Showing posts with label headache remedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label headache remedy. Show all posts

Saturday, February 28, 2015

A Headache Can Be Helped With Hot And Cold - Try Both

9:46:00 AM
Some headache sufferers swear by a brisk walk in the cold air to clear their heads. For others, this would be a trigger to bring on a humdinger that would fell an elephant. Some leap into a hot shower at the first sign of a headache. For others, this would be just the thing to bring one on.
Both hot and cold treatments can be hugely effective with bringing relief from headaches. Some people prefer hot, some cold and some like to alternate. This is such an individual thing. You have to cautiously experiment and find out what works for you.
Why do hot and cold work so well?
It's all to do with the muscles and the blood vessels. Many headache pains are caused by enlarged blood vessels pressing on surrounding nerves. Applying something cold to the area can help to constrict those vessels, reducing their diameter and lessening the pounding headache.
Some headaches are caused by tension and anxiety. This tightens up the muscles which then pinch nerves and enlarge blood vessels. Applying cold or heat to them (or alternating between the two) can loosen them up, releasing the pinched nerves and calming down the blood vessels.
Diversion tactics
Another great way to use get rid of a headache is to sit and soak your feet and ankles in a bowl or bucket of hot water. This works because the heat dilates, or enlarges the blood vessels in your feet and legs and helps to draw the blood away from the head. This releases pressure and calms the headache.
You may find this even more effective if you apply cold to your forehead and temples at the same time. This is because it will stop the heat from the foot-bath heating up your head as well - which is what we're trying to avoid. When you're finished, put on some thick, fluffy socks, to keep your feet warm and keep the blood flow diverting away from your head.
Note of caution
If you don't own a cold pack - or you are trying out the different variations before investing in one, be careful how you apply cold.
A bag of frozen peas is ideal as it has a soothing weight to it and it molds to your face, neck or head. Be sure to wrap it in a cloth or thin towel to avoid getting 'freezer burn' on your skin. If you're making your own pack from ice cubes, put them in a strong plastic bag and then wrap in a towel as before.
In either case, don't leave the cold pack on for more than half an hour. You can always apply it again after a short rest.
Cool your brain with ice cream!
You know that piercing headache that you get when you eat an ice cream? Some people call it 'brain freeze'. It's not very comfortable but only lasts for a short time and is a great way to cool your brain down. It can stop a bad headache and can prevent a migraine developing further by cooling down the hypothalamus of your brain. This area is thought to be involved with the creation of migraines.
Got your ice cream ready? Put a spoonful of ice cream right into the back of your mouth. Keep it there with your tongue until it melts. If it becomes uncomfortable you'll have to swallow it and try again.
What is the best hot or cold pack to buy?
If you've decided to go for a hot, or cold pack, or both so that you can alternate, there are many to choose from. They range from simple stick-on cold forehead patches, to squashy rectangular packs and fully fitted masks. Take some time to decide which will be best for you.
I'm too busy to stop and apply a pack. What can I do?
This is a common problem for full-time workers and moms at home with small children. But remember, this is a damage limitation exercise. If that headache or migraine gets a grip, you will be out of action, no matter how busy you are. There are cold packs available in the form of a band that you wear around your forehead and temples. They fasten with velcro, so you can put it on...and carry on.
My neck and shoulders are so tight and giving me a headache
Try a moist heat neck wrap. It may help to relieve that tension.
My headache is from dental problems or TMJ
Try a cold wrap that sits under your chin and fastens over the top of your head.
My whole head is throbbing and hot. Help!
Invest in a cooling ice pillow. These are also great for menopausal women or those on tamoxifen, who suffer from hot flashes and night sweats.By

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Massage Techniques For Headaches

9:43:00 AM
No one wants to feel a headache coming on. The next step from there is usually a full-blown case, and some of them can be bad enough to bring your entire day to a crashing halt.
There are several methods available to you for combating headaches. The first response to one is usually to take some over-the-counter medication, but that doesn't necessarily have to be your first line of offense. There are other natural ways of curing headaches such as using massages.
Massages For Headaches
There are a number of techniques that take advantage of the massage method for headaches. If you can't get your hands on any medication, or if you simply want to try alternatives to drugs, the basic massage technique can do a world of good:
· The basic massage technique involves gently pushing your fingers over your temples, and then moving your fingers in slow circles.
· This technique can distract you from the pain, while also improving your circulation, and releasing some of the tension that's causing your headache in the first place.
This is the basic technique for headache massage and is easy to implement, and you can use it in just about any situation you wish.
If you'd like to try something more advanced techniques for massaging a headache away, try some of these ideas out:
· Invest in some coconut or argan oil. The next time a headache starts to creep up on you, pour a little oil on your fingers, and give yourself a slow, steady scalp massage. You should start to feel better very quickly.
· If possible, put 2 tennis balls in a sock, lie on a flattened surface, put the sock of tennis balls on your occipital bone, and relax. This technique is particularly great with sinus headaches. Don't worry, if you feel some sinus pressure or minor ache at the beginning. This will go away quickly.
· If the situation allows for it, have someone give you a neck, scalp, and shoulders massage. This particular technique also has the benefit of having you relax, knowing that someone who cares about you is trying to help you feel better.
· Tenderly massaging the bridge of your nose can help substantially with sinus and migraine headaches.
· Treating the headache to a diligent massage at the acupressure point of each hand can help, too. This is where the thumb and index finger bones connect.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

3 Natural Cures For A Migraine Headache

12:06:00 PM
Only a migraine sufferer understands the pain. Regardless of how the migraine starts the end result is the same - excruciating pain that renders you helpless. Walking hurts, breathing hurts. Even thinking hurts.
People often discount migraines without any true understanding of the suffering a migraine can inflict. They treat migraine sufferers like hypochondriacs or drama queens. This is simply not so. There are any number of painkillers and pills available to help curb the pain. The issue here is that many of these painkillers require repeat prescriptions and involve an ongoing cost. The other side effect of many of the prescribed medicines is that they can help with the pain of the migraine headache itself but tend to have a "knockout" effect on the sufferer.
Most migraine sufferers will be familiar with the "where did the day go?" effect of many of the stronger painkillers. There are natural remedies to the migraine plague. They're simple and cheap (if not free). None of these are to replace prescribed medication but can be used in conjunction with your medication to bring relief about faster. They also complement each other.
Dark Room
If you suffer from migraine headaches and an attack begins then find the quietest, darkest spot in your home and lay down there. The area or should also be relatively warm to allow you to relax faster. Your eyes should remain covered but open. This usually means using some sort of blindfold but a scarf, long handkerchief or other material works just fine. Keep your eyes open as much as possible because experience has shown that shutting your eyes to try and cope with the pain uses extra facial and jaw muscles that can just increase the problem and not cure it.
If an attack has already begun then follow the same routine and take whatever prescribed medication you have.
Relaxed Breathing
A migraine attack generally brings on a sort of anxiety attack in the sufferer. They know how much it's going to hurt so their heart rate increases. This increase in blood flow makes the problem worse. Once you've retreated to the quiet, dark area and covered your eyes from any possible stimuli then breathing is the next area to focus on. You must let your breathing relax. Panicked breathing will increase the pain you're already experiencing.
To allow your breathing to relax follow these steps:
1. Take a long slow deep breath and exhale equally slowly.
2. Again take a long, slow deep breath. As you're slowly inhaling focus on the sensation of the air filling your lungs. Feel the air filling your body. Once you've inhaled as much as is comfortable again exhale slowly. As you're exhaling focus on the sensation of the air leaving your lungs and escaping through your mouth. Breathe out completely.
3. Repeat the process of inhaling slowly, focusing on the sensation of the air filling your lungs and exhaling slowly 4 or 5 more times.
4. By the fourth repetition you should notice that your breathing is far more relaxed and calm. Your heart rate should now also have lowered back to a resting rate and you may even feel slightly sleepy. If so embrace that feeling and allow yourself to fall asleep.
Lavender Oil
This is the final step in the process. Lavender oil is renowned for its medicinal properties and this is doubly so for migraine headaches. Lavender oil is cheap and completely safe to use. Only use pure Lavender oil for treating migraines - lavender scented fragrances or scented oils are useless. It must be the purest lavender oil you can find.
If you feel a migraine attack coming then grab your lavender oil. Place a single drop of pure, undiluted lavender oil on each temple or behind each ear. Also place 2 or 3 drops of undiluted lavender oil on the pillow you're going to rest on.
Combined with a quiet, dark room and the deep breathing technique the lavender oil provides that final "punch" in the natural treatments. The scent of the oil will relax you and simply inhaling lavender infused air helps to ease the pain of a migraine almost immediately.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

How to Massage Migraine Headaches

7:19:00 AM
Massage, a common method of relieving migraine headaches, can be done by a professional - or you can do it yourself using this technique.
A light massage combined with migraine pressure points will give you the greatest relief. You need only a few simple points about how to massage a migraine headache.
Migraine Pressure Point Defined
It is important to learn the migraine pressure point or points that bring relief. A migraine pressure point is a point on your body that, when pressed, will lessen the pain in your head. Surprisingly, a migraine pressure point is not necessarily the point that hurts most.
A migraine pressure point may be pressed and released in slow, rhythmical fashion, and deliberately massaged to gain relief. This will release congested energy and blood from the head and ease your pain.
Migraine Pressure Point Technique
You will be treating each migraine pressure point with these simple steps.
* Use only the pads of your thumbs or first two fingers - never the ends.
* Keep the pressure light to moderate, depending on how sensitive the point is to your touch.
* Press hard enough so you can feel hardness or tension under your thumb or fingers.
* If a migraine pressure point hurts so much that you can't take a deep breath, apply less pressure on that point.
* Let your fingers sink into the migraine pressure point as you apply pressure gradually. Feel your thumb or finger going gently, gradually deeper and deeper.
* While your thumb or finger is as deep as you want to go, massage the point with tiny, circular movements of your finger.
* Keep your thumb or finger on the migraine pressure point until you feel a movement or change there. It may feel softer or warmer.
* Now slowly, gradually release the migraine pressure point until your thumb or finger leaves the skin.
* Repeat several times at same point.
Migraine Pressure Point Locations
Remember to be firm, but gentle. Insufficient pressure on a migraine pressure point will not be effective - too much pressure will create tension in your surrounding muscles.
Here are a few migraine pressure point locations to get you started. Start with the first, and work your way through each point, consciously relaxing as you do so.
1. Migraine Pressure Point at Base of Skull
Locate the bony base of your skull in back. Place your thumb pads under the skull's base, each thumb about 1 inch from your spinal column. Holding your thumbs against the two points, tilt your head back slightly. Now press upward gradually, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions of the thumbs, still holding the pressure. When you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 again. Repeat 5 times.
2. Migraine Pressure Point at Mid-Forehead
This migraine pressure point is located at the middle of your forehead, right between your eyebrows. Using the migraine pressure point technique described above, and your thumbs or one of the first two fingers, press inward gradually, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 as you do so. Repeat 10 times.
3. Migraine Pressure Point at Eye Corners
Feel the face at the outer corners of your eyes. Move your fingers away from the eyes until you find the spots just behind the bone. Using the migraine pressure point technique and one or two finger pads, apply pressure gradually inward, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 as you do so. Repeat 10 times.
4. Migraine Pressure Point on Hand
Surprisingly, you have a migraine pressure point on each hand. It's the fleshy part between your thumb and index finger. Using the thumb pad and index finger of your opposite hand, gradually squeeze the upper portion of this migraine pressure point, counting to 10 and breathing deeply. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 as you do so. Repeat 10 times.
5. Migraine Pressure Point on Foot
The last point you will use to massage migraine headaches away is located on the top of each foot. Locate the place where the bones come together between your big toe and your second toe. With thumb or finger pads, press downward gradually, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 again. Repeat 10 times.
Different bodies respond differently to pressure points. These should work for you. If you want information on additional migraine pressure points, ask a local shiatsu professional. A professional will also be able to give you a complete treatment for relief or prevention of migraine headaches.
By

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Types of Headache and their Treatment with Ayurveda

3:48:00 AM
Headache is known as Shiro Roga in Ayurveda. Literally it means 'disease of the head'. Headache is not a single type of disorder; but it is a name given to several problems of the head. There are 11 types of headache in Ayurveda. They can be caused due to a various number of causes. Some of them are:-
- Trauma
- Inflammation of the meninges
- Encephalitis
- Cerebral abscess
- Migraine
- Hypertension
- Cerebral hemorrhage
- Vasodilator drugs
- Alcohol hangover
Apart from these there are several other factors such as fevers, metabolic disorders and diseases of the eye, ear and nose which can cause headaches.
Though pain is predominantly vitiation of the vata dosha, vitiation of the pitta and kapha doshas can also cause headaches. The chief symptoms of the three different doshic types of headaches are:-
1. Vata type of Headache - The pain is intermittent, i.e. of a hammering type. There is constipation, insomnia and depression. These pains are compounded by mental tensions.
2. Pitta type of Headache - The pain is usually felt on half of the head. It is accompanied by a burning sensation and wateriness in the eyes. The person is generally scared of light.
(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Headache
1. Betel (Piper betle)
The leaves of the betel have analgesic and cooling properties. When a paste of them is applied to the center of the headache, then immediate relief is obtained.
2. Bishop's Weed (Trachyspermum ammi)
Bishop's weed can keep severe headaches away. It is most effective in headaches that occur due to migraine. The fumes of the lighted bishop's weed seeds are used for the treatment. These fumes are smoked or the seeds are sniffed directly.
3. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)
The aroma of the clove has a headache-allaying effect. It can soothe the nerves and bring it back to a pacified state.
4. Garlic (Allium sativum)
Garlic has almost miraculous properties in relieving headaches, of whatever type they are. Their juice slowly permeates the head region and acts as a painkiller.
5. Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Ginger has painkilling properties. Due to this property, it is used as an external application on the affected head region. This gives relief from the headache.
6. Henna (Lawsonia inermis)
Henna flowers have the capacity to reduce headaches if they are caused by excessive heat. The henna flowers are applied externally on the head with vinegar to get the desired results.
(2) Dietary Treatments for Headache
Sweet and mild tastes are better in relieving headaches than other tastes. When there is a headache, consuming a sweet preparation or even a spoonful of sugar helps.
Milk and ghee are also beneficial in headaches. Preferably, the milk of a cow should be warmed and had when there is a headache.
Rice is the preferred carbohydrate to be taken in times of headache. The water left after cooking the rice should be had when it is warm, with a dash of ghee added in it.
Spicy and fried foods must be avoided when there is a headache.
(3) Ayurvedic Treatment for Headache
Since there are many different types of headaches, there are different treatments for them in Ayurveda. Ayurveda does not treat all headaches with uniformity. The following are the different treatments prescribed:-
1. If the headache is of vata type, then Triphala choorna is first prescribed to clear the digestive system. Then Shirashooladivajra rasa must be taken, or Mahavata Vidhwansana rasa must be taken twice a day in dosages of 125 milligrams in warm water.
2. If the headache is of pitta type, then amalaki is prescribed, or Triphala which contains amalaki can also be given. Half a gram of Shatavari is to be taken twice a day for a month.
3. If the headache is of kapha type, then anu taila is applied first to clear the nostrils. Then medicines such as Shoola Gajakesari rasa are given in dosages of 125 milligrams thrice or four times a day.
(4) Home Medications
a. A paste of clove and salt crystals is prepared in milk. The main curative ingredient in this is salt, which, being hygroscopic, absorbs the fluids in the head and decreases the tension.
b. Early morning after waking up dab an apple with salt and eat it. After that, drink some warm water or milk. Continuing this for ten days will reduce the problem of continuous headaches.
c. Peel a piece of garlic. Put it in the mouth and chew it slightly. Let its juices spread around the mouth region and upwards into the head. Keep on chewing the garlic mildly and allow the juices to spread. Within some minutes the headache would disappear. This treatment works even for the most persistent of headaches.
d. For headaches that are caused due to common colds, drinking a decoction of coriander and sugar helps tremendously. One more method to clear common cold related headaches is to place both feet in warm water for about half an hour.
e. For headaches that are caused due to excessive gas in the stomach, drinking a glass of warm water with a fresh lemon squeezed in it brings the headache as well as the gas problem down.
f. Grind some cinnamon and make it into a paste with water. Apply this on the head. This reduces headaches.
g. Soak some almonds in water overnight. In the morning, grind them into a paste and warm them slightly in ghee. Mix this in water and drink. This helps in treating headaches that have been going on since a long time.
h. Drinking a glass of water in which jaggery has been mixed helps in reducing headaches.
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