Migraine Headaches - 3 Easy Home Treatment Methods
There are two main categories of headaches, primary and
secondary. Primary headaches are not caused by underlying
medical conditions while secondary headaches are the end result
of some other medical condition such as a brain tumor, infection
or trauma.
Primary headaches make up about 90% of all headaches and
tension-type headaches are the most common of these. Migraine
headaches are also primary and affect as many as 30 or 40
million Americans.
It has been estimated that as many as 75% or more of all
headache sufferers have tension headaches. And upwards of 90% of
adults in the USA have experienced the pain of a tension
headache.
In differentiating tension and migraine headaches the
tension-type is usually characterized by a constant dull aching
on both sides of the head. Migraine headaches, on the other
hand, are typically felt on just one side and are throbbing in
nature.
Tension headaches usually begin slowly and worsen over time.
They often begin in the middle of the day and are caused by
stress. Because of this they are often called stress headaches.
They can become chronic in nature, occurring every day in some
patients. Many tension-type headache sufferers experience a
tight feeling in their head or neck muscles.
Migraine headaches can also become chronic in nature, but are
usually experienced once or twice a week at most and not daily.
Approximately 75% of patients experiencing migraine headaches
are female. Migraine headaches can be disabling and can be
accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. About
20% will experience an aura, a disturbance in vision that can
consist of bright blinking colored lights that move across their
field of vision.
There are many types of treatment methods available to sufferers
of both tension and migraine headaches. The most common approach
is to take an over-the-counter pain reliever (no prescription
necessary). Non-prescription medicines can include aspirin,
acetaminophen (such as Tylenol), ibuprofen (such as Motrin), or
a combination of aspirin and acetaminophen. These are the most
popular types of non-prescription pain relievers. People with
more severe pain may need prescription medicine.
There are also different types of natural treatment methods that
dont involve the use of over-the-counter or prescription
medicines. These can often relieve headache symptoms. One method
is to put an ice pack on the base of the skull. When using an
ice pack there should be a barrier between the ice pack and the
skin, such as a wetted cloth that has had the water wrung out of
it. This can lessen the flow of blood to the head resulting in
less pressure in the head. A person can also put their feet in a
container of warm water. This has the effect of attracting the
blood to the feet instead of the head, again reducing pressure
to the head.
Migraine headaches can sometimes be helped by eliminating the
triggers. Foods that may trigger migraines include, but are not
limited to, cheese, alcohol, MSG (monosodium glutamate), nuts,
beans, caffeine, chocolate, onions and others. Eliminating the
trigger may eliminate migraines.
Another way to eliminate headaches naturally is to reduce your
stress by relaxing. Get plenty of sleep. Lie down in a dark
quiet room. Or try a combination of lying down in a dark quiet
room while you have a small ice pack positioned at the base of
your skull.
This article is a general overview of tension-type and migraine
headaches and may not apply to everyone. But sometimes one idea
is all it takes to reduce painful tension or migraine
headaches.