Posts Tagged ‘Primary Headaches’

Headaches and Nutrition

January 17th, 2010

Headache is a condition of pain in the head; sometimes neck or upper back pain may also be interpreted as a headache. Headaches can have a wide range of causes and many levels of severity. 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. There are two types of headaches: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are not associated with (caused by) other diseases. Tension headaches are the most common type of primary headache; as many as 90% have had or will have tension headaches. Migraine headaches are the second most common type of primary headache. An estimated 28 million people in the United States (about 12% of the population) will experience migraine headaches. Migraine headaches affect children. Before puberty, boys and girls are affected equally by migraine headaches, but after puberty, more women than men are affected. Cluster headaches are non-throbbing and usually are felt on one side of the head behind an eye.

Cluster headaches affect about 1 million people in the United States. More common in men, they can happen over several days and usually last 30 to 45 minutes. In the United States, over 45 million people including more than the 33 million sufferers of asthma, diabetes, and heart disease—experience chronic, recurring headaches. Approximately 6 million of those women have what are called “menstrual migraines.” Menstrual migraines occur around the time of ovulation and/or menstruation. Most people experience headaches at least occasionally, whilst some suffer frequently. Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar, hunger) is a common cause of headache. Triggers can be made worse by adding stressors, such as lack of sleep and eye strain. Eat a well-balanced diet. Avoid chewing gum, ice cream, iced drinks, salt and excessive sunlight. Practice deep-breathing exercises. A lack of oxygen can cause headaches. Try eliminating foods containing tyramine and the amino acid phenylalanine. Then reintroduce one food at a time and see which ones produce headaches.

Eat a high fibre diet and include extra fibre in the form of supplements. A nutrient called tyramine which is found in many foods and beverages (aged cheese, bananas, beef, chicken livers, chocolate, eggplant, pickled herring, soy sauce, sour cream, cured meats, certain champagnes and red wine), as well as some food additives- monosodium glutamate(MSG) used in Chinese restaurants as a flavor-enhancer, and nitrate and nitrite used to preserve cured meats are also known to trigger headaches and migraines. The most important factor is probably emotional stress. The most often stated cause of headaches is caffeine. Triggers can be made worse by adding stressors, such as lack of sleep and eye strain. Either too much or too little caffeine can cause problems. Often food, or lack of food, can be a trigger to a headache. Magnesium, found in beans and whole grains, beans, nuts, avocado and spinach is necessary and too little magnesium may cause headaches and migraines. In addition, a B vitamin called riboflavin may reduce headaches occurrences.



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Headaches Causes, Symptoms and Tretment for Headaches

January 13th, 2010

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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Headache Relief With Useful Home Remedies for Headache

January 7th, 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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