Kris Letang, defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Stanley Cup winner, also has Migraines. Born in Montreal, Quebec on April 24, 1987, Letang is thought to be by some, one of the NHL's most improved players this year. "Tanger" (his nickname) spends long hours practicing on the ice and works hard. According to assistant coach Todd Reidren, "Kris never stops working or learning." 

Letang's Migraines started when he was about 12-years-old, during the time he played youth hockey. Migraine is a genetic neurological disease thought to be caused by overactive neurons in our brains and genetics, and Kris's mom has Migraines. Some of his Migraine symptoms include vision loss in his left eye, intense nausea, throbbing head pain and vomiting. He knows when he is getting a Migraine attack due to certain visual symptoms, and he can use these as a "warning light" to take his medication to abort the Migrainous process. Some abortive medications include, Imitrex, Axert and Maxalt. To read more about the various abortive, preventive and rescue medications for Migraine, take a look at Preventive, Abortive, and Rescue Medications - What's the Difference?

For more about Letang and his Migraines, see Famous Migraineurs: Kris Letang.

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© The HealthCentral Network, 2011 Last updated February 24, 2011