Headaches

Headaches

Headaches afflict almost everyone at some time or the other. Most headaches are functional,caused by temporary upsets and are not related to any organic changes in the brain. A headache is often nature’s warning that something is wrong somewhere in the body. The actual pain, however, arises from irritation to nerve endings in the shoulder, neck and scalp muscles and also in the smooth muscles encircling the blood vessels which serve these areas.

There are several types of headaches, with as many ways of treating them. Taking an aspirin ortranquiliser may provide temporary relief but it does not remove the cause. Moreover, thefrequent use of pain-relievers causes nervous debility, weakens the heart and brings on other complications.

The common causes of headaches are allergy, emotional reasons, eyestrain, high blood pressure, hangover, infection, low blood sugar , nutritional deficiency, tension, the presence of poisons and toxins in the body, and migraine. Allergies, an often unsuspected cause of headache, vary in different individuals. The foods to which some people are allergic and which can trigger headaches are milk and milk products, chocolates, chicken liver, alcohol and strong cheese. Sneezing and diarrhoea are further indications of an allergy .

Intense emotions often cause headaches. Many people who outwardly appear to have a
pleasant disposition may actually be simmering about a job, or may bear resentment towards a person or something. This hidden hostility may manifest itself as headache. It is important, therefore, that negative feelings should not be bottled up, but should find some safe means of expressions.

Eye-strain is a common cause of headache. IN such cases, an eye specialist should be consulted and proper treatment taken. Simple eye exercises such as moving the eyes up and down and from side to side, palming, rotating the head, with neck outstretched, forward and
backward three times, then thrice clockwise and thrice anti-clockwise , can relieve eye-strain. High blood pressure can cause pounding headaches. The headache usually starts at the back of the head on getting up in the morning. A safe method of treatment for this is to immerse your legs to calf-level in a tub of hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. This draws the blood away from the head and down to the feet, giving relief from the headache.



Many people get a severe headache after consuming alcohol in excess. Alcohol causes the
blood vessels to swell, resulting in a painful headache. The best treatment for this is to avoid excessive consumption of alcohol. A hangover headache can be avoided by taking a vitamin B-1 ( thiamine) tablet with the drink.

Headaches may occur if there is an infection, such as a cold, virus and fever . Here, it is the infection that should be tackled. Vitamin C therapy is the best all round method. For a cold, high
doses of vitamin C should be taken at hourly intervals with the appearance of the first symptoms like a sore throat, runny nose, etc. Vitamin C has worked miracles, and is considered a natural antibiotic.

Tension headaches are probably the most common of all, and are caused by emotional conflicts which result in stress. Stress causes the muscles of the shoulder, neck and scalp to tense unconsciously. Persons who are irritable, tense and lose their temper quickly usually get this type of headache. It increases gradually and passes off with the release of tension. One should try to relieve the stress which produces the headache.

CONCLUSIONS

Dont take to much tranquilisers
Dont consume Alcohol
Do eye exercise after reading, watching tv, working on pc
Share problems with your friends, dont bottle up your feelings.
Dont eat allergic triggering food
Take vitamin C

Links

Alcohol
Eye Exercise
Vitamin C
Allergic