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Headache Relief With Useful Home Remedies for Headache

March 2nd, 2010

Headache can affect just anybody and everybody. It is pain in the head, which involves the area located above the eyes or the ears, behind the head or in the back of the upper neck. The muscles or blood vessels of the head, neck area swell, tighten, or undergo other changes that put pressure on the surrounding nerves and cause a headache.

What are the types of headaches?

There are two types of headaches -

1. primary headaches – accounts for 90% of all headaches. This is not related to any other disease. There are three types of primary headache -

a. tension headaches – associates with stress, anxiety and depression.

b. cluster headaches – occur daily, over a long period.

c. migraine.

2. secondary headache – associated with an underlying condition such as cerebro-vascular disease, head trauma, infection, tumour or some metabolic disorder (such as diabetes, thyroid problem). In these cases, the underlying condition must be diagnosed and treated.

3. One may also suffer from something called “mixed” headache in which tension headache or secondary headache triggers migraine headaches.

What causes headaches?

Almost everybody must have had an experience of a headache sometime or the other. Headaches are more common in women and in people with a genetic history of headaches.

Tension headaches are caused by stress, muscular tension, vascular dilation, postural changes, prolonged coughing/sneezing, and fever.

Physical conditions that can lead to chronic muscular tension and thereby, headache include:

* Anxiety

* Arthritis in neck or spinal cord

* Degenerative bone disease in the neck or spine

* Depression

Cluster headaches may be due to alcohol abuse or the side effects of certain medications, including drugs that dilate or constrict blood vessels. A low level of endorphins (natural painkilling compounds found in the brain) may cause frequent, severe, or chronic headache pain.

Other common factors that make people more prone to headache are -

* constipation

* acidity

* excessive consumption of tea, coffee, nicotine

* deficiency of oxygen in the blood

* approach to a menstrual cycle (in case of women)

* sitting too close to the television

* reading in insufficient light or a moving vehicle

Causes of secondary headache vary from life threatening conditions such as brain tumours, cerebral strokes, meningitis, brain hemorrhages to less serious conditions such as withdrawal from drugs, caffeine.

Symptoms of headache -

Signs that indicate the presence of a headache:

* a constant dull ache in the head.

* nausea

* difficulty in sleeping

* loss of appetite

* feeling of uneasiness

Diagnosis of a headache?

In most cases of headache, there is no need to visit the doctor. A very severe headache that appears suddenly, or one that deteriorates instead of getting better with time requires medical investigation.

One can even identify the type of headache, by being a bit alert. Each time you have a headache, make a note of how bad it is, where the pain is, any other symptoms, and if any type of pattern emerges.

This can help find out triggers, which can thus be avoided.

If a headache is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, or disturbed vision/speech, or loss of memory, one must immediately consult a doctor.

Treat of headaches?

Tension-type headaches can be relieved by using relaxation techniques, or using over-the-counter painkillers.

* Taking a painkiller such as aspirin, dispirin usually works well.

* One may also take anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen as an alternative. Anti-inflammatories may be more effective than normal painkillers for some people.

A word of caution -

As with all medicines, always follows the instructions on the strip. Prolonged use of painkillers will eventually cause withdrawal headaches, they should not be taken continuously for more than a few days at a time.

Relaxation techniques include:

* applying a hot bag on the forehead or neck

* applying some pain relief balm on the forehead

* exercise, meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, or relaxation exercises

* Chiropractic manipulation helps alleviate tension headaches caused by muscle strain due to poor posture. If a person has to sit for long periods, work at a computer, or perform repetitive movements, chiropractic helps reduce the frequency of headaches.

* Acupuncture may also help reduce pain and frequency of headaches. It is widely believed that the thin needles used stimulate the nervous system to release endorphins or other chemicals and hormones that affect pain perception.

For chronic headaches, consult a physician, who will find out the exact cause and provide drugs accordingly. People who get chronic headaches should avoid analgesics altogether.

A balanced diet and regular exercise will contribute to general health and wellbeing, and this may help make tension headaches less likely.

Preventive measures for a headache -

* Exercise moderately but regularly.

Avoid exercising in very hot weather.

* Reduce stress

* Identify triggering factors such as food, tobacco, alcohol. Foods typically include chocolate, dairy products, and caffeine.

* Avoid regular use of pain relievers.

Home remedies for headache -

* Eat an apple with a little salt on an empty stomach everyday and see its remedial effects.

* Mix 1/4 teaspoon of clove powder in one teaspoon of cinnamon oil. Apply mixture to the area of pain. This is very effective Home Remedy for Headache

* Place your thumbs right in the centre of each temple. Massage firmly using a circular motion until you feel respite.

* Eat 10-12 almonds, for a migraine headache.

* Put your hands in hot water, which pulls out the pressure from head.

* Crush onion and apply the paste on the head. Or roast some dry ajwain seeds, tie it in a muslin cloth and sniff repeatedly for relief. This is also useful Home Remedy for Headache

* Curd should be avoided, especially at night.

* Carrot juice along with spinach, or beet and cucumber juice, has been found beneficial in the treatment of migraine.

* Try to relax, and keep mind free from anxiety, anger, mental tension and worry.

* Make a paste of 10-15 basil leaves (tulsi) with 4 cloves and 1 teaspoon dried ginger and apply to forehead for sinus headache. This is very fine Home Remedy for Headache



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Headaches Causes, Symptoms and Tretment for Headaches

November 27th, 2009

Headache A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are extremely rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better by making lifestyle changes, learning ways to relax, and occasionally by taking medications. Causes of Headache There are two types of headaches: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are not associated with (caused by) other diseases Secondary headaches are caused by associated disease. The associated disease may be minor or serious and life threatening. It’s often not clear what causes tension-type headaches.

Anxiety and stress are often associated with these types of headaches, but do not necessarily cause them. Tension-type headaches are twice as common in women as in men. They are more common in people whose parents, brothers or sisters also have headaches. The exact cause of cluster headaches is not known. Many experts believe that cluster headaches and migraine headaches have a common cause that begins in the trigeminal nerve, a nerve that carries sensations from the head to the brain and that ends in the blood vessels that surround the brain There are many possible causes of headache that determine the site and nature of the pain. About three in four of all headaches are caused by tension in the scalp and neck muscles. Very few headaches have serious underlying causes, but those that do require urgent medical attention..

Symptoms Of Headache Many tension headache sufferers describe their pain as producing a sensation of pressure or tightness around the head, as though a band were pulled tightly around it; others compare the feeling to having their head clamped in an ever-tightening vise. They are sensations only the patient can perceive. In contrast, a sign is objective evidence of disease. A bloody nose is a sign. It is evident to the patient, doctor, nurse and other observers. Tension-type headache is a term used to describe chronic headaches that cause a tight, band-like pain. This is the most common type of headache, afflicting 88 percent of women and 68 percent of men. A tension headache is a mild to moderate steady pain, tightness or pressure around the head and neck..

Tension headaches tend to be on both sides of your head. They often start at the back of your head and spread forward. The pain may feel dull or squeezing, like a tight band or vice. Your shoulders, neck, or jaw may feel tight and sore. Treatment Of Headache Tension headaches are sometimes helped by measures to relax the tight muscles. These include massage, hot showers and heating pads on the back of the neck or cold packs. Biofeedback and muscle-relaxation training may be helpful. This is one of the effective treatment for Headache. Medications A variety of medications, both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription, are available for treating tension headache. You may find fast, effective relief by taking pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Prophylactic Therapy One possible way to prevent migraines is to avoid triggers. Eating regular, healthy meals, limiting caffeine, eliminating other food triggers, and getting plenty of exercise may help to prevent migraines from occurring. Keeping a headache diary may facilitate identification of triggers . Anti-seizure Medications — Medications used to control seizures in conditions such as epilepsy may be prescribed to help control cluster headaches. These medications include divalproex topiramate and gabapentin



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Chiropractic and Headaches

June 24th, 2009
Dr David Black asked:


Headache is defined as pain in the head or upper neck and has many causes. The International Headaches Society in 2007 placed headaches in three major categories

1. Primary

2. Secondary

3. Cranial neuralgias, facial pains and other headaches.

 

Primary headaches include migraine, tension and cluster headaches as well as a variety of less common types of headaches. Tension headaches are by far the most common type of headaches. 90% of the population experience these at some time or another. Women are more prone to these than men.

A tension headache is often felt as a pain in the head or upper neck with either a constant dull pain or a more severe throbbing pain. At the same time, tension and pain is felt in the upper back muscles and neck muscles, as well as a tightness of the actual muscles of the skull.

Migraines are the next most common types of headaches. They are often a mystery as they can occur at any time and are seemingly unrelated to tension. A migraine sufferer will describe visual disturbances such as a flickering of their vision at the sides or an aura which they know is a  prelude to a migraine attack.

Following the flickering of their eyesight can come blurred vision and an increased sensitivity to bright light. They can also experience nausea and vomiting. These patients can often only find help by lying down in a quiet darkened room until the migraine subsides.They often feel “washed out” for 24 hours following such an attack. 

Cranial neurology is a classification which includes causes emanating from the brain. These are extremely serious and life threatening and may include such things as meningitis , encephalitis and brain tumours. Headaches which are not easily relieved by simple analgesics such as paracetamol or aspirin should be investigated by a medical practitioner. Such headaches might be accompanied by loss of vision, loss of smell or other neurological deficits.

Such symptoms must not be ignored at any cost. Facial pain is another category of headache. It can present as a burning or aching pain and can often have many

causes includinng dental problems such as infected teeth, and dental abcesses of the jaw.

Infected sinuses can refer pain to the face as the nerves that are present in the sinus regions have branches in the face. Neck and jaw muscles can refer pain to the face when these muscles have become tense and overly contracted or in spasm – the common TMJ syndrome associated with grinding, clenching and wearing down teeth is known to many people.

Chiropractic treatment is one of the most successful methods of treating tension and migraine headaches. As a chiropractor of twenty five years experience, I have seen literally thousands of patients who have had headaches for many years. These people have typically been prescribed or have purchased over the counter pain killers which have relieved their symptoms to a degree but have done absolutely nothing to prevent another headache occurring the

day later.

At one time, Australia had the highest percentage in the world of people with kidney failure, directly due to their having constantly taken these pain killers. Some people would take them on waking, even when they did not have a headache. Perhaps they thought that they would stop one from coming on!

Chiropractic treatment involves a range of examinations and medical tests to evaluate the causes of the headache. This is important to make sure that the patient is not suffering from

one of the more dangerous types of headache that I have already mentioned. By removing or reducing the causes of tension to the nerves of the neck and upper back muscles, the headaches may gradually ease and in time, disappear completely. The patient is then able to get on with their lives and enjoy participating in their communities and families.

A small mention should be about headaches in children. This is a subject unto itself. It is a fact that many illnesses may cause head pain in children and every report of headache must be viewed with suspicion and checked out. It is also worth remembering that children are as prone to hurting their neck and shoulders in play as adults may at work.

Chiropractors frequently help children with headache where their necks have become strained or subluxated, due to a range of factors such as poor posture, heavy schoolbags, using laptops etc. Be aware of how many hours your child sits and balance in their lives to keep them exercising and active. Investigate headaches by looking at how they spend their time and their posture, noy only by suspecting illness and disease.



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