Is your head aching? Relax! and you will feel better

Stress is one of the main cost of tension headache, if it get out of control it can elevate the problem of mild headache to chronic headache. Various other problems such as high blood pressure, high heart rate, insomnia and headache occur and aggravate at a continuous pace, due to stress.

So,How to manage stress? There are many way to manage stress and relaxation is one of them. If we knew how to use it, it would be very useful to combat the stress, which is a trigger for migraine headache. 

• Relaxtion could reduce your blood pressure
• Relaxtion can also normalize blood vessels in brain, causing increased blood flow to brain, which help in preventing migraine headache.

 Relaxation should be aimed at:

• Reduced level of stress and anxiety
• Improvement in yourself and increase in self-awareness.
• Improved inspiration and motivation
• Enhanced mind’s potential
• Improved quality of sleep 

Here some easy ways to relax:

• Deep Breathing: This is a simple way to  relax. Just let your hair down and breathe in deeply through the nose, this will increase oxygen flow to your various organs and you will feel better.

• Meditation and Yoga: With the deep breathing, in this technique your have to speak a mantra in rhythmic order. OM is a universally accepted mantra and following it may prevent the common diseases of throat, lung and chest. Deep breathing helps in oxygen flow.

• Progessive relaxation: This technique is different from the previous techniques, in this technique, you allow your muscles alternately tense and relaxed, causing exercises of your muscles. This relaxing technique will decrease the stress level and ultimately prevent migraine headache.

The above are some relaxations , they are very simple but very useful for you. Besides, some of following common habits are also useful for preventing tension headache, such as:

• Follow regular eating and sleeping schedules (even do not change them during vacation or weekends.

• Regular physical exercises  such as walking, biking etc may help you in reducing headache.

• Don’t sit or stand for quite a long time, carry out regular stretching of muscles of hand, foots, … remember: Avoid a single posture for long time

• Applying heat or ice (what ever suitable for you may prevent tension headache.

What is migraine headache?

Your head is aching terribly and you think you had migraine headache, right? Now I will show you what is a migraine headache.

Migraine afflicts 28 million Americans, with females suffering more frequently (17%) than males (6%). Migraine headache is a form of vascular headache, it is cause by vasodilatation, and what is the reason of vasodilatation? That cause the release of chemicals from nerve fibers that coil the large arteries of the brain. Enlargement of these blood vessels stretches the nerves that coil around them and causes the nerves to release chemicals. The chemicals cause inflammation, pain, and further enlargement of the artery. The increasing enlargement of the arteries magnifies the pain.

Migraine attacks commonly activate the sympathetic nervous system in the body. The sympathetic nervous system is often thought of as the part of the nervous system that controls primitive responses to stress and pain, the so-called "fight or flight" response, and this activation causes many of the symptoms associated with migraine attacks; for example, the increased sympathetic nervous activity in the intestine causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (Quote: medicinenet.com)

The Puzzle of Migraine Headache: Migration of Headache Along the Meridians

Headache is one of the top ten medical problems for visits to primary care physicians. Headaches can be severe and disabling.
There are many different classifications of headaches. And tension headache and migraine headache are the two most of them. Migraine headaches are much more complex and challenging to treat compared to tension headaches.

+ Tension of headaches

Tension headaches are often associated with stress. The stress often causes muscular tenderness in the back of the head, neck and shoulders. Treatment plans typically include anti-inflammatory medications, a muscle relaxant, massage, acupuncture, and cranial and chiropractic adjustment. These treatments are all directed toward contr olling the symptoms. Of course, if stress is the primary causative factor then controlling the stress will bring about the majority of relief and alleviation of symptoms.

+ Migraine headaches:

What is a migraine headache? Migraine headaches, often called vascular headaches, are characterized by a recurrent, severe throbbing usually occurring on one side of the head. Migraines are often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light.

In severe cases, vomiting, neurological symptoms, unilateral muscle weakness, and sensory problems are increased by a visual disturbance of bright flashing lights. Sometimes patients describe the pain as a creepy, crawling sensation along the temporal areas of the head, i.e. near the temples.

The true cause of a migraine headache is unknown. Migraine headaches, though, are often triggered by hypoglycemia, food allergies, medications, hormonal changes and emotional stress. Some of the other trigger factors to consider include environmental chemical sensitivities and hidden dental problems.

One of the most surprising and least suspected problems I encounter in my practice has been from unrecognized hidden parasite infections. As odd as it may sound, parasite infections could also influence migraine headaches.

It is common to take a standard medical treatment from your primary physician. This could include medications to control headaches, such as narcotic or non-narcotic pain medications including propranolol, amytriptyline, Methysergide, Imitrex, Zomig and many different forms of ergot preparations. It is also commonly suggested that you take bed rest and keep hydrated with lots of water.

The best treatment for migraine headaches is prevention. Be proactive by eliminating as many triggering factors as possible. When I evaluate a patient with a migraine headache with the Acupuncture Meridian Assessment testing, I will often find a disturbance along the gallbladder, stomach or liver meridians.

Many of my patients surprisingly are responding to herbal and/or prescribed parasite medications. As an example, the gallbladder meridian, one of the most complex meridians in the body, travels along the temporal side of your head, side of your eyes, neck, shoulder, upper abdomen, flank and back, to the hip, knee, ankle and to the 4th toes.

Hidden parasites can disturb any part of the gallbladder meridian. They can create physical symptoms along that particular energy flow of the body, such as headaches, hip and knee pain, nausea, upset stomach and eye pain. If we detect the disturbance of the meridian signals and treat with the appropriate parasite medications, not only does this relieve migraine headaches, but often your eye pain, hip or knee pain, and upset stomach may get better.

It seems that the enigma of the hidden enemy gets detected and destroyed. Once you know the cause of the disturbance of the meridians, the puzzle of the migraine headache may be finally solved. In addition,the headache will not return until you run into other hidden trigger problems.

by Simon Yu, MD

How long does it take before my migraine headaches go away?

Question of today: How long does it take before my migraine headaches go away? 
Answer: Some women respond immediately and within days they are cured. But our observations indicate that the vast majority of women responders will take about 60 days or so.
For menstruating women, it takes about two menstrual cycles. Post-menopausal women usually respond a little faster. Peri-menopausal women usually respond like their younger counterparts - in about two months.

by migraine-headaches-information.com

TYPES OF MIGRAINE AND HEADACHE

• Classic, Common, and Others

Migraines come in several types; some are more common than others. Below you’ll find descriptions of the two major migraine types, as well as some of the lesser-known conditions.

• The Classic Migraine

Migraine with aura is often referred to as «classic» Less than half an hour before the actual pain begins, the individual experiences «aura» Aura usually involves visual sensory illusions, such as jagged bands of light obscuring vision, or a shimmering light around the edges of objects. Other senses, such as hearing and smell, may also be affected.

• The Common Migraine

Common migraines are simply those that present without aura. Only about twenty percent of sufferers experience aura. Most people bypass the aura phase.

• Tension Headaches or Tension Type Headaches (TTH)

Tension headaches, which were renamed tension-type headaches by the International Headache Society in 1988, are the most common type of primary headaches. The pain can radiate from the neck, back, eyes, or other muscle groups in the body. Tension-type headaches account for nearly 90% of all headaches. Approximately 3% of the population suffers from chronic-tension type headache.

• Causes

• Stress - Usually occurs in the afternoon after long stressful work hours or after an exam
• Sleep deprivation
• Uncomfortable stressful position and/or bad posture
• Irregular meal time (hunger)
• Eyestrain
• Caffeine withdrawal
Tension headaches that do not occur as a symptom of another condition may be painful, but are not harmful. It is usually possible to receive relief through treatment. Tension headaches that occur as a symptom of another condition are usually relieved when the underlying condition is treated. Frequent use of pain medications in patients with tension-type headache may lead to the development of medication overuse headache or rebound headache.

• Other Types of Migraines 

Ocular
During an ocular migraine, the blood vessels of the eyes, rather than those of the skull or brainstem, spasm and instead of pain, the sufferer becomes aware of lights in the peripheral vision. Often jagged and pastel colored in nature, the light disturbance intensifies, and enlarges until it is centered in the eye. Ocular migraines typically fade away after about fifteen to twenty minutes. Some people report a mild headache after this experience, while others simply feel fatigued.
Ophthalmoplegic
Like ocular migraines, an ophthalmoplegic migraine is centered in the eye. In this form, however, pain is definitely present, and is often accompanied by vomiting. As the headache progresses, the muscles responsible for eye movement are temporarily paralyzed, and the eyelid assumes a droopy appearance. The eyelid may remain droopy for weeks afterwards.
The Headache-Free Type
In this type, aura occurs without an actual headache. It only presents itself in individuals with a history of migraine attacks.
Basilar Artery 
This specific type involves the basilar artery in the brainstem, and can cause pain, vertigo, speech and vision problems, and poor coordination. Children are more likely to experience this type than adults.
Carotidynia
Also known as «facial migraine» or «lower-half headache» this type causes pain in the jaw and neck regions. Depending on the individual, the pain may be dull and aching, or sharp and piercing, and is often accompanied by tenderness of the carotid artery. More common in the elderly population than other groups, carotidynia may last for hours, and often occurs more than once a week. This type is characterized by long-lasting and severe pain. The pain often lasts over three days, and hospitalization for pain relief may be necessary.

Author: Auracol

Migraine Headaches and Heart Disease: Are They Connected?

Migraines may be more than just a severe headache. According to a Harvard Medical School study, a particular type of migraine may also be linked to an increased risk of heart problems. Researchers found that women who experience migraine headaches with aura have double the risk of cardiovascular problems compared to women who are free from these headaches. Migraines with aura are intensively painful headaches that cause the sufferer to see spots or experience a “pins-and-needles” sensation in the arms or hands about 30 minutes before the onset of the headache.
Why Women?
Approximately 28 million people in the United States suffer from migraine headaches. Researchers typically work with women when studying migraines because women who experience these headaches outnumber men by about three to one.  During the study, Harvard researchers followed 27,840 female health professionals for an average of 10 years. Those who had migraines with aura were more than twice as likely to have heart attacks and strokes as those who did not. And they were more than twice as likely to die of cardiovascular disease.
According to Matthew Collins, D.O., a cardiologist with Holy Redeemer Health System, it’s not yet clear whether there is a direct “cause and effect” relationship between migraines and heart disease. “It’s like the chicken or the egg—we can’t say yet whether these migraines are a direct cause of the heart problems or whether the headaches and heart disease are abnormalities that develop indepen-dently of each other,” says Dr. Collins.
“The Harvard study shows a very definitive link between the two, but there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered.”One big question is whether treating migraines with aura will reduce the risk of heart problems. Much more research needs to be done before that question can be answered, according to Dr. Collins.
Ruling Out Stroke and Heart Attacks
One thing women who experience migraines don’t need to worry about, says Holy Redeemer cardiologist Bruno Manno, M.D., is that their headaches will bring on a stroke or heart attack. “Nothing in the study showed that the two occur together or that a migraine with aura can immediately cause a stroke or heart attack,” he says. Both Drs. Manno and Collins agree that additional research needs to be conducted in order to find out more about the causes and effects of these intense headaches and what their exact connection to
cardiovascular disease may be. “The advice we give women who experience migraines is the same advice we
give everyone when it comes to preventing heart problems—don’t smoke, keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight down, eat healthy, and exercise regularly,” says Dr. Manno.

heartatholyredeemer.com