Posts Tagged ‘migraines’

A Headache Clinic Could Be The Answer

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Headaches are very widespread amongst people of all ages in both men and women. Sometimes these headaches may be severe and might even take place regularly for long periods of time. The headache might be a ache all over the head or a throbbing pain at on

So, where do you go to get help with your headaches? Over- the-counter prescriptions may not always be effective and you may not even be able to identify the source of your headache. Where then, do you go, find out what the problem is?

The answer is a headache clinic.

Headache clinics can be located all over the country, sometimes as independent clinics and frequently at a range of major hospitals. Headache clinics are well-equipped with all that is required to deal with headaches. These clinics are managed by specialists and neurologists, who are well-trained, so as to be able to recognize the reason for the headache and commence the required treatment for it.

There are several types of headaches varying in severity from cluster and migraine headaches to mild headaches. It is therefore imperative to see a specialist as sometimes general practitioners may not be able to identify precisely what form of headache you are suffering from. Independent headache clinics would inform you if you require special care or if you have to be hospitalized, often sending you to a specific hospital.

Headache clinics take in patients after a short appraisal of the history of your headaches, asking questions such as: how long you have been having them, the frequency of the headaches and what treatment, if any, you have acquired, and possibly other questions that may be relevant to understanding your headache better. These clinics also offer behavior therapy if required. Most headache clinics offer both inpatient and outpatient treatment.

Moreover, occasionally headaches can be the symptom of a more serious problem such as a brain tumor, and it is best if such cases are diagnosed at an early stage. Your primary care doctor can refer you to a well-known headache clinic if you want to receive specialist treatment for your headaches.

To attend a headache clinic, your headaches do not have to be frequent. Even the occasional, but excruciating headache may necessitate a call. You may require specialist treatment for your headache, so its best for you to see a consultant at one of these headache clinics as soon as convenient.

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Stress Headaches

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

I’m sure we all know what stress is and how we react during a stressful period. Some individuals can work very well with the pressures that obstacles bring with them. Other people are overwhelmed by the great strain that they are under. In many people this strain comes out in the form of stress headaches.

Stress headaches are primarily caused by excessive amounts of stressful situations; ie more than an individual would normally find themselves in. The ability to deal with these situations fades gradually, and so stress begins to take its toll on them and a stress headache can start.

In other cases, having other types of headache can cause stress headaches just because we need to deal with the headache and get on with our everyday life. As the pain from the headache seems to take control of our life, we start to feel stressed and unable to cope. All of these headaches (including stress headaches) can be controlled safely and, in some cases, prevented from recurring with the right medicine.

There are other methods of dealing with stress headaches besides using medication. These methods include cognitive therapy, behavioural therapy and physical therapy.

Cognitive therapy seeks to “redirect” a stress headache. In this method of treatment, the patient is taught how they can understand what triggers the stress symptoms and how they can change their response to these conditions.

Behavioural therapy is the next method of curing a stress headache. When people become stressed by a situation, they try coping with their headache by taking drugs, alcohol, prescription tranquilizers, pain medications and some people also take street drugs. Since taking these substances can only provide temporary help, it is better to give them the means to build a healthy lifestyle, which can help that person to cope better with their stress headaches.

Physical therapy tries using biofeedback responses. People, who suffer from stress headaches, learn to be aware of and minimize the amount of physical tension in their bodies. The techniques that are employed for this method are muscle relaxation, deep breathing, yoga and other self-relaxation methods. It is possible to see what effect these measures have on patients of stress headaches, as these methods relax the body.

The different techniques of therapy that were mentioned above are all interrelated. Using all three of these therapies, in addition to headache medication, will provide the individual with a type of relief that can help them for the rest of their lives and not just the short period when they are undergoing a stress headache.

If you have a problem with stress headaches, you ought to definitely go to our website at http://stopping-headaches.the-real-way.com.

Headache Treatments

Sunday, August 30th, 2009

When people get a headache they normally start looking for some treatment that can prevent their headache from becoming much worse. As there are so many different sorts of headache medicine to choose from, people have to think about what they want the medication to do.

The headache treatments that are found at the supermarkets and pharmacies come in various forms. You will find that there are tablets that you can swallow, other types of tablets that dissolve under your tongue, nasal sprays, suppositories, and injections that you administer. All of these headache treatment are known to be efficacious at preventing your headache from becoming worse.

When you reach for headache medication on a supermarket shelf, you have to decide how fast-acting you want the drug to be. We are normally used to taking pills and capsules to cure whatever ailments that we have. We take these types of medications because they are easy to take and easy to carry around with us.

Although these sorts of headache medicine do work for many people, it takes some time for the medication to take effect, which is why any person who has a severe headache, like a migraine, will not gain advantage from these tablets or capsules. Also the different fast-developing headaches will not do well either with these medicines.

People who have a tension type headache, a slow-acting migraine attack or a migraine attack without nausea and vomiting, can take these tablets. There are tablets that you can take that are absorbed more quickly into your bloodstream. These so-called ’sub-lingual’ tablets or lozenges are put under the tongue, where they are absorbed by the membrane that lines the mouth. These sorts of headache treatment work somewhat faster than the normal tablets because they are absorbed directly and so more quickly into the bloodstream.

The other way that you can cure your headache is with a nasal spray. These sprays can provide you with fast-acting relief. They are good for headache sufferers who need quick relief and they are also good for people who become nauseous. You may have to test different brands before you get good results, but these headache medicines are still quite good.

The best possible pain relief can be got quickly from self injected drugs. However, if you use this type headache treatment you will have to take special care at first, so that you don’t inject yourself with too much of the headache medication.

Other considerations are whether you can endure the discomfort that you may first feel when you want to inject yourself. The possible embarrassment about injecting yourself in public with your headache treatment is also something that you will need to consider.

There is a huge amount of headache medication for those who are looking for ways to cure their headaches. The best method to find an efficacious medicine is to try out different products in order to see what works best for you.

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Headache Medicine

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

When people get a headache they usually start looking for some medicine that can stop their headache from becoming much worse. As there are so many different sorts of headache treatment to choose from, people have to think about what they want the treatment to accomplish.

The headache medicines that can be found at the supermarkets and pharmacies come in various forms. You will find that there are tablets you can take, tablets that dissolve under your tongue, nasal sprays, suppositories, and injections that you administer yourself. All of these headache treatment are known to work well at stopping your headache from developing into something much worse.

When you reach for headache medicine on a supermarket shelf, you have to decide how fast-acting you want the drug to be. We are normally used to taking pills and capsules to cure whatever ailments that we have. We take these types of treatments because they are easy to take and easy to carry around with us.

While these types of headache treatment do work for many people, it takes a little time for the medication to take effect. For this reason any person who has a severe type of headache like a migraine, will not benefit from these tablets or capsules. Also the various fast-developing headaches will not do well either with these medicines.

A person who has a tension type headache, a slow-acting migraine attack or a migraine attack without nausea and vomiting, can take these tablets. There are tablets that you can take that are absorbed more quickly into your bloodstream. These so-called ’sub-lingual’ tablets or lozenges are put under the tongue, where they get absorbed by the membrane that lines the mouth. These kinds of headache medication work somewhat more quickly than the usual tablets because they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream.

The other way that you can stop your headache is with a nasal spray. These sprays can provide you with quick-acting relief. They are good for headache sufferers who need fast relief and they are also good for people who become nauseous. You may have to try out various kinds before you get good results, but these headache medications are still very good.

The best possible pain relief can be got quickly from self injected drugs. However, if you use this type headache medicine you will need to take special care at first, so that you don’t inject yourself with too much of the headache drug.

Another thing to think about is whether you can endure the discomfort that you may feel when you want to inject yourself. The possible embarrassment about giving yourself an injection in public with your headache treatment is also something that you will have to think about.

There is a vast amount of headache medication for the person who is looking for ways to cure their headache misery. The best way to find your right medicine is to test different products in order to see what works best for you.

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Chronic Tension Headaches

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

There is a fairly good chance that someone you know has experienced some sort of headache recently, just because there are so many different types of headaches around. These kinds of headache may be the result of dehydration, missed meals, migraines or other types of headache like a tension headache or even a chronic tension headache.

A tension headache can feel like a tight rubber band wrapped tightly around your head, however, the pain from a tension headache goes away after a short time. But imagine having to suffer from a tension headache every day - for weeks on end. This kind of tension headache is classified as a chronic tension headache because the pain may be experienced at least 15 days a month for a period of several months.

In the case of chronic tension headaches, the symptoms of the headache are similar to those of tension headaches, except for the fact that the pain never really seems to go away. People who have experienced chronic tension headaches describe the pain as if they were wearing a pressure band around their heads. Other people may describe severe chronic tension headache pain as a hooded cape that drapes down over their shoulders.

Nevertheless, in the case of both tension headaches and chronic tension headaches, the pain can be located either in the forehead region, in the sides of the head and sometimes even at the back of the head. At its usual power chronic tension headaches deliver a dull, aching pain, although sometimes the pain is like a tourniquet. In general, the pain is mild to moderately severe.

The severity of the pain varies with the general physical condition of the individual concerned and it also varies with the different forms headaches. Many people begin to experience chronic tension headaches as soon as they wake up in the morning, although others have reported that their chronic tension headaches start in the early hours of the day.

Normal tension headaches are more usual than chronic tension headaches, however twice as many women as men suffer from chronic tension headaches. The duration and the severity of the pain is about the same as a normal tension headache, although the pain from the chronic tension headache is almost a daily occurrence and is also of a continuous nature.

Those who suffer from chronic tension headaches are thought to be more prone to anxiety and depression than non-sufferers of chronic tension headaches. It is also well-documented that chronic tension headaches are more common during or after heightened periods of stress and anxiety. Furthermore, anyone who has mood disorders like depression or anxiety should have these conditions treated prior to getting their chronic tension headache attended to.

People suffering from chronic tension headaches can lead pretty normal and fulfilling lives with the correct medication and treatment. Over time, they may come to understand what triggers their headaches and how avoiding these triggers can prevent the start of another bout of chronic tension headaches.

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Migraine Headaches’ Causes

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

Headaches in any type are always very painful to the sufferer. However, some headaches, such as migraines, for example, can create even more problems than just a headache. These problems could be nausea, light sensitivity and a throbbing pain in the head. Sometimes the headache is felt on one side of the head, and other times you can feel the pain on both sides of your head at the same time.

The real causes of migraine headaches has yet to be found, although there are a few theories why we experience migraine headaches. The most commonly held belief is that an alteration in the blood flow within the brain is one of the triggers that causes migraine headaches. Another theory about migraine headache is that maybe it could be caused by pain sensing chemicals called neuropeptides.

Many medical professionals speculate that neuropeptides ease the muscle that surrounds the cranial blood vessels. This relaxation causes the blood vessels to dilate. The relaxed blood vessels increase the flow of blood and other cranial fluid to the brain. This increase in fluids is thought to be the cause of migraine headaches.

These cranial fluids cause inflammation, pain, sensitivity, tissue and blood vessel inflammation during the time of migraine headaches. Some people think that the aura that is sometimes seen during a migraine headache is caused by the constriction of blood vessels that became dilated during the beginning phase of the migraine headache.

Another theory as to the reason for migraine headaches has been linked to genetics and inheritance. These theories state that a child of migraine sufferers will have a 50% probability of getting migraine headaches too.

The chances of having migraine headaches is even greater if both parents are sufferers from this painful type of headache. If both parents have frequent migraine headaches the chances of the child inheriting migraine headache symptoms is about 70%.

Even though some professionals are persuaded that genetics plays a big part in migraine headaches, the genes that are considered to be the causes of migraine headaches have not been identified or even isolated yet. When we start to experience migraine headaches the only warning signs that we may expect to receive are a throbbing pain in the temple area and light sickness.

As the symptoms of the migraine progresses, the pain becomes much worse. Unfortunately, since the causes of migraine headaches have not been found and we don’t know what triggers these attacks, there are no medications to cure this kind of headaches yet.

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Are there Sexual Headaches?

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

Orgasm is supposed to be a pleasurable and positive activity for most people, however it can be painful for others who discover that it triggers coital headaches. For these people, sexual activity of any kind can result in coital headache attacks.

Technically, a headache, or cephalalgia, is a symptom of various conditions of the head and sometimes the neck too. They can be classified into two main categories: primary or idiopathic, and symptomatic, although there are other ways of classifying them too; for example by severity.

Put simply, primary headaches have a known or unknown cause, whereas symptomatic headaches are often the result of trauma. Primary headaches include: migraine, tension headaches, cluster headaches and coital headaches, amongst others.

Coital headaches, also called coital cephalalgia or sexual headaches, is a rare, but painful form of headache that starts in the nape of the neck during sexual intercourse, but before climax. It can occur in all conditions where climax is the expected result. The pain can move to behind the eyes and can then be even more severe. Typically the pain will last from a few minutes to an hour or so, but it has been known to last for days in extreme cases.

Men are three times more at risk to coital headaches than women and the age groups most at risk are those between 20 and 25 and 30 and 44. Nobody really understands why this should be. Coital headaches afflict about one percent of the population, although this figure could be a lot higher due to people being embarrassed to talk about it.

Coital headaches are benign, meaning that they have no long-term ill effects, as far as we know. It seems that people taking sexual stimulants, like Viagara, are about 10% more at risk to a bout of coital headache. In fact, besides the obvious, temporary pain, the worst effects of coital headaches are varying levels of dizziness, confusion and stiffness of neck.

However, it is still worth going to a doctor though, especially in the beginning, just to rule out the more severe causes of headaches, such as brain tumours and blood clots. However, the doctor can do rather little to help by way of treatment. He could suggest a complete abstention from any kind of sexual practice for a period ranging from days to weeks or he may suggest trying taking medication some time before sexual foreplay commences.

Some of the headache medications that can be used are indomethacin, imitrex, zomig and propranolol, although if the headaches persist, your doctor may prescribe daily preventive medication. People suffering from frequent coital headaches may obtain a positive response to migraine preventive medications, such as beta blockers or verapamil. Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen may similarly be helpful. Coital headaches and migraines are also more likely to occur if the person is in poor physical health.

Nevertheless, the cure for coital headaches for a lot of people can be as simple as bringing your weight up or down to the normal weight for your size. Coital headaches can also be treated in some sufferers by an increased level of exercise, although this could bring on exertion headaches in some people.

The good news is though that most headaches related to sex are not serious in nature. In deed, various studies actually suggest that orgasm can relieve headaches and migraine in some cases. This implies that for some adults, refusing sex may actually be the reason that prevents headache treatment.

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The Different Types of Headaches

Monday, June 29th, 2009

There are a fair number of well-known sort of headache. These include, but are not limited to: cluster headaches, migraine headaches, tension headaches, chronic daily headaches, blood pressure headaches, chronic cluster headaches and sinus headaches.

A migraine headache is a severe headache. This kind of headache has been found to have a profound impact on the daily lives of its sufferers. The pain can be a pulsating sensation or sometimes a throbbing sort of head pain. This throbbing pain can be moderate to severe. The symptoms of migraine headaches include nausea, extreme sensitivity to light and sound. With the migraine type of headache there is often an early warning feeling called an aura.

The aura is experienced in the form of alterations in visual perception. You may see bright flashes, swirls or blurs and sometimes you may even lose a part of your sight. You could also experience a numbness or a tingling in your arms. These precursory warning symptoms will fade a while before the migraine attack begins. A migraine headache can last for up to three days without any treatment, before it subsides.

The kinds of tension headache cause a dull but constant pain around the forehead or the sides or back of the head. Some people liken a tension headache to a tight band around the head. This is considered to be one of the most common types of headache. In a tension headache you will not find such symptoms as light sensitivity, nausea or vomiting.

Tension headaches can occur as episodic or chronic. Usually, most sufferers of this type of tension headache, experience chronic headaches. It is estimated that about 40% of people suffer from tension headaches. Chronic daily headaches are yet another of these sorts of headache.

Most chronic daily headaches are tension headaches or headaches that result from ingesting too much pain medication. With these types of headache, the pain is of a constant, dull nature - there can also be a feeling of tightness like a rubber band around the head. A chronic daily headache is diagnosed by its duration: the pain must last for at least 15 days per month during a three month period of time.

Another sort of headache is the Cluster headache group, which is a rare but very painful type of headache. The name of this headache arises from the fact that the headache produces clusters of pain. Periods of continuous Cluster headaches may last weeks or months, but this is then followed up by long periods of no headaches at all.

Cluster headaches are usually experienced only on one side of the head at a time. The sharp, penetrating pain begins behind one eye. Furthermore, cluster headaches may cause red, watery eyes, a stuffy nose and sometimes symptoms like nausea and light sensitivity are occur too.

These are just a few of the many types of headaches that can be experienced. The pain from the headache can be mild or it can be excruciating in its severity. To find relief from these headaches you must talk with your doctor about treatment or you can buy some over the counter headache pain tablets.

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The Treatment of Headaches

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

While we are suffering from a headache it is natural to try to think of ways to stop the pain. However, as there are various kinds of headaches, the treatments may be effective for only a few of the headache types. There are two different methods of curing the pain caused by headaches. These types of headache treatment are named prophylactical and abortive headache treatments.

The prophylactic type of treatment needs to be taken everyday in order to reduce the frequency of and to control the severity of the headache. Abortive headache treatment is started only when the headache starts.

You must understand that your doctor will not prescribe any prophylactic headache treatment unless you are suffering from several, frequent headache attacks every month. When you take the prophylactic medication you will be monitored for side effects like weight gain, water retention, lethargy, memory impairment and hallucinations.

The treatment of headaches with prophylactic medication begins with a low dose. The dose is then increased regularly. You will also be tested every month or so to see if the treatment is effective. Your doctor will also make sure that you are not taking any other types of medicine or vitamins during this phase of your headache treatment.

It is vital to inform the doctor whether the patient is or becomes pregnant. If you do become pregnant, then your doctor must be informed, so that tests can be done to discover any possible side effects on the unborn baby.

The major prescription drugs that are used for headache treatment are beta blockers like Tenormin and Lopressor. Calcium channel blockers such as Cardizem, Dilacor, and Procardia are also used. Doctors may also prescribe anti-depressants like Elavil and Zoloft. You may also be prescribed Serotonin Antagonists like Sansert.

Furthermore, anti-convulsants such as Tegretol, Depakote, and Dilantin are also given for headache treatment. Cafergot and Sansert, which are ergot derivatives, could also be given by your doctor. The abortive headache treatment that you can take for your headache pain is generally the ‘over the counter’ (OTC) type. These include Paracetamol, Aspirin, Tylenol, Panadol, Motrin, and Advil to name but a few. Tylenol and Panadol are known as Acetaminophen drugs. Motrin and Advil are in the group of drugs that are known as Ibuprofen.

Further to these headache medicines there are also non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. The side effects of NSAIDs like Naprosyn and Meclomen include nausea, gastrointestinal pain, dizziness, diarrhea, light-headedness and constipation. These headache treatments can also cause some people to get side-effects in the form of a different type of headache.

Since these drugs can cause side effects, you should consult your doctor and find out if they are suitable for you or not. People who prefer an ‘alternative’ headache treatment should ask their doctor whether he thinks the alternative medicine, such as aromatherapy, will work.

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Why Do I Get Migraine Headaches?

Saturday, June 13th, 2009

Headaches in any type are always very painful for the sufferer. However, some headaches, like migraines, for example, can create even more problems than just a headache. These problems could be nausea, sensitivity to light and a throbbing pain in the head. Sometimes the headache is felt on one side of the head, and other times you can feel the pain on both sides of your head at the same time.

The actual causes of migraine headaches has yet to be found, although there are some theories why people have migraine headaches. The most commonly held belief is that an alteration in the blood flow within the brain is one of the triggers that causes migraine headaches. Another theory about migraine headache is that maybe it could be caused by pain sensing chemicals called neuropeptides.

Many medical professionals speculate that neuropeptides relax the muscle that surrounds the cranial blood vessels. This relaxation makes the blood vessels dilate. Then those relaxed blood vessels increase the flow of blood and other cranial fluid to the brain. This increase in fluids is thought to be the cause of migraine headaches.

These cranial fluids cause swelling, pain, sensitivity, tissue and blood vessel swelling during the time of the migraine headaches. Some people think that the aura that is sometimes seen during a migraine headache is caused by the constriction of the blood vessels that became dilated during the starting phase of the migraine headache.

Another theory as to the causes of migraine headaches has been linked to the genetics of inheritance. These theories state that a child of migraine sufferers will have a 50% chance of having migraine headaches too.

The probability of inheriting migraine headaches is even greater if both parents are sufferers of this painful type of headache. If both parents have frequent migraine headaches the chances of the child having migraine headache symptoms is about 70%.

Even though some professionals are persuaded that genetics plays a big role in migraine headaches, the genes that are considered to be the causes of migraine headaches have not been identified or even isolated yet. When we start to experience migraine headaches the only warning signs that we may expect to receive are a throbbing pain in the temple area and slight nausea.

As the symptoms of the migraine progresses, the pain becomes much worse. Unfortunately, since the causes of migraine headaches have yet to be discovered and we dont know what triggers these attacks, there are no medications to cure this type of headaches yet.

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