Update on Namrita

I heard from Namrita in the afternoon.After the MRI and examination the neurologist diagnosed her as having hemicrania headaches. It is a rare but treatable disorder . Praise God it is not something worse than that.

I found some information about hemicrania on the web.

Hemicrania continua is considered a primary headache disorder, meaning that it's not caused by another condition. Fortunately, it is a rare but treatable disorder. According to the International Headache Society's (IHS) International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd Edition, hemicrania continua is a "persistent strictly unilateral headache responsive to indometh The IHS diagnostic criteria for hemicrania continua is: Headache for more than 3 months fulfilling criteria B–D All of the following characteristics: unilateral pain without side-shift daily and continuous, without pain-free periods moderate intensity, but with exacerbations of severe pain At least one of the following autonomic features occurs during exacerbations and ipsilateral to the side of pain: conjunctival injection and/or lacrimation nasal congestion and/or rhinorrhoea ptosis and/or miosis Complete response to therapeutic doses of indomethacin Not attributed to another disorder Hemicrania continua usually presents a mild to moderate daily headache. However, along with the daily, one-sided headache, it also causes exacerbations of more severe headache, which occurs on the same side as the daily headache and is characteristic of migraine pain. These more severe episodes can last from 45 minutes to days. During these exacerbations, symptoms of other disorders may be present: Migraine symptoms: throbbing pain nausea and/or vomiting phonophobia ( not able to stand noise) photophobia Cluster headache symptoms: conjunctival injection and/or lacrimation nasal congestion and/or rhinorrhoea ptosis and/or miosis The factor that allows hemicrania continua and its exacerbations to be differentiated from migraine attacks and cluster headaches is that hemicrania continua is completely responsive to indomethacin. Triptans and other abortive medications do not affect hemicrania continua. The cause of hemicrania continua is unknown. As with migraine disease and many other headache disorders, there is no definitive diagnostic test for hemicrania continua. Tests such as an MRI may be performed to rule out other causes for the headache. When a patient has the symptoms of hemicrania continua, it's considered "diagnostic" if they respond completely to indomethacin.

L-R Namrita, Anjali, Mama and Mahima (1996 summer)

Please continue to pray for Namrita. In His sovereignty God can heal her completely. We all have our "thorn in the flesh" something which God uses to keep us close to Himself.

If anyone reading this has more information about this disorder and its pain management please pass on your valuable information to me.