Relieve-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 individual medical health insurance 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 individual vision insurance plans 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.

Headaches experienced by those with diabetes are often a symptom of low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. Though this is usually experienced by those that have diabetes, it is not necessarily limited to just diabetics. Typically, this is the result of taking too much insulin or not eating enough sugary foods to compensate for the insulin. Hypoglycemia can also be attributed to the following factors:

* taking too much insulin
* using certain medications
* skipping a meal
* engaging in vigorous physical activity
* drinking excessive amounts of alcohol

Diabetic individuals have an increased risk factor for a variety of other health problems that can also lead to chronic headaches as well. High blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease are just a few of the health issues that diabetics face. This reiterates the importance for diabetes prevention especially for those who have a family history of diabetes or if you are a member of one of the more high risk ethnic groups such as African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, or Asian Americans.

There are many diabetes resources available on the internet if you fear that you are at risk or if you have diabetes and need additional resources. As with any chronic, recurring headaches, seek a physicians advice before attempting any course of treatment. If you think that you are suffering from hypoglycemia or may have diabetes, then ask your doctor about a diabetes screening.

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 link to a video demonstrating the proper technique. I tried to embed it in this post, but my new wordpress theme did not like it for some reason.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=j8sDIbRAXlg

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.

People of all ages have experienced headaches at one point in their lives. This makes it a very common grievance among all. There are actually two classifications of headaches, one being the most frequent type of headaches which is caused by several common factors; and the other being a symptom of a more complex disease or illness. The causes of headaches vary from person to person but the most underlying causes are stress, emotional and substance factors.
There are several ways to relieve this head cracking pain that we feel- either naturally or through taking medicines. Most people, especially those who have developed migraines over time, are already self-medicating themselves for a number of years. However, these chemical substances always have their corresponding side-effects, usually adverse ones.

The continuous intake of these medicines may cause tachyphylaxis wherein the drug becomes tolerated within the body which leads to lesser pain relief action in the part of the individual. With these reasons, treating headaches the natural way is a good alternative which yields the same results- that is to relieve your headache.
One alternative method of treating your headache is by applying hot compress. Heat helps in relaxing our muscles and causes them to loosen up a little, thereby alleviating the tension which in turn could lessen, if not remove the pain that we feel. Furthermore, if you want to loosen up your whole body, taking a hot bath may be a good option.
In some cases, dehydration causes headaches. You may not know that you are already inches away from dehydration just until you feel that throbbing head pain. Drinking enough water can help lessen the pain that you feel. As a habit, drinking eight to ten glasses of water is necessary to maintain the right amount of body fluid. This will avoid the adverse effects of dehydration where headache is just symptom.
Massaging your head especially on the part where you feel the most pain is also a good way of treating your headache naturally. The massaging action actually helps relax and soothes your head by lessening the tension. In order to avoid tension from building up, it is a good practice to maintain a good posture too. Avoid slouching and always carry your whole body weight in a straight manner.
Headaches are very annoying and we have to avoid it in the best way we can. It will hamper us from doing our daily routines and tasks. There are hundreds of over-the-counter medicines that can take away headaches. But the chemical free and physical methods are still the best way of treating ourselves naturally.

If you are one of the more than 28 million people who suffer from migraine headaches, then you may have to look no farther than your dinner plate to find the cause. One study by the Cleveland Clinic found that over 25% of migraine headaches are triggered by ingesting foods with high levels of tyramine.

Tyramine is a chemical that is produced naturally through the breakdown of the amino acid tyrosene. This occurs in aged foods, and foods that are fermented or stored for extended period of time.

What to Avoid

• Aged Cheese - Unfortunately this includes all of the good stuff; blue cheese, brie, cheddar, swiss, provolone, guda, feta, and mozzarella all have high levels of tyramine. Processed cheeses such as Velveeta and American cheese are alright.
• Fermented Soy Products - If you have a great big whopper of a headache after eating PF Changs, it’s not just the MSG that is causing it. Although MSG is a known trigger, any type of soy sauce, miso, or teryaki sauce can have the same effect on susceptible individuals.
• Nuts - All nuts and seeds can be triggers for migraines. This includes peanuts, walnuts, pecans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and any products such as peanut butter.
• Alcoholic Beverages - All fermented drinks contain high levels of tyramine.

If you suffer from chronic migraines, then you may want to start eliminating these foods from your diet. A complete list of food triggers can be found at http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/LowTyramineDiet.pdf.

I have to say that I was skeptical when my mother first suggested using this thing called the Neti Pot to treat my recurring sinus infections. Especially since it came highly recommended from none other than the Big “O”, Ms. Winfrey herself. Generally I disregard anything that she (Big “O”, not my mom) instructs her legions of followers to do, but in this case, I have to admit that had my mom not seen the Netti Pot on Oprah and suggested it to me, I would still be suffering from severe sinusitis and recurring infections.

The word neti is an abbreviation of the sankskrit word jala neti which means “water cleansing”. Though the technique has been unknown in the West until recently, Indian yogi’s have been performing the procedure for thousands of years as a part of their daily cleansing ritual.

The concept is really simple. You simply fill the neti pot with warm salt water and poor it in one nostril until it comes out of the other one. This basically clears out all of that nasty stuff up there and prevents bacteria from having a pool party in your sinuses. Though the concept is simple, the actual technique and preparation does require a little practice. You should always use salt water for the best results. I personally opt to buy the refills, but you can make your own mixture if you run out of the refill packets. Non-iodized salt is best and the mixture should be at a ratio of approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons per liter of warm water. One advantage with the pre-mixed packets, is that they are able to have a higher saline content since special buffering agents prevent discomfort to the nasal cavity. The water should be as close to body temperature as you can get it without being too hot. If the temperature is too cold, you will fell like you are drowning in the ocean.

After stirring the mixture thoroughly, lean over a sink and tilt your head down and slightly to one side. You then place the spout of the neti pot in the nostril, establishing as tight of a seal as possible, and raise the pot slightly allowing the water to flow slowly into the nasal passage. Continue to breathe normally through your mouth. If you are positioned correctly, you should feel the water going from one side to the other until you have a steady stream flowing out of the nostril.

It took me about three attempts before I felt that I was doing it correctly, so don’t get too discouraged if it doesn’t go well the first few times. Also, if you have a lot of blockage then you may have to switch from side to side several times blowing your nose in between flushes. I recommend using just half a packet starting out, and one full pot for both nostrils. After a few weeks, you can do a full pot for each nostril for the maximum effect.

So far, I have been using the neti pot nightly for about 6 weeks and I have not had any of the usual sinus problems that have plagued me constantly for the last two years. It has also alleviated my snoring, since I am no longer struggling to breathe at night.

I highly recommend watching this video before trying the neti pot: http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/NetiPot/NetiPotInstructions.aspx.

Neti Pot Nasal Cleanser Helps relieve sinus problems, moderates allergies, lessens the impact of colds and flu-naturally. Soothe dry nasal passages. Gently wash away dust, pollen, and irritants. Remove excess mucus… naturally.