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Archive for the ‘Headache’ Category

As a person who suffers from TMJ, it must be the simple things in life which you miss the most, like talking non-stop or a big bite off a cheese-burger. Do you want to get rid of that irritating TMJ headache and pain in the various facial muscles? Do you want reclaim your old life with simple pleasant mornings when you wouldn’t have to worry about your jaw?

First off, do not worry! If you follow a proper procedure with a good therapy, you are sure to get TMJ headache relief, in as short a time, as two weeks. The fact that TMJ has entered your daily life does not mean peace and happiness will leave.

Get yourself mentally prepared to do this. Tell yourself that very soon, you will be free from this pain and suffering. Once you are ready, start off by preparing a detailed plan and schedule that allocates fixed time each day for practicing exercises and relieving stress.

Next, choose from a variety of available treatment methods for TMJ headache. Consult a qualified professional who can analyze your condition and suggest specific remedies. Treatments will usually be consisting of one of the following therapies. Jaw exercises to stretch and relieve tension from the facial muscles; pain management techniques like hypnotherapy or medication; mandibular repositioning devices and splints to minimize clicking and grating; or para-functional habit modification therapies like biofeedback headbands and movement therapy.

Now it is time to make changes in your daily life so that the treatment can be effective. Identify the factors in your life which lead to TMJ headaches. Most likely, a stressful work environment and an unhappy domestic life end up as culprits. Once you have discovered the situations that lead to the pain, work towards removing these factors because until they exist, the pain and stress will not stop easily. Set a target of two weeks within which you make these changes successfully. Make sure you are following exercises and any other suggestions by your consultant.

Migraine causes debilitating, very painful headaches that can involve other sensory signs before or during an attack that may include flashing lights, visual blind spots, numb arms or legs, vomiting and nausea, increased light and sound sensitivity. A migraine causes bad pain that can go on for hours or in some cases days. This article will deal with the normal treatments for migraines and then a natural cure that will surprise you.

Enlarged blood vessels combined with a chemical over-sensitizing nerve fibers of these blood vessels results in a migraine headache. During a migraine attack an artery located outside the skull around the temple area of the head will become enlarged. This triggers chemicals to be released which cause more pain and inflammation and more artery enlargement.

A migraine causes other responses in the body like the sympathetic nervous system which causes sensations of nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. These sensations delay the emptying of the stomach into the small intestine which in turn leads to issues with food absorption, decreases in blood circulation which results in cold hands and feet and heightened sensitivity to light and sound.

Males are less likely to suffer from migraines than females. Each year it is estimated that over 28 million Americans are afflicted with migraines.

Decreasing migraine causes like the popular migraine therapies known as abortive or preventative therapy which is commonly referred to as prophylactic therapy has its key area on avoiding triggers, dealing with symptoms and taking medication. A first order of abortive therapy is the use of over the counter medication like naproxen, paracetamol, ibuprofen and other normal analgesics. These have the task of eliminating or reducing the pain of the headache. When sensations of nausea and vomiting are concerned, anti-emetics may be used.

Preventing migraine causes begins with avoiding things that trigger the condition. With the main aim of prophylactic therapies to reduce the frequency, painfulness and length of a migraine and to assist in abortive therapies. Examples of preventative migraine medicine include diet changes, exercise and prescription drugs.

The scent of lavender results in relaxing and reducing the intensity of a migraine’s inflammation on the blood vessels as demonstrated by new research. Lavender flowers posses unique compounds that have medicinal properties, and the scent can reduce migraine headaches and associated symptoms. They also are anti-spasmodic to the enlarged blood vessels and the tight muscles of the head, eyes and neck and therefore will help them relax.

The issues of anxiety and stress are just 2 of the commonly reported migraine causes that people note. Lavender has an ability to help ease anxiety and depression which is well known to herbalists and the smell can increase the senses and power of cognitive capabilities. Recent research has shown that lavender has the power to decrease stress, lessen anxiety levels and better the mood of those suffering from headaches. The use of this herbal remedy is greatly helpful to people whose migraine causes may result in anxiety or depression.

Pain behind the eyes may be a symptom of different types of headaches and even other health problems. Most commonly people complain to have an extreme one-sided headache especially involving the area around or behind one eye. This is a typical description of cluster headache. Other symptoms associated with cluster headache are eye redness or tearing, smaller pupil on the affected side of the face and stuffy, runny nose.

Cluster headaches are very severe and last from 25 minutes to a couple of hours. They may recur several times a day for up to 8 weeks and than disappear for a few months or even years.

One of the most effective and safest treatments for cluster headaches is oxygen mask that raises levels of oxygen in the blood and as a result relaxes constricted blood vessels. If that does not help injections of sumatriphan and dihydroergotamine may provide relief from the headache behind the eyes.

Over-the-counter painkillers are not a good alternative for relieving pain as headaches often goes away before the pill starts working.

Both cluster headaches and migraines are considered vascular headaches and are linked to abnormal function of brain’s blood vessels due to hormonal chemical change in the brain. Since those two types of headaches are closely linked together, during migraines, headache may start in the area surrounding one or both eyes.

Migraine headache often begins with visual disturbance called “aura” (a person is seeing zigzag lines or flashing lights or have blurred vision). Later migraine is often accompanied with such symptoms as vomiting, fatigue, nausea, sensitivity to lights and loud sounds.

People suffering from cluster or migraine headaches should avoid use of alcohol and tobacco, certain foods, especially the ones containing nitrates (food coloring, processed meats, preservatives), bright and glaring light, stress and certain medications that lead to hormonal changes (oral contraceptives, estrogens).

Sometimes infection of the frontal sinuses can lead to a dull, throbbing pain between or behind the eyes. It tends to get worse in the mornings and is accompanied with frequent tearing, congestion, runny nose, fever and sensitivity to light. Diving in dirty water, airborne allergies, cold or flu may cause sinus headache.

To eliminate pain behind the eyes, you should reduce inflammation and sinus swelling. Inhaling steam and applying heat over affected area combined with Vitamin C and zinc intake will facilitate the mucus drainage and help to boost immune mechanism to reduce sinus headache.

Other factors that can be the main reason for the headaches behind the eyes are eyestrain and glaucoma. Eyestrain occurs if the eyes are forced to focus on a close object (a newspaper, computer screen) for a long period of time, without focusing periodically at distant objects or due to uncorrected vision problems.

Glaucoma is caused by increased pressure within the eyeball that requires immediate medical attention as it may lead to optic nerve damage and loss of sight. Nowadays glaucoma may be treated by prescription drugs or surgery.

The first and the foremost thing that you want is relief from your headache. That too, any how! “Very quickly please, there is no time to think-I can withstand it no more!” such is a reaction of anyone suffering of the bouts of headache. At such stressful periods, your mind ceases to function, you want cure for the headache first, all other discussions later!

Here I am taking up the three top headache treatment options. They are: Alternative remedies, Chiropractice, Hypnosis and Acupuncture Therapy.

Alternative Remedies

Apart from the galaxy of over the counter products, which claim to be panacea for your headache, there are some tried and tested herbal remedies which will help you without fault.

1. For fast headache relief, Chinese pressure points can be used. But identification of those pressure points is of utmost important. This help should be sought from the experts in this art only.
2. You can also make use of the analgesic and cooling properties of betel leaf. For this, apply it over the pain affected area and get the sought after relief from the intense headache.
3. Instead you can also use some common household remedies for headache relief. Apply the paste of clove and salt crystals made in milk. Salt which is a hygroscopic agent absorbs the fluid and decreases all your tension and headache.
4. For headache that is caused by the heat of the sun, use henna flowers. Make a plaster of henna flowers mixed in vinegar and apply it over the forehead to get the relief.

Chiropractice
Muscle pain, due to poor posture, is also a common cause of headache. Chiropractice may help you reduce your headaches if you do the job of sitting at a particular place for long periods, like work at a computer or perform repetitive motions.

Hypnosis
There is nothing to be alarmed about hypnosis headache treatment. There are likely to be no side effects, in this therapy. But success depends to a large extent on the responsiveness of an individual. Many compare hypnosis with relaxation therapy.

Acupuncture Therapy
Another therapy doing the most accepted rounds in the headache circles is Acupuncture Therapy. It is believed to be very effective in tension-type headaches and migraines. The needles used in the therapy deal with your nervous system directly.

You may wonder-one headache, and how many types of treatment! The fact is that the reasons for headache vary from individual to individual, and the treatments have got to be very special because you are a very special individual, and you deserve a special headache relief package!

So you have a painful constricted feeling in your neck. Even trying to turn your head brings a sharp severe pain. And as if it is not enough, you also have a headache which keeps you wide awake without the benefit of tossing and turning on your bed.

A stiff neck headache is not something that people normally consider to be dangerous.
More often than not, a stiff neck headache is not even a serious problem. Doctors often term it as a cervical spasm.

Usually, it is caused by uncomfortable sleeping position which puts unnecessary stress to your neck. So whenever you have a stiff neck headache, it is a good bet that you are only experiencing the effects of sore muscles.

However, stiff neck headache should not be taken lightly either. If you are suffering from stiff neck headache, especially if the occurrence is frequent, it might be best for you to see a doctor. You have nothing to lose but all to gain when you consult experts about this ailment.

Sometimes, stiff neck headaches happen after suffering a concussion to your head or neck. There are also some serious diseases associated with stiff neck headache; for example, meningitis and high blood pressure. Cases like these must be checked out first before you can be sure that the searing pains you have in your neck are nothing but a crick in the neck. Once your doctor is sure that your stiff neck headache is nothing serious, you can have plenty of treatment alternatives on top of peace of mind.

A stiff neck headache is possibly a symptom of a more serious and bigger ailment if it comes with other abnormal characteristics aside from pain in the neck. In meningitis for instance, the pain in the neck becomes worse as you try to move your chin downward. If ever you are feeling nauseated and utterly confused for no apparent reason, you might be experiencing inflammation in the brain which is, needless to say, very dangerous. A crunching sound while trying to move your painful neck coupled with a tingling sensation in your upper extremities can point to cervical osteoarthritis.

So just how do you deal with stiff neck headache? Is it possible for you to ease the pain brought by stiff neck headache? Here are a few tips to avoid or to comfort you during the trying times of a stiff neck headache; but remember that this should be done only when you are absolutely sure, upon consultation with your doctor, that you are only experiencing a muscular spasm on your neck area.

Firstly, fix your bed. As majority of stiff neck headaches are caused during sleep the likes of which you could almost wring your neck without even feeling it, you can start by clearing away unnecessary objects in your bed. Example, you should not sleep with your laptop computer or books in bed because these can become obstructions which could hurt your neck while you sleep.

A bad sleeping position can cause unwanted stress to your neck and head, so choose comfortable pillows and a cushioned but not too soft bed. A bed that gives good support and spreads pressure points on your back while you lay down is not only comfortable but healthy as well.

Secondly, if you are having stiff neck headaches as you go about your job routine in front of a desktop computer for eight hours, consider using a cervical collar. You can also make one by doubling over a piece of towel or cloth and enclosing it around the neck and fastened by a pin. This collar provides additional neck support and definitely relieves unnecessary stress to your neck.

You can also put a small pillow sandwiched between the back of your neck and your office chair’s back rest for support; or better yet, use a comfortable traveling pillow which can be easily wrapped around your neck in a snap.

Finally, give your neck a regular exercise. A recurring stiff neck headache can be prevented by strengthening your neck muscles through regular neck exercise. A simple routine consists of moving the shoulders backwards to the point that the shoulder blades are pushed nearer to each other and then relax your shoulders and turn your neck slowly from side to side.

You can also have your neck constantly massaged. Train yourself to sit and stand up straight. Most of the time, stiff neck headache is a result of bad posture.

What is headache on one side of head and what are the causes? According to scientists, the real reason of this type of headaches is still not found yet. But it is commonly agreed that these headaches or cluster headaches has no relationship with the family history.

So, is there an effective ways of relieving or treating headache on one side of head? Sadly to say that there is none as at to date because as mentioned in the above, the cause of it has not been detected. However, there are certain ways that you can consider adopting so that to prevent it from happening regularly or to inhibit the pain when it happens.

Usually it is not encouraged to take medication to relieve your headache pain because of the severe side effect. If you insists on taking drugs to relieve your headache on one side of head, the medicine that normally taken by sufferers include Antihistamines, Indomethacin and Lithium carbonate.

Pain killer is usually not considered by sufferers because it will take longer time to relieve the pain. In the end of the day, if your headache pain persists, it is advisable to seek for doctor’s help.

Those who suffer cluster headaches are usually advised to change their lifestyle such as quit smoking if they are smokers or to stop drinking alcohol. These are some of the simplest ways to help relieving your headache pain and are probably easier to implement compared to other most sophisticated recommendations.

Besides, it is also useful to keep a headache log in order to record your daily consumption of food and drinks so that you will know what trigger your headache. This could sometimes helpful in preventing your cluster headache or headache on one side of head.