Archive for the ‘therapy’ Category

Headache Pain Relief

Friday, June 6th, 2008

Sometimes you suffer from regular headache almost daily and it becomes a mad situation for you. You feel helpless to do anything and the whole world seems to be burning for you. You just move around in the house desperately and you cannot get relief. You want to shut down your ears and eyes and at the end of the day you end up popping several pills but they have no effect. You are really in a very bad situation.

There are many essential remedies for headache which are as follows:

1] You can try some home remedies which your grandma may provide which will have a good effect on you. You can also try cold compass, sweet nap or sweet home baked cookies which may provide you comfort. Squeeze the bridge of your nose by pressing it down a bit with index finger and thumb. You can massage your temples and all these acts will reduce your migraine.

2] It is safe to use herbs which make you get rid of headache. Since the treatment of herbs is natural and non narcotic, you will not get any side effects. In case of allergy, consult the doctor first before herbal treatment. In case you are allergy free, you can try many herbs for the cure of headache. Before having herbs, it would be better to boil them. This will make them chemical free. After boiling, the herbs may taste better and like tea.

3] Exercise will improve your blood circulation considerably. You can jog and fresh air supply to your lungs will give relief to headache. After exercise, have hot bath as it would release toxins and you will be free from contracted muscles and will feel as if your whole body is relaxed.

4] Do aromatherapy in the bathroom which may add more comfort. Since aromas like lavender has good relaxation qualities, it would help you a lot. Acupuncture therapy becomes a must in case of nervous tension, so, you should be aware that headaches cause nervous tension also.

5] Try to meditate and concentrate as it will give you a new glow. It will reduce the stress levels and may give ultimate relief to headache. It is better to do meditation on a peaceful lake or river which will ultimately help.

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Cluster Headache Signs and Symptoms

Thursday, June 5th, 2008

A cluster headache strikes quickly, usually without warning. Within minutes, excruciating pain develops. The pain typically develops on the same side of your head throughout a cluster period, and often the headaches remain on that side throughout your life. Less frequently, the pain may switch to the opposite side of your head in the next cluster period. Rarely, the pain switches sides from one attack to another.

The pain of a cluster headache is often described as sharp, penetrating or burning. People with this condition say that the pain feels like a hot poker being stuck in the eye or that the eye is being pushed out of its socket.

Restlessness

People with cluster headache appear restless, preferring to pace or sit and rock back and forth to soothe the attack. They may press a hand against the eye or scalp or apply ice or heat over the painful area. In contrast to people with migraine, people with cluster headache usually avoid lying down during an attack because this position seems to only increase the pain.

Most people with a cluster headache prefer to be alone. They may remain outdoors, even in freezing weather, for the duration of an attack. They may scream, bang their heads against a wall or hurt themselves in some way as a distraction from the unbearable pain. Some may find relief by exercising, such as jogging in place or doing sit-ups or push-ups.

If cluster headache attacks regularly occur at night, some people try to remain awake for as long as possible to forestall the onset of a headache they know is coming. Unfortunately, doing so only speeds up the sleep cycle. The headache may occur within minutes of falling asleep in a compressed sleep cycle. In the worst cases, a vicious cycle of head pain and sleep deprivation develops. This can lead to depression and thoughts of suicide.

Teary eye and stuffed nose

Cluster headache always triggers a response from your autonomic nervous system. This system controls many vital activities without your consciously having to think about them. For example, your autonomic nervous system regulates blood pressure, heartbeat, sweating and body temperature. The most common autonomic response to a cluster headache is excessive tearing and redness of the eye on the side of your head affected by the pain.

Other signs and symptoms that may accompany cluster headache include:

* Stuffy or runny nasal passage in the nostril on the affected side of your face
* Flushing on the affected side of your face
* Sweaty, pale skin (pallor)
* Swelling around the eye on the affected side of your face
* Reduced pupil size
* Drooping eyelid

Most of the time, these signs and symptoms last only as long as the headache lasts. In some people, however, a drooping eyelid and reduced pupil size persist after long periods of attacks. Some migraine-like symptoms, including nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and aura, may occur with a cluster headache.

Cluster period characteristics

A cluster period generally lasts from two to 12 weeks. Chronic cluster periods may continue for more than a year. The starting date and the duration of each cluster period often are amazingly consistent from period to period. For many people, cluster periods occur seasonally, such as every spring or every fall. It’s common for clusters to begin soon after one of the solstices — the longest and shortest days of the year. Over time, cluster periods may become more frequent, less predictable and longer lasting.

During a cluster period, headaches typically occur every day, sometimes several times a day. A single attack may last from 15 minutes to three hours. The attacks happen often at the same time within each 24-hour day. Nighttime attacks are more frequent than daytime attacks, often beginning during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the period of sleep during which most dreaming occurs. The majority of attacks occur between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.

Cluster headache can be frightening to you and to your family and friends. The debilitating attacks may seem unbearable. But the pain usually ends as suddenly as it begins, with rapidly decreasing intensity. After attacks, most people are completely free from pain but exhausted. Temporary relief during a cluster period may be only a matter of hours or may last as long as a day before the next attack.

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Migraine Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008

Nontraditional therapies may be helpful if you have chronic headache pain:

* Acupuncture. In this treatment, a practitioner inserts many thin, disposable needles into several areas of your skin. The penetration is so shallow and the needles are so thin that acupuncture generally causes little or no pain or discomfort. A number of clinical trials have found acupuncture may be helpful for headache pain, but evidence from these trials isn’t strong enough for experts to routinely recommend this treatment.
* Biofeedback. Biofeedback appears to be especially effective in relieving migraine pain. This relaxation technique uses special equipment to teach you how to monitor and control certain physical responses, such as muscle tension. This technique can be combined with preventive medications.
* Massage. Although massage is a wonderful way to reduce stress and relieve tension, its value in treating headaches hasn’t been fully determined. For people who have tight, tender muscles in the back of the head, neck and shoulders, massage may help relieve headache pain.
* Herbs, vitamins and minerals. There is some evidence that the herbs feverfew and butterbur may prevent migraines or reduce their severity. A high dose of riboflavin (vitamin B-2) also may prevent migraines by correcting tiny deficiencies in the brain cells. There is also some evidence that coenzyme Q10 supplements may be helpful in some individuals. Oral magnesium sulfate supplements may reduce the frequency of headaches in some people, although studies don’t all agree on this issue. In addition, infusions of magnesium sulfate seem to help some people during an acute headache, and they seem to relieve migraine pain in people with magnesium deficiencies. Ask your doctor if these treatments are right for you. Don’t use feverfew or butterbur if you’re pregnant.
* Cervical manipulation. There are no scientifically valid studies that prove that chiropractic or other spine-manipulation treatments are effective in the treatment of migraine.

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Migraine Prevention

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

Whether or not you take preventive medications, you may benefit from lifestyle changes that can help reduce the number and severity of migraines. One or more of these suggestions may be helpful for you:

* Avoid triggers. If certain foods seem to have triggered your headaches in the past, eat something else. If certain scents are a problem, try to avoid them. In general, establish a daily routine with regular sleep patterns and regular meals. In addition, try to control stress.
* Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic exercise reduces tension and can help prevent migraines. If your doctor agrees, choose any aerobic exercise you enjoy, including walking, swimming and cycling. Warm up slowly, however, because sudden, intense exercise can cause headaches.
* Reduce the effects of estrogen. If you’re a woman with migraines and estrogen seems to trigger or make your headaches worse, you may want to avoid or reduce the amount of medications you take that contain estrogen. These medications include birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy. Talk with your doctor about the best alternatives or dosages for you.

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Migraine Treatment

Friday, May 30th, 2008

A variety of drugs have been specifically designed to treat migraines. In addition, some drugs commonly used to treat other conditions also may help relieve or prevent migraines. Medications used to combat migraines fall into two broad categories:

* Pain-relieving medications. Also known as acute or abortive treatment, these types of drugs are taken during migraine attacks and are designed to stop symptoms that have already begun.
* Preventive medications. These types of drugs are taken regularly, often on a daily basis, to reduce the severity or frequency of migraines.

Choosing a strategy to manage your migraines depends on the frequency and severity of your headaches, the degree of disability your headaches cause, and your other medical conditions. You may be a candidate for preventive therapy if you have two or more debilitating attacks a month, if you use pain-relieving medications more than twice a week, if pain-relieving medications aren’t helping, or if your migraine signs and symptoms include a prolonged aura or numbness and impaired movement on one side of your body.

Some medications aren’t recommended if you’re pregnant or breast-feeding. Some aren’t used for children. Your doctor can help find the right medication for you.

Pain-relieving medications

For best results, take pain-relieving drugs as soon as you experience signs or symptoms of a migraine. It may help if you rest or sleep in a dark room after taking them:

* Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or aspirin, may help relieve mild migraines. Drugs marketed specifically for migraine, such as the combination of acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine (Excedrin Migraine), also may ease moderate migraines, but aren’t effective alone for severe migraines. If over-the-counter medications don’t help, your doctor may suggest a stronger, prescription-only version of the same drug. If taken too often or for long periods of time, NSAIDs can lead to ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding and rebound headaches.
* Triptans. For many people with severe migraine attacks, triptans are the drug of choice. They are effective in relieving the pain, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound that are associated with migraines. Sumatriptan (Imitrex) was the first drug specifically developed to treat migraines. Related medications include rizatriptan (Maxalt), naratriptan (Amerge), zolmitriptan (Zomig), almotriptan (Axert), frovatriptan (Frova) and eletriptan (Relpax). Side effects of triptans include nausea, dizziness, muscle weakness and, rarely, stroke and heart attack. In recent studies, a single-tablet combination of sumatriptan and naproxen sodium relieved migraine symptoms more effectively than did either individual medication. This combination tablet will likely be marketed soon.
* Ergots. Ergotamine (Ergomar) has been in use for more than 60 years and was a common prescription for migraine before triptans were introduced. Ergotamine is much less expensive, but also less effective, than triptans. Dihydroergotamine is an ergot derivative that is more effective and has fewer side effects than ergotamine.
* Anti-nausea medications. Since migraine attacks are often accompanied by nausea with or without vomiting, medication for treatment of these symptoms is appropriate and is usually combined with other medications. Frequently prescribed medications are metoclopramide (oral) or prochlorperazine (oral or rectal suppository).
* Butalbital combinations. Medications that combine the sedative butalbital with aspirin or acetaminophen are sometimes used to treat migraine attacks. Some combinations also include caffeine or codeine. These medications, however, have a high risk of rebound headaches and withdrawal symptoms and accordingly should be used infrequently.
* Opiates. Medications containing narcotics, particularly codeine, are sometimes used to treat migraine pain when people can’t take triptans or ergots. These drugs are habit-forming and are usually used only as a last resort.

Preventive medications

Preventive medications can reduce the frequency, severity and length of migraines and may increase the effectiveness of symptom-relieving medicines used during migraine attacks. Your doctor may recommend that you take preventive medications daily, or only when a predictable trigger, such as menstruation, is approaching.

In most cases, preventive medications don’t eliminate headaches completely, and some can have serious side effects. For best results, take these medications as your doctor recommends:

* Cardiovascular drugs. Beta blockers — which are commonly used to treat high blood pressure and coronary artery disease — can reduce the frequency and severity of migraines. These drugs are considered among first-line treatment agents. Calcium channel blockers, another class of cardiovascular drugs, especially verapamil (Calan, Isoptin), also may be helpful. In addition, the antihypertensive medications lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril) and candesartan (Atacand) are useful migraine prevention medications. Researchers don’t understand exactly why all of these cardiovascular drugs prevent migraines. Side effects can include dizziness, drowsiness or lightheadedness.
* Antidepressants. Certain antidepressants are good at helping prevent all types of headaches, including migraines. Most effective are tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline (Pamelor) and protriptyline (Vivactil). These medications are considered among first-line treatment agents and may reduce migraines by affecting the level of serotonin and other brain chemicals. You don’t have to have depression to benefit from these drugs. Newer antidepressants, however, generally aren’t as effective for migraine prevention.
* Anti-seizure drugs. Although the reason is unclear, some anti-seizure drugs, such as divalproex sodium (Depakote) and topiramate (Topamax), which are used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disease, seem to prevent migraines. Gabapentin (Neurontin), another anti-seizure medication, is considered a second-line treatment agent. In high doses, however, these anti-seizure drugs may cause side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, hair loss and dizziness.
* Cyproheptadine. This antihistamine specifically affects serotonin activity. Doctors sometimes give it to children as a preventive measure.
* Botulinum toxin type A (Botox). Some people receiving Botox injections for their facial wrinkles have noted improvement of their headaches. The mechanism by which Botox might prevent migraines is unclear, although the drug may cause changes in your nervous system that modify your tendency to develop migraines. Studies using Botox injections for migraines have had mixed results. Additional research is necessary. Still, if several other preventive medications have failed to control your headaches, you might talk to your doctor about trying Botox.

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Migraine Risk Factors

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

Many people with migraines have a family history of migraine. If both your parents have migraines, there’s a good chance you will too. Even if only one of your parents has migraines, you’re still at increased risk of developing migraines.

You also have a relatively higher risk of migraines if you’re young and female. In fact, women are three times as likely to have migraines as men are. Headaches tend to affect boys and girls equally during childhood but increase in girls after puberty.

If you’re a woman with migraines, you may find that your headaches begin just before or shortly after onset of menstruation. They may also change during pregnancy or menopause. Many women report improvement in their migraines later in pregnancy, but others report that their migraines worsened during the first trimester. If pregnancy or menstruation affects your migraines, your headaches are also likely to worsen if you take birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

When to seek medical advice?

Migraines are a chronic disorder, but they’re often undiagnosed and untreated. If you experience signs and symptoms of migraine, track and record your attacks and how you treated them. Then make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your headaches and decide on a treatment plan.

Even if you have a history of headaches, see your doctor if the pattern changes or your headaches suddenly feel different. See your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room if you have any of the following signs and symptoms, which may indicate other, more serious medical problems:

* An abrupt, severe headache like a thunderclap
* Headache with fever, stiff neck, rash, mental confusion, seizures, double vision, weakness, numbness or trouble speaking
* Headache after a head injury, especially if the headache gets worse
* A chronic headache that is worse after coughing, exertion, straining or a sudden movement
* New headache pain if you’re older than 50

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Headache Prevention

Saturday, May 24th, 2008

Although medications can provide temporary relief, lifestyle changes are ultimately the best way to combat tension headaches. Make sure you’re following a regular sleep schedule and eating balanced meals. In addition, the following tips may help:

* Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming or biking, can help reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches. Exercise relieves stress, relaxes your muscles and increases the levels of one of your body’s natural stress relievers, beta-endorphin. Yoga, massage, stretching and posture classes also can help prevent tension headaches. If you already have a headache, exercise can help relieve the pain. In some cases, however, exercise may bring on a headache, so check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. Your doctor may recommend that you work with a physical therapist to learn exercise techniques that may specifically benefit people with chronic tension headaches.

*Manage stress. In addition to regular exercise, techniques such as biofeedback training and relaxation therapy can help reduce stress. Biofeedback teaches you to control certain body responses that help reduce pain. During a biofeedback session, you’re connected to devices that monitor and give you feedback on body functions such as muscle tension, heart rate and blood pressure. You then learn how to reduce muscle tension and slow your heart rate and breathing yourself. The goal of biofeedback is to help you enter a relaxed state so that you can better cope with your pain. Ask your doctor whether such a program might help you.

Cognitive behavior therapy also may help you learn to manage stress and reduce the frequency and severity of your headaches. During this type of talk therapy, a counselor helps you learn ways to view and cope with life events more positively.

Other relaxation techniques include deep breathing, yoga, meditation and progressive muscle relaxation, which is accomplished by tensing one muscle at a time, and then completely releasing the tension, until every muscle in your body is relaxed. You can learn relaxation techniques in special classes or at home using books or tapes. Many of them may also be helpful for children.

Preventive medications

Certain medications taken at regular intervals may reduce the frequency and severity of attacks. Your doctor may prescribe these if you have more than two headaches a week or have tension headaches that aren’t relieved by acute medication and nondrug therapy. Your doctor also may recommend preventive medication if your headache lasts longer than three to four hours, if severe pain becomes disabling or causes you to overuse acute medication, or if you can’t take acute medication because of other medical conditions.

Doctors often prescribe antidepressants to prevent tension headache, especially the chronic form. These drugs aren’t painkillers. Rather, they work to stabilize the levels of brain chemicals such as serotonin, which may be involved in the development of a headache. You don’t have to have depression in order to use these drugs.

Preventive medications may include:

* Tricyclic antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants, including amitriptyline and nortriptyline (Pamelor), are the most commonly used medications to prevent tension headache. They’re effective against both the episodic and chronic forms. Side effects of these medications may include weight gain, drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision and constipation. Older adults also may experience confusion or faintness when taking tricyclic antidepressants.
* Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Antidepressants such as paroxetine (Paxil), venlafaxine (Effexor) and fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) produce fewer side effects than do the tricyclic antidepressants but generally are less reliable in preventing headaches. Further studies are needed to demonstrate their effectiveness.
* NSAIDs. Chronic tension headache may be effectively managed with NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and ketoprofen (Orudis). In these circumstances, you take the medication daily.
* Other medications. Other medications that may prevent tension headache include anticonvulsants such as divalproex (Depakote) and muscle relaxants such as tizanidine (Zanaflex). If you experience migraine-like symptoms, your doctor may prescribe a medication commonly used to treat migraines, such as beta blockers or calcium channel blockers.

Preventive medications may require several weeks to build up in your nervous system before they take effect. So don’t get frustrated if you haven’t seen improvements shortly after you begin taking the drug — it may take a couple of months or longer. You may need a combination of different medications for maximum effectiveness. Also be aware that overusing caffeine or painkillers for acute relief may reduce the effect of a preventive drug.

To obtain the greatest benefit from preventive medication, keep your use of acute pain relievers to a minimum. Your doctor will monitor your treatment to see how the preventive medication is working. If your headaches are under control, your dose of medication may be reduced gradually over time.

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Have a Headache or Migraine?

Friday, May 16th, 2008

Cause:

Headaches are a neurological condition with symptoms ranging from mild to severe and disabling. More than 23 million people in the United States suffer from migraine, corresponding to over 17% of all females and 6% of all males living in the U.S.

There are two main types of headache?

Primary and secondary. Primary Headaches include tension-type, migraine and cluster headaches and are not caused by other underlying medical conditions. More than 90% of headaches are primary.

Secondary Headaches result from other medical conditions, such as infection or increased pressure in the skull due to a tumor. These account for fewer than 10% of all headaches.

What May Help?

Watkins Superfood Multiple (Super Multi), Female Formula and Osteogen

Why?

Contain magnesium and calcium. Daily supplements of calcium and magnesium are recommended for those who suffer from Migraines. These minerals help to maintain healthy blood vessels, and low levels of magnesium are common in people who suffer from migraines. Superfood Multiple (Super Multi) also contains riboflavin (B-2) which may help to reduce the frequency of migraines.

What May Help?

Watkins Rezist Plus

Why?

Ingredients help to block harmful invaders from entering the body which may help to reduce the triggers that lead to headaches.

What May Help?

Watkins Peppermint Foot Cream

Why?

Research has shown that peppermint applied to the forehead and temples may help to ease headache pain and compares favorably with acetaminophen in its ability to reduce headache symptoms.

What May Help?

Foods high in omega 3 fatty acids, such as salmon, may help prevent migraines.

Why?

They may help to reduce blood vessel spasms.

Helpful Hint:

Certain foods and beverages are known to trigger migraines. If you suffer from migraines, try to avoid the following: Aged cheeses, onions, pickles, cured meats, chocolate, red wine, beer, sour cream, nuts, freshly baked yeast products, eggs, tomatoes, citrus fruits and caffeinated beverages.

Try This:

At the outbreak of a headache, apply Watkins Peppermint Foot Cream, Icy Blue Ointment or Menthol Camphor Ointment (Medicated Ointment) onto the temples, forehead and back of neck. Rub in circular motion. Repeat at least 2 times at 15-minute intervals.

If you experience chronic headaches, before going to bed, rub Watkins Menthol Camphor Ointment (Medicated Ointment) or Icy Blue Ointment onto feet. Put on a pair of cotton socks over the ointment. According to Naturopaths and personal testimonials, this may help to ward off headaches.

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Prophylactic Medications For Migraine

Friday, May 16th, 2008

Prophylactic medications are medications taken daily to reduce the frequency and duration of migraine headaches. They are not taken once a headache has begun. There are several classes of prophylactic medications: beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, antiserotonin agents and anticonvulsants. Medications with the longest history of use are propranolol (Inderal), a beta blocker, and amitriptyline, an antidepressant. When choosing a prophylactic medication for a patient the doctor must take into account the drug side effects, drug-drug interactions, and co-existing conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Beta blockers

Beta-blockers are a class of drugs that block the effects of beta-adrenergic substances such as adrenaline (epinephrine). By blocking the effects of adrenaline, beta-blockers relieve stress on the heart by slowing the rate at which the heart beats. Beta-blockers have been used to treat high blood pressure, angina, certain types or tremors, stage fright, and abnormally fast heart beats. Beta-blockers have been used for many years to prevent migraine headaches.

It is not known how beta-blockers prevent migraine headaches. It may be by decreasing prostaglandin production, though it also may be through their effect on serotonin or a direct effect on arteries. The beta-blockers used in preventing migraine headaches include propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin) etc.

Beta-blockers generally are well-tolerated. They can aggravate breathing difficulties in patients with asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema. In patients who already have slow heart rates (bradycardias) and heart block (defects in electrical conduction within the heart), beta-blockers can cause dangerously slow heartbeats. Beta-blockers can aggravate symptoms of heart failure. Other side effects include drowsiness, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, decrease in endurance, insomnia, nausea, depression, dreaming, memory loss, impotence..

Tricyclic antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) prevent migraine headaches by altering the neurotransmitters, norepinephrine and serotonin, that the nerves of the brain use to communicate with one another. The tricyclic antidepressants that have been used in preventing migraine headaches like amitriptyline.

The most commonly encountered side effects associated with TCAs are fast heart rate, blurred vision, difficulty urinating, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain or loss, and low blood pressure when standing.

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Medications Used for Treating Migraine

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

Narcotics are used to treat migraine headaches; however, these medications are potentially addicting and are not used as initial treatment.

In patients with severe nausea, a combination of a triptan and an anti-nausea medication, for example, prochlorperazine or metoclopramide may be used. When nausea is severe enough that oral medications are impractical, intravenous medications such as prochlorperazine and valproate are useful.

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