Most of the time we have headaches and some people think that they are just some small pain in the head. However, this is never the case. Whenever you feel that you are having some pain in the head, the best thing is usually to assume it is a headache and seek the best help possible. There are a lot of people that have gone on to assume them, only for them to realize later on when there is nothing more they can do to help themselves that the headache has manifested itself into something worse.
It is a fact that daily chronic headaches will definitely restrict many people from behaving and acting in the way they would love to do. There are times when you cannot even afford to go to work because of the headache, not even being able to spend quality time with family and friends. When the pain is such intense, at times it is simply a migraine. Contrary to popular belief, the answer to such headaches is not always drugs, especially since drugs usually are a way of building up dependence and addiction. Let us see how you can go about this without using drugs.
Research has revealed that migraines typically occur for a number of reasons, of which it is very easy to monitor and control them before they take control of your life. Basically, migraines are usually a resultant effect of either eating the wrong food, stress and drastic change in sleep pattern. These are some simple things that we do in our lives at times in our subconscious, but we are able to monitor and stop them. Once you are able to control yourself in such a way that you know when you are altering the normal body system, you will therefore be able to understand yourself better and as a result learn to deal with those pesky headaches.

This is a series of articles that deals with Migraines and the challenges a family faces to find a cure. Migraines can have a hugely negative impact not only on the person suffering but also everyone involved. Hopefully other migraine victims will find helpful relief … if not within these articles from the resources available to date.

» Continue reading “The Headaches of Family Life with a Migraine – Part 1″

There are many different kinds of triggers, and every person has different ones.

You may have some triggers that start your headache attack at one time, and then these triggers can change. Triggers can be divided into different groups, including:

Emotional triggers: These are triggers that have to do with emotions and your state of mind. Some examples of emotional triggers are: family problems, problems at work, success at work or school, anticipation, anxiety, an emotional crisis, the post-crisis period, a new job, a new school, weekends, and so on.
» Continue reading “Headache Triggers Revisited”

When a drug is used for long periods of time and then suddenly discontinued, a person may suffer from withdrawal syndrome.  Drugs most commonly associated with withdrawal are those that produce a euphoric feeling for the user and include illegal drugs such as cocaine and heroine. Over the counter drugs can also produce withdrawal symptoms if used for prolonged periods of time or in improper dosages.

» Continue reading “Treating Drug Withdrawal Syndrome”

Migraines are the number one side effect reported by women who use oral contraception. This is generally attributed to the fluctuation of estrogen levels in the body and occurs most frequently in women that are using combination estrogen-progestin pills. Although 20% of women who use contraceptives report migraine headaches, it can be difficult to diagnose the exact cause since women are more prone to migraine headaches and tend to fall into multiple risk profiles.

A study by the http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16150254 concluded that headaches that occur in the early cycles of contraceptive use tend to improve or disappear with continued use. The study also suggests that manipulating the extent or duration of estrogen withdrawal may provide some benefit as well.

If you believe that your migraine headaches are a side effect of oral contraceptives, then it is important that you consult with your physician to make sure that all of the risk factors are considered. You should also let your doctor know if you have a history of migraines prior to using any type of oral contraceptive. Many women who suffer from severe migraine headaches use not estrogen based forms of contraception.

Many people suffering from depression also report suffering from chronic headaches as well. This is not surprising since many of the same triggers for depression are also known triggers for cluster and migraine headaches. These include stress, lack of sleep, improper diet, and a lack of physical exercise. Luckily, many drugs prescribed for anxiety disorders and depression also relieve the symptoms of headaches. In some cases, physicians may even prescribe anti-depressants for headache treatment even though the patient is not suffering from depression.

There is no doubt that your state of mind can effect your health. A recent study on the correlation of abuse and headaches in women by the University of Toledo reported that, of the women who participated in the study, 42% of women who suffered migraines had recently experienced emotional abuse. The study suggested that physicians screen headache patients for a history of emotional and physical abuse before recommending a course of treatment. In addition, if a patient does not show improvement over the course of treatment, then the problems may be psychological rather than physiological.