Archive for the ‘tobacco’ Category

Sore Throat Headache Stress Prevention

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

The following healthy habits can lessen stress and reduce your chance of getting headaches:

* Getting adequate sleep
* Eating a healthy diet
* Exercising regularly
* Stretching your neck and upper body, especially if your work involves typing or using a computer
* Learning proper posture
* Quitting smoking
* Learning to relax using meditation, deep breathing, yoga, or other techniques
* Wearing proper eyeglasses, if needed

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What Is Triggering Your Migraines?

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

Researchers, doctors and patients have been able to identify many triggers for migraines. Knowing what triggers your migraines can be beneficial to you in that you can either avoid them all together by paying attention to staying away from your triggers or at least minimizing the symptoms by taking preventative medications when you know you will not be able to avoid your triggers.

Common triggers that have been identified are reactions to food or other allergy producing substances, bright lights, loud noises, stress that is either physical or emotional in nature, changes in your patterns of sleep, exposure to tobacco smoke or being a smoker yourself, fasting, consuming alcoholic beverages, and hormonal fluctuations. Some individuals have even reported that when they have a tension headache that often triggers a migraine headache to start.

Exploring these triggers

* Food or other allergy producing substances - If you happen to have a particular food as a trigger for your migraines…the reaction is cumulative; in other words…if you eat a large portion of the food item that is a trigger for you then the corresponding reaction is going to be huge too. The food as a trigger concept is not in agreement by most researchers so whether or not a particular food is a trigger for you is determined on an individual basis.

It is probably wise if you are experiencing a food trigger for migraines that you have a food allergy skin test conducted so that you can determine if what you are experiencing is a case of food allergies with headache being one of the allergic reaction symptoms.

One more noteworthy mention regarding food and migraines is that there have been some cases where migraine suffers have noticed that if they eat at a Chinese restaurant where MSG is included in the cuisine served that they experience a migraine afterwards. Excluding all other triggers, it may be possible for the individual to be allergic to MSG and have that allergic reaction result in a headache that could trigger a migraine attack.

We do know that headaches are a symptom of allergic reactions including reactions of an allergic reaction to food and chemicals in food such as MSG. We also know that tension headaches can trigger a migraine so the connection is possible between the ingestion of MSG and the onset of a migraine. Like any other triggers the possibilities of food being a trigger needs to be explored on an individual basis between the doctor and the patient.

* Bright lights and loud noises – Most of those who suffer from migraines will include sensitivity to bright lights and loud noises as a symptom of the migraine and not as a trigger. Migraines are a neurological event and as such science has many areas that are unknown. The exact cause for migraines is still largely unknown although cases have been studied on an individual basis and between doctor and patient what works best regarding things to avoid (triggers) serves the purpose.

If avoiding a noisy atmosphere such as a crowded, noisy bar helps you to avoid migraines, who is to argue? Avoiding bright lights may not be as easy to accomplish because we can control the lighting in personal spaces like at home or perhaps in a separate work environment like an office but if you work in a cubicle that you share with 20 other employees you are not likely to be able to control the lighting choice.

* Stress – Physical and emotional stress can be identified using a journal or by making use of psychological counseling. Counseling is also a good avenue for exploring how to deal with these stresses. Stress induced migraines are quite common because there is an obvious link between our emotional state and our physical state.

* Tobacco smoke and alcoholic consumption – These are both lifestyle choices and decisions about participating in smoking or drinking needs to be based on individual decision making processes. Certainly health concerns often force us to re-evaluate these lifestyle choices.

The unfortunate situation arises when an individual is forced to be exposed to and inhale second-hand tobacco smoke especially if that turns out to be a trigger for migraines. Avoiding second-hand smoke is not always possible if the one suffering from migraines is a child. This is where parental responsibility should kick in.

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3 Proven And Effective Ways For Relief Constant Headaches

Sunday, October 12th, 2008

Are you suffering from constant headaches? Headaches are a common ailment, but research has uncovered treatments that may help your problem almost disappear.

According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF) tension headaches affect nearly 78% of the adult population. 13% of the population suffers from migraines. Because the causes of migraines varies greatly, what relieves a migraine in one person may trigger an attack in another. The suggestions here are guidelines for those who suffer regularly from tension headaches which may have an identifiable physical cause.

WATCH WHAT YOU EAT

Some headache sufferers notice a connection with eating or drinking foods with aspartame. For those who are sensitive to the chemical it may cause blood vessels to expand in the brain and trigger a headache.

Caffeine is used to treat headaches. It’s proprieties can assist pain medication in providing relief and can be found in medications to treat migraines. However, too much caffeine can have a ‘rebound′ effect and actually cause headaches. If you suffer from regular headaches you should avoid daily use of caffeinated beverages such as coffee and certain sodas.

According to the McKinley Health Center, avoiding tobacco can also reduce headaches.

Skipping meals may cause headaches in some people, so eating regular meals may prevent headaches in these individuals.

REDUCE THE STRESS

Getting enough sleep is important for everyone. If you suffer from tension headaches you may find getting your eight hours every night reduces the amount or intensity of your headaches. On the other hand, oversleeping can bring on a headache if you don’t get up at your regular time (such as on the weekend or during holidays).

Some headaches also seem to be aggravated by too much sun. Excessive exercise outdoors and lack of hydration can lead to headaches. Keep eyes shaded and be sure to drink plenty of water when outdoors.

Not surprisingly it was recently found that women wearing tight ponytails had an increased risk of tension headaches. Releasing or loosening the hair and performing a brief massage to the head can bring almost immediate relief.

MEDICATE

What you may think is a sinus headache may actually be a migraine. A consultation with your doctor may determine if you should switch to a migraine medication.

According to the NHF, tension headaches caused by stress should respond to reducing the stress or use of over-the-counter analgesics. However, if headaches occur almost daily you need to look for ways of dealing with the stress and discuss other options with your doctor.

As with caffeine, regular daily use of over the counter medications can actually cause headaches.

If headaches occur for long periods, are unusually intense or do not respond to pain medication after several days you should seek treatment and diagnosis from a health care professional.

Leading a healthy and active lifestyle has many health benefits, including a reduction of tension-type headaches. Combining a healthy lifestyle with avoidance of triggers may help you find relief from tension-type headaches.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

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Migraine Causes, Incidence and Risk Factors

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

A lot of people get migraines — about 11 out of 100. The headaches tend to first appear between the ages of 10 and 46. Occasionally, migraines may occur later in life in a person with no history of such headaches. Migraines occur more often in women than men, and may run in families. Women may have fewer migraines when they are pregnant. Most women with such headaches have fewer attacks during the last two trimesters of pregnancy.

A migraine is caused by abnormal brain activity, which is triggered by stress, certain foods, environmental factors, or something else. However, the exact chain of events remains unclear.

Scientists used to believe that migraines were due to changes in blood vessels within the brain. Today, most medical experts believe the attack actually begins in the brain itself, where it involves various nerve pathways and chemicals. The changes affect blood flow in the brain and surrounding tissues.

Migraine attacks may be triggered by:

* Alcohol
* Allergic reactions
* Bright lights
* Certain odors or perfumes
* Changes in hormone levels (which can occur during a woman’s menstrual cycle or with the use of birth control pills)
* Changes in sleep patterns
* Exercise
* Loud noises
* Missed meals
* Physical or emotional stress
* Smoking or exposure to smoke

Certain foods and preservatives in foods may trigger migraines in some people. Food-related triggers may include:

* Any processed, fermented, pickled, or marinated foods
* Baked goods
* Chocolate
* Dairy products
* Foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG)
* Foods containing tyramine, which includes red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and certain beans
* Fruits (avocado, banana, citrus fruit)
* Meats containing nitrates (bacon, hot dogs, salami, cured meats)
* Nuts
* Onions
* Peanut butter

This list may not be all-inclusive.

True migraine headaches are not a result of a brain tumor or other serious medical problem. However, only an experienced health care provider can determine whether your symptoms are due to a migraine or another condition.

Symptoms

Vision disturbances, or aura, are considered a “warning sign” that a migraine is coming. The aura occurs in both eyes and may involve any of all of the following:

* A temporary blind spot
* Blurred vision
* Eye pain
* Seeing stars or zigzag lines
* Tunnel vision

Not every person with migraines has an aura. Those who do usually develop one about 10-15 minutes before the headache. However, it may occur just a few minutes to 24 hours beforehand.

Migraine headaches can be dull or severe. The pain may be felt behind the eye or in the back of the head and neck. For many patients, the headaches start on the same side each time. The headaches usually:

* Feel throbbing, pounding, or pulsating
* Are worse on one side of the head
* Start as a dull ache and gets worse within minutes to hours
* Last 6 to 48 hours

Other symptoms that may occur with the headache include:

* Chills
* Increased urination
* Fatigue
* Loss of appetite
* Nausea and vomiting
* Numbness, tingling, or weakness
* Problems concentrating, trouble finding words
* Sensitivity to light or sound
* Sweating

Symptoms that may linger even after the migraine has gone away include:

* Feeling mentally dull, like your thinking is not clear or sharp
* Increased need for sleep
* Neck pain

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Relief From Headache Pain

Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

A friend of mine suffers from frequent migraines due to a severe softball accident many years ago. Its awful to see her go through such pain; popping pills in an attempt to alleviate the pain. So I decided to do some research that my help her and other migraine sufferers to get through the pain in their head.

Consider the possibilities:

Seemingly unrelated problems sometimes bring headaches on. Dental disorders like cavities or abscesses, eyestrain or infections are common culprits. When your head hurts, consider whether the ache could have started somewhere else.

De-Stress your life:

95% of headaches are brought on by tension, research shows. In most cases, its not a tense situation, but how you respond to it. Attempt to manage your stress to keep those pesky headaches at bay.

Go with the flow:

One technique found to be particularly useful in dealing with headaches is visualization exercises in which you “go with the flow” of pain. Most people by fighting it. This may make the pain worse. If you flow with the pain, instead of fighting it, you give it the opportunity to flow right out of your body. Try this easy method: In a quiet room, lie on a carpeted floor or a bed. Close your eyes. Imagine yourself standing at the top of a stairway looking down into a beautiful, peaceful place. Slowly count backward from 10 to one. On each count, take a deep breath and imagine yourself descending one step. Go ahead and notice the pain, but continue walking down the steps.

As you take the last step down, notice that you have entered a beautiful garden filled with fragrant flowers, beautiful trees and a sparkling stream. Continue to breathe deeply, walk slowly toward the stream. Stand or sit by its side while you watch and listen to the gently rippling waters. Now imagine your headache pain connecting to and flowing into those waters. This may hurt, but just try to casually notice the hurt.

As the pain begins to flow, notice how the river gently washes it away.

Don’t drink too much:

Alcohol constricts the blood vessels in your brain. More than a drink or two can constrict them to the point of pain. And excessive drinking, of course, often leads to the mother of all headaches, the hangover.

Don’t smoke:

Smoking constricts your blood vessels and fills your lungs with carbon monoxide instead of oxygen. If that doesn’t give you a headache, some of the numerous other poisonous ingredients may do the job. Smoking injures your air channels, which can make you prone to sinus headaches.

Brush it away:

A simple scalp brushing can help treat and even prevent headaches. Use a brush with firm bristles. Start at the front of your head. Instead of long brush strokes, move the brush in little circles in one spot, then move it down to the next spot and repeat until you’ve brushed your entire scalp.

Sleep just enough:

No two people are exactly the same. For some, too much sleep can sometimes cause headaches. In fact, midday naps are notorious for bringing migraines. On the other hand, for some people sleep is the best antidote for a headache.

Stand up straight:

Poor posture, especially in your shoulders and neck, can scrunch up muscles and give you a headache. Practice good posture. Throughout the day, pay attention to how you’re sitting or standing and correct yourself if necessary.

Stretch your face:

A little muscle action can counteract tension in your head. Act like a kid: make weird faces to stretch your mouth, cheeks and forehead.

Take herb and homeopathic medications:

A nice, warm cup of rosemary tea can relieve a headache. For something more medicinal yet altogether natural, a homeopathic pharmacist or physician can prepare you a special concoction. Natrum muriaticum is said to relieve throbbing. China officinalis is used to treat light-or odor-induced headaches.

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Headache Triggers

Saturday, August 16th, 2008

Triggers are not direct causes of the headache, but they facilitate or provoke the beginning of an attack. Anything that stimulates the pain receptors in the head and neck can cause a headache.

Some of the more common triggers for headache:

* Emotional triggers: problems at work, success at work or school, anticipation, anxiety, an emotional crisis, a new job. Emotions can bring on headaches, keep them going, and make them worse. Emotions don’t cause your headaches, they just make you more vulnerable to them.
* Environmental triggers: bright light, different kinds of aromas like perfume, tobacco, odors (such as gasoline), loud noises, altitude, barometric pressure changes.
* Stress triggers: strenuous exercise, excessive physical work at the work place or at school, physical sickness, not enough sleep or too much sleep
* Chemical triggers: changes in hormone levels (that occur during the premenstrual period, during the post-menstrual period), low blood sugar.
* Food and beverage triggers: caffeine, alcohol (especially red wine), hard cheese, vinegar, hot dogs, chocolate, nuts, MSG (monosodium glutamate), pizza, pork. Foods containing nitrites as preservatives can also trigger headaches. Fasting or missing meals is a major headache trigger.
* Changes in the weather can change body chemistry, and have been known to trigger headaches.
* Heavy cigarette smoking.

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Rebound Headaches Prevention

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

Taking good care of yourself can help prevent most types of headaches.

* Avoid headache triggers. If you’re not sure what triggers your headaches, keep a headache diary. Include details about every headache. When did it start? What were you doing at the time? What did you eat that day? How did you sleep the night before? What’s your stress level? How long did it last? What, if anything, provided relief? Eventually, you may begin to see a pattern — and take steps to prevent future headaches.
* Get enough sleep. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day — even on weekends. If you’re not tired at bedtime, don’t fight it. Read or watch television until you become drowsy and fall asleep naturally.
* Don’t skip meals. Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Eat lunch and dinner at about the same time every day.
* Exercise regularly. Physical activity causes your body to release chemicals that block pain signals to your brain. With your doctor’s OK, choose activities you enjoy — such as walking, swimming or cycling. To avoid injury, start slowly.
* Reduce stress. Get organized. Simplify your schedule. Plan ahead. When the going gets tough, stay positive.
* Relax. Try yoga, meditation or relaxation exercises. Set aside time to slow down. Listen to music, read a book or take a hot bath.
* Quit smoking. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting. Smoking can trigger headaches or make them worse.

Complementary and alternative medicine

For many people, complementary or alternative therapies offer welcome relief from headache pain. It’s important to be cautious, however. Not all complementary or alternative therapies have been studied as headache treatments, and others need further research.

* Acupuncture. This ancient technique uses hair-thin needles to promote the release of natural painkillers and other chemicals in the central nervous system. There is some evidence that it can help control headaches and other conditions that cause chronic pain.
* Hypnosis. During a hypnosis session, a trained hypnotist might suggest ways to decrease your perception of pain and increase your ability to cope with it — such as visualizing a calm, safe place when a headache strikes.
* Meditation. During meditation, you focus on a simple activity, such as breathing or repeating a single word or phrase. The practice creates a deeply restful state in which your breathing slows and your muscles relax — which can help you manage pain and reduce the stress that can trigger or worsen a headache.
* Massage. Massage can reduce stress, relieve tension and promote relaxation. Although its value as a headache treatment hasn’t been fully determined, massage may be particularly helpful if you have tight, tender muscles in the back of your head, neck and shoulders.
* Herbs, vitamins and minerals. Some dietary supplements — including magnesium, feverfew and butterbur — seem to help prevent or treat some types of headaches, but there’s little scientific support for these claims. And ongoing challenges in regards to quality of supplements in the United States makes decisions about using herbs even more complicated. If you’re considering using supplements to treat headaches, check with your doctor. Some supplements may interfere with the effectiveness of prescription or over-the-counter drugs or have other harmful effects.
* Chiropractic care. Spinal manipulation can effectively treat some types of pain, but studies don’t support claims that chiropractic care relieves headaches. Chiropractic manipulation of the neck has been associated with injury to the blood vessels supplying the brain. Rarely, this may cause a stroke.

If you’d like to try a complementary or alternative therapy, discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

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Cluster Headache Self-Care

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008

The following measures may help you avoid a cluster attack:

* Stick to a regular sleep schedule. Cluster periods often begin when there are changes in your normal sleep schedule. During a cluster period, follow your usual routine.
* Avoid afternoon naps. Once a cluster period has started, taking an afternoon nap brings on a headache for many people.
* Avoid alcohol. Alcohol, including beer and wine, almost always triggers a headache during a cluster period. This can happen quickly, even before you finish the first drink.
* Limit exposure to volatile substances. Prolonged exposure to substances such as solvents, gasoline and oil-based paints may trigger an attack.
* Be cautious in high altitudes. During a cluster period, the reduced oxygen at altitudes over 5,000 feet may trigger a headache. There may be drug interactions between medications for cluster headache and medications for mountain sickness.
* Avoid tobacco products. Nicotine may occasionally trigger a headache during a cluster period. If you’re prone to cluster headache, it’s best to stop smoking and avoid other tobacco products.
* Avoid glare and bright lights. For some people, excessive glare and bright lights can bring on a headache.

Coping skills

Living with cluster headache can be difficult. In addition to the physical symptoms, the chronic pain that often accompanies cluster headache attacks can make you anxious or depressed. Ultimately, it may affect your interaction with friends and family, your productivity at work, and the overall quality of your life.

You may find that talking to a counselor or therapist can help you cope with the effects of cluster headache. Or you may find encouragement and understanding in a headache support group. Although support groups aren’t for everyone, they can be good sources of information. Group members often know about the latest treatments and tend to share their own experiences. If you’re interested, your doctor may be able to recommend a group in your area.

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