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The Wisconsin State Journal Susan Lampert Smith Column: Why All the Aching Heads in Madison?

Posted on: Saturday, 3 June 2006, 06:00 CDT

By Susan Lampert Smith, The Wisconsin State Journal

May 25--We're so special here in Madison I could just throw up. But first, turn out the light. And put a pillow over my head. At least there's company for my misery. It turns out we're not only the best city for biking and walking -- as well as brainy, active, romantic and friendly to gays, vegetarians and the biotechnology industry -- if you believe our recent rankings. But now comes a rating that jabs like a railroad spike through the old eyeball: Madison is a migraine hotspot. In fact, we lag only behind Cincinnati for the title of Headache Capital of America. Surprisingly, this seems to have nothing to do with politics or the media here in Madison.

Now, I admit that the genesis of this study is suspicious. It was funded by Ortho-McNeil, the makers of a migraine preventive drug. Still, the demographics put together by Bert Sperling of www.bestplaces.net do have the painful ring of truth. The Madison lifestyle is rich with factors known to contribute to migraines: vigorous exercise, changeable weather and our love affair with alcohol, cheese, chocolate, sour cream, cola and sausage

. In other words, pretty much the typical Wisconsin diet. Weather is another key to understanding why our heads hurt. The "migraine belt" takes in much of the humid heartland. It's bordered by Madison on the north and Little Rock, Ark., on the south; five of the top 10 migraine cities are in Ohio or Tennessee. None are on the coasts. Madison headache expert Dr. Allan Rifkin said that changes in barometric pressure trigger headaches. Another part of our lifestyle is certainly a factor: widespread use and misuse of alcohol. Rifkin, who treats UW-Madison students at University Health Services, said the typical college student's lifestyle fuels our massive municipal migraine. Long nights of studying and stress, followed by exercise and alcohol can be tough on even the hardiest of youth. Madison also hit the top of the list for prescriptions of migraine drugs, something Rifkin attributes to a high level of education here among doctors, who recognize migraines that others might misdiagnose as sinus or stress headaches. Interestingly, Topamax, the migraine prevention drug manufactured by Ortho-McNeil, is an old epilepsy drug that is also finding use for treatment of drug and alcohol abuse. It causes weight loss by dampening appetite. Rifkin, who used to work at UW Hospital's headache clinic, called the drug "a blessing" for people whose lives are ruined by migraines. But even if there's the perfect drug for our woes -- even one that will kill our love for beer and sausages -- I still have a question. How can a city that rated so high on so many factors cause such bad headaches? Maybe it's because one person's Shangri-La is another's black hole of Cold Cutt-a. Sperling, of the Internet ranking site, said he remembers a correspondence from a Madison resident angry that his city did so well in another ranking: "He said, 'How can you rank Madison so high? I'm a political and fiscal conservative and I'd have to say that living here is hell." Ooh. Maybe that's what makes our heads hurt. First the swelling from all the high rankings, then the deflation from the local critics. Pass the painkillers. ----- Copyright (c) 2006, The Wisconsin State Journal Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: The Wisconsin State Journal

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