Brain Awareness Week
March 16-22, 1998
It's hard to imagine a more complex or vulnerable structure than the human brain, yet it's one of the organs people know the least about. To share important information about the brain and its involvement in certain disorders, the following departments at Northwest Hospital will be sponsoring seminars during Brain Awareness Week.
Deke Slayton Center for Brain Cancer Studies, 206-368-6560
Northwest Hospital Gamma Knife Center, 206-368-1626
Northwest Neuroscience Institute, 206-368-6017
Check the list of classes on this page for detailed information.
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Tips for Avoiding Headaches
by Marvin Jay Hoffert, MD
Director of Headache Service, NNI
Preventive
Just like any machine, your body responds to the stressors that are placed on it during its normal routine. You can help to prevent headaches by using these preventive maintenance tips.
Keep yourself healthy. Exercise regularly and eat good meals.
Pace your activities. Recognize what has to be accomplished today and what can be scheduled for tomorrow.
Set aside a twenty-minute relaxation break daily. Sit quietly with your eyes closed, let your muscles relax and give your mind a break from the normal stressors of daily life.
Learn some "mini-relaxations" to use when you can't fit in a full twenty minute session. This can help avoid the buildup of stress.
Resist "unproductive worrying". Recognize the stressors you can change, and change them. But don't obsess or "awfulize" about the things over which you have no control.
Learn to recognize your warning signals: if you can learn what the warning signs are (tightness in your neck and shoulders, jaws clenched tightly, pressure in your temples), you can take quick preventive action to abort the headaches.
During a headache
If you can, stop what you're doing and relax. Take some deep breaths, let your muscles relax and try to focus on reversing the tension that has built up in your muscles.
You can judge how relaxed you are by learning to warm your hands. Just say to yourself, "My hands are warm" as you take slow, relaxing breaths. This will help to clear your mind and relax your muscles.
Use your "mini-relaxation techniques" for those times when you simply can't stop what you are doing. These mini-relaxations can help to diminish the intensity, or slow down the progression of your headache until you get a chance to do a deeper relaxation exercise.
Experiment with ice packs and/or heat packs on tight or sore muscles. Many people get good relief from these simple remedies.
When you get a headache, write down everything that is going on. After several episodes, look at your notes for a common theme, and look for ways to become less vulnerable.
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Brain Surgery Without a Scalpel?
The Gamma Knife Center at Northwest Hospital, the only Gamma Knife facility in a seven-state region, treats patients who have certain brain abnormalities, such as brain tumors, vascular malformations in the brain, Parkinson's disease and trigeminal neuralgia, all without open-brain surgery. Because the treatment uses precisely focused gamma rays instead of surgery, it virtually eliminates the risks of many surgical complicationsÑthere is no anesthesia required, no immediate post-op complications and many conditions can be treated on an outpatient basis. Ron Young, MD, commented, "For many patients, it is the best treatment choice, because it halts the patient's symptoms by using a non-invasive procedure." For more information about Northwest's Gamma Knife Center, call 206-368-1626.
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Comments and suggestions from readers are encouraged. Write to Med-Info Newsletter, public relations department, Northwest Hospital, 1550 N. 115th Street, Seattle, WA 98133 or call 368-1739 during office hours.
Valorie J. Fanger, Editor
Sian Gibby, Writer
Hospital operator: 206-364-0500
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Tips for Surviving a Brain Attack
 Would you know if you were having a stroke? Unfortunately, more than two-thirds of Americans would not, according to the American Heart Association.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death, killing more Americans than either breast or prostate cancer. And it is the number-one cause of adult disability, leaving many survivors partially paralyzed or with severe language handicaps.
Many neurologists and neurosurgeons today prefer the term "brain attack" rather than stroke, emphasizing the similarity to heart attack. When Americans recognize the warning signs of such an attack and act immediately, as they would with a heart attack, they can make a difference not only between life and death, but often between disability and a normal life.
A stroke is an interruption of blood flow to the brain, threatening a shutdown of the body's central operating system. The signs of stroke are usually noticeable:
Weakness, numbness or paralysis, particularly on one side
Dimmed vision or loss of vision
Inability to speak or difficulty under-standing simple statements
A sudden, severe headache
Dizziness or loss of balance
As neuroscientists have gained greater understanding of the brain, stroke survival has improved.
 With new clot-dissolving treatments now available, it is important to get to the hospital immediately and to have an accurate evaluation of the type of stroke that has occurred.
Northwest Hospital is the only Seattle-area hospital to test the promising new drug Ancrod. Ancrod, a clot-dissolving drug derived from the venom of Malaysian pit vipers, eliminates clots slowly, minimizing the risk of brain hemorrhage.
Timing is crucial. Treatment must be initiated within three hours of the onset of a stroke. The earlier therapy is started, the better, but only about 10 to 20 percent of patients get to the hospital within the required three hours.
Initially, patients often tend to ignore or deny the symptoms they are having. It is important to look at the clock, when possible, and note precisely when symptoms begin, and then to call 911, not the doctor.
The best way to maximize the successful treatment of strokes is to become more aware of the symptoms of stroke, in order to act quickly in getting emergency help from a team of medical experts.
For more information, call the MED-INFO nurse consultants at 206-633-4636.
Brain Awareness Week Classes
Parkinson's Disease and Tremors: Learn up-to-date information about these conditions including descriptions, current medical and surgical treatments, rehabilitation and support. Taught by a physician, physical therapist and speech therapist. March 16, 7-9pm. Lindsay Gould Auditorium. FREE.
Learn How to Control Your Migraine: A Northwest Hospital physician and noted expert in headaches will show you how to help control your migraine headache. March 17, 7-9pm. Lindsay Gould Auditorium. FREE.
Brain AttackÑStroke Prevention and Awareness: A Northwest Hospital physician and physical therapist will present information on the latest recommendations for stroke prevention, recognition and awareness. March 19, 5-7pm. Lindsay Gould Auditorium. FREE.
Severe Facial Pain Disorder: Many people with severe facial pain have a condition called trigeminal neuralgia. Our physician and nurse experts will discuss this condition and current treatment options. April 7, 7-9 pm. Lindsay Gould Auditorium. FREE.
Community Classes
Unless noted, use the registration form on this page. Call 368-1621 for more information. Registration is required for all classes.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Learn lifesaving skills from Medic II personnel. Held on the second Monday of the month, 7-10pm. Lindsay Gould Auditorium. Registration required. FREE.
Cholesterol-An Update: Health-care professionals will provide information on recommended levels of cholesterol, dietary management and other treatments. April 2, 7-9 pm. Lindsay Gould Auditorium. FREE.
Fresh Start Quit Smoking: This five-part Monday & Wednesday class from the American Cancer Society focuses on skills to help you stop smoking and remain a non-smoker. Includes telephone follow-up. Starts April 6, 7:30-8:45pm, Rm. D170. $45.
Living Well with Diabetes: In this 15-hour series, you will be given information and skills to manage your diabetes on a daily basis. Topics include home blood glucose monitoring, diet, medications and exercise. Call for cost information.
Baby? Maybe: Designed to help you in the decision-making process of whether or not to become a parent. Covered are personal values, impact on your lifestyle, economic and health considerations and family communications. March 11 - 25, 7-9pm. Cost: $70 per couple; $50 per individual.
Childbirth Classes: Prenatal education programs are available for the whole family, and classes are specifically designed to meet the needs of first time parents, grandparents and siblings. Refresher classes are also available for experienced expectant parents who would like a review of the labor process, coping techniques and options. Call educational services at 368-1621 and request a brochure or look for detailed descriptions on the website at www.babyhospital.org.
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