DEAR DR. DONOHUE: From time to time, I have headaches that make my life really miserable. I have tried many pain relievers, but none works dependably for me. I have also seen my share of doctors, including neurologists. None of them says these are migraine headaches. None of their suggestions has helped.

A friend, who is into alternative medical treatments, suggests I try biofeedback. What is your opinion of it? Is it a hoax? — B.N.

ANSWER: Biofeedback isn’t a hoax. It has a legitimate role in the treatment of many illnesses and in the control of pain. It’s a way to teach the body how to respond to pain and how to minimize it. It’s an attempt to get the body to heal itself.

If you go the biofeedback route, see a person who is well-trained in this kind of therapy. It requires a professional who knows the techniques and how to apply them. Your family doctor might be able to help you locate such a person.

For people suffering from headaches, the therapist applies sensors to the scalp. They monitor the action of scalp muscles. If the muscles are contracting, as they do in tension headaches, they transmit that information to a screen so it is displayed.

The therapist teaches the person how to relax the contracting muscles. That is seen on the screen, too. With relaxation of the scalp muscles, pain should ease or go away. This doesn’t work in one session. You have to practice the technique until you’ve mastered it.

Biofeedback doesn’t work for all people or for all illnesses. When it is successful, it’s a wonderful way to control pain without resorting to drugs.

TO READERS: Vertigo (dizziness) is a common complaint of many older people. The booklet on that topic presents an outline of vertigo and it treatment. To order a copy, write: Dr. Donohue — No. 801, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I had a panel of blood and urine tests done two weeks ago. Everything was marked “normal,” except for ketones. What are they? — V.S.

ANSWER: The body’s main source of energy is carbohydrates. When the carbohydrate tank is low, the body shifts to fats for energy. An end product of fat metabolism is ketones.

If you’ve missed meals, are dieting or are on a high-protein diet, ketones appear in the urine. They disappear as soon as you resume normal eating.

In diabetes, ketones signal that the diabetic’s blood sugar is rising because there’s not enough insulin to get sugar into cells. That’s something that requires immediate attention.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Does drinking milk increase mucus production? My mother believes it does. She tells me not to give my children milk if they have a cold. — F.K.

ANSWER: Your mother is not alone in her belief. However, there isn’t any evidence that milk increases the production of mucus or thickens it.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: If I hear another person singing the benefits of blueberries, I will throw up. Don’t get me wrong — I like them; I just am tired of hearing about them.

I do have a question. Do the health benefits ascribed to blueberries apply to frozen berries too? — K.S.

ANSWER: Blueberries supply both vitamin C and fiber. Those are definite pluses.

Blueberries are powerful antioxidants. Oxidants are byproducts of cell chemistry that harm body tissues and organs. They’re like rust-makers on metallic products. Antioxidants keep us from rusting.

I imagine that frozen blueberries are as healthful as fresh ones.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com.

Copy the Story Link