Headaches - Tension Headaches
For many years it was believed that common headaches were caused by tension. While the causes of headaches are not completely understood, modern research contradicts the long held belief in the tension cause.
Some researchers suspect that, as with migraines, the underlying cause is more likely to be the interaction of serotonin with nerve cells. Research involving anti-depressants and other drugs that alter the levels of this neurotransmitter has provided some evidence to support the claim. But the search for an answer continues.
In the interim, the common treatments continue to apply for the vast majority of tension headache sufferers - which is just about everyone at one time or another. Though women get more headaches than men, both sexes suffer a tension-type headache at some point. Some, so-called 'chronic' cases get as many as several per month.
Though they typically last no more than a few hours, often less, they can be unpleasant and even debilitating, interfering with work and other pursuits. Treatment is often in the form of ordinary aspirin, but that wonder drug isn't suitable for everyone, since it can irritate the stomach lining.
Acetaminophen or ibuprofen are other common treatments and some commercial forms combine several ingredients. Excedrin, for example, contains aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine. Though acetaminophen rarely has significant side effects, it doesn't work for everyone. Ibuprofen can cause stomach upset for some users.
As with many conditions, the best cure is prevention. Here, lifestyle choices can influence the frequency and severity of tension headaches.
Though muscle tension in the head, neck, back or face may not be a primary cause, it can certainly play a part in a headache. Proper posture, regular exercise and a healthy diet can help influence tension.
Changing position while working is desirable, particularly for those at the computer for long stretches every day. Adjusting the location and position of mouse and keyboard can reduce stress on the neck and back. If you sit with one foot raised on a part of the chair, changing feet from time to time helps keep the back from tensing.
A regular exercise program keeps muscles strong, less prone to spontaneous tensing and encourages good blood flow. All those reduce the likelihood or severity of headaches.
Regular exercise also helps reduce stress and the odds of becoming stressful in the first place. Keeping tissues well oxygenated discourages headaches. One of the primary treatments for cluster headaches, for example, is a few minutes breathing of pure oxygen. Though of a different type, similar mechanisms may be at work in tension headaches.
A healthy diet works together with regular exercise to keep your body in top shape. Firm muscles, modest amounts of body fat and basic strength are built, in part, by good diet. It also supplies all the nutrients that, when present in too low amounts, can lead to tension headaches. Mineral levels play a part in headaches, as does the percentage of fluid.
More powerful medicine may be used in extreme or chronic cases. Migraines can be controlled with drugs such as triptans. There is some research that claims that tension headaches are a milder version of a migraine. Prior to taking prescription drugs, ask your doctor for advice on all treatment possibilities.
In the case of aspirin, for example, Bayer - the German company - lost exclusivity, of both the compound and the name, as a result of Germany's loss of WWI.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) - Topic Overview
Most women have tender breasts, bloating, and muscle aches a few days before they start their menstrual periods. These are normal premenstrual symptoms. But when they affect your daily life, they are called premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS can affect your body as well as your mood. Sometimes it can make you change the way you act.Some women first get PMS in their teens or 20s. Others dont get it until their 30s. The symptoms may get worse in your late 30s and 40s, as you approach perimenopause
Whiplash Injury Claims In The UK
Whiplash Injury Claims In The UK Author: Existence Filed under: Finance Tuesday Aug 26,2008 Accidents Direct offers assistance to individuals who have suffered from car accident injuries and would like to file for whiplash injury claims and get the justice they deserve. Whiplash is a medical condition in which the soft tissues of the spine are stretched and strained after your body suffers physical trauma involving a sudden, forceful jerk movement. This is a condition most peopl
When your period brings a major Rebound headaches ibuprofen.
When your period brings a major Rebound headaches ibuprofen. August 27th, 2008 What Type of Headache Do You Have. Headaches afflict millions of Americans each day but they are often misdiagnosed and treated improperly. Oxygen therapy can be given via a non rebreather mask at percent oxygen at to per liters for to minutes. Keith The Second Step to Changing Your Life. Vampire bats suspected in Venezuela deaths. Culprits include over the counter medications like aspirin, acetaminophen Tylenol or
Much like triptans, Ergots are a class of compounds that are technically known as 5-HT1B/1D agonists. In the interim, the common treatments continue to apply for the vast majority of tension headache sufferers - which is just about everyone at one time or another. In many cases, environmental factors are at work. Even that can be welcome relief, however. Prevent one cause, and the odds of the effect are reduced. The list of other drugs that can interact unfavorably is, not surprisingly, very long.
|
