MAGNUM's Terri Miller Burchfield Sheds Light on Compact Fluorescent Lights & Migraines on ABC News TV.
WASHINGTON, DC; FEBRUARY 17, 2008-(Updated)- Tune in Wednesday evening at 5:00EST to ABC News to watch our Legislative Director and Co-Founder Terri Miller Burchfield sit down with ABC News television Reporter Julie Parker as they discuss Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) & Migraines.
This interview about the much discussed Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs as a Migraine trigger is one of the best broadcasts you will see regarding this public health issue. Terri is interviewed by ABC TV News reporter Julie Parker, herself a Migraineur, who asked excellent questions. Although this clip is only a three minute feature with Terri, her daughter Taylor at her side, also a Migraine sufferer, and the reporter it covers many areas not discussed on other TV interviews on CFL's and related concerns of those with disabilities not taken into consideration by the new laws about to take effect.
Dealing With 'Lightbulb Migraines' 
Aired 5:50 pm Wed February 20, 2008 - Washington, DC
Terri (L) looking at Michael John (taking this photo) right before the TV cameras start rolling. ABC reporter Julie Parker (C) going over her notes before the interview begins, filmed at Terri's house. Photo © Michael John Coleman 2008
Those new energy-efficient light bulbs may be keeping your electricity bills down, but some people are reporting one unintended side-effect.
About 12 percent of Americans experience migraines. Some of those 36-million people are finding while they want to help save energy, it's becoming a battle with the bulb.
Wild temperature swings are just one of many migraine triggers for Terri Burchfield. Washington's weather often has her reaching for her medication.
"It can be so severe that I literally crawl up into a ball and just can't move," said Burchfield. 
Besides changing weather patterns Burchfield's discovered something else that can spark the severe pain: compact fluorescent bulbs.
I noticed a lot of eye fatigue and eye fatigue for me is a trigger for migraine. It can lead directly into nausea and mixed with other triggers can trigger a very bad migraine," she said.
Burchfield had one of the energy efficient bulbs on her desk at work-and quickly removed it after the light's flickering bothered her.
That's a common complaint according to neurologist Marc Schlosberg.
"Migraine is not just head pain. Migraine is a whole syndrome," said Dr. Schlosberg. "One of the most important parts of this syndrome is sensitivity to light. So it can be sensitivity to glare. It can be sensitivity to flicker. It can be sensitivity to some-certain colors of light," he said."
Migraine experts say people who don't get the severe headaches don't see the flicker. A 60-watt energy-efficient bulb affected Burchfield's eyes while a much brighter 100-watt standard bulb did not.
She says she wants to do her part to save the planet, but not at the cost of her health. "My goal is to mitigate triggers. There's triggers I can control and there's triggers I can't control," said Burchfield."
Burchfield has no control over the U.S. government's new energy reform law. It's scheduled to effectively phase out most incandescent bulbs nationwide within six years. She and thousands of others like her, are wincing, anticipating all those headaches to come.
"It's just really hard to function. It hurts! It hurts everywhere!," she said.
Manufacturers say the newer bulbs have been improved. Sylvania says there is no scientific evidence showing that otherwise healthy people can get migraines from energy-efficient bulbs. Sylvania says it manufactures flicker-free light bulbs.
To view this ABC TV News feature click here or click the photo of Terri looking at you before the interview at the beginning of this text report from WJLA ABC News.
Note from the editor:
MAGNUM has requested ANY such studies Sylvania might have to support that NO such evidence exist that "otherwise healthy people can get migraines from energy-efficient bulbs". MAGNUM assumes when Sylvania says otherwise healthy people, would that not exclude Migraineurs as they suffer from a pre-existing disease. Migraine is a complex disorder involving the brain and the blood vessels around the brain and head. A Migraineur's brain may become hyperactive in response to certain environmental triggers such as light or smells for reasons that are not known. The scientific community generally agrees this starts a series of chemical changes that irritate the pain sensing nerves around the head and cause blood vessels to expand and leak chemicals which further irritate the nerves.
In short a Migraineurs brain is wired differently, their brains have low levels of energy, which causes hypersensitivity to things like light or noise. Studies show that people who take more magnesium than they need have fewer Migraines. Magnesium also combats hypersensitivity in the brain, and it has been shown to decrease Migraine pain. By the way riboflavin, otherwise known as Vitiamin B2 gives your brain more energy, which is why it is recommended as a major other-the-counter Migraine preventive treatment. Ironically health reporters at ABC News did a story on "Alternative Therapies for Migraine Sufferers" which touched on some of this material.
The bottom line is the light bulb industry is eager to shut down incandescent bulb production to increase profits. Yes we can get away with losing ninety percent of the incandescent bulb production to save energy and help save the planet, but we need to keep a small selection of incandescent bulbs available to save Migraineurs, Lupus sufferers, and other photo-phobic burdened disabled Americans.
I did not know there was a correlation between the two. Do CFL's increase the chance of migraines?
Posted by: Curtis | Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 06:39 PM
I am a proud greener. Infact Earth Day is my birthday (love it). I plant trees, ride the bus, recycle and buy things that have low impact.
I bought these bulbs when they first came out (well when I first learned they helped the planet) which was about 2002 (ok, it took me a minute to learn). We had them for several years until just about 2 yrs ago when my "headaches" got worse. I was diagnosed with migraines and had to start looking at all possible triggers (things that I can tell set them off). I went through my diet and had to take out several healthy things because they were contributing. Still having a hard time, my sister recomended looking at my light bulbs and changing them to "GE Reveal" because the color they cast is better for some people. I switched the house out (livingroom, bedroom, bathroom) and within a month or 2 I noticed they had actually gotten a little less severe and frequent. The reason it takes this long is because you have to compare months of journaling against at least 1-2 full months to see a trend. And I saw one.
I was sad because I wasnt going to be able to save mother earth this way AND my electric bill going back up. But this is the truth for me.
I have several friends who have migraines and their "triggers" arent always the same as mine and vice versa. I also work in drug studies (clinical research for medications prior to FDA approvaL) and can tell you that if only 1 person have a side effect on a study, that is some what dismissed. So if you did a study and only 1 person (or 5 people) got mirgraines with CFL's that doesnt make it not true, it makes it not common AND THERE IS A DIFFERNCE!
So, I worry about the future. I work in a place with lots of flourescent lighting but i have a desk lamp with a REVEAL bulb as my light. I can tolerate CFL's for a few hours (evey up to 7-8) but I get to go home and get a break from them. If this is taken away from me, will I have to stop working and contributing to society? Will I have to go on social security or wellfare? Will I lose my house and car and boat? Will my kids lose their college money?
I LOVE this planet and want to do all I can to preserve it for my grandkids (someday) but at what expense to me, my health, my sanity and pain? There has to be a better way, thats all I am saying. Like (ok, this is crazy) maybe if you had a medical need you could get them. I mean people in CA get medical marijana, why not medical light bulbs??? :-\
Posted by: jami | Friday, September 12, 2008 at 12:39 PM