What to Do In Case of Headaches
Posted on Thu, Aug 7th 2008, 10:00
Article categorized under "Health Tips"
 | Headaches are one of the most common conditions experienced by just about everybody. In fact, roughly 90% of men and 95% of women experience one or more types of headaches in a year[1]. Approximately 16% of the adult population in the United States, totaling to 45 million Americans, get chronic headaches. Approximately 20 million out of that 45 million demographic are women[2]. Headaches are so common that people usually use over-the-counter pain medications to self-treat their condition. But in order for people to be able to successfully deal with their headaches, it is important to understand more about the condition. Headache is a condition of feeling pain in the head, at the times it can be a referred sensation from neck or upper back pain. The pain can range from mild to severe, depending on the cause of the headache. |
What people don’t know is that there are two kinds of headaches: primary and secondary. These two are differentiated by its causes. Primary headaches are standalone headaches that originate from any part of the head or could be referred to the head by adjacent muscles of the neck and upper back. Primary headaches make up for 90% of all headaches[3]. The three types of primary headaches are tension headaches, cluster headaches, and migraines. Secondary headaches are headaches that are brought about by underlying medical conditions. These underlying conditions may include cerebrovascular diseases, head and neck injuries, infections, tumors, metabolic diseases, or syndromes involving the eyes, ears, neck, teeth, and sinuses. No matter what the cause of the headache may be, what’s more important is how we can relieve ourselves of the discomfort it brings. People will always be in constant search of a way to ease their headaches. And thanks to modern science we now have more means to use for effective pain relief for headache. Below are some of the most commonly used methods to manage headaches: · Rest. Some headaches are caused by stress and anxiety. A little bit of rest and relaxation can help calm the body and relieve the sufferer of the stress that’s causing the headaches. · Exercise. Exercise helps stimulate the production of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are one of the neurotransmitters in the brain that act as the body’s natural analgesic. More endorphins in the brain means less chances of experiencing primary headaches. · Medications. Over-the-counter and prescription medications have been used for decades to alleviate the pain and discomfort of headaches of different intensities. Over-the-counter analgesics like aspirin and paracetamol are used for mild to moderate headaches while prescription-grade pain relievers like Fioricet are often suggested for moderate to severe headaches · Treatment for underlying conditions. Headaches caused by underlying conditions can often be relieved by having the disease or injury treated. For example, headaches caused by tumors usually go away after having it removed or shrunk. Headaches may be a common thing for us to experience, but keep in mind that these could possibly be tell-tale signs of a more serious condition that needs to be checked out. So when you experience headaches that do not go away even after self-medicating for a day, consult your doctor. The writer, Abbey Grace Yap, is an active advocate for health consciousness and disease awareness. She possesses a deep passion in discovering new health-related information and sharing it to her readers. This article is a property of Drugstoretm - Online Drugstore Pharmacy | |
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