Archive for the 'Headaches' Category

The Truth About MSG, Obesity and Headaches

Tuesday, July 26th, 2011 No Commented
Under: Headaches

MSG or monosodium glutamate is a highly debatable food additive whether it is good or bad o our health. Most often I hear people saying that MSG can cause various diseases in our body including cancer. Some say that it can harm vital organs in our body while some say this substance produces free radicals which in turn cause cancer.

The funny thing is that our environment is full of carcinogens; pollutions caused by smoke, waste and other harmful substances that are detrimental to our health. We cannot blame MSG alone for all the sicknesses that are happening out there. In my opinion, there are two major things that we should concern ourselves in consuming MSG.

1. Cause for Obesity

MSG makes our food taste better. It is a well known food addictive and this will definitely make our appetite increase if this substance is used with our favorite dish. Obesity is one known cause of cardiovascular problems and other problems caused by being overweight. And this is one good reason why you should be avoiding consumption of MSG if you have a big appetite for tasty foods.

But then again, we shouldn’t be blaming this substance in making a person overweight. It is still the individual’s eating habits that should be corrected rather than blaming to a substance that only do its job in making the food tastier.

2. Cause of Allergies Especially Headaches

I’ve heard stories of people experiencing unnecessary illnesses including headaches whenever they consume MSG. Well we can’t blame them; allergies are normal to one’s life and MSG is just one cause of them. Some are allergic to sea foods, eggs, chicken, perfume etc. and if you know the food item or substance that is causing your headaches then try avoiding them. We cannot control our body if it rejects certain substances from entering its system.

Consuming MSG in my opinion is not bad. I know old aged individuals using this food addictive and they get along well in life. And I have observed that people who are claiming MSG as a harmful substance are those individuals who have many diseases in life.

Finally, do what you think is comfortable and will give you peace of mind. It is not beneficial concluding that one substance alone is the main cause of cancer and other major illness out there because there are many substances which are far more harmful than MSG. If you are happy using MSG, just use it sparingly, enough to make your food taste better. On the other hand if you experience allergies happening like headaches whenever you consume them or if you think it will cause certain diseases then avoid and don’t use them.

Headache Remedies to Cure a Headache

Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 No Commented
Under: Headaches

If you suffer from painful headaches, you may be looking for headache remedies that will help. To cure a headache there are several different ways to approach treatment options. The first is to look at preventative methods and the second is to reduce the pain of an existing headache.

Headache Remedies: Preventative Measures

For most people, looking at ways to prevent a headache or migraine tends to be the most successful. Once you have a migraine attack it is more difficult to get rid of it. So if you can look at ways to reduce the risk of getting a headache in the first place, you will be in far better shape.

Adjust Your Diet:

One of the easiest ways to prevent headaches is to maintain a balanced diet. By eating a variety of healthy fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins, you will be getting the proper mix of nutrients that will help keep your body well hydrated.

Another thing to look at within your diet is the drinks that you consume. Water is the best fluid to consume during the day. It will help keep you hydrated and minimize the risk of getting a headache caused by dehydration. Caffeine can trigger headaches and migraines, so monitoring your intake of caffeine is also important. One tricky thing about caffeine is that caffeine withdrawals can trigger headaches. So if you are looking to reduce your daily consumption of caffeine, be sure to gradually reduce your caffeine intake. If you try to quit cold turkey, it will most certainly cause a painful headache.

Headache Remedies: Adjust Your Lifestyle

Stress and anxiety can also cause headaches. One of the best ways to minimize the risk of getting a tension headache is to control the stress in your life. While it may sound easier said than done, there are a couple of easy steps to follow to try to minimize the stress in your life.

The first is to get plenty of sleep. When sleep is deprived, your body naturally goes into defense mode and opens you up to getting sick. The goal is to get 8 hours of sleep per night. While this may not always be possible, it is a good goal to set. The second adjustment that you can make to your lifestyle is to get plenty of exercise. By taking care of your body, you will be less likely to get a headache. Exercise also reduces stress and anxiety, so the positive aspects of a daily exercise routine are limitless.

Types of Migraines – The Unusual Ones

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011 No Commented
Under: Headaches

One unusual type of migraine manifestation is known as the Familial Hemiplegic Migraine – FHM. Its name comes from the way it manifests – mimicking a stroke or an epileptic condition – and it has long lasting aura symptoms.

The aura of a migraine is described by the way this condition announces its future installation. In this unusual type of migraine, the aura brings a dramatic weakness in the patient’s limbs. This is manifested on various degrees: from lacking a simple coordination to paralysis manifestation.

Many features of FHM will lead to the same ones that are expressed into a commonly felt migraine aura although some differences can be outlined. The time of this aura manifestation can last up to 24 hours while the symptoms of a common aura phase can last up to 1 hour when its is ending.

In order for one patient to be diagnosed with FHM, he or she must experience at least a first or second degree relative. Along with these, there should be other conditions eliminated, such as aneurism and strokes, before reaching to the conclusion that one suffers from FHM.

Another unusual type is called Sporadic Hemiplegic Migraine – which is the same with the above condition only that it doesn’t present the first and second degree relatives.

The Basilar Type Migraine – is recognized as manifesting as an acute migraine pain leading to temporary blindness and strong vertigo. These sorts of migraines are experienced mostly by the young adults having its origins in both hemispheres of the brain and/or in the brain stem. The symptoms are mostly the same with FHM, only that motor weakness is not experienced at that amplitude.

When being diagnosed with basilar type migraine, it means that the following criteria have been met by your migraine manifestation:

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  • There were at least two times that you have experienced these symptoms.
  • There are the following auras presented as symptoms: dizziness, having hard times in speaking, double vision, feeling of a light numbness, or pins and needles felt on both sides of your body.
  • The duration of an aura should be more than 5 minutes and/or each of the symptoms lasting from 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Headaches that can evolve without the presence of an aura or evolving within 1 hour of the aura ending.

The other unusual type of migraine is retinal migraine which is manifested through frequent attacks of visual disturbance in one eye along with migraine headache.

When reading all these you should ask yourself whether or not you have suffered from the following:

  • Where there at least 2 of such attacks?
  • Has any of the visual disturbances been confirmed by your doctor?
  • Do the symptoms similar to those from above disappear after theattack was experienced?
  • Is the migraine without an aura following when you experience the visual disturbance or within 1 hour after they end?

Waking Up With a Headache

Friday, May 27th, 2011 No Commented
Under: Headaches

No matter when or where it occurs headaches are one of the most common ailments around. You will be in the middle of something and your head starts to ache. Maybe it’s just a little pain in your forehead or maybe it feels like someone dropped a hammer on the top of your head, either way it is annoying if it is happening to you. Of course one of the worst times to have a headache is when you first wakeup in the morning.

What causes headaches?

A headache is a pain that is found in the head or the neck. There are three basic types of headaches, primary, secondary and facial pain.

  • Primary headaches are caused by tension. Migraine is considered a primary headache.
  • Secondary headaches are caused by such things as bleeding in the brain and tumors,
  • Facial pain headaches occur in the neck or due to nerves in the brain.

There are many reasons why they occur. One of the most familiar reasons is stress. If you are in a particularly difficult situation that you aren’t quite sure on how it is going to turn out, stress will usually set in and so will the headache. In fact any stressful situation can cause a headache.

So what would cause a headache in the morning?

When most folks think about a headache in the morning they think about a hangover or drinking way too much the night before and that would certainly make your head ache. But there are also other reasons. Surprisingly enough you may be dehydrated. Your body needs lots of water each day and unfortunately a good number of folks don’t drink very much water. Water is good for you not only for headaches with other things as well. Another related problem is drinking too much caffeine in the night which causes you to make too many trips to the bathroom when you are supposed to be sleeping. Another bad thing about caffeine is that it will keep you up when you should be sleeping and in the morning you will probably need another fix of it to drive away the headaches.

Have you ever had any problems sleeping, because that do can cause headaches in the morning? Lack of sleep and being unable to fall asleep can be very stressful which in turn will bring on the headaches when you wake.

A sleep disorder that isn’t too common but is quite a problem to those that have it is bruxism or teeth grinding. By grinding your teeth you tense up the muscles in your face while you are trying to sleep and as you probably guessed this could bring on quite a headache in the morning.

There are quite a few things that can cause headaches when you wake up the morning if this becomes a recurring trend for you then seek help from your doctor.

Heavy Head Feeling

Friday, February 4th, 2011 No Commented
Under: Headaches

Headache is the worst thing that occurs to an individual even when he hasn’t done anything intentionally to experience it. It is an autonomous ailment which can affect one’s health adversely. Most of the times the cause behind the headache could not be controlled as it varies from person to person. Excessive stress in life can also cause headache issues in long run. Like animals, people can’t be put into boxes.

They need to interact with other humans around. Such is the type of our being that we can’t stay in isolation. Humans can’t survive in isolation, which is why it is said that humans are social beings. Apart from that philosophy, here we would discuss about an inconvenient feeling called heavy head feeling. Headache could be of various types, ranging from headaches causing pain in single of both temples to other types which focus on the top of the head. The headache which causes pain in the back of the head or neck are mainly seen in people who have long duration sitting jobs.

People like software engineers, store keeping executives, accountants etc. have to sit for longer hours to conduct their work properly, which affects their posture and causes headache. Headache could be seen in students also, as they have to sit for long hours to study. Wrong posture of the body initiates many other disorders and ailments like back pain, joint pains etc.

Heavy head feeling comes often when the person experiences disorders in the internal organs of the body. Like in case of acidity, the sufferer may get a feeling of heavy head. Such a problem can long up to many days if not treated in time. Medical consultation is required to treat such disorders as it may lead to chronic headaches like migraine etc. The sensation of heavy head feeling is more or less like throbbing.

Some narrate it as a feeling like that of stabbing something onto their head or burning whereas the rest call it as a feeling of hammering in the head. Whatever be the feeling is like; the utmost importance should be given to how to treat it.

The excruciating pain caused by headache can destruct your whole lifestyle. An individual who can’t afford to have mental peace would definitely lag behind in his career too. There are ways to treat headache like consulting a doctor, taking a pain killer, or taking some rest from your tedious work life. A heavy head feeling can further cause vomiting like feeling, blurry vision and restlessness.

Luckily there are treatments which can help you get rid of such complex situations. Heavy head feeling can disturb your work life as well as the capacity to take right and timely decisions. The blurriness of thoughts is often experienced by people who have been a sufferer of headaches since long. A healthier lifestyle including proper physical activity rate can help greatly in preventing such conditions to happen any further. Balanced diet should be undertaken to increase the immunity of the body from such complex ailments which disturb the life of the individuals drastically.

Chiropractic Care of Cervicogenic Headaches

Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 No Commented
Under: Headaches

Cervicogenic headaches are a very common issue that affects a large percentage of the population. These headaches are often confused with migraine headaches but have different signs and symptoms and therefore much different causes and treatments. Cervicogenic headaches are defined as headaches that originate from the cervical spine (neck) especially involving the upper cervical spine and occiput. This style of headache typically presents as severe pain at the base of the skull and in the back of the head that may sometimes radiate to the forehead, temples, ears, or near the eyes in more severe cases. As usual, sorry ladies, females are affected much more often than males. The pain is often aggravated or exacerbated by specific neck and head movements or holding certain postures for a long period of time such as looking up or down. The pain is usually one sided and localized to the back of the head and neck. The neck is often limited in its range of motion and has a stiff or tense feeling associated with normal head and neck movements.

Patients often experience pain and stiffness into the same side shoulder, neck, and arm which can raise concerns for a pathologic headache which is much more serious. Upon examination, the pain can usually be reproduced by applying pressure over the affected cervical spine region. There will be noted changes in the cervical musculature including muscle spasms, shortening, and asymmetrical muscle tone. X-rays are usually not very helpful except to rule out pathology or post traumatic fracture of injury. There are many different theories about the etiology of Cervicogenic headaches. The most commonly accepted theories points to pain referral patterns from the cervical musculature. Pain referral patterns coming from issues with the muscles, ligaments, joints, joint capsules, and vertebral discs cause pain to travel into the back of the head and neck. Recent studies have also found that injuries to the connective tissues that connect the rectus capitis posterior muscles and the spinal dura could also be a common source of the headaches.
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Treatments vary but chiropractic has been proven to be an efficient and safe form of alternative and non-invasive treatment. Soft tissue and muscle therapy on the muscles of the posterior neck, head, and shoulder can relieve tension and stress and reduce the frequency, duration, and severity of cervicogenic headaches. Gentle chiropractic manipulation can reduce fixations and restore proper biomechanics of the cervical spine as well as improve range of motion. Trigger point therapy, deep tissue massage, and myofascial release has been shown to be beneficial as well and core stabilization exercises to target the deep neck flexor muscles of the cervical spine. Chiropractors can provide specific stretches and strengthening exercises to balance the muscles of the posterior neck and restore range of motion to the area. Stress management can be very beneficial to those suffering from Cervicogenic headaches to help reduce stress and muscle tension in the back of the neck and proper posture and ergonomics at home and work is necessary. Certain headaches require immediate medical attention. The signs to follow are red flags that point to more serious issues and should be evaluated by a medical professional. A very severe and abrupt onset that is something new or that has never been experienced before by the patient is the most common red flag. Patients should also look for cognitive or behavioral changes as well as seizures, vomiting without nausea, and neurological symptoms. All persistent headaches experienced by a child should raise concern as well as patients on anticoagulant medications, known history of cancer, and measured diastolic pressures greater than 115 mmHg.
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Fast Migraine Cure

Thursday, October 21st, 2010 No Commented
Under: Headaches

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 28 million individuals suffer migraine in the US alone. This is because of their lifestyles and bad habits in nutrition. Chronic migraine symptoms and causes must be determined to cure it properly. Here are the identifiable symptoms and causes of migraines and how to treat them.

Symptoms of migraine:

  • Moderate to severe throbbing pain in the head due to swelling of the blood vessels.
  • Pulsating pain on either side of the head
  • Unbearable headache causing you to stop your daily activities
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Light sensitivity
  • Sleeping patterns are disrupted
  • Onset of stress and anxiety
  • Irritation to noise and strong odors

Causes of migraine:

  • Strong glare from light bulbs, fluorescent lights and electronic appliances like computer monitors.
  • Strong odors like perfumes, acid compounds and cleaning products.
  • Improper sleeping patterns
  • Stressful environment
  • Polluted environment (noise pollution)
  • Smoking ( 1st or 2nd hand smokers)
  • Hunger and “junk foods” ( improper diet)
  • Climate or weather changes
  • Improper medication

 

These are the chronic migraine symptoms and causes. Fortunately, there is chronic migraine treatment. Here are the remedies and treatments.

Proper nutrition – Foods included in the food pyramid are to be followed to make your immune system healthy. Avoid junk foods especially foods that contain nitrates and MSG (monosodium glutamate). These chemicals trigger migraine so it is best to avoid it.

Fruits and vegetables are perfect to detoxify your body resulting to good circulation of blood.

Proper sleep – Sleeping at least 8 hours a day to relax your body and mind is a good idea. But do not over-sleep because it may trigger migraine.

Find a quiet place – Finding a quiet place and a nice ambience will relax your brain and body. Take your time to take away your stress and just relax.

Exercise – Exercise is a good method to reduce the onset of migraine. It stimulates proper blood circulation in the head and body and it reduces the swelling of the blood vessels.

Hot and cold – An ice pack in the forehead and a nice hot water for the feet to soak is a fast way to reduce migraine. The cold pressure in the head reduces the blood vessels to swell and the hot water stimulates blood circulation.

Massage – A relaxing massage is a nice idea to take away the pain in your head. It promotes blood circulation and it significantly reduces stress including migraine.

Caffeine – Caffeine can stimulate the nerves. Consume a small amount (at least 1 cup a day) of coffee or tea to reduce migraine. Do not drink too much because it may aggravate the onset of migraine.

Yoga – Yoga is an effective way to relieve you from stress triggering migraine. Meditate using the techniques of Yoga to relax your mind and body. Make sure you implement this in a quiet and relaxing place.

Migraine can be prevented if you stay healthy and active. Eat nutritious food and be active with your friend, family and in your work. Be migraine free!