About Headaches

We all experience various forms of headaches at different points in time. Most times, the most convenient form of relief is to take painkillers. Other times, just a little bit of rest, and taking some water helps to calm a headache. However, headaches cause distress and can leave you unable to carry out important tasks. There are people who usually get bothered when they begin to experience frequent headache attacks and attribute it to a more serious cause. Most of the time, however, headaches do not do any serious damage.

WHAT CAUSES HEADACHES?

While a headache generally affects the head, numerous types of headaches have been identified, each with its own symptoms and severity.

Medical scientists have identified a total of four different types of headaches, including the symptoms, causes, and diagnosis of each.

• Tension Headaches –This is the most common type of headache and usually feels like pressure around the head. Tension headaches can also appear as constant aches around the head. The focus of the pain is usually around the back of the head, the neck and at the temples on the head. These headaches are usually not too severe, and they are not likely to have a large impact on the quality of life or the ability to perform certain tasks. Tension headaches can usually be treated with aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen; although an array of other over-the-counter drugs are also available to assist with the relief of such a headache.
• Sinus Headaches –These headaches are usually caused by sinus. Infection can occur when sinuses become inflamed. A fever accompanies sinus headaches on most occasions. The condition can be treated with numerous types of medication, including decongestants, antibiotics, and antihistamines.
• Migraine headaches –This headache is basically unilateral in nature. It usually causes throbbing pains. Carrying out routine physical activity can cause a migraine to escalate. Migraines may be anywhere from moderate to severe. When a migraine strikes, you may get nauseous and experience vomiting episodes. Sensitivity to elements such as light, as well as sounds and smells usually accompany migraines. An episode of migraine could last anywhere from a few hours into days. Beta blockers are usually given to migraine patients to stop headaches from occurring.
• Cluster headaches –This headache type is kind of distant. Cluster attacks usually come with one-sided pain. Each attack determines what side gets affected. It usually comes with a very severe pain that feels like a stab. Short episodes may last for just a couple of minutes, but cluster headaches can stay as long as three hours before resolving itself. It is normal to have this headache reoccurring severally in one day or throughout the entire week. The pain can escalate if you lie down. Sufferers of this headache usually experience a watery eye and nasal congestion depending on what side the headache attacks. Alcohol consumption is known to trigger cluster headaches.

HOW TO GET RID OF HEADACHES

Dealing with the pain that comes from headaches can be achieved using a wide range of options. There are anti-inflammatory medications (no steroids), for example, to help with that. Antidepressants are usually given to migraine patients to stop headaches from occurring. There may be times when medications do very little to alleviate persistent headaches. Check out these alternative approaches that could actually prove effective in your fight against headaches –

Biofeedback

Biofeedback involves the monitoring of body functions like blood pressure, the tension in the muscles, the temperature of the skin, as well as heart rate, with the use of electronic sensors. The patient gets feedback via sounds. Another way of sending feedback to the patient is through the use of computer images. The objective of biofeedback is to help patients learn to control their body responses in order to stop headache pains. This remedy is suggested by studies to be very potent when it comes to migraines and tension headaches.

Acupuncture

Your body’s energy flow is realigned by inserting needles under your skin. This is what acupuncture is all about. Acupuncture is touted as an effective preventative measure against acute migraines. It is also believed to come with far lesser side effects when compared to drug treatments. Individuals who experience tension headaches may also benefit from acupuncture.

Massage

Rubbing your temples can provide you with temporary relief from headaches. You could also go for a professional massage to your back as well as neck and head. Massage sessions frequently can help to prevent the regular occurrence of migraines, according to studies. It can also promote better sleep.

Meditation

By applying a wide range of meditation techniques, you can quiet your mind and shield it from distractions like pain through focused attention. Studies are being carried out to determine whether meditation techniques can help to reduce the rate at which migraines occur and their level of severity. A study involving migraine patients revealed that the frequency of headaches was significantly reduced as a result of spiritual meditation while helping to improve tolerance for pain. The results were better when compared with muscle relaxation as well as secular meditation.

Yoga

Is it possible that yoga can provide relief for headaches? A study involving migraine patients was carried out to determine whether yoga could help relieve migraines. Participants who took part in yoga experienced reduce migraine occurrences and felt less anxious. Yoga involves a combination of meditation, physical postures, as well as breathing exercises, in order to restore balance to the entire being.

Relaxation

Relaxation exercises such as breathing deeply, making use of mental imagery, and listening to soft music is a very good way for individuals to unwind and probably experience relief from headaches. The role of relaxation exercises in tackling headaches requires more research. There is a wide range of relaxation techniques that can be applied. Exercises such as lying still, taking in deep breaths, reciting mantras, and more can help to consciously relax the muscles.

HOW CHIROPRACTIC CAN HELP RELIEVE HEADACHES

Chiropractic is actually a very good alternative to popping pills for headaches. It is one of the better solutions to getting rid of headaches. According to research, spinal manipulation could help to effectively treat tension headaches as well as neck related headaches. Spinal manipulation is a technique that is usually used by chiropractic doctors. In 2014, a JMPT report was released where it was discovered that some of the primary interventions that are associated with chiropractic care help to improve acute neck pain as well as chronic neck pain conditions with evidence of increased benefits in different instances.

A JMPT study carried out in 2011 revealed that chiropractic care, together with spinal manipulation, helps to improve migraines as well as cervicogenic headaches.

If you are experiencing primary headaches, chiropractic doctors may be able to help you. There are techniques and procedures that can be initiated by a doctor of chiropractic. Here they are –

• Your doctor of chiropractic may carry out spinal manipulation as well as other chiropractic adjustments as a way of improving spinal function in order to relieve your system of built-up stress.
• You will get proper nutritional advice from your doctor of chiropractic. There might be diet change recommendations together with the prescription of the vitamin B complex.
• You will also get professional advice on relaxation techniques, ergonomics, as well as exercises that can help you. If you apply the advice that you get, you should experience some level of muscle tension relief, especially in the neck as well as upper back.

Chiropractic doctors undergo intense training to ensure that they are properly equipped to provide assistance to patients in a wide range of ways which are more complex than providing treatment for pain in the back region. Their knowledge about the relationship between the spine and the entire human body empowers them to take the right steps to help eliminate these problems.

Final thoughts

Headaches come in different kinds and have different triggers. This guide helps you understand headaches better and how to find relief if you are currently battling with one.