Headache Types And Treatments
Headaches can do more than ruin your day – they can interfere with your life. There are many different types of headaches and in this article, we are going to discuss a few of them.
Migraine Headache
If you have a stable pattern of recurring headaches accompanied by nausea at least some of the time, you probably have migraine. Migraines may sometimes cause extreme nausea, vomiting and altered vision. Symptoms may include tiredness or moodiness as early as 12- 18 hours before onset of the headache.
Migraine tends to recur periodically but what really causes migraines is not well understood. Migraine headaches can do more than ruin your day – they can interfere with your life. Headaches are of different variations.
Migraine headaches are usually described as a one-sided, throbbing pain of the temple, forehead, or eye. Once the pain of a migraine sets in, it is sheer agony. How bad are your headaches? The most important symptom you will probably have with your migraine headache is pain, and as you know, the pain can be very severe and last many hours.
Migraine headache resulted from the expansion (or dilation) of blood vessels in the brain and scalp. It is possible for people to have migraine even when nobody in the family has it. Though it has been seen that migraine does run in families, it is not necessary that children of migraine patients will also have it. Stress is one of the major factors that can contribute to the onset of a migraine.
Tension headache
Tension headaches are also common in many people. Stress and anxiety are causes for tension headaches. Tension headaches often start in the middle of the day. Tension headaches usually begin slowly and gradually. Tension headaches commonly come on in the middle of the day. If you have tension headaches almost every day or over-the-counter medicines don’t help your pain, you should see a medical practitioner.
For a person who is prompt to tension headache, the moment the person gets tense about something, the person will develop a tension headache. People with tension headaches may also suffer from pain, throbbing or a sensation of tightness in the head. Contrary to popular belief, tension headache is not necessarily the result of emotional stress, but rather, like migraine, probably as a result of a neurochemical process inherent in the brain of the headache sufferer. Most tension-type headaches respond to simple analgesics like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, but some can be somewhat disabling.
Tests are not usually required to diagnose a tension headache. If you only have tension headaches occasionally, an over-the-counter (available without a prescription) pain reliever can probably help. These headaches come on slowly, and gradually increase in intensity. Some people report that their tension headaches are worse than a migraine headache.
Common Headache Treatment Options
There are a lot of treatment options presently available for your migraine and tension headaches. Some of you will get spectacular results with one or more of these treatments and others will not. Sometimes a separate visit to your physician to discuss your headaches specifically may be necessary. Migraine can be triggered in susceptible individuals by tyramine-containing foods, some food additives and sugar substitutes, as well as by skipping meals.
Selective serotonin-agonist drugs like sumatriptan have revolutionized treatment of migraines and dramatically changed the lives of millions of people. Most commonly used drugs for migraine headaches are regular analgesics available over the counter like Tylenol, Aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil). There are several natural solutions that can help you fight headaches, but the first thing you need to do is work out what sort of headaches you’re actually suffering from.
There are many natural remedies for tension headaches. These include stress and tension reduction, ice therapy (used at the base of the skull), eliminating food triggers, getting the proper amount of rest, biofeedback, headache pillows or cushions, exercise and many others. Sunglasses can often even prevent the headaches.
All treatments for migraine and tension headaches have the same treatment goals in common. They are designed to take away your headache symptoms. There is no need to endure the pain when you really have an option. Follow the tips given here and you will be amazed to find that the prevention is actually in your hands.
Cindy Heller
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/headache-types-and-treatments-101670.html
Headache Relief With Useful Home Remedies for Headache
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
By: Dr James Sameul (Download Free Anxiety Treatment)
About the Author:
Author is an Ayurvedic doctor having years of experience in the field of Ayurveda and Alternative medicine. Find out more Home Remedies for Headache at http://www.natural-homeremedies.org/
He has an exclusive website on Home Remedies for various diseases. You can also contribute to the Home remedies by visiting the website
Restore Your Life and Get Panic Puzzle Today !
Native Remedy
Relora Max
Native Remedy
