|
Headaches
Online
Catalog of Headache and Discomfort
Products
Article: Be
Free From Headaches - by somebody
who used to have headaches
Types of Headaches
* Migraines - Migraines may be humanity's oldest
malady. The name comes from the Greek physician Galen when he used it to
describe this disorder
in 200
A.D. Six-thousand year old Sumerian writings refer to a crude form of holes
chiseled in skulls to allow escape of pain creating "demons." Considered
to be a vascular headache. The pain is located most often in the temporal or
frontal regions of the head. Symptoms can include aching in and around the
eye and may be accompanied by a loss of appetite, sensitivity to light, nausea
and/or vomiting. Also, they can be preceded by 15 to 90 minutes of an "aura," which
may include visual disturbances, distorted perception, hallucinations,
flashes of light, and temporary loss of sight or hearing. Journal of American
Medical
Association reports (in 1996) that 8.7 million females and 2.6 million
males suffer from moderate to severe headaches.
* Cluster - Pain of this kind of headache is usually intense. Often they
begin in the evening, but most often awaken individuals after they have been
asleep
for a several hours. Most often affect males and are often worse in the
spring and fall seasons. The pain is severe and normally lasts 30-90 minutes,
sometimes
it may persist for several hours. The name is given because the headaches
occur in groups of headaches that may last for a day or two to several months,
then
they many not occur for months or even years.
* Tension - Usually accompanied by stress and/or anxiety. They rarely
occur upon arising from bed but instead occur as the day progresses and a
person's
stress accumulates. Neck stiffness and tension are often present. Many
times the pain will seem to start at the base of the neck and begin to advance
up
the neck as the pain intensifies. They normally begin in a gradual manner
and can persist from several hours to days or weeks. Tei
Fu Massage Lotion helps
to relax the neck whenever it begins to tense up.
Possible Causes
* Blood sugar stabilization - snacking on high fiber foods between meals
may help stabilize blood sugar. Additionally, taking nutrient high in
fiber can
help. Fat Grabbers and Loclo are two such products.
* Food Sensitivities - aged cheeses, yeast breads, chocolate, cured
meats, citrus fruits, eggs, fermented foods, wheat, milk, milk products,
alcoholic
drinks and food additives including nitrates and MSG. A good idea is
to keep a food diary to track down any foods that cause the problem.
Natural
Alternatives
The book "Nature's Pharmacy" makes the following
suggestions; relaxation and neck stretches. Also, rub forehead with peppermint
oil, a natural antispasmodic
and diuretic in German research to be as effective as acetaminophen
in easing tension headaches.
Ice pack to the forehead works by constricting the
swollen blood vessels. Additionally, if the ice pack doesn't work put your
arms
up to your
elbows in icy water to
constrict additional blood vessels. However, sinus headaches should
be dealt with in the opposite approach using hot compresses.
The herbal and original form of aspirin is white willow
bark.
It contains salicin, nearly the same pain reliever found in aspirin.
An herbal aspirin formula would be APS
II. For migraines
the authors of "Nature's
Pharmacy" suggest Feverfew and Magnesium supplementation,
which reduces nerve excitability and migraine susceptibility.
Julian Whitaker M.D. says, "individuals
with frequent headaches have been found to have low brain and
tissue magnesium." The
co-author of "Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Headaches" suggests
essential fatty acids supplementation with Evening
Primrose oil,
which improves circulation, helps regulate inflammation and relieves
pain.
Take a leisurely stroll at lunch or
walk your dog or a neighbor's dog after dinner.
Article: Be
Free From Headaches - by somebody who
used to have headaches
Online
Catalog of Headache and Discomfort Products
| 
