What is a headache?
Headache means pain in the head. This pain can be mild or severe. Sometimes, pain on the upper back and neck can be due to headache.
What causes headache?
Some of the common causes of headache are listed below:
Eyestrain
Inflammation of the sinus cavity
Tension
Head injury
Dehydration
What are the different types of headaches?
The various types of headaches are mentioned below:
Tension type headache:
This type of headache is most common. At least 2 out of 3 people experience it sometime in their lives. The headache is felt on both sides of the head usually. The pain varies in intensity. The head feels heaviness and a kind of tightness.
Sinus headache:
In this type of headache, a pain is felt under both eyes. It is generally accompanied by flu, cold or allergies.
Migraine headache:
This type of headache may be experienced by people in any age group. Pain is felt on just one side of the head. It is often accompanied by cold hands, nausea and vomiting.
Cluster headaches:
This type of headache is severe and very rare. Severe pain is experienced in the night, around or behind one eye. The persons therefore experiences sleepless nights.
Alternative remedies:
Acupuncture:
Acupuncture helps to reduce the frequency of headaches. The thin needles used in the treatment stimulates the nervous system to release endorphins or other chemicals and hormones that affect mood and pain perception. Acupuncture is most effective in tension-type headaches and migraines.
Aromatherapy:
Essential oil can be applied through massages, baths, and vaporization. The following essential oils prove helpful in reducing headache:
Lavender
Eucalyptus
Wintergreen
Peppermint
Rosemary
Home remedies:
Mix 1/4 teaspoon of clove powder in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon oil. Apply mixture to the exact region of pain.
On your palm take a few drops of clarified butter (ghee). Mix 3 pieces of saffron in it, and rub it for two minutes. The saffron does not dissolve in the ghee, but its qualities are absorbed. Remove saffron and put two drops of this clarified butter in each nostril. Follow this remedy twice a day.
Mix 1 tablespoon of milk and half teaspoon of ginger powder. Put two drops in each nostril twice a day.
Herbal remedies:
The following herbs are used to treat headaches:
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
Jamaica dogwood (Piscidia erythrina/Piscidia piscipula)
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)
Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo biloba)
Homeopathic remedies:
Belladonna— This remedy is suggested for people who experience headaches all of a sudden and when the pain increases.
Bryonia— This remedy is suggested for headaches with a steady, sharp pain that occurs most often in the forehead but may radiate to the back of the head.
Hypnotherapy:
Hypnosis has been known to work as a treatment for headaches. And, it depends to a large extent on an individual’s responsiveness to hypnotic suggestion. It also allows a therapist to access subconscious parts of the mind, which may reveal emotional traumas or underlying psychological causes of headache.
Yoga:
Neck roll
This exercise should not be performed in case of neck pain. |
