According to http://www.ninds.nih.gov/, food and ingredients in foods are responsible for over 50 percent of migraine headaches. While headaches can have numerous causes and identifying the exact triggers can be difficult, sugar consumption is often be one of the leading causes of food related migraines. Luckily, it is one of the headache triggers that is easiest to control.

In addition to reducing the frequency of migraines, cutting sugar from your diet can help you lose weight and improve the health of your body and teeth. While cutting sugar from your diet completely can be hard, there are many sugar-free foods and snacks that can help make the process easier. The healthy benefits of a sugar-free diet are worth the effort.

» Continue reading “Reduce the Sugar, Reduce the Headaches”

Many people usually suffer from allergies, and at times, the same results into headaches. However, this is not always the case. There are also people that believe that allergies cause headaches, a misconception that a lot of people have gotten to believe to be true. The truth of the matter, therefore, remains that not all allergies cause headaches, maybe apart from Hay Fever, which is the most common.
On the other hand, there are some people that suffer from recurrent migraines, and who assume that they are allergic to something in particular, while they are not. Some of the most common allergies that most people are faced with are dust, pollen, and mold. The reason why people might usually get headaches when they encounter these allergies is that as the allergic particles pass through the nasal cavity, there is some inflammation that occurs, and as a result, there is some headache. In most cases, it is advisable to visit a doctor, though most people usually resort to over the counter drugs first before they can take this bold step.
There are some symptoms that can show someone that they have sinusitis (the inflammation that arises in the nasal passages as a result of allergies). Different people will usually feel different symptoms, especially since there are also some people that might not even know that they have the allergic reactions within their bodies. The best thing to do as soon as you realize that you are suffering from sinusitis is usually to consult your doctor.
What the doctor does is to administer some antibiotics, which will basically clear the infection much faster. Should they persist, the doctor can then advice you to see an immunologist. It is from this special doctor that you should expect to get the best treatment since they have particular knowledge on how to deal with and treat allergies.

In your bed and on your pillow and on most furniture and carpeting in your house, live millions of microscopic creatures that are sustained by the dead skin that cells that flake off of you and your household pets. Grossed out yet? Good, because the really nasty part is that over one hundred thousand of these dust mites can live in one square meter of carpet and each one of these cuties can leave up to 20 droppings a day. Still not grossed out? Well good, because every day you breathe in thousands of little microscopic mite turds and you may be suffering from an allergic reaction to the icky combination of dead skin and mite feces that float around your house.

Fun Fact: An average mattress can harbor as many as 10 million dust mites. Sweet dreams!

Allergens produced by dust mite detritus are on of the common triggers of asthma and are also to blame for a variety of other respiratory ailments. Symptoms of dust mite allergies can include itchiness, sneezing, inflamed or infected eczema, watering eyes, runny nose, hay fever, headaches, and clogging in the lungs.
» Continue reading “Are Dust Mite Allergies Causing Your Headaches?”

A recent study suggests that obese children may be at a much higher risk of experiencing headaches than their peers. The study of over 900 children and teens revealed that as the body mass index of the children lowered, the occurrence of headaches decreased.

BMI, or body mass index, has long been linked to increased frequency in chronic headaches among adults.  The study, conducted by the Headache Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, concluded that although there has been no causal link established between obesity in children and headaches there may be substantial environmental conditions that are common in both conditions. In other words, poor lifestyle choices are likely to effect health even at an early age.

Headaches can be caused by a variety of factors. One of the more common causes of headaches is as a result of dehydration. Dehydration is when the body looses water, which is not replenished. Things like heavy exercise or extreme heat can overheat the body and cause dehydration. In some instances dehydration can cause death or serious illness, but this is only if it goes untreated.One of the early signs of dehydration is a headache. When your body is not properly hydrated, it begins to pump blood to the brain to compensate for the loss of fluids. This causes the blood vessels that are closest to your brain, specifically the ones near the eyes and temples, to expand with blood. This expansion causes the area in and around the temples to begin to throb, and often signals the beginning of a bad headache.

It is very important to stay properly hydrated, and by doing so you can prevent headaches that are caused by dehydration. One common misconception is that caffeinated soda and coffee is hydrating, but this is anything but true. Caffeine is actually a diuretic, which increases the release of urine from the body. As you loose water without replenishing it, your body begins to become dehydrated.

Water is by far the best fluid to hydrate your body. There are plenty of other drinks available that can help with dehydration, and many include extra nutrients and vitamins. When you start to feel a headache, or that familiar throb, it is a good idea to begin hydrating your body with water.

There are many headache triggers that you probably come in contact with every day, often without even realizing it. By making just a few alterations in your daily lifestyle, you can avoid many of the triggers that will lead to a severe headache.

House Hold Chemicals

Most house holds are stock full of toxic chemicals that also emit strong odors that can be the cause of headaches for many people. Pay close attention to the types of cleaning chemicals, nail care products, and pesticides that you keep around the house and consider less toxic organic substitutes. Most of the cleaning chemicals used around the house can be substituted with plain old soap and a little elbow grease.

Food

Be conscious of what you are eating. Many seemingly harmless foods can cause headaches in a certain percentage of the population. See my earlier post on avoiding foods that cause headaches.

Radical changes in diet

This includes going on a long fast or trying the latest celebrity diets. Often your body will react negatively to large changes in caloric intake. Changes in blood sugar can also be responsible for headaches when changing your eating habits. If you are making a drastic change in your diet, do so with the supervision of your doctor.

There are plenty of triggers out there that are unavoidable so be aware of the ones that you can avoid and you may avoid at least one painful headache.

Headaches are one of the most common physical ailments and are experienced at some point by nearly everyone. 1 in 6 adults suffer from chronic headaches and nearly 50 billion dollars a year is spent in treating headache related symptoms, much of which is covered by http://www.allaboardbenefits.net/ plans.

Eye strain is a major trigger of headaches for a large percentage of the population. Much of the problem is no doubt due to the amount of time that we all spend in front of television and computer screens both on the job and at home. Although not usually a long term problem, the resulting pain can be very uncomfortable and may effect your productivity.

A few ways to avoid computer related eye strain:

• Take frequent breaks – Look away from the computer screen frequently and focus at object at different distances.
• Blink as much as possible – This will prevent dry eyes. Eyes require lubrication from the tear ducts to work efficiently.
• Use appropriate eyewear – Make sure your prescription is right for computer work. This includes glare resistant coatings and getting yearly eye exams.

If you experience eye strain related headaches frequently and over a long period of time, this could be a indicator of a more serious condition. A more intensive test, such as a CAT scan, may be in order. Be aware that many http://www.allaboardbenefits.net/insurance-library/vision-insurance.html will not cover the cost of this, so it may be necessary to seek a referral to a specialist if you suspect that your headache is the result of more than just tired eyes.

After a very will received review of the neti pot and it’s effectiveness as a treatment for chronic sinusitis, or sinus infections, I thought that I would revisit the subject with some additional pointers on correct usage. It seems that a fairly large percentage of people who try the neti pot do not continue using it. This is really too bad, because they could be missing out on an inexpensive treatment that could alleviate their sinus headaches. I personally have saved approximately $100 this winter that would have been spent on various sinus medications.

As I stated in my earlier article, it takes a week or two to get used to the act of pouring water through your sinus cavity. Here are a few additional tips on using the neti pot that will help you through the first few tries:

• Water temperature – This is the most important element in comfortable usage of the neti pot. The water should be as close to body temperature as possible. If it is too cold, you will feel as if you are about to drown and if it is too hot then you will feel a burning sensation. Most neti pots are microwave safe, so try microwaving at 10 – 15 seconds until the water feels luke warm to the the touch.

• Saline Packets - I personally only use saline packages specifically designed for nasal irrigation. These have special buffering agents that adjust the PH levels to make the solution more comfortable.

• Saline Solution – In the beginning it is not necessary to use an entire packet of saline. You want to acclimate yourself to this new technique, so try using 1/4 – 1/2 of a packet in the beginning. Many recommend using an entire neti pot of solution for each nostril, but this is definitely overkill for the beginner. Begin by using half of a neti pot for each sinus cavity.

Remember, the best results are achieved through regular usage over time. If you are still having trouble, here is a video demonstrating the proper technique.

Like its cousins, Cialis and Viagra, Levitra can cause side effects in a small percentage of users. These side effects include nausea, muscle pain, and headaches. Headaches are the most common side effect of erectile dysfunction drugs including Levitra and generic Levitra, with some studies showing as many as 15% of users reporting mild headaches.

If you experience a headache as a result of Levitra, here are a few things you can do:

• If you are drinking alcohol, then stop. Excessive consumption of alcohol while taking Levitra can result in a severe headache.
• Be sure not to take any medications while on Levitra without first consulting your physician.
• Lower your dosage. Many Levitra headaches are dose related and can be alleviated by lowering your dosage. Typically, the higher the dose, the greater the chance of a headache.

If none of the above apply then it is possible that your headache may not be related to taking Levitra at all. If the headaches are persistent and occur frequently while taking Levitra, then you should let you physician know.