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What is a Headache?
This problem afflicts almost everyone at some time or the other. Mostly they are functional,
caused by temporary upsets and are not related to any organic changes in the brain. It is often nature’s warning that something is wrong somewhere in the body. The actual pain, however, arises from irritation to nerve endings in the shoulder, neck and scalp muscles and also in the smooth muscles encircling the blood vessels which serve these areas. There are several types of headaches, with as many ways of treating them. Taking an aspirin or
tranquilizer may provide temporary relief but it does not remove the cause. Moreover, the
frequent use of pain-relievers causes nervous debility, weakens the heart and brings on other
complications.
Signs & Symptoms of Headache
What are tension headaches? Tension headaches are caused due to tension in mind. Most people describe it as a constant achy feeling on either side of head. Some people also feel tightness in their head and neck muscles. It often starts in middle of day and begins gradually and slowly. Some people also call it as stress headaches that means when people say that they have stress headaches they mean by saying this that they have tension headache. It may be severe or mild, but when it is severe it sometimes may be more painful and dangerous and do more harm than migraines. How to diagnose? Tension headaches can be analyzed and diagnosed by the inspection of your doctor. Your doctor can tell the nature of your problem by an examining you and studying the description of pain given by you. And to diagnose this problem technique like Blood Tests, X-Ray or brain scans are usually not required. What treatment to take in which situations? When your tension headaches are occasionally then simple pain reliever which can be taken without prescription can be useful. But while choosing these pain relievers you should first of all check the label for possible side effects which may be caused due to interactions with other medicines you are taking. So to avoid any such possibilities you must read the instructions on the label and follow them carefully. If you are still facing any problems regarding how to take the dosage you must consult your reliable doctor or pharmacist. But if your tension headaches are not occasionally and occur everyday or at regular short intervals of time then these pain relievers will not give you the right treatment and so in this type of situation you should consult your doctor this is because the medicine which he will prescribe you will be more beneficial for relieving the pain at the time of these attacks. These medicines referred by your doctor not only help in relieving the pain but sometimes also useful in preventing these headaches to take serious forms. It is always advisable to treat the problem when they are mild before they take some serious forms this is because in earlier stages these headaches can be cured more easily. What other techniques could be useful to relive pain from tension headaches besides using medicines? Besides taking medicines you can also use several other techniques to get relieve from pain in tension headaches. These techniques include: • Take enough sleep or rest • Put an ice pack on your neck or head at the time of these headaches • Regular exercises of 30-60 minutes 6 times a week will be useful in relieving the pain • Take everyday walk after meal or move on a long vacation to relieve yourself from your busy life.
Migraine Headache Migraine is an ancient and formidable malady. It bothered such distinguished persons as Caesar
and Freud. It has assumed alarming proportions under modern conditions of living and is now
believed to afflict about 10 per cent of the world’s population. Migraine can be defined as a paroxysmal affection, accompanied by severe headache, generally
on one side of the head and associated with disorders of the digestion, the liver and the vision. It
usually occurs when a person is under great mental tension or has suddenly got over that state. Migraine is also known as "sick headache" because nausea and vomiting occasionally
accompany the excruciating pain which lasts for as long as three days. Migraine usually gives
warning before it strikes : black spots or a brilliant zig-zag line appears before the eyes or the
patient has blurring of vision or has part of his vision blanked out. When the headache occurs,
the patient may feel tingling, numbness, or weakness in an arm or leg. Migraine sufferers have what is known as a "migrainous personality ". They are compulsive
workers and perfectionists, who feel that they have to do everything right away. When they
complete a task, they are suddenly laid down from a state of temporary tension to a feeling of
utmost relief. Then comes the migraine. It is a purely physiological process. The head and neck
muscles, reacting to continuous stress, become overworked. The tightened muscles squeeze
the arteries and reduce blood flow. When a person relaxes suddenly, the constricted muscles
expand, stretching the walls of the blood-vessel. With every heart beat, the blood being pushed
through this vessels expands them further and causes incredible pain.
What Causes Headache? The common causes of headaches are allergy, emotional reasons, eyestrain, high blood
pressure, hangover, infection, low blood sugar , nutritional deficiency, tension, the presence of
poisons and toxins in the body, and migraine. Allergies, an often unsuspected cause of the problem, vary in different individuals. The foods to which some people are allergic and which
can trigger headaches are milk and milk products, chocolates, chicken liver, alcohol and strong
cheese. Sneezing and diarrhoea are further indications of an allergy . Intense emotions often cause headaches. Many people who outwardly appear to have a
pleasant disposition may actually be simmering about a job, or may bear resentment towards a
person or something. This hidden hostility may manifest itself as headache. It is important,
therefore, that negative feelings should not be bottled up, but should find some safe means of
expressions. Eye-strain is a common cause of headache. IN such cases, an eye specialist should be
consulted and proper treatment taken. Simple eye exercises such as moving the eyes up and
down and from side to side, palming, rotating the head, with neck outstretched, forward and
backward three times, then thrice clockwise and thrice anti-clockwise , can relieve eye-strain. The headache usually starts at the back of
the head on getting up in the morning. A safe method of treatment for this is to immerse your
legs to calf-level in a tub of hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. This draws the blood away from the
head and down to the feet, giving relief from the problem. Many people get a severe headache after consuming alcohol in excess. Alcohol causes the
blood vessels to swell, resulting in a painful headache. The best treatment for this is to avoid
excessive consumption of alcohol. A hangover headache can be avoided by taking a vitamin B-1
( thiamine) tablet with the drink. Headaches may occur if there is an infection, such as a cold, virus and fever . Here, it is the
infection that should be tackled. Vitamin C therapy is the best all round method. For a cold, high
doses of vitamin C should be taken at hourly intervals with the appearance of the first symptoms
like a sore throat, runny nose, etc. Vitamin C has worked miracles, and is considered a natural
antibiotic. Low blood sugar is one of the causes of irritability and headache. Sugar is not a cure for low
blood sugar, though it may raise the blood sugar temporarily and make one feel better for a
while. Low blood sugar is the result of an abused pancreas which over stimulates the production
of insulin in the body. It can be controlled by eating smaller meals at short intervals rather than
the standard three large meals daily. The intake of carbohydrates should be cut down to the
minimum and coffee should be eliminated as it over stimulates the pancreas. A lack of iron, resulting in anaemia, is a common cause of headache. The headache sometimes
appears before the onset of anaemia, due to a chronic iron deficiency. Brewer’s yeast is an
excellent source of iron and anaemia can easily be prevented by taking a few teaspoons daily. Headache can also be brought on due to the deficiency of B vitamins , namely pantothenic acid,
B-1 (thiamine) , B-12 and B-6 ( pyridoxine) and can be cured by taking these vitamins. When taking any of the B-vitamin factors seperately, it is absolutely essential to add the entire
B-complex range to one’s diet in some form such as Brewer’s yeats, liver,wheat germ, etc.,
otherwise too much of one factor can throw the other factors into imbalance, resulting in other
problems. Actually, the entire B complex group itself serves as protection against headaches,
including migraine.
Risk Factors: Although many sufferers have a family history of migraine, the exact
hereditary nature of this condition is not known. People who get migraines
are thought to have an inherited abnormality in the regulation of blood
vessels. The following factors often act as triggers that set of the migraine. Stress is one of the major factors that can contribute to the onset of a
migraine. Now it may not be possible for you to get away from the cause of
stress, particularly if it is something connected with your job. Anger can trigger of a migraine as well. It would be good for short
tempered people to learn ways of controlling their anger. The best method is
of course the one to ten method. The next time you get angry count to ten
very slowly before you really blow your lid. By the time you get to ten you
should have cooled down. Both physical and mental fatigue can lead to a migraine so do not
push your self too much. Enough is enough and when your body starts
giving you signals that it has had enough, take heed and stop whatever you
are doing. Just bear in mind that a little more productivity on one day is not
worth the productivity of the next couple of days. Sinus This leads to the headache that is the result of sinusitis. There are
many causes for sinusitis, which are allergy, a deviated nasal septum, and
severe cold, enlarged parts in side the nose, and acute ongoing infection. Tension Now whatever is the cause or whatever be the nature of the headache, most
headaches are preventable. There is no need to endure the pain when you
really have an option. Follow the tips given below and you will be amazed
to find that the prevention is actually in your hands. Below are X tips you
can use to prevent your next headache.
Prevention:
Prevent Headaches While Reading In fact, many people make it a habit to read for a few minutes before going to sleep. Let us say it
once and for all; it is not good to read while you are lying down. You need a well-lit room to read. The lighting of your room too is very
important. A properly lighted room is what is required if you want to read,
do needle work or any other such fine activity. Again too much light is just
as bad as a dimly lit room. The source of light must preferably be behind your head. The source of light
should not come in front of your eyes but must be behind your head. This is
also true in the case of a computer as well. The source of light should be
from behind. Do not hold the book too close to your eyes. This is some thing that happens
when you lei down to read. The book tends to move closer to your eyes than
intended. This is something that is bad for your eyes. Your eye muscles have
to strain a lot in order to focus on nearer objects. The book should ideally be
at the level of your chest. Do not hold it too far away either. Holding the book too far away is just as
bad as holding the book too close. Remember to keep it at chest level.
Many bookstores have reading stands that will enable you to keep your book
position at the right level. If you find it difficult to read, get your eyes tested by an oculist. If you find
yourself squinting or your eyes watering while you read or do any fine work,
then you might need glasses. So do not waste time, consult a doctor at the
earliest time possible. Faulty vision is a major cause of headaches. Be careful of the print size of the book you are reading. If the print of the
book is too faint, or if the font size is too small, just toss away the book.
Most libraries have large-print versions of books. If this is not available, use
a magnifying glass or wear magnifying glasses. Do not read in moving vehicles. Many people try to read while traveling by
car to kill time. However, curves and bumps in the road can cause
headaches and even motion sickness. No matter how smooth the road is and no matter how good the shock
absorbers of the car are, there is bound to be jerking motions. This will force
your eyes to adjust and readjust to the print and this continuous adjustment
and readjustment is very bad for your eyes. At the end of the journey you are
bound to end up with a headache. The light from your T.V or P.C monitor is not enough to read. Some people
tend to read in the light that comes from a turned on television set or a
computer. This light is not enough for your eyes to pick out what is printed,
and should be combined with lamplight or overhead light. Prevent Headaches While Working Use an anti-glare screen to cut out the radiation while working on your
computer. Radiation is bad for your eyes and an anti-glare screen is the only
and the best solution to this. Another option is to wear glasses that have an
anti-glare coating on the lenses. If your job requires long hours in front of the computer, you may want to
consider buying a special lamp that clips on the monitor. This lamp reduces
the eye-strain caused by staring at the computer screen, and thus reduces
headaches. Do not work continuously on your computer for more than half an hour.
This in fact is a very relative concept because some people tire faster than
other when working on the computer. Computer screens emit radiation, so
the less time in front of the computer, the better. If your eyes give you signs that it has had enough take the cue. But often,
after you get used to working on the computer, you start ignoring these
signs. The best thing you can do is make it a point to give your eyes a break
at least every half hour of working on the computer. Try to blink deliberately while working on the computer. When you work on
the computer there is an increased tendency to stare unblinkingly at the
monitor. This especially true if you are playing an exciting game. In such
cases you should make a conscious effort to blink your eyes. If you do not blink your eyes, they will become dry, they will hurt and this
will ultimately precipitate as a headache. It is when you blink that your
eyelids wash your eyeballs with the tear secretions. Your eyeballs must be
moist always so remember to blink your eyes even if you are deeply
engrossed in something interesting. Prevent Tension Headaches Tension headaches are probably the most common of all, and are caused by emotional conflicts
which result in stress. Stress causes the muscles of the shoulder, neck and scalp to tense
unconsciously. Persons who are irritable, tense and lose their temper quickly usually get this
type of headache. It increases gradually and passes off with the release of tension. One should
try to relieve the stress which produces the problem. Poisons and toxins admitted into the body through food, beverages and water, as well as
through breathing, polluted air, can cause any number of disturbances. A headache may be the
first warning that a poison has entered the body. Additives in foods and in many cases,
cosmetics, skin and hair products are also serious offenders in bringing on headaches. IN
addition, there are toxic air contaminants which are too numerous to mention.
Preventing Sinus Headaches A gentle shake of your head can tell you if you do have a sinus infection. If
you move your head even slightly, the pain will increase and this is a good
method of deciding whether the headache is actually due to a sinus infection. If you have a sinus infection, do not shake your head, as the pain will
increase. Another method is to try bending over. The moment you lower your head
you will feel as if there is something heavy inside your head. If doing so
leads you to discover you have a sinus infection, refrain from bending over
until the infection clears. Crying is not good for a headache. If you are prone to sinus headaches,
crying is not good for you. When such a person cries for even a minute or
two there is very good chance that the tears will lead to the problem. If you feel you might start crying, try breathing deeply, or try to lie down
and fall asleep. Some situations are unavoidable, but some, like sad movies,
are easy to avoid. Know your sinus points and use the acupressure method to treat your self
and rid yourself of the pain. The best thing about the acupressure method is that it has no side effects. It
is something that you can do completely on your own and if you are doing it
properly, you can get almost instant relief. I have described the steps in
detail in the points that follow, try doing it and I promise you, you will be
glad that you did it. 1. First of all you have to get a clear idea of where your sinuses really
are. A point that you may bear in mind is that if your sinuses are infected these
regions will be slightly swollen.
Treatment/Therapy:
Headaches - 3 Migraine Headache Home Treatment Methods Migraine headaches and tension headaches can be painful and disabling. Read about natural ways to relieve these painful tension-type or migraine headaches.
This can lessen the flow of blood to the head resulting in less pressure in the head. A person can also put their feet in a container of warm water. This has the effect of attracting the blood to the feet instead of the head, again reducing pressure to the head.
Miscellaneous Ways To Prevent Headaches Eat plenty of carrots; they are good for your eyes. Carrots are the best things
that nature has to offer for eye sight so go ahead and gorge on them. Carrots
are rich in vitamin A, which is the vitamin required for proper eye sight. Use a pillow that is not too thick to rest your head. If the pillow that you are
using is too thick, you will be straining you neck muscles when you are
asleep. If the neck muscles are taught for too long, they will become stiff
and this often precipitates as a headache. The best rest that you can give your eyes is staring at a distant object. Or you
can try massaging your eyes gently. Please remember that your eyes are
unlike any other part of your body so you have to take very good care of
them. The same holds true when it comes to massaging your eyes as well. �� When you massage your eyes take care to use only the soft balls of
your fingers. �� Do not use your finger tips because your nails could give you
scratches. �� The best fingers to massage your eyes with are the three middle
fingers, which are the fingers between your thumb and the little
finger. �� Place the balls of your fingers on you’re your eye brows and gently
press down. �� Please remember to be gentle; we are not talking about a major
massage therapy here. �� Now let your fingers roll down around your eyes making gentle
circling movements. �� The motion should start from the eye brows and end at the corners of
the eyes near the nose bridge. �� Repeat this two or three times and you can feel your eye muscles
relax. �� It is a good idea to this at least five or six times a day if you are
working at something that gives a lot of strain to your eyes. If you feel that your eyes are under strain, take a break. The best relaxation
for your eyes is staring at a distant object or just keeping them closed. Your
eyes will give you signs when they are under strain. You will find that you
are getting tired sooner, your eyes may start to water or you might notice
that you have to squint your eyes in order to get a better view. Breathing exercises help you breathe better and release the toxins in your
brain. The human body takes in a lot of toxic substances, both through the
air and through food and drink. Apart from this, various toxins are also
released in the body as a result of the various processes that are going on.
These toxins have to be released on a continuous basis or else they will
accumulate in the body with serious results. One of the best ways of releasing these toxins is by means of exhaling while
breathing. One funny fact is that most of do not breathe properly. Just take a
look at the picture like this. With each breath that we take, we take in
oxygen. This oxygen is carried by the blood to every cell of the body and
every cell must indeed get enough oxygen not just to survive but to remain
healthy as well. So it is imperative that we make an honest attempt to breathe properly. But
first of course we have to make sure that we are breathing in unpolluted air.
The time best for breathing exercises is early in the morning when the air is
comparatively unpolluted. Now what you have to do is this. Again, sit comfortably so that there is no
strain to any part of your body. It is not imperative that you close your eyes,
but I have always noticed that the exercise works better when the eyes are
closed. When you are ready, what you have to do is to breathe in deeply and slowly,
and feel the fresh air filling up your lungs until it just can’t take any more. Conjure up images of the air encircling throughout your body and reaching
every cell, literally bathing it with oxygen. Of course it doesn’t happen that
way but the image helps a lot. Then hold your breath for a few seconds and
then very slowly exhale letting out all that foul air. Again conjure up an image of all the toxins being released from your body.
Every cell has become free of the burden it was carrying. Now pause for a
second or two and again breathe in deeply, slowly letting your lungs fill up
with all that good, clean, rejuvenating air. Repeat this exercise at least ten
times and take your time for it taking care not to rush through. When you have done that part of the exercise it is time for the second part.
Again sit with your eyes closed, but this time, keep one nostril closed with
the help of your index finger. It is best to close the right nostril first and that
too with your right index finger. Now breathe in deeply and slowly through
your left nostril keeping the right nostril closed. When you have held air for
a second or two, release your right nostril and breathe out through it. While you are breathing out conjure up an image of all the toxins being
released form your head and the brain especially. And as you breathe in
conjure up images of the clean air circulating though out your brain freeing
it of all the worries and trouble and lightening it. Repeat this exercise with the other nostril closed and in this way alternate
between the nostrils at least ten times. The entire breathing exercise need not
take more than ten minutes. Dry your head well after a shower. It is best to use a towel for this. The
problem with water is that it can seep in through the scalp of your head and
if you leave your head damp, the moisture can seep in result in a headache. If you must blow dry your hair, keep the blow drier well away from your
head. Not only is the heat bad for your head, but the drone of the drier can
also induce a headache. Avoid inhaling polluting gases like automobile fumes and second-hand
smoking. Many of the gases let out by automobiles and other exhaust pipes
are highly toxic and they itself can cause a headache. Second hand smoking by which you inhale the smoke from your neighbor’s
cigarette too can cause a headache. This is especially true if you are a nonsmoker
and not used to the smell smoke. Do not wear a hair-do in which your hair is tied up too tightly. Some people
especially women tie up their hair in very tight buns or braids. If your hair
is pulled back too tightly it is going to hurt your scalp and the end result is
that you will get a headache. Try to get a good night’s sleep. A good night’s sleep is very important to
keep away headaches. "Sleep is one of the most basic and universal activities in which we all
engage. Yet, getting to sleep, staying asleep, and waking refreshed can be
highly elusive to most of us some of the time, and many of us all of the
time.” The National Sleep Foundation reports (2002) that America is on the verge
of a poor sleep epidemic, characterized by the following eye-opening
statistics: �� 64% of American adults get less than the eight hours of sleep that
experts recommend is required to maintain optimal physical, mental,
and emotional health. �� One-third of the US population says they get less sleep now than they
did five years ago �� One-half of Americans have experienced insomnia (sleeplessness) You need peace and quiet to get enough sleep and so you should take care to
see that there are no physical disturbances. Turn the ring tone of your
telephone to the lowest possible volume. Do not worry about important
calls; if the calls are so important, then the caller will call back later when
you have turned up the volume. Try to cut out other disturbances by wearing ear muffs or eye blinds. Do not
read in bed before you sleep, in all likelihood you will drift off to sleep with
the lights on and after sometime the same light will wake you up. Do not oversleep. Oversleeping is just as bad as not getting enough sleep. If
you sleep too much or for too long you will wake up with a very woozy
feeling and that will most likely turn into a headache. Our body tells us when
it has had enough sleep. Listen to the cue and get up, do not succumb to the
temptation to just lay in bed. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep every night. Studies have shown that
this is the requirement for most healthy adults. Examine your daily schedule
to see how you can rearrange your day to ensure the right amount of sleep.
Try to cut out television and other non-necessary activities.
Stay away from sedatives. Sedatives are not a solution to your sleep
problems. Many of them are addictive and their medicine will eventually
stop working for you. Sedatives also affect the time that you wake up. You might get a good
night’s sleep when you take sedatives, but the chances are rare that you will
wake up refreshed. Each time you get a headache do not reach for your aspirin. Some headaches
go by themselves. Do not make you body dependent on aspirin. Try massaging your temples. Massaging your temples gently stimulates the
circulation of blood and relaxes the muscles of the forehead and temples.
This itself soothes a person and provide relief from a headache. Touch therapy is a new technique that is just becoming available to cure
headaches. A lot of research is going on this area and even now experts
have not been able to identify how touch therapy can help in healing. The
best possible explanation is that our bodies are in fact tuned to respond to the
touches of others. When we were babies our mother’s touch was perhaps the most reassuring
thing in the world. In fact experts are baffled by the way new born babies are
able to distinguish between a mother’s touch and the touch of a stranger. As we grow older we delight in the encouraging pats and caresses of our
parents and teachers. Even in our social life there is a lot of touching going
on. That is probably why people use the hand shake as an exchange of
warmth. So when a person is ill and miserable, the touch of another person especially
if it is a person who really cares for you can relieve you of your pain.
The only thing that the person has to do is to be gentle. He or she should
stop when the patient has had enough. Try massaging certain key points of your body like the nape of your neck,
the shoulder and neck muscles and the muscles at the web between your
thumb and the rest of your fingers. The entire nervous system, the blood vessels, the skeletal and muscular
systems are all interconnected. So if you can identify certain nodal points of
the body and apply the right pressure there, you can indeed get relief from a
headache. This is the basic philosophy of the principle of acupressure. Just be careful
to apply the right amount of pressure. Do not wash your head in hot water. It can trigger off a lot of vascular
changes that can do more harm than good. So though a hot bath may be
stimulating to your body it is not the best thing that you can give your head. Take a steam bath if you want to but try to keep your head above the steamy
fumes. Cold water is best for your head so keep it that way. And mind you,
by cold water we are not referring to chilled water. Heady fragrances of some perfumes and room fresheners can give you a
headache. This need not be something that you have used on your own body.
It can be a perfume that your neighbor has used. So if you sit next to person
and feel that your head it getting woozy, try to move to a safe distance. Incense smoke is not good for you. Incense smoke contains a lot of alkaloids
and the inhalation of these can spark of a lot of changes in the internal
mechanism, do not take the risk. Too much noise is bad for you. In fact sound pollution is one of the causes
for headaches to become so prevalent. Contrary to popular belief, sound pollution is not cause just by machines and
automobiles. I do not want to argue with the fact that machines and
automobiles cause a lot of sound. A journey down the street during the rush
hour is enough to give any body a headache. But apart from that blaring
music too does a lot of harm. Take care to lower the volume if you want to listen to music. Loud music is
not really good for you. And if you want to play music in order to soothe
your nerves and instead you are playing loud music, it will have just the
opposite effect. Your blood pressure will actually go up and your adrenalin
levels too will increase. The best thing that you can do is stay away from all sources of loud noise
and that includes noisy kids as well. Plug your ears if you are moving into a loud sound zone. Use ear plugs, ear
muffs or thick wads of cotton. Most grocery stores and convenience stores
carry sound-reducing and sound-blocking earplugs, many of which are not
too noticeable. Try steam inhalation. This is especially true for those who have a sinus
problem. Steam inhalation is an excellent way of clearing all the spaces
inside. If you have an infection too, a steam inhalation can be very soothing.
But there is a word of caution that I have to offer here. Be very careful about you eyes. Remember that it is not advisable to expose
your eyes to steam and so take care to protect your eyes when you are
inhaling steam. Another thing that you should be careful about is the temperature of the
steam. You just need fairly hot water and not scorching hot, sizzling vapors
of water. The object is not to scald your skin but to send some warm vapors
up your nose. In fact steam inhalation is one of the most recommended
therapies for people who get sinus related headache. The point that you should bear in mind is that the sooner you inhale once
you get the headache, the better. If you wait for long hours before you
inhale, you are going to have to inhale longer and at shorter intervals for the
inhalation to have any effect on the headache. Menthol vapors too can be of some relief. Menthol vapors too can help
towards clearing your sinuses. Try dissolving a balm or ointment in the hot
water that has to be inhaled. Then inhale the vapors. This is the best way of
inhaling menthol vapors. Quit smoking if you can. Smoking can affect your head in a very bad way.
In fact smoking affects the functioning of every part of your body. When
you smoke you are actually submitting your body and the various mechanisms that go on to the power of a very strong alkaloid that is nicotine.
So if you can quit smoking by all means do. It will help you live a better life
and can contribute much towards eliminating your headache. In fact, if your headache goes away when you start smoking it means that
your body has already become dependent on nicotine. In that case the problem may be a withdrawal symptom. There are many things that are identified with substance abuse. Alcohol is
one of them, narcotic drugs are another and tobacco is in no way to be left
behind. The problem, or let us say that the similarity among all these
substances is that once one gets used to them, breaking away is not easy. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the fear of deprivation of the pleasantly
high feeling that drives the person to use the substance again and again so
that it is used, misused and eventually abused. The person returns for his or
her daily shot because of certain altered conditions in the body. These
substances are indeed very potent and they affect certain specific spots or
centers of the brain. The brain quickly gets used to these alterations and then before we know it,
these centers of the brain cannot do without the daily doze of the substance. The brain did not ask for the substance in the first place but we gave them to
it. When we experience that pleasantly high feeling we do not bother about
the changes that are taking place within. It is common knowledge that the entire processes carried about in the brain
are maintained by a delicate balance of the various chemical slats there.
Once we start using substances like the above mentioned tobacco, narcotics
and alcohol, the balance of these chemical salts gets altered. The body as I mentioned earlier is a self adjusting machine and so this new
chemical balance is established and it takes no time for the brain cells to get
adjusted to the new balance. Then when the brain cells do not get what is required to maintain the new
balance (read that as the daily puffs) things go hay wire. The old balance
was disturbed and altered and a new balance was set up. But this new balance is not the real natural thing. It is something that has to
be artificially supported and when that daily, or timely dose of nicotine does
not get to the brain, the new balance gets upset. Coffee is actually bad for you. Just like nicotine, caffeine in coffee is bad for
you. If you have the habit of drinking a cup of coffee at a fixed time every
day, you will in all likelihood end up with a headache if your body does not
get that required dose of coffee. The point to ponder about is this, why do you have to make your body
dependent on external substances when it can function very well without
these substances. Drink plenty of water. Water is the most important substance that your body
needs. If you are not drinking enough water, you may suffer from a
dehydration headache. For a person to remain healthy he or she must drink
at least ten glasses of water a day. If your intake of water is less than this
then by all means drink more water. Water is indeed the elixir of life. The more water you drink, the better you
will feel. If you do not drink enough water, the water balance of the body
will be completely disrupted. Make no mistake about this. Te major content
of all the cells in your body is indeed water. And when your body does not
get enough water, it will end up dehydrated. This will invariably result in a
headache. Do not let water get into your ears. This is especially true if you take dips in
a pool. In this case, the best thing you can do is cover your hair and ears with
a bathing cap. In most pools chemicals are added to the water to keep it
clean and disinfected. These chemicals however are not the best thing for
your body and hair. So it is always advisable to cover your head with some
protective material. If water does go into your ears try and take it out as soon as you can. Other
wise you will develop a ringing sensation in your ears, which is next door to
a headache. The best way to get rid of the water in your ear is to pour in a
little more water and then tilt you head to the side of the ear that has water in
it. The result is that all the water will come out of your ear. Cool your eye muscles with slices of cucumber. This is a wonderful way to
relax yourself. If you have had a hard day or have had to be out in the sun
for long, the best thing that you can do to soothe yourself is to apply a slice
of cucumber to each of your eyes. This is a 100% natural method of cooling your eyes and you will be
surprised at how refreshed you feel when you remove those slices after a
couple of minutes. Eye exercises are good for you. Below you can find tips on how to exercise
your eyes. 1. Stare straight ahead of you preferably at a distant object. Apply a soothing face pack. Face packs are a wonderful way of de-stressing
yourself. Many grocery stores and beauty supply stores carry them. You can make your own face pack at home using things that are 100% safe
on your skin. One of the best face packs that I have come across that is
equally effective for a sinus headache as well as a tension ache is a curd
face pack. What you have to do is chill curd in the refrigerator for a few minutes. If you
do not have curd, yogurt will do. Then all you have to do is apply a thin
coating of this curd or yogurt on your forehead and on the region around
your eyes. �� Never slouch in your chair. If you find you continue to have bad posture, you may consider buying a
lumbar support pad, a doughnut hole or other devices designed to make you
sit correctly. These are available in office stores and medical supply stores. Remove hair gel before you go to bed. Hair gel may be give you that great
look but take care to remove it from your hair before you go to bed. Not only
is it bad for your hair to have it on for to long, but it is all chemicals and it is
bad for you to sleep all night inhaling these chemicals and the mild perfume
that most hair gels have. Hair gel also has the effect of sealing off all the pores on your scalp. So in
the night, the skin on the scalp of your head cannot breathe and this is bad
for your head. If you use glasses or contacts, check your eyes periodically. Once you
develop a defect with your vision it is a very good thing to get yourself
tested at least once every six months. If you have a family history pf poor eyesight get yourself examined
periodically. Most vision defects are hereditary so if one of your parents
started using glasses at an early age, there is 25% chance that you might
have the same problem as well. Avoid stuffy rooms. Stuffy rooms mean that obviously there is not enough
air in the room. If the room smells musty too it is a good idea to get out f the
room or open all the windows and doors and let the fresh air come in. It is also not good for you to sleep in a room that does not have proper
ventilation. Even if the A/C is turned on, try to also turn on the fan to
circulate the air. Dip cotton in iced water and apply it on your forehead. This is a way of
soothing a sore head. But do not leave on the cotton for too long. Or if you have had a particularly bad day you could try applying an ice bag
to your head. But again, remember that objective is to cool your head and
not to chill it so do not apply the ice bag for too long. Do not skip meals and go about hungry. Eat at fixed times. Hunger is the
worst enemy of a person who is prone to migraine attacks. When you miss
meals or have meals at times other than normal, you are actually depriving
your body of the much needed energy. The body will seek out alternative measure that is it will start working on fat
reserves but the fats cannot be easily converted to sugars which the body
desperately needs. So when the body does not get what it wants, the cells get
deprived of energy and this manifests itself in the form of a headache. If you have a sinus problem, blow your nose often. Blowing your nose helps
to get rid of the mucus that accumulates in the sinuses. It is better if you can
blow your nose after a steam inhalation. It is also a good idea to water rinse your nose. This is a very effective way of
clearing your sinuses and saving your self from a bout of dust allergy as
well. All you have to do is cup your hand and hold a little bit of water in it.
Dip you nose in and inhale the water very gently. The water must only ascend the passage of your nose and must not go any
further. You can control the ascent of the water by controlling your breath. After this breathe out and let the water out. Repeat this a couple of times. You might snort the first two or three times but after that you will soon get
the hang of it. Take a 20 minute power nap during your lunch break. You will wake up
refreshed and without as many worries.
Step 0: Do Nothing • Follow your natural instinct: lie in total silence, in complete darkness, and sleep, if possible, until the headache is gone. • Like fatigue, a headache, especially a migraine, is a way to get some time alone. Is finding time for yourself usually a headache? Step 1: Collect Information • Menopause often brings relief to the woman who has had migraine headaches since adolescence. Other women experience headaches for the first time during menopause, usually the result of fatigue, stress, rapidly changing hormone levels racing through the liver, and rushes of kundalini moving into the crown area. • Menopausal headaches may also be triggered by sudden (and usually short-lived) allergies to certain foods. • Headaches and migraines are a common side effect of ERT/HRT. Step 2: Engage the Energy • Rub a drop of lavender or chamomile oil briskly between your hands. When palms are warm and tingly, place them on the part of your head that aches. (It's also wonderful to have someone do this for you.) • If it's tolerable for someone to hold your head, try this: sit in a chair or lie down. Lean your head back into your friend's hands and allow them to support your head in their palms (fingers pointing down, thumbs above the ears) for up to five minutes. Breathe fully. • Blinking red lights can relieve extreme or severe migraines, within an hour, 72 percent of the time. Wear goggles that restrict side vision for maximum effect. • Women with chronic migraines often benefit greatly from the help of a skilled feminist therapist. Step 3: Nourish & Tonify • Tea, infusion, or tincture of garden sage leaves offers immediate relief from a headache and helps prevent future ones. • Black cohosh root tincture or a vinegar of fresh willow leaves will ease a headache with pain-killing methyl salicylate. Ten drops of the tincture or one teaspoon/15 ml of the vinegar is equivalent to two aspirin. • Vervain (Verbena officinalis) was a sacred herb in the ancient matriarchies. Menopausal women use the tincture of fresh vervain flowers, 20-40 drops in water, before bed and as needed, to strengthen the nerves, relieve insomnia, dispel depression, treat nervous exhaustion, and moderate headaches, including migraines. (Vervain was a favored plant for the Maiden's altar and the moon lodge, where she was used to promote the onset of the menstrual flow, ease cramps, reduce flooding, and quicken desire.) • Lady's mantle, another ancient sacred plant, has many magical attributes, including an ability to aid women who are taking on or leaving the role of mother. What a wonderful friend for an emerging crone! Try 10-25 drops of the tincture of the fresh herb several times a day to relieve headaches. • The beautiful spring primrose (Primula veris) offers relief from menopausal headaches if taken regularly. The golden carpet of Schlesselblume on Bavarian pastures and roadsides is one of my favorite memories of Germany. If you don't visit or live in Bavaria, you can grow and gather the blossoms of Primula officinalis instead; they're also a good source of pain-killing salicyn. Make a tea of the dried flowers and drink several cups a day for some months. CAUTION: Sip your first cup mindfully and slowly, as some folks are allergic to primrose. NOTE: The roots of most primroses contain oil-soluble estrogenic factors and cell-softening saponins, suggesting use as an ointment for tender, dry vaginal tissue. • Connections between foods and headaches are sketchy. There is little evidence that plants indigenous to the Americas, such as chocolate and nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers, tobacco) contribute to headaches. I do suspect that chemicals in processed foods (such as aspartame, MSG, and nitrates) and in some natural ones (aged cheeses, miso, red wine) can trigger headaches. With other foods, you're the best judge. Step 4: Stimulate/Sedate • Avoid alcohol. It is a known headache trigger. • Keep cool. Being hot, from hot baths, saunas, hot flashes, exertion, or air temperature, is the second most common headache trigger. Stay cool. Stay in the shade. And just say “no” to hot tubs. • Sedate headache pain with tinctures of skullcap, 3-5 drops, and St. Joan's wort, 25-30 drops. I take them together, as frequently as needed, up to half a dozen times a day. Migraine sufferers take them as soon as the aura begins, before there is pain, and repeat every ten minutes for 3-6 doses. • Anti-inflammatory, hormone-rich wild yam eases the aching heads of menopausal women. A dose of wild yam root tincture is 10-30 drops up to 6 times a day, or infused, 1-2 teacupsful a day. The lower dose, taken daily, relieves chronic headaches. In acute situations, use the higher dose. • Soak your feet in cool water scented with a few drops of rosemary oil. Breathe deeply. • Migraines are most frequent between 6 a.m. and noon. Take headache remedies before bed and on awakening to ensure maximum effect. • To banish simple headaches, soak a handful of fresh lemon balm (Melissa) leaves in a glass of wine for an hour, or drink a tea of dried leaves. If you want sleep as part of your headache cure, substitute catnip (Nepeta cataria) for the Melissa. • Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium) is a much-publicized remedy for migraine. It is most effective as a preventative measure: eat a sprig of the fresh plant daily. For acute headache, 2-4 fresh leaves or a cup of strong tea may help. CAUTION: May irritate mouth. Step 5b: Use Drugs • Painkillers are many women's first thought for a headache remedy. But habitual use increases the duration and frequency of headaches. • Taking ERT/HRT? Ease off and see if your headaches ease up. Step 6: Break & Enter Some women say their headaches are so bad that they want to blow their brains out. Perhaps menopausal headaches, like sleeplessness, are part of the physical “mind-altering” process of becoming a crone.
Headaches
Diet change strategies:
The research is clear, food intolerance, allergies, and hypersensitivities are key triggers of headaches and migraines. Although each migraine sufferer may react to a different food or group of foods, there are a few which seem to pop up as frequent offenders: dairy (including milk, cheeses, and yogurt), wheat, eggs, soy, corn, citrus, chocolate, coffee, beef, yeast, red wine, and processed foods with additives and preservatives. In the pursuit to identify these top offenders, scientists and physicians have enlisted the oligoantigenic diet. This is a hypoallergenic "elimination" diet, consisting of a selection of foods that are presumably well tolerated. During their studies, patients are told to eat only the "safe" foods outlined on their version of the oligonantigenic diet in an effort to eliminate any symptoms. Once the symptoms have gone into remission, the "high risk" foods are re-introduced into the diet one at a time to assess their potential trigger effect on symptoms. This type of diet should be undertaken with the assistance of a physician, in order to ensure adequate nutritional intake. In each of the 3 case studies listed below, some form of an oligoantigenic diet was used: 60 migraine patients followed an elimination diet after a 5-day withdrawal from their normal diet. Upon reintroduction, specific foods elicited migraine reactions in a significant percentage of patients: wheat (78%), oranges (65%), eggs (45%), tea and coffee (40% each), chocolate and milk (37% each), beef (35%), and corn, cane sugar, and yeast (33% each). When an average of ten common trigger foods were avoided, there was a dramatic decline in the number of headaches per month and 85% of patients actually became headache-free! As science would have it, an added benefit was welcomed by the 25% of these patients who also had hypertension - their blood pressure returned to normal levels In a clinical trial 93% of 88 children who suffered frequent and severe migraines recovered on oligoantigentic diets. Most of the patients responded to several foods, which suggested the probability of an allergic rather than a metabolic cause. An added bonus... abdominal pain, behavior disorder, fits, asthma, and eczema also improved in several of these patients A research study trialed an oligoantigenic diet on 63 children with epilepsy, 45 of which also suffered from migraines, hyperkinetic behavior, or both. The 18 children who had epilepsy alone saw no improvement on the oligoantigenic diet. However, of the 45 children with additional symptoms, 25 ceased to have seizures and 11 had fewer seizures while on this diet. Migraines, abdominal pain, and hyperkinetic behavior halted in the 25 children who stopped having seizures, and also in some of those who did not stop having seizures. Reintroduction of foods one by one confirmed that the seizures, migraines, hyperkinetic activity, and abdominal pain these children were experiencing related to 42 different "trigger" foods. So why do so many people suffer from migraines and other headaches when they consume these foods? The medical community is getting closer to an answer Researchers in Germany have discovered a genetic mutation responsible for the "faulty wiring" and the subsequent pain. Although clinical scientists have known for a while that migraines are hereditary, the exact "defect" being passed on was previously unknown. Author: Alisa Fleming http://www.godairyfree.org
Using Ayurveda Therapy:
When a headache strikes, one should stay on one’s feet in the daytime and do simple chores
which do not require too much concentration or walk, move around and get some fresh air. The best remedy to prevent headaches is to build up physical resistance through proper
nutrition, exercise and constructive thinking. As a first step, the patient should undertake a short
fast. During the fast, citrus fruit juices, diluted with water may be taken six times daily. By taking
the load of digestion, the patient will at once save nervous energy which can be utilised for more
important purposes. The blood and lymph will also be relieved of a great burden. After a short
fast, the diet should be fixed in such a way as to put the least possible strain on the digestion. Breakfast should consist of fruits, both fresh and dried. Lunch should consist largely of protein
foods. Starchy foods such as whole wheat bread, cereals, rice or potatoes should be taken at
dinner along with raw salads. Spices, tomatoes, sour buttermilk and oily foodstuffs should be
avoided. Drinking a glass of water ( warm water in winter and cool water in summer) mixed with
a teaspoonful of honey the first thing in the morning, is also a good remedy. Water Treatment Yogic kriyas like jalneti and kunjal, pranayamas like anuloma-viloma, shitali and sitkari and
asanas such as uttanapadasana, sarvangasana, paschimottanasana, halasana and shavasana
are useful in the treatment of headaches.
Vitamin & Nutrient Associations Even when we try to eat well, we're disadvantaged. The nutritional content of most food has been compromised over the years, not only by deficient soils and modern production, transportation, storage and processing methods, but also by the enormous amounts of chemical and artificial substances added to promote growth, storage life, taste and appearance. It's for this reason that more and more medical authorities are advocating the use of vitamin and mineral supplements. However, finding them in the right combination can be both confusing and costly. As Aloe Vera Juice is a refreshing and anti-bacterial drink, you might find that taking this daily, diluted in some filtered water will not only refresh you like ‘a shower inside you’ but also assists in dealing with any digestive issues you may also be experiencing. You may find benefit from our information on detoxification as well as a bit about detoxing because of change of diet We wish you well in your search for solutions to this Headache problem and your movement towards better health in all areas. More Resources available about Headache :
What is a Migraine?
Most Migraine headaches sufferers cannot identify what triggers the headaches and a long and varied list exists that differs with each individual. The same factors do not necessarily trigger a Migraine on a consistent basis either. Statistically, women are more prone to Migraines than men with claims that the decline in estrogen during menstruation is the trigger and the onset can begin immediately to a few days delay. Though all migraines are headaches, all
headaches are not migraines. There can be many causes like high
blood pressure, cervical spondylosis and poor eyesight being a
few. So every one with headaches should not think he is
suffering from migraine. The broad criterion of diagnosis is if
you have two or more of the following symptoms during a attack
it is probable you are suffering from migraine
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