Summary
Headaches are the number one health complaint and will affect everybody at some point in their lives. Though most cases of headache don’t represent severe health concerns, in some instances they can be signs of deeper, more serious health problems.
Conventional doctors typically deal with headaches by prescribing painkilling medications, which range from common aspirin to prescription drugs. This approach just suppresses headache symptoms. In addition to using pain relieving natural remedies, practitioners of alternative medicine focus on addressing the actual causes of headaches as well, in order to prevent them from recurring.
Types and Symptoms of Headaches
There are twelve main categories of headache, each based on the specific symptoms and underlying causes associated with each one. What follows is an overview of each of the 12 headache types as well as their particular symptoms.
Allergy Headaches: Headaches brought on by allergies or even sensitivities are one of the most prevalent types of headaches, and typically occur inside 4-12 several hours after exposure to the allergen. Substances that can bring about allergy headaches can potentially be anything, which range from chemicals, meals and jewelry, to personal hygiene products, scents, and even another’s touch.
Allergies are estimated to cause around 70% of all headache cases in the U.S. each year. Despite how common allergy headaches are, they often are wrongly diagnosed because of the range of symptoms they can cause. Efficient treatment is based on first identifying what substance or ingredients trigger the actual headache and then eliminating them, while concurrently helping your body to build up its resistance to further allergic reactions. Though it can sometimes require time and patience to accomplish these goals, allergy headaches, general, are among the least difficult headaches to resolve.
Cluster Headaches: Cluster headaches are the most painful kind of headaches. They get their title from the extreme pain which concentrates or “clusters” around the eyes. Additionally, they usually occur in periodic “clusters” of your time ranging from weeks to several weeks.
Cluster headaches most commonly strike males between the ages of 30-50 who are, “Type A” personalities focused on attaining their goals, generally to the point that they ignore other aspects of their lives and fail to obtain necessary relaxation. They also frequently smoke and consume alcoholic beverages beyond moderation.
Dental Headaches: Dental headaches are caused by structural imbalances within the mouth, and/or teeth. Usually the pain they trigger is focused in front of or at the rear of one or both ears or along the sides of the mouth. In some cases this may also occur in the mouth area itself. The most typical causes of dental headaches tend to be misalignments of the jaw, especially temporomandibular syndrome (TMJ). An unequal bite or even dental problems such as abscessed teeth or gums and/or even mercury amalgam dental fillings can also be substantial triggers of dental headaches, as can the tendency to clench or even grind a person’s teeth. People who wear dental bridges can also experience tooth headaches if the bridges become faulty. These kinds of factors limit blood flow to the brain, leading to pain and overall entire body dysfunction.
Exertion Headaches: Headaches caused by physical exertion, although they may be quite painful, are usually brief and present no fundamental health risk. As their name suggests, they are caused during or soon after activities, including sex. They can additionally result from coughing, sneezing, or forceful eradication due to bowel problems.
Eyestrain Headaches: Eyestrain headaches refer to headaches caused by straining vision, such as what occurs while reading in a badly lit room or while working in a computer. These headaches can also be brought on by tension and misalignments within the musculoskeletal system, and by digestive function problems. The pain caused by eyestrain headaches is normally mild and diffused over the face, forehead and behind the eyes. Occasionally, symptoms of dry eye also occur. Such headaches are not generally serious anyway, but they can become chronic in the event that unhealthy work or reading habits are not really corrected.
Migraines: Migraine headaches impact up to 20% of all men, and 30% of all women in the United States. Migraine headaches typically occur on one side of the face, affecting the temple and the eye and leading to pain that can be quite serious and often throbbing. Other symptoms of migraine include blurry vision, dizziness, fatigue, cold and hot spells, lightheadedness, nausea, numbness or prickling along the affected side of the body, severe sensitivity to light and sound, as well as vomiting. Often with migraine headaches, symptoms are preceded by a warning sign referred to as an aura or swirling stars. However, migraine headaches can also hit suddenly, unexpectedly.
Organic Headaches: Organic headaches are both the rarest form of headache as well as the most dangerous. They occur as a result of severe underlying health imbalances, such as brain bacterial infections and growths, diseased or even swollen arteries, glaucoma, internal hemorrhages, and high blood pressure. Organic headaches usually strike without warning, and can be accompanied by extreme pain, severe vomiting, seizures, difficulties speaking and/or jogging, and personality changes. Extreme caution: If you encounter any of these signs and symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
Rebound Headaches: Rebound headaches come from the “rebound affect” that may occur following the discontinued use of various addicting substances, such as coffee and other caffeine items, drugs (both pharmaceutical and illegal), soda, and various commercial, non-herbal teas. Pharmaceutical drugs most likely to cause rebound headaches are those used to treat allergies, common colds and virus, menstrual problems, pain, as well as weight gain and obesity. Generally, rebound headaches occur within 12-24 hours after such substances are discontinued, and will generally resolve themselves within 5-7 days, unless the offending substance can be used again. If so, this creates the potential for headaches to return. Typically, the symptoms of rebound headaches involve persistent dull, throbbing pain on both the temples and face.
Sinus Headaches: Sinus headaches are also an uncommon form of headache, despite popular belief. The reason for this misperception is that more frequently occurring headaches, such as migraine headaches and tension headaches, may cause swollen sinuses to occur. True sinus headaches manifest with symptoms of gnawing pain within the nasal cavities that is usually accompanied by inflammation. The signs of sinus headaches can also occur on the sinus tooth decay along the temple and cheekbones. In addition, sinus headaches generally go hand in hand with symptoms of a cold such as minor fever, secretions of mucous and phlegm from the nose and throat, sneezing, teary eyes, along with diminished energy.
Tension Headaches: By far the most common type of headache is a tension head ache, which is brought on by tension occurring somewhere within the musculoskeletal system and/or the muscle tissue of the face, head, or neck. The strain is usually brought on by repressed anxiety due to habitually poor misalignments within the spine, or chronic stress. Nerves that are irritated by metabolic waste elements can also trigger or worsen tension headaches, as can injured and unhealed ligaments in the neck, which could cause muscle mass spasms which trigger headache pain.
Trauma Headaches: Trauma headaches are usually the result of physical accidental injuries to the brain, neck, or back and typically are due to accidents. They can sometimes be misdiagnosed as tension or migraines headaches, because the symptoms they produce act like both other forms of headache. One main difference, nevertheless, is that trauma headaches tend to persist and resist attempts to treat their symptoms, particularly drugs. In addition, symptoms of stress headache can vary greatly when it comes to their strength, and either be focused in a specific area of the head, or affect the entire head, face, and neck. Moreover, this can sometimes happen months after the actual physical stress occurs before symptoms show themselves, making precise diagnosis hard. To successfully treat stress headaches, you must first figure out and then alleviate the residual effects of the original physical stress
Vascular Headaches: Vascular headaches are caused by arterial problems, which can produce compression of the nerves that trigger discomfort. Symptoms of general headaches can mimic the ones from cluster as well as migraine headaches, both of which are also incorporated under the category of vascular headaches, as well as the signs of rebound headaches. Caution: General headaches can be associated with underlying issues with circulation and/or cardiovascular health. If signs and symptoms persist, see a doctor immediately.
Headaches due to food and/or environmental allergies are also quite common amongst children. Allergy headaches due to food allergies can usually be determined by keeping a record of your child’s food intake. If a headache occurs inside 96 hours of eating a certain food, notice what occurs if the food is removed from the diet for 4-6 days, and then reintroduced. If reintroduction of the food triggers another occurrence of headache, it is extremely likely that your child’s symptoms are due to allergic reactions or meals sensitivity.
Caution: If you are experiencing a headache that is associated with blurring eyesight, convulsions, lightheadedness, fever, mind trauma, loss of awareness, localized discomfort anywhere else within your body, or rapidly progressing discomfort, seek instant medical attention. Additionally, recurring headaches in children or even people who are seniors, or which occur all of a sudden for the first time, will also be indications that medical attention might be required.
Causes of Headaches
The key to successfully treating headaches and attaining long-term alleviation of headache symptoms is based on determining all of the underlying causes that trigger headaches. Holistic health practitioners notice that chronic headaches are most often the result of systemic unbalances throughout the body, not just within the head itself, and that the potential causes of headaches can be diverse, ranging from food and/or environment allergies, constipation, gastrointestinal problems and hormone problems, to infections, musculoskeletal problems, lack of nutrients, stress, and physical trauma. What follows are overviews of the very common reasons for headaches.
Allergic reactions: Allergies, especially those caused by meals, are a prevalent cause of headaches, especially migraine. In fact, according to research released in The Lancet, food allergic reactions contribute to 95% of all migraine headaches. Food allergies may also cause or contribute to other types of headaches, as well, just like chemical as well as environmental allergic reactions (see below). Among the most common foods that can trigger allergy-related headaches are all dairy products, wheat, corn, rye, sugar, chocolate, coffee and other caffeine items, alcohol, pickled or cured meat and fish, seafood, game (hare, pheasant, and venison), fatty and fried foods, brewer’s yeast, and pickles. Seasonings such as cinnamon, chilies, as well as sassafras; in addition to certain fruits, including avocados, bananas, citrus fruits, peaches, plums, as well as raspberries; and certain veggies such as coffee beans, eggplant, onions, spinach, tomatoes, and nut products, can also trigger allergy-related headaches; as can food colorings as well as additives such as aspartame, benzoic acid, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium nitrate, tartrazine, and tyramine, along with other dyes and food colorings.
Blood Clots: Thrombus can cause a number of headaches, especially vascular headaches, because of exactly how blood clots trigger arteries to become constricted. This particular, in turn, leads to diminished blood flow to the brain, as well as reduced levels of oxygen. Caution: Blood clots are potentially life-threatening. If you think you are afflicted by blood clots, seek immediate medical attention.
Chemical as well as Environmental Factors: The occurrence of headaches continues to rise because of ever-increasing levels of chemical and environmental pollutants that are released into the air, dirt, and water supplies every year. Natural environmental substances, such as molds as well as pollens can also cause headache attacks. Common chemical irritants that can trigger headaches, as well as contribute to a number of other health issues include deadly carbon monoxide, chlorine, chemical substance deodorizers, chemicals, hydrocarbons, fragrances, pesticides, plastics, and radioactive waste.
Heavy metal poisoning, which can occur with subsequent exposure to pet foods, non-renewable fuels, and polluted drinking water, is another common cause of headache pain. One particularly subtle form of heavy metal, mercury, lies in the jaws of many naive headache sufferers. The snowballing build-up of toxin caused by silver mercury teeth fillings may be the fundamental factor behind many unexplainable illnesses, such as headaches, depression, allergies, exhaustion, and monthly disorders.
Additional chemical as well as environmental elements that can trigger headache consist of bright light, noise, thin air, weather modifications, and poorly ventilated enclosures causing extended exposure to contaminants.
Dental Problems: One of the most prevalent dental factors related to headache is the mercury that is found in dental amalgam fillings. Over time, the mercury escapes the fillings and makes its way into various tissue and organs, contributing to a multitude of health problems, such as headaches. Other dental factors involved in headaches include gum disease, low-grade dental bacterial infections, tooth decay, as well as muscle jerks caused by temporomandibular joint affliction (TMJ). All of these factors can reduce proper circulation to the brain, causing blood vessels to tighten, triggering headache pain.
To find out if dental factors might be contributing to your headache discomfort, answer the following questions. The more “yes” solutions you have, the more likely it is that your problem is being caused by tooth factors.
Do you favor one side of your mouth when you eat?
Do you grind your teeth?
Do you have trouble swallowing 3 or 4 times in a row? Do you have a poor sense associated with balance?
Do you feel tired after eating due to chewing?
Do you have to stress to smile?
Do your gums bleed?
Do you make the clicking noise when you open up or close your mouth?
Do you have dental amalgam fillings?
Gastrointestinal Disorders: Typical gastrointestinal disorders that can cause or contribute to headaches consist of candidiasis (wide spread yeast overgrowth), bowel problems, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), as well as “leaky gut” syndrome. Molecule and nutritional deficiencies are other typical headache triggers.
Hormonal Imbalances: Hormonal imbalances, especially in women, can play a substantial role in headache discomfort. The most typical hormonal imbalances in women are diminished progesterone levels as well as elevated levels of estrogen. Women and men can each also be affected by hypothyroidism, an ailment in which the body is unable to create adequate levels of thyroid endocrine.
Hormone levels can also be negatively impacted by systemic yeast overgrowth (candidiasis), by the onset of puberty. Birth control pills, synthetic hormone therapy, pregnancy as well as menstruation may also cause hormone imbalances contributing to head ache and migraine pain.
Lifestyle: Life factors that can contribute to headaches include harmful diet, missed meals, overwork, and sleep issues. Work-related elements, such as long hours at a pc, reading, as well as close-up function, especially in bad light, may also cause headaches, as can extended watching of television or playing video games.
Musculoskeletal Imbalances: Holistic practitioners recognize how important the musculoskeletal system is to overall health. When the musculoskeletal program becomes imbalanced or out of alignment, proper nerve signaling from the brain and the body’s various organs may become compromised. The actual circulation of blood as well as oxygen throughout the body may also be compromised. As misalignment of the musculoskeletal system sets in, your body’s muscles can become possibly contracted or even stretched past their proper shape, setting the stage for chronic pain, such as headaches, to occur.
Imbalances to the musculoskeletal system that can cause or contribute to headaches consist of head and/or muscle stress, misalignments of the spine and/or the coccyx (tail) bone, as well as poor posture. Injured or even weak structures and muscles in and around the neck may also cause headaches.
Pharmaceutical Drugs: The following drugs may all trigger or bring about headaches: Antihistamines, asthma drugs, birth control pills, blood pressure medications, diet pills, diuretics, heart drugs, painkillers, and synthetic estrogen and other artificial hormones.
Tension: Stress, whether it is caused by physical or psychological/psychological factors, is among the primary causes of headaches. As stress becomes chronic, it causes your body’s muscles to become tense, especially the muscle tissue of the face, head, neck, upper back, as well as shoulders. This, in turn, causes the muscle tissue to fatigue and to also to be deprived of adequate amounts of oxygen, due to reduced blood flow. In addition, muscle tension due to stress can result in an excessive production of chemicals through your body, for example histamines. As these chemicals are created, they can trigger neurons within the muscles, creating headache pain.
Psychological tension, caused by repressed or improperly expressed frustration, anxiety, depression, fear, as well as sorrow, may also result in or exacerbate headache symptoms.
Natural Remedies
Acupressure: Acupressure is an excellent self-help therapy with regard to relieving head ache pain because of its ability to quickly alleviate muscle mass tension that may cause headaches. Here is a useful acupressure technique for relieving migraine headaches and pressure headaches: Press your thumbs firmly into the hollow places located in order to either side associated with the base of your own skull. Usually, these factors will be two to three inches aside, depending on your face size. Once you have located all of them, close your eyes and slowly lean your face back as you continue to apply pressure for two minutes. While you do so, consider deep, relaxed breaths within through your belly. After two minutes, release the pressure and carry on breathing in this fashion for 30 seconds, then repeat the process until you really feel your symptoms improving.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture may significantly reduce headaches and prevent them from recurring through traditional Chinese medicine which is able to relieve muscle tension, improve the blood circulation and oxygen to all body parts, and relieve pain. TCM has proven very helpful in dealing with potential allergies and gastrointestinal issues that can cause headaches, as well as improving overall immune function to prevent and resolve headaches caused by infection.
Alka-Seltzer Gold: A simple-to-make, and easy to use self-care treatment recommended by many holistic health practitioners at the first sign of a head ache, especially migraine headaches and headaches caused by allergic reactions, is to drink a glass of water which two tablets of Alka-Seltzer Gold. This will help to alkalize the body, inhibiting allergic reactions and stopping migraines from building.
Aromatherapy: These essential oils, applied topically to areas of the head, face, and neck associated with headache pain, can help to quickly relieve symptoms: Chamomile, eucalyptus, rose, marjoram, peppermint, and rosemary.
Bodywork: Bodywork is an excellent treatment for helping to prevent and reverse headaches caused by muscle tension and spasms. Bodywork can improve overall functioning of your system’s circulatory and nervous systems, which can significantly reduce the risk of headaches. Among the most effective types of bodywork with regard to headaches are the Alexander Method, Bowen Therapy, Feldenkrais, Massage Therapy, Polarity Therapy, Structural Integration and Rolfing.
What follows is a simple, yet efficient, self-massage method you can use to relieve headache pain. Sit comfortably in a seat, close your eyes, and begin to breathe easily and deeply through your belly. Now gently press the back of your own neck while you slowly roll your head in a circle. Continue for 30 seconds, and then discharge your neck for ten seconds. Continue doing this process for a total of 20 occasions, each time slightly increasing the pressure you apply to your neck.
If your head ache still continues, move on to the next phase: Press your fingers into all areas of the neck and shoulders which feel sensitive. As you do so, gently move your arms and shoulders in a round motion. Do this for 5 minutes, or until your symptoms have resolved. For further benefit, you can repeat these two exercises throughout the day.
Diet: The initial step in attaining a healthy diet to help you minimize the risk of headaches is to determine if you suffer from food allergies or even sensitivities. One simple way to do this is to fast for five days. It would be best to take on this fast while being overseen by a naturopathic or other alternative doctor. Throughout the five day fast, drink just distilled water. Prevent exposure to secondhand smoke during this period. Note: If you are a cigarette smoker you will not be able to smoke while you fast, and it would be best to quit smoking prior to all cleansing and fast procedures. Cease using all commercial cleanliness products, including toothpaste as well as mouthwash, because of the chemicals these people contain.
After the five days are over, start eating solid foods again, one at a time. Start with fruits and vegetables, to help your body re-accustom itself to eating. While you reintroduce every food, keep a food journal as well as notice any kind of symptoms, such as headaches, that occur within 12-96 hours after the food is eaten. This will help you to find out which meals you are allergic to. Avoid such foods from that point on, as well as try to eat all other foods no more than once every 4 days to help prevent allergic reactions.
Also eliminate all industrial, processed foods, all sugars and refined carbs, alcohol, coffee and other caffeine-containing foods and beverages, sodas, margarine, foods containing additives and chemical preservatives, shortening, and all sorts of partially hydrogenated oils. Meals containing saturated fats, such as dairy products, steak, and fresh-water fish should only be eaten sparingly.
For best outcomes, emphasize a diet of fresh, natural foods, particularly leafy, green vegetables, free-range chicken, wild-caught, cold-water fish, and non-gluten, complex carbohydrate meals such as red potatoes, squash, and yams.
Another helpful dietary aid is “potassium broth,” which can be made by combining washed unpeeled celery and potatoes with a number of potassium-rich vegetables in a pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, and then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Then put the drinking water through a strainer and drink several glasses of broth throughout the day, storing the unused portion in your fridge. The broth acts as an extremely effective nerve pick-me-up and can also help to unwind tense muscle tissue to promote better circulation.
Herbal Medicine: Useful herbs for treating headache include cayenne pepper, which can help prevent as well as reduce both bunch and migraine headaches; feverfew, that is particularly helpful for migraine; garlic and ginkgo biloba, both of which improve blood flow and protect against thrombus; and ginger root, which can cease the development of headaches when used at the very first sign of headache signs and symptoms.
Other helpful herbs include bay leaves, chamomile, cilantro, skullcap, turmeric, valerian root, wild yam, and willow bark.
Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy is the process of using water, ice, steam and alternating between cold and hot temperatures to maintain and restore health. Remedies include full body immersion, steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation as well as the application of hot and/or cold compresses. Hydrotherapy is effective for treating an array of conditions and can easily be used in the home as part of a personal-treatment program. Many Naturopathic Physicians, Physical Therapists as well as day spas use Hydrotherapy as part of their treatment. We suggest several in-house hydrotherapy remedies. Please seek the advice of your alternative health care practitioner before undergoing these types of procedures in order to make sure they are right for you.
*Purified drinking water is essential for any hydrotherapy remedy. Remedies for treating water offer clear instructions and recommendations.
To relieve tension headaches, apply an ice pack to the back of your face while placing your feet in hot water with a teaspoon of dry mustard.
Liquid Therapy: These juice combination can be helpful in regard to headache symptoms because of the nutrition and nutrients they provide, as well as their alkalizing effect on our bodies: carrot and celery; carrot, beet, as well as cucumber; as well as carrot, celery, spinach, and parsley.
Supplements: Useful supplements for treating and preventing most types of headaches consist of B-complex vitamins, vitamin B3, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and blood potassium, along with eicosapentaenoic acid (Environmental protection agency), evening primrose oil, and the amino acid DL-phenylalanine.
Relaxation Therapy: Regularly engaging in some kind of relaxation treatment on a daily basis can dramatically decrease the stress and tension that bring on the majority of headache cases. One of the easiest ways to promote heavy relaxation is to spend 5 minutes several times a day seated comfortably with your eyes shut while you inhale slowly and deeply through your belly.
Here are 2 other relaxation exercises that are helpful for decreasing headache signs and symptoms:
1. Lay on the floor with your head on the pillow. Close your eyes and rest your calves on the seat of the chair. Stay in this position for 5-10 minutes, breathing deeply and easily through your belly. When you’re done, take your time getting up from the floor, waiting to inhale in a deep, relaxed manner.
2. Sit comfortably in a chair or lie down on a comfortable mattress in surroundings which are quiet, with the lights off. Take 10 gentle, heavy breaths, starting in your stomach and advancing all the way to your upper chest. Without pausing, exhale, beginning at your upper body and progressing down to your diaphragm, taking longer to do so than you took to inhale. Ideally, you should attempt to spend 2-5 seconds inhaling and twice as long exhaling.
When you sense yourself starting to relax, tightly tense the muscles of your feet and toes for a count of five, after which relax all of them. Then perform the same action using the muscles of your lower legs and calves. Continue doing this completely up your body, shifting to your upper legs, thighs, buttocks, lower back, abdomen, your upper back, chest, both hands and feet, face, neck, and, finally, your jaw, eyes, and facial muscle tissue. Throughout this method, continue inhaling in a soft, deeply relaxed manner. Whenever you finish, slowly open your eyes and then slowly stand up, continuing to inhale as you have been.
Traditional Chinese Medicine: In addition to acupressure and acupuncture, a variety of Chinese herbs can also be helpful for dealing with headaches. These include the standard Chinese dietary supplement known as Eight Treasures, which consists of angelica underlying, condonopsis underlying, dong quai, licorice root, liqusticum rhizome, peony root, poria fungus, and rehmannia root; as well as Xiao Yao Tong, that is composed of bupleurum root, dong quai, ginger root, licorice root, mentha leaf, paeonia root, poria fungus, as well as tractylodes rhizome.
Qigong as well as Tai Chi, two additional components of Chinese medicine, can also provide many benefits with regard to headache sufferers.
Alternative Expert Care
The following therapies may also be helpful for dealing with and stopping headaches: Ayurveda Medicine, Biofeedback Training, Natural (Holistic) Dental care, Chiropractic, Craniosacral Therapy, Detoxing Therapy, Energy Medicine (electrodermal screening), Environmental Medicine, Molecule Therapy, Blossom Remedies, Guided Imagery, Homeopathy, Hypnotherapy, Permanent Magnetic Therapy, Mind/Body Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine, Nerve Therapy, Osteopathic Medicine, Oxygen Therapy (hydrogen peroxide, hyperbaric oxygen therapy), and Yoga. (See Resources for additional information regarding these alternative therapies).