Headaches - Pain in the Brain
Virtually everyone gets one, and some headaches are more than a pain in your brain.
Common causes of headaches include stress, tension, anxiety, allergies, constipation, eyestrain, hunger, dehydration, sinus pressure, hormonal imbalance, TMJ, nutritional deficiencies, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, fever or exposure to pollutants. Headaches can also be the sign of an underlying health problem such as hypertension, hypoglycemia, vitamin deficiencies, sinusitis or other diseases of the ear, nose and throat.
Headaches usually take three forms:
Tension headache is the most common.
Migraine headache.
Cluster headaches are the most severe.
Tension headaches, as the name implies, are caused by muscle tension. Migraines are the result of a disturbance in the blood circulation in the head and may be caused by sinus pressure, spinal compression or dilation of blood vessels. Cluster headaches are throbbing pains on one side of the head around the eye area that occur one to three times a day over a period of days or weeks.
Because there are so many types of headaches and possible causes, for true relief, it is important to identify and treat the cause of the headache not just the symptoms.
Treating headache symptoms with aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can interfere with the brain's natural ability to fight headaches and often does not treat the underlying cause of the headache. Long term use of these common over the counter medications can have serious side effects and can actually cause headaches.
If you experience chronic headaches, keeping a headache journal can help identify headache triggers. Entries should include information about diet, exercise, medication, stress triggers and events like dental work, illness, and for women, their menstrual cycle. This information can be shared with your healthcare provider in an effort to identify drug free pain relief options.
Author : Gretchen Zaitzeff
Learn more about drug free living and Pain and Stress Relief from headaches at BetterHealth4Living.com
Gretchen Zaitzeff is a Life Coach specializing in Family Health and Wellness. A founding member of BetterHealth4Living.com, Gretchen helps individuals and families create healthier lives by providing health and wellness information and products on-line. The mother of six, Gretchen has twenty years of experience motivating children, youth and adults to eat their veggies, take their vitamins, and get some exercise. Drug free Living topics are her specialty. |
