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Headache is one of the
most common complaints. It is a symptom and not a disease.
There are
various types of headache such as headache due to anxiety or tension
headache, depression, alcoholism, constipation, migraine or sick headache
or biliary headache. Headache due to anxiety disturbs the sleep. Migraine
is usually one-sided headache. It is repetitive and pulsating. Some
diseases also lead to headache such as High blood pressure, allergy,
epilepsy, fevers, liver, kidney and eye troubles. Sinus trouble, infection
and inflammation. Toothache, various neuralgias and tension in the body
also cause headache. Trauma, meningitis, syphilis, cerebral tumors are the
major causes of headache.
Feeling of pain
anywhere in the body is a function of the brain But headache does not mean
pain in the brain.
Types of Headache
There are five types of
headache: vascular, myogenic (muscle tension), cervicogenic, traction, and
inflammatory.
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Vascular
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The most common type
of vascular headache is migraine. Migraine headaches are
usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head,
an upset stomach, and, for some people, disturbed vision. It is more
common in women. While vascular changes are evident during a migraine,
the cause of the headache is neurologic, not vascular. After migraine,
the most common type of vascular headache is the "toxic" headache
produced by fever.
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Other kinds of
vascular headaches include cluster headaches, which cause
repeated episodes of intense pain, and headaches resulting from
high blood pressure (rare).
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Muscular/myogenic
headaches appear to involve the tightening or tensing of facial and neck
muscles; they may radiate to the forehead. Tension headache is the most
common form of myogenic headache.
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Cervicogenic
headaches originate from disorders of the neck, including the anatomical
structures innervated by the cervical roots C1–C3. Cervical headache is
often precipitated by neck movement and/or sustained awkward head
positioning. It is often accompanied by restricted cervical range of
motion, ipsilateral neck, shoulder, or arm pain of a rather vague non-radicular
nature or, occasionally, arm pain of a radicular nature.
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Traction
and inflammatory headaches are symptoms of other disorders,
ranging from stroke to sinus infection.
Specific types of headaches include:
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Tension headache
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Migraine
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Ictal headache
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"Brain freeze" (also
known as: ice cream headache)
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Thunderclap headache
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Vascular headache
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Toxic headache
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Coital cephalalgia
(also known as: sex headache)
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Sinus headache
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Hemicrania continua
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Rebound headache (also
called medication overuse headache, abbreviated MOH)
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Red Wine Headache
Like other types of pain,
headaches can serve as warning signals of more serious disorders. This is
particularly true for headaches caused by inflammation, including those
related to meningitis as well as those resulting from diseases of the
sinuses, spine, neck, ears and teeth.
Common Causes
for headache
Chronic headaches are
commonly due to Migraine
Tension,
emotional stress, depression --
Depression headache is associated occasionally
with the focus
of a somatic delusional system.
Intracranial
injury, head injury, cervical spondylosis, dental or ocular disease,
temporo-
mandibular
joint dysfunction, sinusitis, hypertension, and a wide variety of general
medical
disorders.
Alcoholism -- alcohol is toxic to tissues, directly initiates the meanings
and causes the cerebral pain.
Constipation -- due to
absorption of toxic products in the circulatory system. constipation
sometimes
causes temporary loss of plasma into the wall of the gut, and the
resulting poor flow of blood to the
head could be the cause of the headache.
Yogic Treatment
for Headache
Some
forms of headache, such as migraine, may be amenable to preventative
treatment.
The patients
suffering from headache have to do three things:
(i) Regular
practice of selected yoga asanas,
pranayama,
(ii) Proper
diet,
(iii)
Avoid
the things which strain the nerves.
selected
yoga asanas
Suryanamaskar
Bhujanga Asana
Pawan
muktasana
Sirsha Asana
Kapalabhati-- Kumbhaka is not necessary.
Shitali Pranayama
Shava
Asana
Jalandhar Banha
Kunjal Jal Neti
Beside the
above mentioned asana and pranayama practice of
yoga nidra,
concentration
and
meditation
gives the best result.
Tension
headaches, also categorized as muscle contraction, often can be alleviated
through deep breathing and relaxation, especially in a lying down position
in a quiet place.
Inverted
postures increase oxygen to the brain and can reduce headache-causing
strain.
A regular
routine of Yoga exercises, breathing techniques, and relaxation/meditation
can help prevent chronic headaches or reduce their severity. Exercises
that stretch your muscles can release the tension that often causes
headaches.
Proper Diet
A balanced diet
can also play a crucial role in preventing or treating headaches. Some
headaches result from a missed meal or a lack of protein and can be
alleviated by eating a healthy protein snack. Include fruits, green
vegetables (salad), and pulses in meals.
The
non-vegetarians can eat fish and liver with least amount of spices.
Drink a lot of
water.
There are also
some foods which are suspected of causing headaches, such as some nuts,
aged cheeses, and chocolate, and foods containing nitrates or monosodium
glutamate.
Smokers should
stop smoking. Reduce the number of cups of coffee tea or stop it
completely. You simply don’t need any external stimulants.
know more about
Diet.
Research
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A few
Alternative Therapies |
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List of branches of
alternative and Complementary Medicine |
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Acupuncture
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Auriculotherapy
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Korean hand acupuncture
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Medical acupuncture
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Meridian therapy
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Sonopuncture
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Acupressure
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Alexander Technique
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Osteopathy
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Unani
medicine
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Traditional Chinese medicine
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Affirmations
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Affirmation Visualizations
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Applied kinesiology
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Apitherapy
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Aromatherapy
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Astrology
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Auriculotherapy
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Autogenic Training
Facial diagnosis
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Faith
healing
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Fasting
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Feldenkrais method
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Feng
shui (creating a soothing, tranquil renewing environment)
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Chinese food therapy
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Functional medicine
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Gua
Sha
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Hair
analysis (alternative medicine)
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Hand
analysis
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Hawaiian massage
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Healing touch
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Health
psychology
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Herbal
crystallization analysis
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Herbology
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Herbal
therapy
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Holistic living
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Holistic medicine
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Homeopathy
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Bach
flower remedies
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Flower essence therapy
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Isopathy
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Homeo
wave therapy
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Hypnosis
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Hypnotherapy
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Natural Health
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Natural therapies
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Diet and Food
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Dietary supplements
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Exercise
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Organic Foods
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Home
remedies
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Natural hygiene
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Naturopathic medicine
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Nutrition
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Botanical medicine
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Hydrotherapy
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Minor surgery
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Manipulative therapy
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Pharmacology
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Neuro-Linguistic
Programming
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Nutritional healing
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Nutritional supplements
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Omega-3 fatty acid
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Organic Diet
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Orgonomy
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Orthomolecular medicine
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Pilates
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Plum
blossom (Chinese medicine)
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Polarity Therapy
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Prayer
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Psychosocial interventions
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Psychic surgery
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Bates
Method
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Biologically Based Therapies
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Bates Method
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Chinese food therapy
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Macrobiotic lifestyle
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Orthomolecular medicine
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Body-Based Manipulative Therapies
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Body
work or Massage therapy
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Breathing Techniques
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Integrative medicine
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Iridology
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Journaling
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Light
Therapy
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Magnetic healing
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Medical acupuncture
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Medical intuition
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Medical Qigong
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Meditation
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Sclerology
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Seitai
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Soil
bath therapy (Mrittika snan)
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Somapractic
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Support groups
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Suseunghwagang (meditation breathing)
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T'ai
Chi Ch'uan
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Tantra
massage
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Thalassotherapy
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Therapeutic horseback riding
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Theta
Healing
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Mega-vitamin therapy
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Meridian therapy
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Moxibustion
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Music
therapy
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Five
Elements
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Seven
star
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Trigger point
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Tui na
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Zang
Fu theory
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Meridian therapy
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Shiatsu
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