WHAT KIND OF HEADACHES DO YOU HAVE?

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I hate it when I get headaches because they slow me down, but I count myself lucky when I hear some of my friends when they complain about their headaches.

Through conversations and my own readings I learned that there are at least five types of headaches:

• Tension
• Migraines
• Cluster
• Hormonal
• Other types

The first two – tension and migraine headaches - are the most common.

What does a tension headache feel like?

Tension headaches are usually felt on both sides of the head and feel like a vise-grip. Neck pain and tightness may also be associated with tension type headaches.

Migraine pain is usually on one side of the head and usually is throbbing or pounding. Usually, when a person has a migraine it makes them sensitive to light. Migraine headaches may also induce nausea. Happily, it lasts only from a few hours to a couple of days.

Migraine headaches are the type I wouldn’t even wish upon an enemy. One, they make you very weak, you’re almost immobilized. Second, they last a long time (some sufferers say their migraines could last up to as long as a week). Third, migraine victims prefer to sleep in a dark and quiet room, because the slightest noise or a speck of light heightens their ordeal.

Cluster headaches “behave” differently. People who have them say they cause a lot of pain. They are unpredictable. The pain is severe; add the fact that it can occur many times during the day. Cluster headaches also last a long time (anywhere from days to months) and usually attack in the morning or evening.

Not a significant number of people suffer from cluster headaches. From what I’ve read, less than 1% of the population has them. Just as well because those who have them say the pain is excruciating.

Hormonal headaches, on the other hand, are like menstrual headaches. Women get them during their periods, but unlike migraines, menstrual headaches are not preceded by an aura.

You need to speak to your doctor when:

• It’s a kind of headache you’ve never had before
• You’re having a headache after you’ve been in an accident or after sustaining physical injury
• You have symptoms that persist: drowsiness, blurred vision, stiff neck, vomiting, pain or swelling in the limbs and other parts of the body

OTC Painkillers or Natural Headache Remedies?

Ibuprofen, an analgesic, is what many people take for a headache. These analgesics are fine but they won’t solve the problem. Plus they’re habit forming. Once your body gets accustomed to ibuprofen, you’ll need to increase your intake just to make the headache go away.

There are many excellent made-in-the-USA natural remedies for headaches. Some products will not only relieve the headache but also relieve muscle spasms – those linked to arthritic, bursitis and backache conditions. There is one product, CryoDerm Roll-On that was specifically formulated for neck pain. This is an American-made product and has been recommended to patients by chiropractors, physical therapists and sports therapy professionals.

Combining Cryoderm roll-on with a natural muscle relaxer such as Formula 303 Natural Muscle Relaxant may also help to relieve tension headaches. Choose products that contain menthol and homeopathic formulations; an example of which is Arnica, known for its compounds that help inflamed and tense muscles.

For migraine pain, a natural migraine remedy that many people find effective is MigraSpray. Migraine relief can also be achieved by regular use of Headache Free, a natural vitamin supplement for headaches that was developed by a board certified neurologist.

Headaches certainly can affect your life, but with regular exercise, stress reduction techniques and eating a chemical free healthy diet, you can reduce the frequency and severity of your chronic headaches.