Info about Migraines
How To Prevent a Migraine
At the first hints of a headache we run for the over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin or Tylenol. Also try relaxation exercises, biofeedback, or beta-blockers to relax blood vessels. Don’t forget serotonin inhibitors, such as Prozac or Zoloft, and calcium channel blockers to prevent blood vessel constriction.
• For Mega-Bad Migraines
If your migraine headaches bad beyond belief and nothing seems to work-- see a doctor of call 800-255-ACHE to find a clinic near you that specializes in treatment of headaches.
• The Common Tension Headache
The tension headache is probably not as bad as a migraine, but they are bad enough. These are caused by spasms or sustained contractions of head and neck muscles that may constrict blood vessels in the head. They can be triggered by stress or posture, as when looking down to read. Neurotransmitter fluctuations may also play a role. suggesting that tension headaches have much in common with migraines.
A tension headache is usually a dull ache frequently described as a viselike squeezing of the head, and is sometimes accompanied by aching shoulders and neck.
• Relaxation is Key
The opposite of tension is relaxation, so It’s obvious that relaxation will help rid you of a tension headache. Try over- the-counter analgesics and muscle relaxants. A neck or back massage can work tremendously well. Getting out for a relaxing walk, or just finding some quite time -- away from the office or kids -- can be of tremendous benefit.
Some of the same drugs that work on migraines also work welt for tension headaches, so review the above material on migraines.
• Cluster Headaches
These are a particularly bad kind of headache characterized by knifelike pain centered in or near one eye. Also, eyes can become bloodshot and teary, along with nasal congestion, sweating, and flushing. Attacks can occur several times daily for months, always at the same time, then disappear for years. Ninety percent of all cluster sufferers are men. They last a few hours, but are so painful many people who have them a lot actually contemplate suicide. But before you call up Dr. Jack Kevorkian, you should know that you can often prevent these headaches from happening in the first place.
Here are common causes of cluster headaches: alcohol, heavy smoking, cold wind or hot air blowing across the face, and food containing nitrites, such as bacon). Avoid these, and you may avoid a duster head banger all together.
And here are some good remedies: Pure oxygen: ergot compounds: intranasal lidocaine or cocaine; sumatriptan.
Preventative drugs are: Lithium salts, steroids and beta-blockers.
• Headache or Migraine?
A bad headache may not necessarily be a migraine. Because a migraine is the severest form of headache, it has its own set of symptoms. They include blind spots or blurred vision prior to the migraine’s onset, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and a throbbing pain on one side of the head.
• Serious Illness
If you suddenly begin experiencing a great many headaches, or if you get one huge thunderclap headache which centers itself at some point in your head, get to the hospital immediately.
These types of headaches are often the only indications you get of life-threatening tumors or aneurysms (a weak walled artery in your brain that can burst and hemorrhage). Only the hospital will have the necessary equipment to test for tumors and aneurysms, and every moment counts when diagnosing these diseases.