalating. Symptom escalation means that the level of your bucket is rising.
Knowing your symptom progression in a symptom flare is the key to developing your own rescue plan. In this post, I discuss how to determine your own symptom progression. Once you know what typically happens in your symptom progression you can design a rescue plan to address those symptoms.
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Atmospheric pressure headaches and MCAS
One of the first places I look at when I have a headache is the weather app on my phone. Why? I am sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure, and if the pressure is going up or down I am likely to have a headache.
Stable high or low atmospheric pressure is not as much of an issue. It is the change in atmospheric pressure that seems to cause headaches.
Healthline says, “Barometric pressure headaches occur after a drop in barometric pressure. They feel like your typical headache or migraine, but you may have some additional symptoms, including nausea and vomiting, increased, sensitivity to light, numbness in the face and neck, and pain in one or both temples.”
See my other post on Atmospheric Pressure Changes and MCAS.
Hormonal changes as a cause of headaches and MCAS
The next place I look for the cause of a headache is hormonal changes. Hormonal changes are implicated in headaches in normal people, and having MCAS adds another layer of complexity to the situation. Mast cells are highly reactive to hormonal changes because
In addition, many people who have MCAS also have estrogen dominance. Estrogen dominance is an imbalance in the ratio of estrogen to progesterone. To put it in simple terms, when you have proportionally more estrogen than progesterone then you have estrogen dominance. If you notice that your MCAS symptoms worsen at certain parts of your menstrual cycle, you might have estrogen dominance because estrogen triggers mast cell activation. One way to determine if you do have estrogen dominance is testing. There are several methods of testing, each with its pros and cons. According to Mast Cell 360, the most accurate testing is Dutch hormone testing.
Headache remedies
The first line of defense against a headache is keeping your bucket at an appropriate level. If I noticed that my symptom progression had begun then I would begin to take the medications and supplements in my rescue plan. That way my mast cells are less reactive and not adding to the problem.
The second tactic I use with headaches is homeopathy. I discuss homeopathy in this post. When I have a headache I typically take an extra dose of my constitutional remedy. You want to work with a trained homeopath to have the appropriate constitutional remedy prescribed for your particular body.
The next tactic I use with headaches is supplements. Depending on the level of my bucket, I might be able to tolerate an herbal tincture in an alcohol base, like Herb Pharm Head Soother. Another option that I have used is Migra Eze, though if my bucket is too full I can’t tolerate it.
For migraines, I typically drink some extra homemade electrolyte powder in my water, put on my EMF shielding hat, and close my eyes for a while.
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Sign up for the SSP!
If you are dealing with chronic illness, concussions, or trauma, the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a listening therapy based on Polyvagal Theory that helps heal nervous system dysregulation. Many people with MCAS and other chronic conditions have nervous system dysregulation stemming from infections, toxic exposures, concussions, and trauma. The SSP is an easy-to-use app where you listen to specially filtered music for 30 minutes each day for a 5-hour cycle. Studies show the SSP has a profound effect on mental health and chronic conditions
You can sign up for the SSP here!
Heal your mind!
While the SSP is a bottom-up or somatic therapy for healing the nervous system, the Sacred Self-Healing Method I offer is a top-down nervous system healing modality that focuses on cognition, attention, perception, and emotion, using the mind’s higher functions. The SSP and the Sacred Self-Healing Method complement each other and together produce lasting results.
I provide one-on-one in-person and remote chronic illness and caregiver coaching and Sacred Self-Healing Sessions based on the Sacred Self-Healing Method, a proven novel co-creative healing modality detailed in my Books.
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Rocks and Roots chronicles my journey solo backpacking the Superior Hiking Trail and overcoming nervous system dysregulation, gut dysbiosis, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome symptoms to hike 328 miles successfully.
The Sacred Self-Healing Method ebook is available here and in most ebook retailers!
The Sacred Self-Healing Workbook is available for purchase here!
Betsy’s first book, Sacred Self-Healing: Finding Peace Through Forgiveness, is available here
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The companion audio recordings of chants, guided meditations, and sound healing demonstrations that accompany Sacred Self-Healing: Finding Peace Through Forgiveness are available to download for free here
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Disclaimer
The preceding material does not constitute medical advice. This information is for information purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, cure or treatment. Always seek advice from your medical doctor.
