Almost everyone gets a headache at some point in their life, most often when stressed.
All people regardless of age, race and gender can be affected by some kind of headache in their life.
The World Health Organization says that almost half of all adults in the world will experience a headache at some time during their lives.
A headache can be a sign of emotional distress, or it can result from a medical disorder, such as migraine or high blood pressure, anxiety, or depression.
A frequent cause of headache pain is tension-type headaches. People who are stressed and sleep poorly are more likely to have tension-type headaches.
Causes of Headache/ Migraine
Headache is a common complaint worldwide.
A headache can occur in any part of the head, on both sides of the head, or in a single location. There are different ways to think about headaches. When headaches are not caused by another condition or another underlying cause, they are classified as primary by the International Headache Society.
Primary headaches
Problems with structures in the head that are pain-sensitive cause primary headaches. The head and neck have blood vessels and muscles. There may be changes in chemical activity in the brain. Migraines, cluster headaches, and tension headaches are common.
Secondary headaches
When another condition stimulates the pain-sensitive nerves of the head, there are symptoms called secondary headaches. The headache symptoms can be attributed to another cause. Secondary headaches can be caused by a wide range of different factors.
These include:
alcohol-induced hangover
brain tumor
blood clots
bleeding in or around the brain
"brain freeze," or ice-cream headaches
carbon monoxide poisoning
concussion
dehydration
glaucoma
teeth-grinding at night
influenza
overuse of pain medication, known as rebound headaches
panic attacks
stroke
It is important to seek medical advice if headaches become more severe, regular, or persistent, as they can be a symptom of a serious condition. If a headache is more painful and disruptive than previous headaches, worsens, fails to improve with medication or is accompanied by other symptoms such as confusion, fever, sensory changes, and stiffness in the neck, a doctor should be contacted immediately.
Types of headache
There are various types of headaches.
Tension headaches
Tension headaches are the most common form of primary headaches and can be caused by eating cold food. The headaches typically start in the middle of the day. The person can feel a constant dull ache on both sides of their body as if they have a tight band around their head or neck. Episodic attacks can last for several days but are usually a few hours in duration. For a period of at least three months, chronic headaches can occur for 15 or more days a month.
Migraine Headache
A throbbing, throbbing pain is usually only on one side of the head when there is a migraine. Migraine is the second most common form of primary headaches and it can have a significant impact on the life of an individual. According to the World Health Organization, migraines is the sixth highest cause of days lost due to disability. It can take between 2 and 3 days for a migraine to show up.
Cluster headaches
For a period of weeks to months, cluster headaches occur suddenly once per day up to eight times per day, and they can last between 15 minutes and 3 hours. In between clusters, there may be no headaches, and this period can last months to years. The affected area may become red and swollen, the eyelid may droop, and the nasal passage on the affected side may become stuffy and runny, as a result of the pain caused by cluster headaches.
Treatment of Migraine / headache -
Rest and pain relief medication are the most common methods of treating headaches. Generic pain relief medication can be purchased over the counter, or doctors can prescribe preventative medication such as tricyclic antidepressants, anti-epileptic drugs, and beta-blockers. Overusing pain relief medication can lead to headaches, so it is important to follow the doctor's advice. Reducing or stopping pain relief medication is one of the ways that rebound headaches are treated. In extreme cases, a short hospital stay is needed to manage withdrawal safely and effectively.
Ayurvedic Treatment for Headache/ Migraine-
Ayurveda has mentioned headache as a shirashul, and it is of many types pittaj, vataj & kaphaj type but the main dosha behind it is vata.
NSAID's, antidepressants, and triptans are used to treat head pain in modern medicine, but due to their side effects and cost, they are not recommended to take for a longer duration.
There is no pain killer medication used because of the belief that the root cause of the disease is treated by Ayurveda.
The main reason for headaches is the Vata and associated doshas and they can be treated with safe herbal medicines. If the doshas are accumulated in excess then body purification can be done with the help of Panchkarma. There are many medicines that can be used for diseases of the head, such as agni, dosha, Prakruti and body constitution. While treating Shirashul, Yogasana and pranayama also work very well. It's helpful to relieve symptoms of Shirashul with the help of Anumloma-Viloma Pranayama & TraTAK.
Tips To Avoid Headache / Migraine
Horse gram, dried food, packaged & refrigerated products, cold drinks, ice cream are some of the food that can be stopped from being eaten.
Don't eat spicy or heavy-to-digest foods like sago or pickle.
You shouldn't eat bakery products like bread, Idli-dosa, and cake.
You should avoid eating fast food like pizza, burgers, vada pav, misal.
Natural urges like urinating, defecation, and so forth should not be suppressed.
It's a good idea to avoid the cold breeze which comes from the east side.
Excess alcohol, tobacco, and smoking should be avoided, as well as late-night parties and studies.
It's a good idea to avoid stress either physically or emotionally.
It's a good idea to avoid sleeping in a day time.
Do regular Anuloam-vilom pranayama to avoid headaches and practice yoga to cure headaches.
We at Ayushman Bhava Ayurveda Clinic have very best Ayurvedic Treatment for Migraine and other types of Headache. Dr.Yogesh Chavan, MD(Ayu.) has treated many patients suffering from migraine successfully. Dr.Yogesh Chavan is one of the best Ayurvedic Doctors in Nashik, India. Visit the clinic for consultation. You can book a video consultation on - www.ayurvedanashik.com/book-online
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