Archive for the ‘Pain Management’ Category

Just about everyone during their life time feels the throb of a headache. They can run the gamut from very mild dull ache, to a throbbing, face crushing, nauseating, debilitating pain. Fortunately, there are a variety of herbal and natural headache remedies that have demonstrated headache treatment success in clinical testing.

Before you start to treat a headache, it is very important to know what type of headache you have.

There are two general types of headaches: Primary and Secondary.

A primary headache is the most common. These are when the main condition is the headache and related head pain. Primary headaches include migraines, tension headaches, dehydration headaches, cluster headaches, etc. These are generally not dangerous but can be extremely painful and even debilitating. But, what makes it primary is the focus of the condition is the headache itself, not some other condition. So if you treat the headache, you will eliminate the medical problem, so to speak.

Then there are secondary headaches. These are more dangerous because they are a symptom of a (usually) major health problem. They are usually extremely dangerous and cannot be cured or treated with normal, natural OR synthetic remedies.   For example, a brain tumor can put pressure on the cranium and result in extreme headaches. Another source of a secondary headache is a brain hemmorage. A sharp blow to the head or other head trauma can cause water on the brain or other inflammation that can cause a serious headache. These are all very urgent medical issues, and some aspirin or lavender won’t be effective in treating these problems. It is necessary to seek immediate professional medical treatment for the underlying cause. Only this will stop a secondary headache.

So, once you determine you have a primary headache, here are several Tested natural headache remedies :

Feverfew – This is probably one of the best herbs for eliminating migraines. It will reduce the frequency of a migraine occurence, as well as the duration and degree of pain that comes with it. Best to take feverfew every day if you want the migraine relief. This is because feverfew works as a preventative step… it won’t treat a migraine once it is throbbing.

Peppermint oil – Rubbing a 10% peppermint oil solution gently on the forehead can relieve the pain and intensity of a regular dehydration or tension headache.

Tiger Balm – This is a mixture of essential oils and it has a similar application and effect as peppermint oil. It is often sold O.T.C. in pharmacys and health food stores or you can buy it on the internet. It has also proven effective to relieve headache pain.

Melatonin – When it comes to migraines, this natural hormonal supplement has proven effective in decreasing the amount of migraines a person will have in a month.  It needs to be taken every day, but it can be a great natural migraine remedy.

Of course there are other herbal headache remedies as well but these are a few that are proven effective for eliminating migraines and other primary headaches.

18
Mar

The Chronic Tension Headaches

   Posted by: author1 Tags:

Chronic tension headaches are a serious ailment that can detract from enjoyment of daily life.  Daily activities are subject to interruption by painful episodes that can occur any time.  Chronic tension headaches can easily lead to depression and a general pain crisis.  It is important that chronic tension headaches be treated as soon as possible.  Fortunately, the medical community is very experienced with the problem of chronic tension headache, and has several avenues of treatment available for sufferers.  In fact, headaches are actually divided into three individual categories.

The majority of headaches suffered can fit into the primary category.  A primary headache is frequently brought on by emotional or physical stress, and has the most frequent rate of occurence by far.  Primary headaches are almost never life threatening, but they can bring serious pain with them.  This pain can hamper everyday enjoyment of life, making even basic functioning difficult.  Although the exact causes remain something of a mystery, it is widely held that the symptoms are brought on by a tightening of the muscles that surround the base of the skull.  This tightening comes on as a sensation of tightness at first in the patient’s cranial area. 

Cluster and secondary headaches are a far rarer form of headache that occurs to small portion of the population.  To treat this kind of headache, serious medical attention is required.  Cluster headaches are easily identifiable by the amount of pain they cause.  Patients frequently describe cluster headaches as like having an icepick driven into the eye.  Treatment includes powerful sedatives and pain medications.  Secondary headaches can be a sign of deeper neurological issues.

A Chronic headache should be treated with an eye toward stress management.  Physical and emotional stress are both known to trigger chronic tension headache.  Circumstances that trigger significant emotional stress can prompt the occurence of chronic tension headaches. Prolonged physical stress can also be tied directly to chronic tension headaches.  Steps to manage both kinds of stress should be undertaken in order to reduce the occurence of chronic tension headaches.  If these steps do not succeed, then further treatment with more powerful pain medications may be necessary.  Chronic tension headaches that do not abate should be a signal to see a doctor.

The causes Of migraine headaches , chronic tension headaches and other type of headaches are still something of a mystery in the medical community but one should seek a doctor or specialist to help correct the problem.

Causes of Migraine Headaches Video

Migraine headaches can very easily cause a person to lose daily function and enjoyment of life.  Preventing and treating migraine headaches, however, can be done effectively with a wide range of both over the counter and prescription drugs.  The exact causes of migraine headaches remain unknown to the medical community, but it is widely held that serotonin levels in the brain play a significant role in the formation of migraine headaches.  Low serotonin levels can frequently lead to a migraine headache episode.  

A migraine headache can oftentimes be accompanied by an “aura.”  An aura occurs when a classic migraine headache begins to develop.  In a classic migraine attack, the patient may note changes in vision and mood.  Tenderness in the scalp is another sign of an oncoming migraine headache.  Mood swings are also common, such as depression or irritability.  These subtle symptoms can manifest as early as a day before the episode.  The following migraine headaches are typically fairly intense, but do not last very long.  

Common migraine headaches take longer to develop, and last longer than classic migraines.  This can be seriously debilitating, and can be a real impediment to daily life.  Fortunately, many medications exist to alleviate migraine pain.  Sleep and plenty of fluids are very important in helping to prevent the onset of migraine headaches.  During an attack, go to a quiet and dimly lit area.  Use a cold compress to reduce the tension, and massage the scalp with a fair amount of pressure.  Stress is believed to be one of the top causes of migraine headaches, and should therefore be avoided as much as possible.

Some foods are also believed to play a significant role in migraine development.

Physicians recommend, for example, that sufferers consider avoiding red wine altogether.  Canned and processed meat can also attribute to migraine episodes.  Causes of migraine headaches can also include excess amounts of caffeine, aged cheese, or cultured dairy products.  If you suffer regular migraine headaches, see a physician for a full list of foods and beverages that should be avoided.