Natural Treatments For Headaches And Migraines

03 September 2007

There are now many alternative and natural treatments to help people who suffer from headaches and migraines. In this article, I write about these type of remedies and also recommend the types of food people should avoid if they are always suffering from headaches and migraines.

There are many causes of headaches including:

• Excessive amounts of alcohol.
• Over eating.
• An incorrect posture.
• Too much stress.
• Problems with teeth.
• Problems with a person eyes.

It is important that we learn to deal with stress and to become more care-free. A lot of people react to stressful situations by turning to alcohol. This can only add to their problems and can lead to even more headaches.

If the person drinks to excess they may wake up with a hangover. If this happens to you I would advise you to drink plenty of water as you are likely to be dehydrated. Vitamin C is also useful to remove the alcohol quicker from your body.

If you are unable to live a stress-free life, it may be worth looking at alternative treatments. These are the types of natural therapy I would advise:

• Osteopathy.
• Acupuncture.
• Homeopathy.
• Yoga.
• Tai Chi.
• The Alexander Technique.

There are also certain foods and drinks which are a must to avoid for people who have regular headaches. These include:

• Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit.
• Chocolate.
• Cheese.
• Alcohol.
• Migraines.

Headaches are annoying enough, however migraines can be severely painful. I have suffered with migraines for a number of years and have now studied the subject seeking a cure. I am determined to not have to live my life, having these migraines regularly throughout the year, as the pain is unbearable. Maybe I am a bit of a wimp, but they really do cause me a lot of grief.

There are a number of reasons or causes for migraines. These include bright lights, certain foods or loud noises. I have to say that I think my own migraines are caused by stress and anxiety. I have always been a worrier and have suffered with a low self-esteem for most of my life. There are many reasons for this lack of confidence, which I will not bore you with at this stage.

I decided that I needed to deal with my stress as well as learning about how to eradicate the migraines.

I am now able to relax and have accepted that no one person is perfect. I realise that I will make mistakes and as long as I learn from them, then that is OK. Worrying does not help me in any case therefore I have to stop doing it.

I have also used alternative health therapies to help me to reduce my stress including:

• Herbal remedies.
• Meditation.
• Yoga.
• Tai Chi.

I still have headaches as I have to admit that I do like to have a few beers around once a week. I have not however had a migraine for around nine months now. I am a lot happier in life and have learnt how to manage my levels of stress. I regularly meditate and use other natural remedies as mentioned above. This is what has helped me and I hope it helps you to.

Finding Out What’s Causing Your Migraines

If you are suffering from frequent migraines, chances are that there are certain triggers that set your migraines off. Those could be foods, drinks, smells, or certain chemicals. Once you find out what your particular migraine triggers are, you can then avoid them and reduce the amount of migraines you get.

Just about anything can trigger a migraine, there are some things that seem to frequently be the culprit.

Comment Food Migraine Triggers include alcohol, hot dogs, MSG, aspartame, chocolate, citrus fruits, caffeine, nuts, pickled or smoked fish, dairy, onions, beans and greasy food. Even your medication may be triggering your migraines. Nitroglycerine, histamine, diuretics and asthma medications are all possible migraine triggers.

Hormonal changes like those experienced during menstruation, ovulation and if you are taking hormone supplements can also trigger migraines, as can lack of sleep, skipping meals and physical exertion.

Weather changes, air pollution and smoke as well as bright or flickering light can also be the culprit.

To find out what might be triggering your migraines, keep a journal for a few weeks. Record any food or drink you consumed for any given day and also add a section to note what the weather was like, and any other environmental factors you notice throughout the day, such as spending time in a room with bright or flickering lights.

After a few weeks or months, you should see patterns emerge. Start avoiding some of the things that you tend to eat or that tend to happen right around the time you get your migraines. Obviously there are triggers such as weather changes that you cannot avoid, but you can start to pay closer attention to your body around that time and catch a migraine much earlier.

Knowing what triggers your migraine will help you avoid some of your migraine triggers and allows you to be prepared and take migraine medication earlier when a migraine starts to set in.

Headaches Defined And Treatments That Actually Work

Headaches are quite common. Everybody gets them, albeit some are more severe than others and some can indicate something more severe. Everyone has had them - sinus and allergy headaches, migraines, etc… This article will answer the questions of what causes them and how we should treat them. Tension and allergy related headaches.

When you feel pressure in your sinus areas or if you feel pressure around the top part of your head this is what you are experiencing. They are usually a dull bothersome ache that feels like a weight hanging from that area. They also tend to slow your reactions and make you lethargic. They can last from a few hours to a few days. Allergy headaches are usually associated with sneezing, stuffy nose, and can drain from one side to the other. Treatment for these headaches is similar - acetaminophnen (ibuprofen) usually works to reduce the severity of this headache. Also, Claritin works well for alergy related symptoms.

For more severe tension headaches doctors have been known to use oxygen machines and a few injectable drugs that give a more immediate effect. Migraines. These can be quite serious and are by far the most painful. They feel like a burst blood vessel or artery as they have a pulsing feel to them. They can be so painful that they can make you sick to your stomach (nausea), cause light sensativity and even virtigo. Migraines are quite prevalent and can also indicate something more severe like a brain tumor, a weakened blood vessel, abnormal changes in blood pressure and pH, etc… Repeated patterns of migraines or other headaches should be brought to the attention of your doctor for this reason.

Your body many times will tell you when something is wrong and a abnormal or irregular headache or bodyache that has become chronic is a good indication that something may be off. It may be as simple as a hormonal imbalance, new stress, etc… Regardless, your doctor knows best and it should be brought to their attention. There are over the counter products that contain pain relievers and caffeine that may work. Doctors usually prescribe beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and other various narcotics. Cluster or frontal headaches. These tend to be due to stress and the work environment usually.

Glare from your computer monitor, strain from wearing the wrong prescription or incorrect and outdated prescription corrective lenses. I can’t stress this enough. Once a year, every year, go and get a routine eye exam. Your eyes will be healthier and you will be glad you did. These headaches tend to have a very sharp, stabbing pain. They tend to occur more often in males and are shortest in duration. Usually over the counter medicines are very helpful with these headaches. For more severe forms doctors will prescribe narcotics and similar.

These are the main types of headaches and treatments for them. Many doctors have lately found mental relaxation techniques like Yoga to be quite helpful in reducing and preventing headaches. This article is for information purposes only. For correct dignosis and medical advice you should seek the appropriately trained physician as they can best test, evaluate and recommend a course of treatment for you. If you experience irregular, sharp and severe headaches that are new, get to a doctor or hospital right away as it could be an indication of or a precursor of a stroke, aneurysm, or other medical emergency.

Home Remedies for Headaches

Certain home remedies have been found beneficial in the treatment of various types of headaches. Lemon is valuable in bilious headache. The juice of three or four slices of this fruit should be squeezed in a cup of water and drunk by the patient for treating this condition. The crust of lemon, which is generally thrown away, has been found useful in headaches caused by heat. Lemon crusts should be pounded into a fine paste in a mortar and applied as plaster on the forehead. It will give relief. Applying yellow rind of a lemon, newly pared off, to each temple will also give relief.

Apples are valuable in all types of headaches. A ripe apple, after removing the upper rind and the inner hard portion, should be taken with a little salt every morning. This should be continued for about a week.

The flowers of henna have been found valuable in headaches caused by hot sun. A plaster of the flowers should be prepared by rubbing them in vinegar and applied over the forehead. It will soon give relief. Cinnamon is useful in headaches caused by exposure to cold air. A fine paste of this spice should be prepared by mixing it with water and it should be applied over the temples and forehead to obtain relief.

Certain water applications help relieve headaches. Copious drinking of water can help as do the cleansing enema with water temperature at 98.6011 F, the hot foot bath, a cold throat pack, frequent applications of towels wrung out from very hot water to the back of the neck, a cold compress at 40 to 60 F applied to the head and face or an alternate spinal compress. Hot fomentations over the abdominal region just before retiring relieve headaches due to stomach and liver upsets.

Chronic Headaches - Tips to Stop the Pain

Are you suffering from constant headaches? Headaches are a common ailment, but research has uncovered treatments that may help your problem almost disappear.

According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF) tension headaches affect nearly 78% of the adult population. 13% of the population suffers from migraines. Because the cause of migraines varies greatly, what relieves a migraine in one person may trigger an attack in another. The suggestions here are guidelines for those who suffer regularly from tension headaches which may have an identifiable physical cause.

WATCH WHAT YOU EAT

Some headache sufferers notice a connection with eating or drinking foods with aspartame. For those who are sensitive to the chemical it may cause blood vessels to expand in the brain and trigger a headache.

Caffeine is used to treat headaches. Its proprieties can assist pain medication in providing relief and can be found in medications to treat migraines. However, too much caffeine can have a ‘rebound’ effect and actually cause headaches. If you suffer from regular headaches you should avoid daily use of caffeinated beverages such as coffee and certain sodas.

According to the McKinley Health Center, avoiding tobacco can also reduce headaches.

Skipping meals may cause headaches in some people, so eating regular meals may prevent headaches in these individuals.

REDUCE THE STRESS

Getting enough sleep is important for everyone. If you suffer from tension headaches you may find getting your eight hours every night reduces the amount or intensity of your headaches. On the other hand, oversleeping can bring on a headache if you don’t get up at your regular time (such as on the weekend or during holidays).

Some headaches also seem to be aggravated by too much sun. Excessive exercise outdoors and lack of hydration can lead to headaches. Keep eyes shaded and be sure to drink plenty of water when outdoors.

Not surprisingly it was recently found that women wearing tight ponytails had an increased risk of tension headaches. Releasing or loosening the hair and performing a brief massage to the head can bring almost immediate relief.

MEDICATE

What you may think is a sinus headache may actually be a migraine. A consultation with your doctor may determine if you should switch to a migraine medication.

According to the NHF, tension headaches caused by stress should respond to reducing the stress or use of over-the-counter analgesics. However, if headaches occur almost daily you need to look for ways of dealing with the stress and discuss other options with your doctor.

As with caffeine, regular daily use of over the counter medications can actually cause headaches.

If headaches occur for long periods, are unusually intense or do not respond to pain medication after several days you should seek treatment and diagnosis from a health care professional.

Leading a healthy and active lifestyle has many health benefits, including a reduction of tension-type headaches. Combining a healthy lifestyle with avoidance of triggers may help you find relief from tension-type headaches.

A Total Guide To Your Sinus Headache

“Prevention is better than cure.” Well said and well understood! But there are certain types of headaches, which are part and parcel of you; gifted to you by birth! Sinus headache is one of them, unfortunately.

Many say about sinus, “that which can not be cured, must be endured!’ You can control it, reduce its impact. Can it be ever eradicated? The answer is in the negative, as far as the present day medical research can take you!

In sinus, invariably you have the headache, but every headache is not sinus! Sinus and nasal passage problems are the cause of headache, mostly! It is not that you have pain in the sinus area and you need to conclude that you have a sinus disorder. When the nasal passage and sinus are inflamed, it can result in a severe headache. In acute chronic sinus, the intensity of headache varies with the severity of the sinus. Sinus patients complain about many other problems. The sinus patient is more likely to experience:

• Chills and fevers.
• Swelling of face.
• Nasal stiffness.
• Tension in the upper teeth, which will give lots of pain.
• Or, yellow or green discharge.

If you are suffering from sinus, you must live a controlled life, and must remain highly disciplined, with regard to the diet. There are strict laws as far as do’s and don’ts are concerned! Singers will have to take special care about maintaining the vocal chords of their throats! Sinus remains ever ready to sabotage their plans.

Pranaayama and Yoga asanas go a long way in controlling and curing the sinus headache! Regular light exercise must be done and tough and heavy exercises need to be avoided. The use of steam vaporizer must become the part of your life, if you detect the sinus! Develop the habit of morning walk. Do not walk too briskly or too slowly, and avoid too chilly or too hot days. Breathe moist air.

Sinus and headache are two different problems. When they club together and make a joint attack on you, your only defense is to find out the root cause of their arrival and then check them. So far, it has not been possible for the medical science and research, to defeat the sinus headache. But to erect barricades in its onward march is certainly possible!

Treatments for Headache Relief

What a variety of headaches and what a variety of treatment patterns!

Strictly speaking, any medicine that is administered for a particular disease, must cure it without giving scope for any side effects! And cure it fully, not in parts, not with ifs and buts!

How many types of medicines have been tried to treat this simple looking ailment of headache? Individual headache treatments, traditional headache treatments, alternative headache medicine, drug and non-drug therapies for headache relief! Yet, breathes there a soul who will not get attacks of headaches in one form or the other-one or two times in a year or several times?

How brain, the most intelligent part of the human system, has kept itself away from this headache? Nothing happens to the brain, even if you have a worst attack of the headache. But most of the parts around it, are desperately attacked., like head, face, mouth or neck. The pain can be mild or severe enough to disrupt your daily activities. Headache involves the network of nerve fibers, in the tissues, muscles and blood vessels, located in the head and at the base of the skull.

Inderal for headache–how does it work? Inderal does two important functions in its effort to control headache. It reduces the heart rate and lowers the blood pressure.

How this is done? It is a beta-blocker medication which blocks the action of the sympathetic nervous system. As a natural corollary, blood pressure and heart rate are checked. Rightly, therefore beta blocker drugs like Inderalk are used in the treatment of high blood pressure. Some studies have also shown that they also have a role to play in preventing the migraine attacks. Migraine is one of the severe forms if headaches!

But, certain side effect are cited. They are dizziness, changes in the mood of an individual, trouble with sleep, plus those who have asthma are likely to suffer more!

A local medicine is believed to the job of Inderal, but without any side effects. Bishop’s weed (Ajwain): The seeds are useful in the treatment of migraine and delerium. They should either be smoked or sniffed frequently to obtain relief.

Are You Suffering From Tension Headache?

Whether headache is the cause of tension or the tension is the cause of headache? Think over… if their origin is due to the common cause?

Well, the dividing line between tension and headache is thin.

The tension headache is the unique and generous gift of high paced life style of the modern world. Most of the people caught in the grip of this civilization are out to run an endless marathon that has no end. Many of these crazy run ups end on stretchers, ambulances and ICUs in the hospital. Tension headaches are directly responsible for this sorry state of affair.

What is the source of these tensions? An individual, on a normal working day is connected to his family, his friends and his office. Any serious tension in any of these places is the direct cause of their tension headache.

The causes of tension headache may be simple or complex. Your son’s poor percentage in the higher secondary examination, and his inability to get admission in any of the reputed Colleges might become a major reason for your tension headache. Well, any kind of stress or worry could be the root of your tension. This is why tension headache is the most common form of headache.

Herein, the tension type headache is not to be confused with any of the serious forms of headache. Tension headache could be due to a single factor. The moment a solution is found to the problem, it disappears.

You may not need any treatment or medicine for this type of tension headache. This headache can be compared to the sharp, passing showers. It comes and it goes. But if you experience intense pain when you have such headaches, you need to consult your doctor immediately.

How to treat the tension headache? The correct treatment is to go to the root cause of the tension and treat that cause. When that cause is satisfactorily resolved, the headache is also gone.

And last but not the least, solving your tension headache through over the counter medications is neither the correct nor the recommended solution for it. At best, this can be described as a temporary solution. The effect of headache will reappear again.

So, learn to be at peace with yourself to treat this peculiar headache. Find a solution in the activities that pleasure you. You may read some lessons on right type of living as well. For, good literature many a times solves the riddles of tension.

Are You Taking Elavil For Headache Relief?

Headache is a mass disease. At one time or the other, you must have gone through the ordeal of it. Many a times, it is a passing feature! It doesn’t require any treatment at all. It comes, takes its time, tests and bothers you to the extent it can and departs away! All that you need is to have patience and understanding then!

This much about the normal headaches! The real problem starts when it becomes chronic. The severe pain will drive out all understanding and patience within you and you feel that you must have instant relief, otherwise the head will break!

Scientists and researchers all over the world are worried about such headaches and are trying out various combinations to combat this. They have come out with several products depending upon the nature of headaches and Elavil is one of them!

Elavil, in the first instance was prescribed to treat bulimia (an eating disorder). Subsequently it was used to control chronic pain and to prevent migraine headache.

Does Elavil cure the headache directly? Perhaps it is not its direct function; it is only a responsive action! It is a member of the group of drugs called tricyclic anti-depresasants. Doctors prescribe Elavil to treat a pathological weeping and laughing syndrome associated with multiple sclerosis.

Utmost care is to be taken about taking the doses as prescribed by your physician! Go strictly by the quantum of the dose, and do not skip doses. Even if you feel like not taking the dose, due to depression or any other factors do not skip the dose. If you miss a dose for any reason, do not take two doses the next day, to make up for the shortfall. When you start the therapy, the side effect at the initial stage, may be drowsiness. Do not panic and give up the doses. This condition will disappear after a few days. Rewards are promised for the patients who have patience for 30 days. The thumb rule is that never take 2 doses at a time. It is dangerous.

The side effects of Elavil are thoroughly discouraging. The side effects reported are: constipation, blurred vision, dry mouth, rapid heart beat, and a greater danger of sustaining a nasty fall!

Owners of Elavil, be careful! One wrong decision and your headache may prove to be too costly.

Know Headaches Caused By Food You Eat

The choice of food among human beings has a peculiarity. I like bitter gourd. You hate it. I like coffee, but you love to have black tea. If you consume the food you don’t like, under pressure, you have headache. You eat the food according to your choice. You have no headache at all!

Many headaches are food-related. The type of food that you take, have direct body-mind relation and effects.

Take the type of headache known as Hypoglycemia. When you have low blood sugar, you have this type of headache. So, diabetic patients, take care!

If you are taking high doses of insulin you need to monitor it carefully. Since this headache is related to your blood sugar level, a glass of orange juice should bring you immediate relief.

Alternatively, any food stuff that provides simple carbohydrate to your body mechanism, will take care of both, your low blood sugar as well headache!

Another type of head ache related to food, is due to caffeine withdrawal.

Well, you have been drinking at least 6 to 7 cups of coffee/tea per day, and you have again made the New Year Resolution (just as you made resolutions, without success, during the last several years) to give up such drinks. This year’s resolution is now week old, and you feel as if someone is pounding your head with the hammer. The headache is unbearable. When the going was good, your caffeine friend, gave you lots of encouragement. That’s what you thought! Now when you wish to give it up for valid treasons, relating to deterioration of your health, Caffeine is showing its ill temper by giving you constant headache.

For this headache, there is no instant solution. Don’t implement your resolution in one go, by breaking your coffee cup, as a sort of violent protest. Do it slowly and steadily. The chances are that you will win over the headache.

Foods such as old cheese and yeast extracts and red wine have a substance called Tyramine, which causes headache. Deficiency in the enzyme oxidase, which is known as Histamine intolerance can cause chronic headache.

Many types of allergies are responsible for various types of headaches. Food items in their pure form may not be the cause of headache. But many food items contain additives and artificial flavors. These items are the direct causes of headache.

If you consume any food item, fruits and vegetables in the most natural form, as far as possible, you have possibly solved the problem of headache once for all.

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