If you suffer from migraine headaches, you know all about the excruciating pain. They used to be called "sick headaches" because of the nausea and vomiting that are often associated with these kinds of severe headaches. This really unbearable pain can last for up to three days with little relief from taking plain aspirin or even stronger over-the-counter medicines. As a migraine sufferer you know that it gives warning before it strikes. You may experience blurry vision or see black spots or lines before your eyes.
Usually the headaches will be on one side of the head and often centered around one eye. Noise and light seem to be intolerable, and eating might be impossible. People sometimes will just go to bed with a migraine to try and lessen the pain. When the headache finally wears off, usually one to two days later, the sufferer will be pretty weak and shaken. After feeling normal again the person will usually feel alert and fine, until the next migraine strike occurs.
To understand about how to cure and lessen migraine pain, you first need to learn about what causes these terrific headaches. It has been said that migraines are associated with people who are perfectionists and drive themselves relentlessly in order to succeed. They will do this until they are totally exhausted, but they also feel triumphant from their work in the process. This is when many of the migraines will start up. Sometimes it just takes excitement, or even fright, to trigger the migraine.
A person with this type of high drive personality should be aware of what happens to their body when they push themselves beyond their physical capabilities. Before this person finally lets go to exhaustion, the migraine will already be starting to attack. The blood vessels start to shrink in the head, which doesn't let the blood circulate normally and leads to visual abnormalities. Then, when the person finally does let go of his exhaustion, the blood pressure rises. The blood vessels then start to dilate and the walls of the vessels swell. Then the brain produces and releases a stress enzyme. Soon the migraine headache starts with its unusually harsh throbbing and pain. Some time after, the digestive system starts to become upset. The migraine is full-fledged at this point.
There are several approaches to relieve a migraine, but the best one is to prevent it altogether. The high drive personality of a migraine sufferer is usually mostly to blame. This person should slow down in his stressful business and/or personal life. But when a migraine attack is inevitable, the person should not give into it by going to bed or abruptly slowing down his activities. If he or she gives into the headache slowly and not quickly, it will keep the blood vessels from over relaxing and therefore causing the first ebb and flow of the migraine. Fresh air, coffee, a massage and a heat lamp applied on the back of the neck can help to restore circulation and relieve the pain.
The nutritional approach can also help the sufferer. He or she should be eating a high vitamin, high mineral and high protein diet. Additional supplements should also be taken. The sufferer should check with his or her doctor before using any of these natural remedies for their migraine headache relief. Remember that migraines can be caused by lots of stress and also nutritional deficiencies. The sufferer needs to relax and start taking it easy (or easier!) and of course needs to eat a nutritional diet along with supplements. Prevention is the key for curing migraines!
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Migraine
Apr 5, 2008
Natural Cures for Migraine Headaches
Migraine Headaches - Eight Prevention Steps
Anyone who has experienced a migraine headache knows how debilitating they can be. Migraine headaches are characterized by extreme pain and pressure, usually over one eye or concentrated on one side of the head; sometimes they are accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light. An episode can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, and render a person incapable of functioning.
The price one pays while having a migraine headache is not limited to physical pain. According to a recent study, fiscal pain can be an unfortunate consequence, since headaches often result in multiple trips to the doctor and missed days of work or school.
How can migraine headache suffers find relief for the pain without breaking the bank? The study’s author suggests taking more preventative approaches. Such as:
• Decrease stress
• Affirm yourself: “I relax into the flow of life and let life provide all that I need easily and comfortably. Life is for me.”
• Decrease Caffeine--drink decaffeinated tea/coffee and eliminate all other drinks with caffeine
• Discover any food allergies and eliminate those foods
• Eat Right for Your (Blood) Type
• Maintain healthy body weight
• 7 to 8 hours of sleep – preferably at least 1 hour of sleep before midnight
• Exercising at least 2 times a week
Resource: Stang, P.E., Crown, W.H., Bizier, R., et al. “The Family impact and costs of migraine,” American Journal of Managed Care, May 2004:313-320.
Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, author, speaker and inspiritional leader specializes in: Mind, Body, Spirit healing. Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life's challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. http://www.drdorothy.net
Apr 1, 2008
Stress Headaches - The Causes & Remedies
Headaches come in a variety of forms, and plague millions of people on a daily basis. Sometimes they can be caused by lack of food, or tiredness, sometimes they are a symptom of a virus or other illness, and sometimes they are caused by stress.
Stress headaches are a very common ailment, and while taking medicines can alleviate the symptoms of a stress, or 'tension' headache, the best way to treat them is to treat the causes of them. Almost 80% of adults experience stress headaches occasionally, but some people suffer from them on an almost daily basis.
In Search of Relief
Stress headaches are not believed to be hereditary. They are usually accompanied by tensed muscles in the neck - sometimes the tension in the neck can make the headache worse. Stress headaches are usually tied to something going on around the sufferer - from work or school related stress, to family issues or relationship breakups. When stresses mount up daily, the occasional acute headache can turn into a chronic problem.
Stress headaches can last for anything between half an hour to a full day. The headache usually feels like a constant, painful pressure, unlike migraines which are more likely to be a throbbing feeling, with other symptoms such as nausea and sensitivity to light. Tension headaches are usually not as severe as migraines, but they are still incapacitating in many cases, especially if associated symptoms such as aching muscles, fatigue, insomnia, or dizziness are present too. Usually the onset of a stress headache is experienced during the day, but in some cases, individuals report waking up with one.
Help For Tension Headache Sufferers
If you suffer from regular tension headaches you may find yourself in a situation where the headaches and other symptoms lead to an inability to concentrate, irritability, and more stress. This leads to a cycle of more headaches, and this can be difficult to break out of.
Pain relievers can help with occasional stress headaches, but should not be taken frequently. The best treatment is to prevent the headaches by learning stress management techniques. If a cycle of chronic stress headaches is allowed to develop then this can be detrimental to the health of the sufferer. The headache themselves do not cause any damage, but other symptoms, such as insomnia, can lead to tiredness, irritability, and more stress. Breaking the cycle of tension headaches can vastly improve your health and your quality of life.
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Natural Headache Treatments
If you suffer from chronic headaches, you are probably wondering exactly what you can do to help cure the problem. Headaches can ruin your day and sometimes your week. Chronic headaches are usually headaches that cannot be controlled with normal, over the counter medication. Chronic headaches are also severe enough to inhibit normal daily functions.
If you suffer from chronic headaches, there are several things you can do to help the problem. First, determine if there is something that is triggering the headache. Do you have a specific stressor that causes you to get a headache? Do bright lights, loud noises, or stressful situations cause one? Sometimes headaches can be triggered by changes in air pressure. If you can pin point a problem that triggers the headache, then try to avoid the problem. If your headache is caused by air pressure, then you might want to try an allergy medication. This helps to adjust the pressure in the sinuses and can relieve a weather-induced headache.
Sometimes people who are addicted to something can get a chronic headache if they do not have the substance. For example, people who drink a caffeinated beverage at the same time each day might notice a headache if they do not have the beverage. These headaches will usually go away after avoiding the addictive substance for about a week, but they are severe while going through the withdrawal process.
Another great way to treat headaches is through visiting a chiropractor. Find a chiropractor who practices holistic chiropractics, which means he or she treats the whole body, not just the spine. Often, chronic headaches can be relieved through an adjustment of the neck and cranium. Sometimes a misalignment of the jaw can also cause chronic sinus headaches and this can also be adjusted by a chiropractor.
There is another type of holistic medicine that can help chronic headaches and that is acupuncture. Acupuncturists can activate pressure points and nerves on the body that can help end the pain associated with chronic headaches.
If these treatments do not work, you may have a blood sugar related headache. It can be that if your blood sugar level rise too high and then drop, after eating refined sugar, then you may get a headache. If this seems to be your trigger, avoid eating too much sugar. Natural sugars from fruit usually do not produce this effect, so if you need something sweet, turn to a peach or apple. Also, avoid going without eating for more than three or four hours, as this can cause a severe dip in blood sugar levels.
There are certainly medications out there to help treat headaches, but these are often associated with serious side effects. If you can avoid using the medication through using natural treatments, your overall health will be much better. Of course, using medication is better than living in constant pain, but try alternative methods first. It is possible to live without headaches! Find a treatment today! Imagine living a live without the agony of headache pain. With natural treatments, it is possible!
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Headaches
A Temporary Cure For Sinus Headache
Sinusitis is the inflammation of the lining of the sinus cavities in the skull. Sinus cavities produce mucous which lines the nasal cavity. They reduce the weight of the skull as these cavities are air filled. The voice resonates inside the sinus cavities. A healthy sinus cavity normally contains air whereas a sinus cavity in case of sinusitis becomes filled with mucous. A mucous filled sinus cavity can create symptoms like headache. The best cure for sinus headache is curing the disease itself.
Most cases of sinus can be cured by taking a course of antibiotics. Anti inflammatory drugs and anti allergic drugs are also prescribed at times. Nasal sprays and nasal irrigation are other techniques used to cure sinusitis. Surgery may be considered in acute cases of sinusitis. Inhaling steam or taking a cold compress over the head may be a temporary cure for sinus headache. If inhaling steam decongests the sinus completely, it can prove to be helpful in completely curing sinusitis.
A sinus headache may be confused with migraine at times. X-rays, CT scans and MRI are used to distinguish between the two. Sinus headaches are also accompanied by other symptoms of sinus like facial pain, jaw pain, toothache, swelling on the face and nasal discharge. Sinus patients also complain of a cough which increases in the morning and at night. Another temporary cure for sinus headache is having a hot water shower. Hot water decongests the sinuses to some extent giving temporary relief. Eating a pepper or a jalapeño also helps in decongesting the sinuses. Sleeping in a dark room for some time also helps at times.
If no cure for sinus headache works and the headache worsens day by day, it is best you consult a good doctor. Sinus can become chronic or extremely acute. There are times when sinusitis spreads to the brain affecting the mental capabilities of a person. There have been cases where sinus has become a threat to the person's life.
Though people believe in home remedies as a cure for sinus headache, it is recommended that a medical practitioner may be consulted as early as possible.
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