Migraines For Dummies (For Dummies

by Diane Stafford, Jennifer Shoquist

Handy Pocket Edition! Find out how to relieve symptoms and manage migraines. Don't let migraines disrupt your life! Explanations in plain English. "Get in, get out" information. Icons and other navigational aids. A dash of humor and fun. Understand migraine symptoms, use over-the-counter medications, find relief with prescription drugs and make lifestyle changes to minimize migraines.

Genres: Reference, Health, Nonfiction, Medical

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2003

About the author

Diane Stafford is an award-winning writer and editor who is known for her lively, upbeat writing style. She has been featured in dozens of articles and broadcasts nationwide. With a two-year bestseller (50,001 Best Baby Names, Sourcebooks), Stafford has fourteen published books and has sold more than a million books.
Stafford lives near the Pacific Ocean in Newport Beach, California, with her husband, Gregory Munoz, an Orange County superior court judge. Stafford has one daughter, three stepdaughters, and two stepsons.
Some of Stafford's published books include: Migraines For Dummies, Potty Training For Dummies, The Encyclopedia of STDs, No More Panic Attacks, 40,001 Best Baby Names, 50,001 Best Baby Names, 1000 Best Job-Hunting Secrets, Parent's Success Guide to Parenting, The Ultimate Baby Name Book, The Big Book of 60,001 Baby Names, and The Vitamin D Cure (with James E. Dowd, M.D.). Four of these books were co-authored with Stafford's daughter; her job-hunting book co-author was Moritza Day.

Reviews

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Migraines For Dummies" by Diane Stafford and Jennifer Shoquist, MD was published in 2003 and is in desperate need of revision. Although better for patients than no book at all on migraines, this book is geared more for people who live with migraineurs than the migraineurs themselves. The book spends just as much time making jokes than it does giving any reasonably helpful information.

Strengths

There are very few objective migraines books on the market. Most books claiming to be about migraines are actually about a product or questionable medical therapy that claims it can cure migraines. As an overview of the nasty world of migraines, "Migraines For Dummies" does a good job, but not a great job.

One of the strongest points of the book is that both authors suffer from migraines. This brings a sympathetic perspective often lacking in other migraine books. They also can describe a migraine very well so that a person who does not suffer from them get some understanding as to what they are like.

The book has a good list of the types of migraines (types current as of 2003); medications used; a good chapter on alternative therapies and integrating them into conventional medicine and a stellar look at migraine triggers. How migraine triggers work is so complex that perhaps Stafford and Dr. Shoquist should consider "Migraine Triggers For Dummies" for their next book.

Weaknesses

Sadly, the book has a very poor index (which is not the fault of the authors.) The Table of Contents is a better index than the one at the end of the book. The jokes come far too frequently. If the jokes were cut out, then about half the book would be missing. It would be a shame to cut out all of the humor – especially the cartoons by Rich Tennant – but even if a quarter of the jokes were removed, then that could make readers find the information they need a lot quicker.

Also, some dodgy advice is given. In a list as to how a person can help a migraineur suffering from an attack, they recommend bringing the migraineur fast food. This is the worst food that a migraineur can eat, as it is loaded with fat, calories and sugar that may harm the migraineur's overall health. Some migraineurs also have discovered that one of their migraine triggers – is fast food.

In another section, dogs are advised to be kept outdoors if anyone in the household is allergic. Many dogs cannot survive outdoors. Also, there is some (admittedly controversial) evidence that exposing a person to an allergen constantly begins to strengthen that person's immunity to the allergen.

In conclusion, "Migraines For Dummies" is better than most books but needs improvement.

[Sora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mainly 2 stars because it’s so outdated that I should have just left it at the thrift store instead of spending a couple bucks on it. It’s SO OUTDATED that most of its advice is no longer applicable and is so misleading and old thinking that it’s on the dangerously unhelpful side of things. Which I knew could be the chance picking up a book 20 + years old but it still surprised me on how much.

Setting that aside, the book would be considerably shorter if it stopped referring to other chapters in the same book and repeating itself every couple chapters. While the intent was to be easily referenced and allow for selective reading it really ended up making less readable overall.

[Rachael Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of information packed in here but it harps multiple times on the dangers of MSG and even though it says studies are "inconclusive" it still sat with me wrong. There is good information about how to find your own triggers and it is such a personal journey that I didn't feel singling this out so often made any sense.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been disinclined to read any sort of "(Blank) for Dummies", but my neuro doc recommended it, and it fit the bill.

It's well organized information that provided a lot of insight. For example, it's not usually one huge thing that's the trigger, but often the combination of little things. And funny, it reinforced the things that my doctor was already saying - get enough and regular sleep, drink plenty of water, exercise. (Good advice for more than just migraine sufferers, but particularly important for us.)

I did realize I'm luckier than some - I can do intense exercise without it being a trigger, as well as drink red wine, no problem. I do think it might be helpful if I were more vigilant about certain additives in foods.

[Rhubarb · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good overview of types of headache/migraine and what each kind is, causes, and relationships to phsyiology. It didn't tell me anything I didn't know but I'm fairly well-read with the most up-to-date studies from Migraine.com and AHA.

I think it's a good starter manual and full of useful tips and techniques for those searching for more information, and more knowledge is never a bad thing. I liked that it stressed the helpfulness of trying different medications and evaluation by a doctor, even if it doesn't work, since you don't know until you try.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a helpful reference quide for Migraine Headache sufferers. I have had migraines since I was about 12yrs old. I am 58yrs old and still suffer with them!!
It is good to have most of the Migraine information in one easy to read book.