The most common and frequent pain is headaches. Headaches usually occurs in the head. Sometimes neck or upper back pain interpreted as a headache. Nowadays more suitable treatment were needed rather than painkillers such as paracetamol and aspirin. This articles show you the type of headaches that you need to know.
Tension type Headaches:
Tension type headaches are the most common, affecting about 75% of all headaches sufferers. They're are caused by muscled tension in the neck, shoulders or head resulting from bad posture, social or psychological stress or fatigue. As many as 90% of adults have had a tension type headache. Some people get tension type (and migraine) headaches in response to stressful events or hectic day.
Cluster headaches:
Cluster headaches are relatively rare, affecting about 1% of headaches sufferers. They are distinct from migraine and tension type headaches. Most cluster headache sufferers are male, about 85%. Attacks occur episodically in groups (between periods of no headaches) and last for 6-8 weeks. A history of heavy smoking and drinking is common and alcohol often triggers attacks.
Rebound headaches:
Rebound headaches may occur among people with tension type headaches as well as in those with migraines. It appears to be the result of taking prescription or non-prescription pain relievers daily or almost every day, contrary to directions on the package label. If prescription or non-prescription pain relievers are overused, the headaches may "rebound" as the last dose wears off, leading one to take more and more pills. This is good reasons to call your doctor.
Migraine headaches.
Migraine headaches are less common than tension type headaches. As many as 6 % of all men and up to 18% of all women (about 12% of the population as a whole) experience a migraine headaches at some time. Roughly three out of four migraine sufferers are female. Among the most distinguishing features is the potential disability accompanying the headaches pain of a migraine. An aura - a group of tell neurological symptoms sometimes occurs before the head pain begins. Typically, an aura involves a disturbance in vision that may consists of brightly colored or blinking lights in a patterns that moves across the field of vision. About one in five migraines sufferers experience and aura. Usually, migraine attacks are occasional, or sometimes as often as once or twice a week, but not daily.
Bardnurz Sham, a young nutritionist who devote his daily activities to food and nutritional science. Doesn't believe in chemical base source of food which contain preservative, coloring and acid base foods. Write an article to educate people so that they can improve their life by eat well and have a wonderful life.
Acupuncture is the best cure for headaches, says new research published in the British Medical Journal. Acupuncture has been gaining acceptance in the last few years, although most Western doctors remain skeptical (primarily since they don't understand how it works). But remember: it has been used for more than 5,000 years in Traditional Chinese Medicine. I've personally seen acupuncture work what can only be called miracles. In one case, a person suffering from severe migraines was completely cured with a series of eight acupuncture treatments.
In another case, an older woman suffering from serious inner ear problems that made her feel dizzy (and start vomiting) every time she stood up was permanently cured of the condition with a single acupuncture treatment. I know this woman, and she related the entire experience to me. She remains healthy and 100% free of symptoms even today.
These are just two small examples, there are literally millions more. Acupuncture works. And it works without prescription drug side effects, without surgery, and without other radical medical procedures that seem to be preferred by most doctors in the U.S.
It should be humbling to modern medicine to realize that the Chinese had all this figured out centuries ago. But, of course, modern medicine is hardly humble.
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What is a headache?
Headache is defined as pain in the head or upper neck. It is one of the most common locations of pain in the body and has many causes.
One of the most common complaints of people seeking medical treatment is headaches. A headache is characterized by pain in the head that is located above the eyes (frontal), ears (temporal), or behind the head (occipital), or in the back of the upper neck (cervicogenic). Headaches are generally directly related to both physical and mental stress. There are two classifications of headaches: primary headaches and secondary headaches.
A primary headache is one in which there no underlying cause that can be identified. Primary headaches can include migraine, migraine with aura, tension-type headache, and cluster headache, and account for about 90% of all headaches. Tension-type headaches are the most common of these. Generally, a primary headache isn't life threatening or permanently disabling, but can be painful and highly prevalent. Primary headaches are idiopathic in nature, meaning the cause is not known. The next classification, secondary headaches are far less common and than primary headaches.
Unlike primary headaches, secondary headaches are indicators of a more serious medical condition. Secondary headaches are most often a result of a minor condition that can be treated, but on occasion it is a symptom of a serious or life-threatening disease. If at all possible, secondary headaches are eliminated by treating the underlying condition.
Treatment of either type of headache is based on symptoms and cause of the headache. A prompt evaluation, soothing environment, and adequate analgesia to relieve the headache are essential. Treatment for any underlying diseases can quickly stops chronic daily headaches. As an alternative to medical treatment, chiropractic adjustments have shown to be as effective in reducing the severity and frequency of headaches.
In summary, headaches are very common. In fact, most of the world population will have a headache at some point. Headaches are for the most part a result of innocuous conditions like muscle tension, stress, or anxiety. Headaches are considered either primary or secondary depending on the causal factors. A primary headache is on that is generally not caused by an underlying medical condition. While secondary headaches are caused by disease or medical condition.
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The Common Headache: Some People are Finding the Answer to This Painful Malady Without Medication (Press Release)
by Mike Adams, NaturalNews Editor
Headache statistics in our country are astronomical. According to the American Headache Society:
* Every 10 seconds, someone in the United States goes to the emergency room with a headache or migraine.
* More than $1 billion is spent on over-the-counter medications to treat headaches and Migraines.
* The lost work due to migraine disease costs more than $13 billion every year in the U.S.
These are just a few of the thousands of statistics that are available about headaches and their impact on society. If people stop to think about it they may wonder, when technology exists that puts humans on the moon and cameras on Mars, why have we not found a solution to the problems associated with migraines and the common headache.
New medications are constantly introduced claiming to prevent and cure the pain and frequency of headaches, but statistics continue to show that they are not working, and a “miracle drug” for headaches and migraines has yet to be found.
Perhaps we have been looking for the solution in the wrong place. Is it possible that the solution lies not in the hands of giant pharmaceutical companies, but someplace you can actually visit, and perhaps in a building you pass everyday on your way to work or elsewhere?Could the solution be so simple that it can be found in your neighborhood chiropractic office?
Many sufferers frequently turn to chiropractic care for treatment. Unfortunately, one of the biggest misconceptions about chiropractors is that they are “back crackers”, and exist only to help people with back and neck problems. This misconception is so far from the truth that if people could get beyond it they would find that a chiropractor could be the “miracle” they’ve been looking for.
One chiropractor that has had tremendous success treating headaches and migraines naturally is Lee Weiner, D.C., of Oceanside Sports Chiropractic in Oceanside, New York. He has learned through education and experience that poor posture and spinal injuries are major causes of headaches, and by simply taking the pressure off of irritated nerves and/or relaxing the muscles attached to the skull, the intensity and recurrence rate of headaches and migraines can drastically be improved.
"Poor posture and spinal injuries causes the spine to come out of alignment," explained Dr. Weiner. "When this occurs the surrounding nerves are irritated causing the muscles to go into spasm. The spasmed muscles, which attach onto the skull, cause a viselike pain in the head. Chiropractic adjustments to the vertebra takes the pressure off the irritated nerves and allows the muscles to relax."
Dr. Weiner treats headache patients daily, and though many are skeptical at first (especially if they are among the millions who have tried every pill available and found no relief), they are often amazed at the results they get. One of Dr. Weiner’s patients, Mike Bottelli, reports, "I had a severe accident on the job several years ago in which a door fell onto my head. I had severe headaches since that day. The headaches were so bad I could not even make it through the day at work. Since I have been going to Dr. Weiner my headaches have disappeared. Even my 8 year old daughter noticed."
Stories like this are not uncommon for chiropractic patients of Dr. Weiner. Melissa Pina relied heavily on over-the-counter medications. She finally found Dr. Weiner and after a few treatments stated, "I no longer have the need to take Motrin." Another patient, Jayne Carlton, who, along with back pain also suffered from frequent headaches, added, "I am happy to say that my back doesn't hurt and my headaches are rare."
Dr. Weiner is currently accepting new patients, so if you live or work in Oceanside, Long Beach, Rockville Centre, or the surrounding New York areas and need headache relief or chiropractic care, you can make an appointment by calling (516) 255-0272. Although Dr. Weiner is best known for his success with headache relief, his clinic offers various other chiropractic programs and treatments, including Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, Orthotics, Diagnostic Testing, and more.
Dr. Weiner graduated Suma Cum Laude from Life University in 1998. His postgraduate studies include receiving the CCEP (Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner) designate. This certification enables him to treat and rehabilitate sports injuries to the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and feet. He is also a Personal Trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. Oceanside Sports Chiropractic is a member of the Oceanside Chamber Of Commerce, and Dr. Weiner was recently accepted for membership on the Internet’s most exclusive chiropractor directory,
Laser acupuncture effective against headaches in children
by Dave Gabriele, citizen journalist
(NaturalNews) The July 2008 issue of Pain, a prestigious peer-reviewed medical journal published by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), featured a German study conducted by eight pediatric doctors and clinicians. The researchers attempted to determine whether or not laser acupuncture would prove effective in relieving the symptoms of chronic headaches in 43 children.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
The treatment for each child was individualized and completely based on the traditional Chinese medical theory. The theory contends that bioelectricity, or the electrical current that is produced by living organisms, has a tendency to follow paths of higher conductivity within the human body. These paths, called meridians, have been shown to be composed of points that have a higher electrical conductivity (lower electrical impedance) than other parts of the body. The ancient Chinese somehow discovered that stimulating these points, or "acupoints," produced changes in the body’s flow of current, and by doing so, influenced the health of an individual. Stimulation of these points include many different methods, the most well-known being acupuncture. Acupuncture is when very thin, electrical-conducting needles are inserted into these “acupoints” with the intention of manipulating the current.
Laser acupuncture, a relatively new method of stimulation, uses low-energy lasers to influence the flow of current at the acupoints. The German study, which is titled “Laser acupuncture in children with headache: A double-blind, randomized, bicenter, placebo-controlled trial,” specifically focuses on the effect of laser stimulation compared to placebo-stimulation.
The German Study
The study was carried out using the double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled method so that the accuracy of the results would be as conclusive as the modern scientific method could allow. The German doctors wanted to know once and for all if active laser treatment is superior to placebo laser treatment; in other words, does it really work?
The conductors of the study took 43 children suffering from either chronic migraine headaches (22 patients) or chronic tension headaches (21 patients) and gave them four randomized treatments over four weeks. Each random treatment was double-blind, which means they were conducted so that both the researcher and the participant were unaware whether the laser had been set at the appropriate strength, or not set at all. Double-blind trials are believed to produce objective results, since the expectations of the researcher and the participant are believed to not affect the outcome.
The results of the study were analyzed in three ways. The first method examined and compared the number of “headache days,” or days that the children suffered from headaches. The researchers took the average number of headache days before the treatments and compared them with the average number of headache days after the treatment in both the placebo and the true treatment patients.
The second method compared the severity of the pain using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The VAS is a medical tool that helps a person rate the intensity of certain sensations and feelings, such as pain. The VAS is obviously highly subjective; however, researchers commonly use this tool in order to examine changes in individuals over periods of time. In the scientific community, using the VAS to catalogue changes in perception over extended periods of time is seen as more reliable than using it at a single point of time.
The final method for analyzing the results was to compare the amount of time each child experienced headaches before and after the treatments. The changes in the amount of "headache time" were then examined for the true treatment cases and the placebo treatments.
The Results
The results were as follows: the mean number of “headache days” decreased by 1.0 day in the placebo group and 6.4 days in the treated group. The VAS, in contrast to the placebo group, showed a significant decrease in the children’s perception of the severity of the headaches. Finally, the children’s total amount of time with headaches was found to be much lower than the placebo group.
In other words, the children who received true laser acupuncture had less days where headaches occurred, felt less pain when headaches did occur and experienced much less time with headaches than the children who thought they were getting treatment but in fact were not.
The German researchers concluded, “that laser acupuncture can provide a significant benefit for children with headache, with active laser treatment being clearly more effective than placebo laser treatment.”
The IASP
The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), founded in 1973, is the leading professional forum for science, practice, and education in the field of pain. Membership in IASP is open to professionals involved in research, diagnosis or treatment of pain. IASP has more than 7,000 members in 114 countries. Pain, the official journal of IASP, publishes original research on the nature, mechanisms, and treatment of pain. IASP Press produces timely, high-quality books for scientists and clinicians interested in pain research and management.
Seven Techniques for Overcoming Migraine Headaches
by Rich Stacel, citizen journalist
(NaturalNews) Migraine headaches have become all too common in our fast paced high stress world. With the hectic pace of our lives and the fear that is too often associated with the modern lifestyle including wars, terrorism, the economy, family and work, and poor quality processed foods and more, it’s little wonder that more and more people are suffering from mild and severe migraines at an increasing rate.
Migraines are very painful headaches that often occur on one side of the head, which is the basic meaning of the word migraine. These headaches are sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and changes in vision. They usually begin on only one side of the head and may become worse with exposure to light.
The severity of migraine pain can be anywhere from very slight to debilitating. Sometimes the pain from migraines can become so severe that the person is literally incapacitated and unable to do anything but lie in bed. More women suffer from migraine headaches than men by about a 4 to 1 ratio. Some women report that migraines disappear during pregnancy in a fairly large number of sufferers.
Wikipedia says this about migraine headaches;
The typical migraine headache is one-sided and pulsating, lasting 4 to 72 hours. Accompanying complaints are nausea and vomiting, and a heightened sensitivity to bright lights (photophobia) and noise (hyperacusis). Approximately one third of people who experience migraines get a preceding aura, in which a patient may sense a strange light or unpleasant smell. ….Other symptoms of the aura phase can include auditory or olfactory hallucinations, temporary dysphasia, vertigo, tingling or numbness of the face and extremities, and hypersensitivity to touch.
Migraine headaches have been documented as far back as 1200BC by the Egyptians who described it as a “headache with neuralgia”. In 400 BC Hippocrates described the visual aura that can precede the migraine headache and the relief which can occur through vomiting. Aretaeus of Cappadocia is credited as the "discoverer" of migraines because of his description in the second century of the symptoms of a unilateral headache associated with vomiting.
Throughout the millennia hundreds of theories and ideas have been proposed to explain the causes of migraine. Treatments included everything from the somewhat reasonable to downright ludicrous in an attempt to alleviate the pain.
For relief of migraine, Andalusian-born physician Abulcasis, suggested application of a hot iron to the head or insertion of garlic into an incision made in the temple. In the Medieval Ages migraine was recognized as a discrete medical disorder with treatment ranging from hot irons to blood letting and even witchcraft.
The exact causes of migraines in western medicine are unknown even today. The most widespread theory is that it is a disorder of the serotonergic control system. Recent PET scans have demonstrated the aura to coincide with spreading cortical depression after an episode of greatly increased blood flow (up to 300% higher than normal).
There are many triggers of migraines including; environmental, stress of either a physical or emotional nature, nutritional deficiencies, allergic reactions, bright lights, loud noises, and certain odors or perfumes, changes in sleeping patterns, smoking or smoke exposure, skipping meals, alcohol, menstrual cycle fluctuations, birth control pills, hormone fluctuations during the menopause, foods containing tyramine (red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and some beans), monosodium glutamate (MSG) or nitrates (like bacon, hot dogs, and salami).
Some people who suffer from migraines also react to salt and eliminating salt can be helpful for some of these people. Lactose-intolerant individuals may benefit from avoiding milk and ice cream. Tryptophan, an amino acid found in protein-rich foods, is converted to serotonin, a substance that might worsen some migraines. As a result, low-protein diets have been used with some success to reduce migraine attacks.
Chinese Medicine and Migraines
While western medicine still struggles to understand the true nature of disease in the human body, Chinese medicine is thousands of years ahead in understanding and offers many simple and effective remedies into the cause and treatments of migraines.
In Chinese medicine it is your chi or bio-energy that is responsible for everything that occurs in the body. Western medicine has dismissed this idea and far too simplistic, always opting to choose the extremely complex over the simple. But this is really a very dangerous mindset because you can be just as blinded to the truth if your mindset is always looking for complex answers. The same holds true when only looking for simple answers too.
In Chinese medicine, anytime you experience;
Headaches
Dizziness
Nausea
Vomiting
These are characteristics of “ascending fire chi” rising up to the head. Recall from above that “Recent PET scans have demonstrated the aura to coincide with spreading cortical depression after an episode of greatly increased blood flow (up to 300% higher than normal).” In Chinese medicine there is an old axiom that states “chi is the commander of blood, but blood is the mother of chi. This means that wherever chi goes, the blood will follow.” There have been many experiments done that show that if a person thinks about their feet; blood flow to the feet actually increases. If they think about their head, the blood flow to the head also increases.
Naturally such studies are rarely if ever are published in the western media since western medicine really doesn’t want people to know that they can use their mind and thoughts to help alleviate their chronic illnesses that bring is so much revenue for doctors and drug companies alike.
This ascending fire chi is the true cause of serious headaches such as migraines and many other associate illnesses of excess fire energy that are so common today in the western world. Recall that nausea, dizziness (vertigo) and vomiting are also a main symptoms reported by many migraine sufferers over the centuries. This is in perfect accord with ancient Chinese medical theory of “ascending fire chi”. When chi rises to the head, the blood naturally follows. Often this intensifies the symptoms due to the expansion of blood vessels in the brain caused by the presence of increased blood flow.
So what is causing this “ascending fire chi” to rise up to the head? There can be many causes but they all have one thing in common, they are all reflective in one or more of the four main characteristics of chi, those are the;
Flow
Strength
Balance
Purity
These are the four main chi characteristics in the body. When anyone or more of these “chi symptoms” are present, symptoms and disease will be manifest in the body to some degree. Energy may be in disharmony for weeks, months or years before any physical manifestations of symptoms arise. Chinese pulse diagnosis is fantastic at detecting these energy deficiencies and imbalances sometimes decades in advance when done by a skilled master healer. This is something else that is also laughed at in western medical circles.
Chemicals in foods such as MSG, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, various preservatives, artificial sweeteners and just about anything else artificial can causes excess fire chi to be generated in the body. If the kidneys (which control water functions of the body) are not strong enough or compromised in some way, they will not be able to balance out this excess fire chi and this energy can than ascend to the head uncontrollably. Where this chi goes, the blood will follow often resulting in the physical manifestation of the main migraine symptoms of pain, nausea, dizziness and vomiting, sometimes accompanied by “aura”.
Excess fire chi rising to the head would certainly cause this “aura” that patients of describe preceding an attack. This aura can take place sometimes up to an hour or more before an attack of migraine. Visual aura is the most common of the neurological events. There is a disturbance of vision consisting usually of unformed flashes of white and/or black or rarely of multicolored lights (photopsia) or forma¬tions of dazzling zigzag lines. Sometimes auditory or olfactory hallucinations occur during this aura phase too.
These are all signs and symptoms of the ascending fire chi rising to the head, overloading the various senses and the brain itself, resulting in the various hallucinations and other symptoms that are regularly reported by migraine sufferers.
In advanced Chinese meditation, these same signs often accompany someone who is on the verge of attaining what’s called a “Major breakthrough” in the meditative practice. In this case the symptoms are not a cause for alarm but celebration. That’s because in this case they are a major sign that the practitioner has succeeded in leading huge amounts of chi to the brain, thus energizing the brain to a far higher level which is a major factor in enlightenment, increased mental power, wisdom and longevity. There is no pain or discomfort in a person who attains this level, but amazing joy, peace, happiness and significantly increased physical strength, endurance, immunity and longevity.
Methods to Cool the Fire
The triggers listed above can lead to a weakening of the kidneys and thus an associated increase in fire chi in the body. The heart is the fire organ of the body and even in western medicine it’s known that the kidneys often play a role in people who suffer from various severe heart conditions, though they do not understand the exact mechanism behind this cause they reject the Chinese explanations of chi and chi theory as stated here.
Any illness severe enough to cause major symptoms in the body will always have part or all of it’s root cause in the kidneys and kidney chi. The kidneys are your main organs that determine overall life force, sexual health, energy, and longevity. This is why Chinese medicine places such great emphasis on strengthening the kidneys. This is not only a factor in prevention of disease but in curing as well.
Here are several methods that are known to help cool down the fire chi in the body and greatly help reduce the frequency, severity or totally eliminate migraine headaches from occurring in the future.
1)Avoid fire inducing foods; Foods such as red meat, pork, processed foods, spices, alcohol, soda, refined sodium and sugars and all other refined foods should all be greatly cut down or eliminated from the diet as much as possible. These foods are very common in the western world and it's no coincidence that the majority of diseases were seeing in the west are diseases of excess fire energy and energy deficiency too. Processed foods are virtually dead in terms of their life energies.
2)Eat cooling (yin) foods from nature such as vegetables, fruits, wild fish, organic meats, whole grain breads and all other foods that are as minimally processed as possible; This also includes reading those labels to make sure that there are no chemicals in those foods at all.
3)Practice meditation 20-30 minutes per day to calm the mind and help cool down the fire energies of the body; Chinese meditations which focus on the “dan tien” area just below the navel are particularly helpful as that are is the seat of “water energies” in the body and can greatly help to not only cool the fire energies down, but strengthen the kidneys themselves.
4)Practice deep abdominal breathing several times per day; Breathing is another method that is used in Chinese medicine and martial arts to help not only cool down the fire during training or a battle, but to help increase endurance, health and longevity too. Breathing is one of the fastest and most effective methods of cooling down the fire. Practicing breath holding for 3-5 seconds every few breaths can go a long way to keeping the fire energies of the body in check.
5)Take herbs such as Ginger, Feverfew and Ginkgo Biloba; One case report suggested success using 4–6 grams per day of powdered ginger for migraines and the nausea that accompanies them.28 Ginger may also be taken as a tincture in the amount of 1.5–3 ml three times daily. Ginkgo biloba extract may also help because it reduces the formation of a substance known as platelet-activating factor which may contribute to migraines. Although Ginger is classified as a warming herb, in this case it helps to strengthen the water energies of the kidneys. The kidneys then have increased water energies to cool the fire of the body. This is a classic example of the “mother-son” law of Chinese medicine at work. Ginger is also excellent for the dizziness than often accompanies migraine headaches as well.
6)Use acupuncture and acupressure points to help balance chi flow; Acupressure points such as connecting valleys which is located on the webbing between the thumb and forefinger of both hands is known to be effective at relieving mild to moderate headaches and migraines. Press on this point with moderate pressure for 30-60 seconds of each hand. There are also points at the base of the back of the skull where the bone goes into the softer tissue of the neck that can be extremely effective at not only alleviating migraine attacks, but have been known to cure some cases of chronic migraines with only one application.
The exact location of these points is difficult to describe in words, but a general massaging of the lower part of the skull where the two thick chords of the neck disappear into the skull while looking down at the ground can often be just as effective as acupressure at relieving headache pain many cases.
7)Drink more water; Chronic dehydration is another major cause of headaches and in fact many other major illnesses were seeing today. Soda and coffee and even many teas do not count as drinking water. Water itself is pure, helps to ease the strain on the kidneys which again increases the strength of their control over the fire energies of the body. Not to mention water physically helps to purify the bloodstream, flushes out toxins and can help keep the blood thinner and flowing more smoothly throughout the system. This results in less strain on the heart and since the heart is the fire organ of the body that means less fire energies will be generated.
Also be sure to clean up your diet adding as much natural raw or at least lightly cooked foods to your diet as possible, avoiding chemicals and chemical triggers, reducing stress and exercising as much as possible as well as getting a good nights sleep. Slow motion exercises like Tai Chi and “The eight pieces of brocade” can strengthen the overall energy of the body and have a strong calming effect on all the organs of the body. This is especially true of the mind and can greatly help to reduce or eliminate migraine headaches.
About the author
Richard Stacel is a network engineer and practitioner of Chinese martial arts, medicine and chi-gung for over twenty four years. Having learned many Chinese health and healing arts from old world gung-fu and healing masters and practitioners, Rich has helped many people to overcome their health issues and achieve their fitness goals. Through diligent study and experience he has taken this knowledge even further over the years including reading scores of books on Chinese medicine, health, nutrition, supplements, meditation, martial arts and science. Utilizing the web, health and fitness videos, newsletters, articles, teachings and lectures, Rich is passionate about spreading the true knowledge of health, healing, fitness, spirituality and many other subjects. You can learn more by visiting his website at www.chinesehealthandfitness.com
