Posted by Geo (216.112.237.242) on September 04, 2000 at 03:13:28:
Here's what I know, or don't know about my CH, with respect to the suspicion that it may be a chronic infection, and not merely a pain syndrome;
[1]Almost every attack is accompanied by nasal and sinus congestion, swelling of the eye, etc. The end of an attack is usually always marked by a drainage of mucous in the sinuses.
[2]Some attacks are more severe than others and the more severe are usually preceded by the ingestion of certain foods, or decrease in use of certain others.
The more severe attacks, in this case, are accompanied by more severe congestion.
[3]Certain attacks are triggered following nasal and sinus congestion brought on by olfactory hyper-sensitivity to certain odours, such as certain perfumes, burnt materials, or hot food(cooking odours)
or chemicals(chlorine gas, aerosols, etc).
[4]I cannot recall ever having had an attack of any notable severity, if at all, following a dental appointment, or during use of antibiotics to prevent infection following tooth extraction or oral surgery. ab attacks that may've been experienced during this time were not accompanied by heavy mucous drainage, although the sinuses were edemic.
[5]I have had attacks that were not accompanied by any congestion and the sinuses were clear on the side of the pain syndrome. However the pain itself affected mostly the eye in these cases, and while painful, were not as painful as they would've been had they been accompanied by the congestion.
[7]While not delving too deeply into the subject of triggers, I have found that aggrivation or anger has brought on an attack. I have also found that hard laughing has triggered an attack, perhaps due to increased stress in the facial muscles.
[8]The contributary factors of barometric pressure and electromagnetism (which has been observed to cause cellular damage and hence possibly weaken immune responses, which may lead to colds, flu and allergies, etc.)has been discussed here at length. The factor of alcohol, and yeast, has also been discussed here at length. Candida is a yeast infection.
[6]Here is a rather odd observation: During situations of high stress, I have never had an attack. all of the three times I've been arrested and through the system, I've never had an attack, and it seems as though for that duration, the syndrome had vanished, whereas ordinarily, it would occurr every day or every other day. As long as I was in the bullpen, I did not have an attack until after I was released, and it can take up to 72 hours to see a judge.
[7]Finally,and again, without delving too much into treatments and potential treatments, or uses of alternative treatments:
I have found that marijuana has not caused any change in the frequency or intensity of attacks, and at best has contributed to them. On the other hand, I have had
as much as an eight-month remission of attacks during a period in which I was smoking cocaine. while this habit is very dangerouus to the immune system, the heart, and the brain,it does stimulate increased release of dopamine in the brain.Sexual stimulation also does this, hence(all jokes aside)masturbation within minutes of an attack, has aborted it.
Any concurrances or comments are more than welcome.