Although there are different kinds of headaches and migraines, the reasons why they occur are common and are generally not too difficult to prevent. If they are a problem for you, try out these natural methods of curing or preventing them.
Firstly, it is worth noting that doctors report that as many as 90% of headaches and migraines are a result of dehydration. This means that simply consuming water at regular intervals can be enough to prevent most problems. You should also try to avoid soft drinks and coffee, as these will make you more, not less, dehydrated.
The importance of sleep in alleviating just about every kind of pain should not be underestimated. Sleep is vital for remaining calm, relaxed and stress-free, and just as significant in the prevention of headaches and migraines. You should get a minimum of 6 hours sleep per night, but ideally a couple more than that too.
Regular activity helps prevent headaches and migraines because it lowers stress levels, boosts endorphins, and improves cardiovascular health. Try aerobic exercise in the morning for 15-30 minutes. Keeping it light and easy is ok, as the purpose is just to get your blood cells, which contain oxygen, flowing at an increased rate.
While particular foods can actually alleviate migraines and headaches, more foods cause them. In particular, be aware of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and chocolate, which are problematic for lots of people. Other foods to watch out for are those which people are commonly allergic to, such as wheat or dairy products. Try avoiding problem foods like these for two weeks to a month and see if there is any difference in the amount of migraines and headaches that you have.
The above suggestions will not prevent or cure all headaches and migraines, but they will have a noticeable effect in the majority of circumstances.
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Filed under migraine headache by Mark Walters
You could be having a great day, everything is going right and then all of a sudden it hits you. Migraines can be the stopper of a good time and can put you in a bad mood quicker than ever.
There are many different symptoms that go along with having a migraine. Everyone who gets attacked with a migraine can have a combination of many different symptoms. While the ailments can be in different combinations, there are some symptoms that are more common.
Head pain during a migraine is a given. That is the first thing that you think of when you think about having a migraine. The head pain can be on the lighter end or can be a full blown throbbing headache. The throbbing that is common with a migraine often is felt in the temple area or in the back or sides of the head.
The pain from your migraine may feel like it is worse on the left side of your head than the right side or vice versa. It be a very uneven pain or it could be just a splitting pain all over. When you move your head it can feel like the pain is worse than when you hold your head still.
Other than the pain symptoms, you can also have some physical problems. A migraine can make you have a sour stomach and feel like you are going to throw up. You can feel nauseous the entire time that the migraine is going on.
Many times during a migraine you will not be able to tolerate any light. You will feel like lying down and resting a pillow over your eyes so that even the slightest light will not fall on your eyes.
If you are in a loud place when the migraine begins to come on you may notice that you are not very tolerant of the noise that surrounds you. Sometimes even the smallest of sounds can make your head ache even more when the migraine is full blown.
While migraines are not predictable, there are some very good medications that will help you through the pain. The medication must be prescribed by a physician so be sure to see your doctor if you feel that you are experiencing migraines very often.
When you do get your medication, be sure to keep it close at hand at all times. You never can tell when a migraine will come on and you should always be prepared. Because migraines can have such severe effects on your physical well being, getting a migraine and not having your medication to help sooth it can be a very painful experience for you.
While the medications can help a migraine to pass quicker, most anyone who is experiencing migraines will want to be left alone to be in a dark and quite atmosphere. Your doctor can tell you if taking a medication is the right answer for you.
Filed under migraine headache by April Kerr
INTRODUCTION: Migraine is a disease, a headache is only a symptom. These headaches, with nausea and vomiting, routinely begin in childhood and tend to becomes less severe and often with age. They can occur any hour of the day, though they frequently starts in the morning. The pain is produce by vasodilation in the cranial blood vessels (expansion of the blood vessels), while Headache pain is caused by vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels). The disease characteristics can include: Pain usually on one side of the head with a pulsating or throbbing quality, Moderate to intense pain affecting day to day activities, Nausea or vomiting, Sensitivity to light or sound.
Attacks often last from four hours to three days, sometimes longer and visual disturbances or aura Exertion such as climbing stairs makes the headaches worse. Approximately 20% of people experience aura, the warning associated with migraine, prior to the headache pain. It is frequently mis-diagnosed as sinus headaches or tension-type headaches and affects up to 15% of the population. Migraines can produce a host of serious physical ailments including strokes, aneurysms, permanent loss of vision, severe dental problems, coma and even death. Sufferers experience not only excruciating pain, but social ostracism, job loss, disruption of personal relationships, and prejudices at work. These headaches seem to be caused in part by alterations in the level of a body chemical called serotonin and they are not the same in all persons.
SYMPTOMS: May include Modest to severe pain on one or both sides of the head, Pulsating or throbbing pain, Pain that worsens with physical activity, Nausea with or without vomiting, Sensitivity to light or sound. Approximately 20 percent of these persons experience what’s called an aura prior to the headache pain. Symptoms of an aura include flashes of light, zig zags, or blind spots in your eyesight or tingling in one arm or leg. With a Classic migraine, a patient has these visual symptoms 10 to 30 minutes prior an attack: sees flashing lights or zigzag lines, has blind spots or loses vision for a short period of time. With a common migraine, a person does not have an aura, but does have the other signs, such as nausea and vomiting. Women also tend to report higher levels of pain, longer headache time, and greater number of symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting.
TREATMENT: Treatment is separated into eliminating particular triggers, control of the specific attack, and long-term prevention. There are two basic ways to treat migraine headaches with medicines: prevent the attacks, or relieve the symptoms during the attacks. A lot of people use both forms of treatment. Other home treatment plans can help, such as doing relaxation techniques and using cold packs. In your headache diary (you should keep one), make a list of home treatment methods that work for you in various situations.
Alternative medical treatments with medications belonging to the class known as the Phenothiazines have proven useful as non-analgesic alternatives for treating severe headaches.
As of today, there is no known cure for the disease, only treatments for the symptoms. Furthermore, such treatments are not yet wholely effective and sufferers may show a diminished tolerance to a variety of drugs, treatments, and pain management regimens. As always, speak with your MD about what sets off your headaches to aid finding the right treatment for you.
CONCLUSION: Migraine is a true neurological disease and often becomes worse in the first trimester of pregnancy, but many women are headache-free later in their pregnancy. This disease and epileptic seizure disorders are also interrelated. People who suffer from these headaches are frequently dismissed as neurotic complainers who are unable to handle stress. It is the second most common type of headache syndrome in the United States and is most commonly found in women, with a 3 to 1 female-to-male ratio. They can continue through the 30s and 40s.
Migraines afflict 28 million Americans, with women suffering more frequently (17%) than men (6%). This kind of headache is one of the most common problems seen in emergency rooms and doctor’s offices. Occurrence among females increases sharply up to age 40 years and then decreases gradually. Headaches tend to run in families, indicating that genetic factors contribute to a persons susceptibility to the condition.
The National Headache Foundation recommends you talk to your MD about your headaches IF: you have several a month and each lasts for several hours or days, disrupts your home, work, or school life, you have nausea, vomiting, vision, or other sensory problems. Tests can be run to determine if you have migraine or not. Prior your appointment, write down: how frequently you have headaches, where the pain is, how long they last, when do they happen, such as during your menstrual cycle, other symptoms, such as nausea or blind spots, any family history of the condition. By just talking with your MD, you may be able to supply enough information to diagnose migraine.
Filed under migraine headache by Richard H Ealom
