Showing posts with label migraine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label migraine. 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

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

3 Natural Cures For A Migraine Headache

9:00:00 AM
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.

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.

Friday, April 26, 2013

3 Natural Cures For A Migraine Headache

8:40:00 AM
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.
Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )