To those of you suffering from headaches, I feel for you!  I have had my fair share of headaches.  From water skiing accidents, face planting into sidewalks, minor concussion a couple of times, or more?  I forget at this point how many times I have hit my head.  I feel lucky to till have one on my body.  This is what I find to be helpful in managing a headache, without the use of pharmaceuticals.  Please enjoy the content, and remember that you are in the perfect position and condition to be in charge of your health.

Headaches effect many people on a regular basis; causing people to call in sick to work, cancel out on social engagements, and behave in a generally grumpy manner. The cause of headaches can be quite deceiving sometimes. They can be caused by any of the following : stressful environment, chemical imbalance, mechanical imbalance, or a physical deviation such as a tumor.  It is always good to meet with your doctor if you suffer from regular headaches.  Here is what I have learned from having suffered from headaches, and from helping others get over theirs.

Most often they are caused by stress. These tension headaches can usually be treated with a little rest and relaxation. A drop of lavender and eucalyptus essential oil in a carrier oil on the neck is a great tension reliever.

A more stubborn headache will require a little more effort to relieve. Usually in this case dehydration can be a contributing factor, along with muscle spasms and limited circulation. This type of headache may require some intervention with, water, NSAID’s and caffeine. What can you do to help the process along? Get your circulation going. Taking a walk in the fresh air can be a great first step, but perhaps you are short on time? Take a shower with a four to five rotations of hot and cold water on your head, shoulders, and neck. This is a great method for a headache related to overindulgence.

If you are feeling particularly sensitive, try a more sedentary treatment. Apply a cold pack to your head and a hot pack to your belly or feet. The heat will draw the blood away from your head allowing the pressure to be relieved from your blood vessels in your head. This is particularly useful in the case of migraines. With your first onset of a migraine, lay down and rest for 45 minutes with a cold and hot pack and see how much better you feel!

What are some potential causes of headaches?

Spinal Instability

If you have suffered from a whiplash or traumatic injury to your spine, your chances of suffering from a headache go up.  When your spine is compressed from muscle spasm, it can aggravate your nerves and surrounding soft tissues; including organs.  Work with a chiropractor to keep your spine in alignment, and a physical therapist to build up the supporting muscles, and a massage therapist to work out the spasms.  With the increased circulation and improved stability your headaches will be fewer and fewer.

Pelvis Instability

Headaches can be a pain in the rear end. Literally. Sometimes headaches are caused by a pelvis rotation that effects the circulation of the spine; moving all the way up into the head. Check in with a qualified body-worker to help alleviate muscle spasms and spinal misalignment.

Digestive Heat

Headaches can be caused by digestive heat. The digestive organs are easily affected by spicy foods, preservatives, not enough fruits and vegetables, and/or a food sensitivity. Look into an elimination diet to determine foods that aggravate your system, or get tested for food allergies.

Stress

Stress is also a contributing factor. Muscle tension in the shoulders, neck, jaw, and scalp, can spasm clamping down on nerves and blood vessels that keep your brain healthy. Lack of circulation to the head, neck and shoulders contributes to headaches.

Dehydration

Not drinking enough fluids is a contributing factor as well to headaches. Believe it or not, it is very important to drink half of our body weight in water. Glug glug glug. You might feel a bit water logged at first, but it will help with those headaches.

How do you treat headaches?

This can be a complicated matter being the cause of the headache is not always known.

Hot and Cold Hydrotherapy

A quick relief for a headache is an ice pack on the head with a hot pack on the belly or feet. Drawing the blood away from the brain can help relieve throbbing pain with tunnel vision.  Rotating between hot and cold water in the shower improves circulation and is a quick pain relief to headaches. Hydrotherapy helps to flush out any waste products that have been congregating in the area.

Breathe

Often times we don’t breathe effectively when we are stressed so take a little time to focus on your breath work. Take a brisk walk, bike ride or practice deep breathing exercises.  Yogic pranayama has many breathing techniques to stimulate the spine and get the oxygen flowing.  Muscles need oxygen to function normally.  Reduced blood flow may cause muscle spasms and painful or nagging headaches.

Food Therapy

Overindulgence can be the source of headache. Try a detox diet in order to clean your system. Just like your closet, your body needs an occasional cleaning. Citrus foods, garlic soup, steamed vegetables, grains in a broth are all beneficial foods to help ease the detoxing your body in going through to get back to normal. Drink plenty of water, herbal tea and fruit juice to aid the detoxification and rehydration.

Eliminate Potential Causes

Food allergies and sensitivity can also cause headaches. Talk with your Doctor about getting tested for allergies and work with a nutritionist on an elimination diet.  Keep a food journal to understand more about how food effects your mood, and bodily function’s.  You may find a certain food triggers your headache.

 

I hope you have found this content useful and helpful.    Please comment and share how you manage your headaches.