Posts Tagged ‘mental health’

What are Stress Headaches?

April 20th, 2010

I’m sure we all realize what stress is and how we behave during a stressful period. Some people can work excellently with the stresses that problems bring with them. Other people become overcome by the great pressure that they are experiencing. In some individuals this pressure manifests itself in the form of stress headaches.

Stress headaches are primarily caused by excessive amounts of stressful situations; ie more than anyone would normally find themselves involved with. Ability to deal with these obstacles gradually diminishes and so stress begins to take its toll on them and a stress headache can develop.

In other cases, having different forms of headache can cause stress headaches due to the fact that we need to deal with the headache and get on with our daily life. As the headache gradually takes charge of our life, we start to feel stressed and unable to carry on. All of these headaches (including stress headaches) can be controlled safely and, in some situations, prevented from occurring again with the correct drugs.

There are other ways of coping with stress headaches apart from using medicine. These other methods include: cognitive therapy, behavioural therapy and physical therapy.

Cognitive therapy seeks to “redirect” a stress headache. In this method of treatment, the patient is taught how they can understand what starts the stress symptoms and how they can alter their response to these conditions.

Behavioural therapy is the next way of treating stress headaches. When people become overwhelmed by a situation, they try dealing with their headache by taking drugs, alcohol, over-the-counter tranquilizers, pain medications and some people also take street drugs. Since taking these substances will only provide temporary help, it is better to give them the tools to build a healthy lifestyle, which can help that person to cope better with their stress headaches.

Physical therapy tries using biofeedback response. Individuals experiencing stress headaches learn to recognize and reduce the amount of physical tension in their body. The treatments that are recommended for this method are muscle relaxation, deep breathing, yoga and other self-relaxing methods. It is possible to see what effect these measures have on sufferers of stress headaches, as these methods relax and calm the body.

The various methods of therapy that were mentioned above are all interrelated. Using all three of these therapies, including headache medication, will provide the sufferer with a type of relief that will work for them for the rest of their lives and not just the short time when they are undergoing a stress headache.

If you have a problem with stress headaches, you should definitely go to our website on http://stopping-headaches.the-real-way.com. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

Headache Medicine

April 7th, 2010

Usually when people feel a headache coming on, they begin looking for a treatment that can stop their headache from becoming much worse. As there are so many different kinds of headache treatment to choose from, people need to think about what they want the medicine to do.

The headache medicines that are found at the supermarkets and pharmacies come in many forms. You will find that there are tablets you can swallow, tablets that dissolve under your tongue, nasal sprays, suppositories, and injections that you administer yourself. All of these headache treatment are known to work well at preventing your headache from becoming worse.

When you go for headache treatment on a supermarket shelf, you need to decide how fast-acting you want the medication to be. We are normally used to taking pills and capsules to cure whatever ailments that we have. We take these types of treatments because they are easy to take and easy to carry around with us.

Although these types of headache medicine do work for many people, it takes some time for the medication to take effect. For this reason any person who has a severe type of headache like a migraine, will not benefit from these tablets or capsules. Also the various fast-developing headaches will not do well either with these treatments.

A person who has a tension type headache, a slow-acting migraine attack or a migraine attack without nausea and vomiting, can take these tablets. There are tablets that you can use that are absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream. These so-called ’sub-lingual’ tablets or lozenges are put under the tongue, where they are absorbed by the membrane that lines the mouth. These types of headache medicine work somewhat faster than the normal tablets because they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream.

The other way that you can stop your headache is with a nasal spray. These sprays can provide you with fast-acting relief. They are good for headache sufferers who need quick relief and they are also good for people who become nauseous. You may have to test various brands before you get satisfactory results, but these headache medicines are still quite good.

The best possible pain relief can be had quickly from self injected drugs. However, if you use this sort headache treatment you will need to take extra care at first, so that you don’t inject yourself with too much of the headache drug.

Other considerations are whether you can endure the discomfort that you may first feel when you want to inject yourself. The possible embarrassment about injecting yourself in public with your headache medicine is also something that you will have to consider.

There is a huge amount of headache medication for those who are looking for ways to stop their headaches. The best method to find an efficacious medicine is to test different products in order to see what works best for you.

If you suffer from migraine headaches, you ought to definitely go to our website on http://stopping-headaches.the-real-way.com. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

The Causes Of Migraine Headaches

April 4th, 2010

Headaches of any form are always painful to the sufferer. However, some headaches, such as migraines, for instance, can create even more problems than just a headache. These problems could be nausea, light sensitivity and a throbbing pain in the head. Sometimes the headache acts on one side of the head, and other times you can feel the pain on both sides of the head at the same time.

The real causes of migraine headaches has not yet been found, although there are some theories why people have migraine headaches. The most common theory is that an alteration in the blood flow within the brain is one of the triggers that causes migraine headaches. Another theory about migraine headache is that it could possibly be caused by pain sensing chemicals called neuropeptides.

Many medical professionals think that neuropeptides ease the muscle that surrounds the cranial blood vessels. This relaxation causes the blood vessels to dilate. The relaxed blood vessels increase the flow of blood and other cranial fluid to the brain. This increase in fluids is thought to be the cause of migraine headaches.

These cranial fluids cause inflammation, pain, sensitivity, tissue and blood vessel swelling during the time of the migraine headaches. Some people think that the aura that is sometimes seen during a migraine headache is caused by the constriction of the blood vessels that became dilated during the beginning phase of the migraine headache.

Another theory as to the reason for migraine headaches has been linked to genetics and inheritance. These theories say that a child of migraine sufferers will have a 50% chance of getting migraine headaches too.

The chances of inheriting migraine headaches become even greater if both parents are known to suffer from this painful type of headache. Should both parents be known to have frequent migraine headaches the chances of the child inheriting migraine headache symptoms rises to about 70%.

Even though many professionals are persuaded that inheritance plays a big part in migraine headaches, the genes that are considered to be the causes of migraine headaches have not been identified or even isolated yet. When we start to experience migraine headaches the only warning signs that we may expect to receive are a throbbing pain in the temple area and slight sickness.

As the symptoms of your migraine progress, the pain of the headaches become more severe. Unfortunately, since the causes of migraine headaches have not been found and we don’t know what triggers these attacks, there are no medications to cure these headaches yet.

If you suffer from migraine or headaches, you ought to definitely go to our website on Stopping Headaches. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

Headache Clinics, What Are they?

April 2nd, 2010

Headaches are very common among individuals of all ages in both men and women. On occasion these headaches can be acute and might even occur frequently for long periods of time. The headache might be a pain all over the head or a throbbing pain at one sp

So, where do you go to get relief from your headaches? Over- the-counter prescription drugs may not always be successful and you may not even be able to recognize the source of your headache. Where then, do you go, find out what the problem is?

The answer is a headache clinic.

Headache clinics can be located all over the country, on occasion as independent clinics and frequently at a range of major hospitals. Headache clinics are well-equipped with all that is needed to deal with headaches. These clinics are managed by specialists and neurologists, who are well-trained, so as to be able to identify the cause of the headache and commence the necessary therapy for it.

There are quite a few forms of headaches ranging in seriousness from cluster and migraine headaches to mild headaches. It is therefore important to consult a specialist as sometimes general doctors may not be able to recognize precisely what kind of headache you are suffering from. Independent headache clinics would tell you if you need special care or if you have to be hospitalized, usually sending you to a particular hospital.

Headache clinics take in patients after a short appraisal of the history of your headaches, asking questions such as: how long you have been having them, the frequency of the headaches and what treatment, if any, you have acquired, and possibly other questions that may be relevant to understanding your headache better. These clinics also offer behavior therapy if required. Most headache clinics offer both inpatient and outpatient treatment.

Furthermore, occasionally headaches can be the sign of a more critical problem such as a brain tumor, and it is best if such cases are diagnosed at an early stage. Your primary care physician can refer you to a well-known headache clinic if you want to receive special treatment for your headaches.

To visit a headache clinic, your headaches do not have to be regular. Even the sporadic, but unbearable headache may necessitate a call. You may need special treatment for your headache, so its best for you to see a consultant at one of these headache clinics as soon as convenient.

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Are there Sexual Headaches?

February 8th, 2010

Although orgasm is usually a pleasurable and positive activity for most people, it can become painful for those who find that it starts coital headaches. For these people, sexual activity can actually cause these coital headache attacks.

Technically, a headache, or cephalalgia, is a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and sometimes the neck too. They can be classified into two main categories: primary or idiopathic, and symptomatic, although there are other ways of classifying them too; for example by severity.

Basically, primary headaches have a known or unknown cause, whereas symptomatic headaches are frequently caused by a previous trauma. Primary headaches include amongst others: migraine, tension headaches, cluster headaches and coital headaches.

Coital headaches, also named coital cephalalgia or sexual headaches, is a rare, but painful form of headache that begins in the nape of the neck during sexual intercourse, but before climax. It can happen in all conditions where climax is the expected result. The pain can move to behind the eyes and can then be even worse. Typically the pain will last from a few minutes to an hour or so, but some cases have been known to last for days in extreme cases.

Men are three times more prone to coital headaches than women and the age groups most at risk are those between 20 and 25 and 30 and 44. Nobody really understands why this should be. Coital headaches afflict about one percent of the population, although this number could be a lot higher because of people being embarrassed to talk about it.

Coital headaches are benign, meaning that they have no long-term ill effects, as far as doctors know. It seems that people taking sexual stimulants, like Viagara, are about 10% more at risk to a bout of coital headache. In fact, besides the obvious, temporary pain, the worst effects of coital headaches are differing levels of dizziness, confusion and stiffness of neck.

However, it is still worth going to a doctor though, especially in the beginning, just to rule out the more serious causes of headaches, such as brain tumours and blood clots. However, the doctor can do rather little to help by way of cure. He may suggest a complete abstention from any form of sexual practice for a period ranging from days to weeks or he may suggest trying taking medication some time before sexual foreplay begins.

Some of the headache medications that can be used are indomethacin, imitrex, zomig and propranolol, although if the headaches persist, your doctor may suggest daily preventive medication. People suffering from frequent coital headaches may obtain a positive response to migraine preventive medications, such as beta blockers or verapamil. Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen may similarly be helpful. Coital headaches and migraines are also more likely to occur if a person is in poor physical health.

Nevertheless, the treatment for coital headaches for many people can be as simple as adjusting your weight up or down to the normal weight for your size. Coital headaches can also be cured in some sufferers by an increased level of exercise, although this could trigger exertion headaches in some people.

Now the good news is that most headaches related to sexual activities are not at all serious in nature. In fact, research actually states that orgasm can relieve headaches and even migraine in some instances. This means that for some adults, refusing sex may actually be the cause of their headache in the first place.

If you have a problem with migraine or headaches, you ought to definitely go to our website at Stopping Headaches. This and other unique content ” articles are available with free reprint rights.

The Different Types Of Headaches

January 4th, 2010

There are a fair number of well-known sort of headache. These include, but are not limited to: cluster headaches, migraine headaches, tension headaches, chronic daily headaches, blood pressure headaches, chronic cluster headaches and sinus headaches.

A migraine headache is a very severe, debilitating headache. This type of headache has a deep impact upon the daily lives of its sufferers. The pain can be a pulsating sensation or sometimes a throbbing kind of head pain. This throbbing pain can vary from moderate to severe. The symptoms of migraine headaches include nausea with high audio-visual sensitivity. The migraine type of headache often comes with a precursory warning sensation called an aura.

This aura can come in the form of changes in visual perception. You may see bright flashes, zig-zags and sometimes you may even lose part of your vision. You may even experience numbness or tingling in your arms. These warning symptoms will fade a while before the migraine attack begins. A migraine headache can last for about 3 days without any medication, before it subsides.

The sorts of tension headache cause a dull, constant pain in the forehead, the sides or back of the head. Some people compare a tension headache to a tight band wrapped around the head and it is thought to be one of the most common sorts of headache. A tension headache does not create symptoms such as light sensitivity, loss of sight, nausea and vomiting.

Tension headaches occur in episodic or chronic sorts. Generally, most sufferers of this sort of tension headache, experience chronic headaches. It is thought that about 40% of the population suffers from tension headaches. Chronic daily headaches are another of these kinds of headache.

Most chronic daily headaches are tension headaches or headaches that are caused by too much pain medication. With these sorts of headache, the pain is of a constant, dull nature – there can also be a feeling of tightness like a rubber band around the head. A chronic daily headache is diagnosed by its duration: the pain must last for at least 15 days per month during a three month period of time.

Another type of headache is the Cluster headaches. This is a rare but very painful type of headache. The name of the headache arises from the fact that the headache pain happens in clusters. Frequently, periods of Cluster headaches may last weeks or months. This time period is followed by long periods of no headaches.

Cluster headaches are usually to be found on one side of the head only. Usually the sharp, penetrating pain begins behind one eye. Cluster headaches cause red, teary eyes, a stuffy nose and sometimes symptoms like nausea and sensitivity to light may be present too.

These are just a few of the various kinds of headaches that can be experienced. The pain from the headache can be mild or it can be excruciating in its severity. To find relief from these headaches you should talk with your doctor about treatment or you can buy some over the counter headache pain tablets.

If you suffer from migraine or headaches, you should definitely go to our website on Stopping Headaches. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

About Chronic Tension Headaches

December 31st, 2009

There is a fairly reasonable chance that someone you know has experienced some sort of headache recently, only because there are so many different sorts of headaches around. These kinds of headache may be the result of dehydration, missed meals, migraines or other kinds of headache like a tension headache or even a chronic tension headache.

A tension headache can feel like a tight rubber band around your head, however, the pain from tension headaches goes away after a short time. But just think about having to suffer from a tension headache every day – for weeks. This type of tension headache is classified as a chronic tension headache because the pain may be experienced at least 15 days a month for a period of several months.

With the case of chronic tension headaches, the symptoms of the headache are roughly the same as those of tension headaches, except that the pain never really seems to go away. People who have had chronic tension headaches, say that the pain is as if they were wearing a tight band around their heads. Other people have described severe chronic tension headache pain as a hooded cape that hangs down onto their shoulders.

Nevertheless, in the case of both tension headaches and chronic tension headaches, the pain can be located either in the forehead region, at the sides of the head and sometimes even at the back of the head. At its usual strength chronic tension headaches deliver a dull, aching pain, although sometimes the pain is like a restricting tightness. In general, the pain is mild to moderately severe.

The severity of the pain varies with the general physical condition of the individual concerned and it also varies with the various types headaches. Many people begin to experience chronic tension headaches as soon as they wake up in the morning, although others have reported that their chronic tension headaches start in the early hours of the day.

Normal tension headaches are more common than chronic tension headaches, however twice as many women as men suffer from chronic tension headaches. The duration and the severity of the pain is about the same as the normal variety in this sort of headache, however the pain from the chronic tension headache is almost a daily occurrence and is also continuous.

Those who suffer from chronic tension headaches are thought to be more prone to anxiety and depression than non-sufferers of chronic tension headaches. It is also well-documented that chronic tension headaches are more common during or after heightened periods of stress and anxiety. Furthermore, anyone who has mood disorders like depression or anxiety ought to have these conditions treated before getting their chronic tension headache seen to.

People who suffer from chronic tension headaches can lead normal and fulfilling lives with the proper medication and treatment. In time, they may understand what the triggers of their headaches are and how avoiding these triggers can prevent the start of a bout of chronic tension headaches.

If you have a problem with migraines or headaches, you ought to definitely visit our website on Stopping Headaches. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

A Headache Clinic Could Be The Answer

October 14th, 2009

Headaches are very widespread amongst people of all ages in both men and women. Sometimes these headaches may be severe and might even take place regularly for long periods of time. The headache might be a ache all over the head or a throbbing pain at on

So, where do you go to get relief from your headaches? Over- the-counter prescription drugs may not always be effective and you may not even be able to identify the source of your headache. Where then, do you go, find out what the problem is?

The answer is a headache clinic.

Headache clinics can be located all over the country, sometimes as independent clinics and often at various major hospitals. Headache clinics are well-equipped with all that is required to deal with headaches. These clinics are run by specialists and neurologists, who are well-trained, so as to be able to identify the cause of the headache and start the required therapy for it.

There are several forms of headaches ranging in seriousness from cluster and migraine headaches to mild headaches. It is therefore imperative to see a specialist as sometimes general doctors may not be able to identify exactly what type of headache you are suffering from. Independent headache clinics would tell you if you need special treatment or if you have to be hospitalized, usually referring you to a specific hospital.

Headache clinics take in patients after a short evaluation of the history of your headaches, asking questions such as: how long you have been getting them, the rate of recurrence of the headaches and what treatment, if any, you have acquired, and maybe other questions that may be relevant to understanding your headache more thoroughly. These clinics also offer behavior therapy if needed. Most headache clinics offer both inpatient and outpatient treatment.

Moreover, sometimes headaches can be the symptom of a more serious problem such as a brain tumor, and it is best if such situations are diagnosed at an early stage. Your primary care physician can refer you to a well-known headache clinic if you want to receive special treatment for your headaches.

To attend a headache clinic, your headaches do not have to be frequent. Even the occasional, but excruciating headache may necessitate a call. You may require specialist treatment for your headache, so its best for you to see a consultant at one of these headache clinics as soon as convenient.

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