

Liu Yan Hao

About me
Graduated from Henan University of Chinese Medicine in 2011, majoring in Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine for Brain Diseases, with a master's degree. Since graduation, I have been working in clinical practice in the departments of Brain Diseases, Kidney Diseases, and Rheumatology and Immunology.
Proficient in diseases
Specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, hypertension, dizziness, headache, stroke hemiplegia, kidney disease, rheumatic immune diseases, etc. with a combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Voices

Clinical manifestations of subarachnoid hemorrhage
The clinical manifestations of subarachnoid hemorrhage include severe headache, projectile vomiting, and neck stiffness, sometimes accompanied by disturbances in consciousness. Some describe the headache caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage as the most severe headache of their lives. This severe pain is due to the congestion stimulating the meninges, causing pain that is typically very severe. Because the bleeding into the subarachnoid space allows blood to enter between the pia mater and the arachnoid membrane, stimulating the meninges and leading to these severe headaches, it causes a rapid increase in intracranial pressure and projectile vomiting. Patients may exhibit disturbances in consciousness and symptoms of irritability. This condition is considered a severe medical emergency that requires hospitalization for comprehensive treatment, with strict bed rest for four to six weeks, and it has a very high mortality rate.

Can you drink alcohol with a migraine?
Patients with migraines can appropriately drink some white liquor or beer, which is generally not a problem, but they must not drink red wine. This is because red wine and dairy products, such as cheese, can induce migraine attacks. Additionally, pickled foods like pickled vegetables contain nitrites, which can also trigger migraine attacks; therefore, it is best to avoid pickled foods as much as possible. Typically, before a migraine attack, there is a precursor symptom where vision changes occur. After these precursor symptoms disappear, migraine symptoms emerge. During a migraine attack, oral pain relievers can be taken for symptomatic treatment. Some patients may find relief on their own a few hours after not taking medicine. Symptoms may recur, so it is generally advised to identify and avoid these triggers to prevent migraine attacks.

Symptoms of cerebral infarction
Patients with cerebral infarction may exhibit paralysis of one side of the body and aphasia. If the patient has a brainstem infarction, symptoms may include unclear speech, difficulty swallowing, and coughing while eating. In cases of cerebellar infarction, there may not be symptoms of hemiplegia; the main symptom is usually dizziness. Additionally, large-scale cerebral infarctions can lead to disturbances in consciousness, manifesting as coma. Typically, cerebral infarctions do not affect consciousness unless they are extensive, which may also lead to coma. Moreover, patients with cerebral infarction often experience symptoms while resting quietly, commonly waking up in the morning to find themselves unable to speak or with paralysis on one side of the body, although their consciousness remains clear. These are typical manifestations of cerebral infarction.

Initial symptoms of cerebral embolism
The initial characteristics of cerebral embolism generally include a sudden onset and rapid progression of the condition. It often occurs during physical activity, with the condition reaching a peak in a very short time. Typically, within a short period, this can lead to complete paralysis of limbs on one side, complete loss of speech in some cases, and severe cases may quickly progress into a coma. The development of the condition is quite rapid. Common sources of emboli in cerebral embolism include mural thrombi from the heart and detached plaques from the carotid artery. Carotid artery plaques, especially soft plaques, are prone to detachment, forming emboli that block the cerebral vessels and cause cerebral embolism. Additionally, patients with arrhythmias or atrial fibrillation can easily form mural thrombi on the inner walls of the heart. Once a thrombus detaches, it can block cerebral vessels, leading to cerebral embolism. The affected area in cerebral embolism is relatively large, and the condition is quite severe.

Can I wash my hair if I have a migraine?
Patients with migraines should avoid washing their hair during an attack. Water that is too hot or too cold can stimulate the dilation or spasm of cerebral blood vessels, potentially worsening migraine symptoms. Therefore, it is advised not to wash hair during a migraine attack, though it is fine during remission periods. During a migraine attack, symptomatic oral pain relievers and medications to alleviate vascular spasms can be used for treatment. It is important to prevent migraines by avoiding staying up late and overexertion. Additionally, certain foods known to trigger migraines should be avoided, including foods containing nitrites such as leftovers, pickled vegetables, and other preserved foods which may contain nitrites. Foods like red wine and cheese can also trigger migraines and should be consumed with caution. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

What should I do if I have a migraine attack?
Migraine attacks do not pose a significant risk to one's health. Therefore, during an attack, it is appropriate to take symptomatic oral pain relief and antiemetic medications for treatment, such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules and metoclopramide tablets. These medications provide symptomatic relief. However, it is essential to confirm that the symptoms are due to a migraine and not conditions like cerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage, which are acute cerebrovascular diseases. If it is one of these acute cerebrovascular diseases, taking these pain relievers could delay the diagnosis and treatment of the condition. Migraines are often triggered by certain foods, so it is best to avoid preserved foods, such as pickled vegetables that contain nitrates, which can trigger migraines. Other foods like cheese and red wine can also trigger migraines and should be avoided as much as possible. Additionally, it is important to rest properly, avoid staying up late, and try to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. (Please consult a professional physician before using any medication.)

Cervical vertigo characteristics
Dizziness is a typical symptom of cervical spondylosis, usually exacerbated when the patient turns their head to one side. In a normal person, when turning the head to one side, the vertebral artery on that side might be compressed, but the opposite vertebral artery can compensate by increasing blood flow, preventing cerebral insufficiency and dizziness. Conversely, in a patient with cervical spondylosis, due to osteophyte formation or changes in the curvature of the cervical spine, the vertebral artery on one side may be compressed. When the patient turns their head to the other side, the compressed vertebral artery cannot compensate by increasing blood flow, leading to insufficient cerebral blood supply and an increase in dizziness or the onset of dizziness symptoms. This explains the characteristics and mechanism of dizziness caused by cervical spondylosis.

Symptoms of Migraine
Typical migraine attacks start with prodromal symptoms. Common prodromal symptoms include blurred vision, distorted vision, or the appearance of water-like patterns. Shortly after these symptoms disappear, headache symptoms on one side of the head appear, often accompanied by nausea and in a few cases, vomiting. These symptoms can subside completely within a few hours and can recur. The occurrence of migraines is greatly related to diet, such as pickled foods and leftovers that contain nitrates, which can trigger a migraine attack. It is best to avoid these, as well as cheese and red wine which can also trigger migraines. During a migraine attack, symptomatic oral pain relievers can be used for treatment. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician.)

Can people with cerebral embolism run?
Patients with cerebral embolism can jog moderately, but walking is highly recommended. This is because the common source of the embolus in cerebral embolism patients is a mural thrombus in the heart. The common causes of mural thrombus formation include arrhythmia and atrial fibrillation. Therefore, patients with cerebral embolism, who may also have coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, or cardiac mural thrombus, are not well-suited for running, which is a relatively intense form of exercise. They can jog moderately, but the distance and duration should not be too long. The most recommended form of exercise is walking. Walking is the best form of exercise to prevent worsening the condition after running, and it could also exacerbate coronary artery disease conditions.

What should I do about migraines?
Patients with migraines can temporarily take oral painkillers to alleviate the symptoms, provided that it has been confirmed as a migraine attack, and not a headache caused by acute cerebrovascular diseases such as cerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Typically, before a migraine attack, there may be an aura symptom involving changes in vision, followed by unilateral headache. These symptoms can recur, usually lasting several hours, and they can subside on their own without medication. These are the symptoms of migraines. Generally, migraines do not pose a significant health risk, so patients can temporarily treat it with symptomatic oral pain relief. During remission, it is advisable to take preventive measures such as avoiding staying up late, not overworking, and reducing the frequency of migraine attacks as much as possible.