HEADACHE - The Headache is or are pains in various parts of the head. Headaches affect nearly everyone at some time in their life, and regular headaches occur in approximately 10 percent of the population. Headaches vary widely in their intensity and in the seriousness of the underlying conditions that cause them. Most headaches occur because specific pain-sensitive structures in or around the head are over stimulated or damaged. Some of these structures are inside the skull, or intra-cranial; the remainder are in the tissues surrounding or covering the skull, or extra-cranial.

An intra-cranial headache results from the dilation of arterial blood vessels at the base of the brain caused by a temporary increase in blood supply. An intra-cranial headache may result as a consequence of a fever, a hangover, or a severe and sudden attack of high blood pressure. An inflammation or hemorrhage affecting the arteries and their adjacent meningeal tissues - as during meningitis or a cerebral hemorrhage,  can similarly cause an intra-cranial headache. One can also occur if a tumor displaces tissues inside the skull. Intra-cranial headaches often begin abruptly; they usually occur on awaking, or at night, and pain usually changes with a change in posture. Intra-cranial causes of headache almost always produce associated abnormalities that a physician can detect by physical examination or laboratory tests.

Extra-cranial headaches may be caused by dilation and distension of the extra-cranial arteries that supply the surface tissues of the head or sustained contraction of the skeletal muscles of the face, scalp, and neck. Excess fatigue, neck problems, and eyestrain can all cause extra-cranial headaches.

Headaches has been blighting humankind for perhaps many thousands of years. It is only recently that we have discovered the variety of causes, and the cures and remedies. 

The father of modern medicine was Hippocrates, who lived sometime between 460 B.C.,   and 377 B.C.

Aspirin - Hippocrates left historical records of pain relief treatments, including the use of powder made from the bark and leaves of the willow tree to help heal headaches, pains and fevers.

Today, aspirin holds the title of being the most widely used drug, one that is no longer solely used as a pain reliever and as a fever reducer. Physicians have shown aspirin to be effective in combating arthritis pain, in reducing the risk of heart disease, of death following a heart attack, of cancer, if taken two times weekly, and of developing pre-eclampsia during pregnancy. It is doubtful that aspirin will ever again be lost to the annals of history.

Headaches remain one of the most persistent but disregarded maladies we all suffer with; they can be so complex that doctors tend to casually dismiss them in some hope that the pain will go on its own, not knowing the real cause. Perhaps at anyone time, NOW - over 20% of us could be suffering some kind of head pain.

But there are some great pain-killers around and whilst they may not cure the underlying cause, they do take the head pain and suffering away. This may be good, at first, but if you are just masking a a bigger problem, it is far from good. Take the person with a cracked bone in his foot, he might stave of too much suffering with a good pain-killer, but really he should go to the hospital to see about the fracture.

Also, many such cases lead to an addiction to pain-killers; the body, like with many drugs, become dependent on them and more and more need to be taken, to cure the pains.

Such is this problem, that there in an incalculable cost to our economy, by lost work-days. Notwithstanding, the physical and emotional cost, to long term sufferers. We all get headaches at some point in our lives, and in the main it happens once in a while, and it is either just a small inconvenient pain, or it is a thumping great throbbing, that can bring you to your knees. 

But to many people, for many reasons some of us get headaches of varying degrees all the time, think of the worst headache you have ever had and then consider having that every day of your life. It is enough to give you a headache.

But what ever category you would put yourself in, the first step, with or without medical help,  is to find out the primary cause of these head pains. The cause may be fundamental or indeed in can be some quite obscure reason, that only a series of eliminations may find.

In many cases the resultant symptom of many bodily problems, is a headache.

The head pains could be due to anxiety, stress and or depression. Due to school or work, eyestrain, high blood pressure, spinal problems, allergies, sensitivity to certain drugs or things you have eaten, or not eaten. It could be due to menstruation, needing to go to the toilet, or because you have not cleaned your teeth properly.

Whatever, it is whilst a young person may not be able to determine what is causing their pains, an adult should start to fathom out the reasons why. It is your best interests to find the underlying cause or causes, in order to live a better standard of life.

There are four major varieties of headache, each with its own type and severity of pain, temporal relationship, site and pattern of radiation, nature of aggravating or relieving factors, and associated symptoms.

Vascular headaches - Vascular headaches include migraines and its variants as well as headaches due to abnormal stretching of the arterial walls in the cranium as a result of vessel-wall disease.

Migraine headaches are extremely painful recurring headaches that are sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting; most migraine sufferers have a family history of the disorder. The pain is typically severe, throbbing or pounding, felt on one or both sides of the head, and aggravated by activity, noise, or bright lights. Visual phenomena such as zigzag lights may precede the onset of pain. Visual loss, weakness of a limb or of one side of the body, speech disturbances, or confusion may also accompany and outlast the headache. In a variant called cluster headache, severe pain is felt in and around one eye that lasts approximately an hour and frequently wakes the patient in the early morning. Such attacks occur about 10 to 20 times a month, with months of no symptoms until the next cluster begins. In the elderly, brief episodes of brain dysfunction resembling small strokes may occur, apparently caused by arterial spasm during migraines.

Foods such as cheese, chocolate, alcohol, and those containing nitrite or monosodium glutamate are the most frequent causes of migraines. Other causes include excessive or deficient sleep, stress, oral contraceptives, and menstruation. Medications such as ergotamine, antiemetic agents, and pain-relieving agents or even oxygen may be necessary to treat acute attacks. Preventive medications include tricyclics, adrenergic blocking agents, and lithium.

There are various types of head pains that have been given titles. A Head ache can be just a pain in the head, but it can also be much more. Whilst many pains could be interrelated, they can be caused by a myriad of reasons. Try to consider what the reason might be, when you attempt to self-diagnose, and this might help you find a reason, and a cure for your pain.

Allergy Headaches

Caffeine Headaches

Chemical Induced Headaches

Cluster Headaches

Eye Stain Headaches

Exertion Headaches

Fasting Headaches

Glaucoma Headaches

Hangover Headaches

Hypertension Headaches

Menstrual Headaches

Migraine Headaches - Common

Migraine Headaches - Classic

Nicotine Headaches

Secondary Headaches

Sexual Headaches

Sinus Headaches

Tension Headaches

Allergy Headaches

Head pain over a large area, accompanied by nasal congestion, watery eyes and the feeling of an on-coming cold. Sometimes, if untreated, with Aspirin, Antihistamine,  or even desensitization drugs, can develop into cold-like symptoms. Triggered by seasonal allergens, such as pollen.

Caffeine Headaches

What is Caffeine, or Theine; C8H10O2N4, an alkaloid stimulant in tea-leaves and coffee beans. The substance in coffee and tea that acts as a stimulant. In its pure form it is white and crystalline. Coffee - noun. A drink made from roasted and ground bean like seeds of a tropical shrub.

After drinking some beverages in excess , there can be a reaction to these self-induced recreation drugs, and give you a dull, though sometimes pounding headache. Caused by your blood vessels restricting in size, and raising your blood pressure.

Tacking too much caffeine, a stimulant found in coffee, tea, various colas, and some over-the-counter energy boosting drugs, can be good at the time, but could lead to an addiction. Taken on a regular basis, can initially aid your concentration, and alertness, but may also react against you.

In the USA and the UK, drinking regular and copious amounts of Coffee and Tea, has become habitual and additive, and it is hard for people to cut this drug / habit out, especially if it is on tap.

You may find that, if you cut down on your caffeine intake, or even go cold-turkey, you may start to feel much better after a short period of confusion. Drinking pure fresh water is ten-times better for you.

Chemical Induced Headaches

Whatever, you take orally will ultimately have an influence on how your body works, and the more you take the bigger the affect. Vascular Headaches - of vessels or veins that convey blood, tree-sap or other integral fluids, are caused by the swelling of these blood vessels in the head; accompanied by a burning sensation around the neck neck and shoulders.

Generally triggered by various compounds, and salt-like Nitrites - preservatives found in many processed meats. Also MSG - Monosodium Glutamate, another salt, commonly called the taste-powder, and used in Far Eastern cooking.

Reduce your salt intake, no matter what it is called. Salt, whilst an essential part of our diet, taking too much, is one of the biggest killers on the planet, mainly through increased blood-pressure. Try not to take salt, what you need is a minute amount, compared to what we all eat every day.

Cluster Headaches   -   Periorbital - Pain Around The Eye.

Cluster headaches are characterized by brief but sudden and severe aching around or behind the eye - periorbital, around the eye. Or pain on one side of the face. Men are afflicted more often than women with cluster headaches; they usually occur in persons between the ages of 20 and 60. Attacks are sudden, with intense throbbing pain, sometimes accompanied by watering of the eyes, nasal congestion, or facial sweating. 

The pain usually does not persist more than two hours for each episode, but attacks may be daily, weekly, or monthly. Cluster headaches may be triggered by alcohol consumption or stress. The affected person may not suffer any headaches for months or years before another patterned cluster of headaches arises.

Triggered by Alcohol and heavy smoking. Can be relieved by taking pure oxygen.

Eye Strain Headaches

This is head pains around the eyes, in the eyes, accompanied with eye fatigue, and blurred / double vision.

Caused generally by doing close-up intricate work, that overwork the eye muscles, that focus the eye-lens. Or not having spectacles when you need them. Not having sufficient light to work in; light actually aids the focal movement of your eyes, and less strain is required.

For relief, stop what you are doing and relax, preferably with eyes closed and using a cold compress. Take a pain-killer.

Exertion Headaches

Head pains after,  or during some physical exercise. Brought on by increased blood-pressure, through unfitness, age or both. Tumors or blood vessel problems can cause around 15% of these bouts of pain. Take a pain-killer and rest. If in any doubt go and see your doctor.

Fasting Headaches

A dull pounding pain, usually inside the forehead; around the eyes. This is caused by vascular pressure through not eating, bringing on the increase of fatty-acids, and a low sugar levels in the blood.

Eat something sensible and take a mild pain-killer. Plan your diet better, eat smaller meals more often.

Glaucoma Headaches

Bad headaches, with the sensation that your eyes feel unhealthy and worn out and that they want to pop. Accompanied with various vision problems. See an eye-doctor as soon as possible, at least go for an eye-test with a reputable organization.  Glaucoma problems can lead to blindness.

Hangover Headaches

Everyone has had one at one time, especially after a good night out. A Hangover, may be the nearest you may get to a full-blown Migraine attack; with the symptoms of a relentless throbbing pain, and sickness nausea.

Caused through the dilation of the blood vessels of the brain.

Go easy on the booze, even though some of us only need to have just one glass. Try not to mix your drinks; that is, either drink, wine, spirits or beer.

Bad heads are generally down to dehydration as the body copes with pumping around some thick glutinous jell, that used to be blood the night before. Drink plenty of pure water, and sip some warm soup.

Hypertension Headaches

It can be a dull pounding pain that is mainly felt around the head where the rim of a hat would be. Most headaches, it would seem are to do with your blood pressure. This particular headache is attributed to it solely. High blood pressure, say over 200 / 110, especially  a heaviness that has risen quickly, can cause this pain.

See your doctor if this occurs more than you would like, as it may be the sign of something much worse. He may describe tablets to keep your blood pressure under control, but then even this is not truly the answer. Look at your life-style whilst you still have life.

Think about your blood pressure. Think about your blood flowing through your body, and consider that it might be under a pressure that is too high for anyone's general well-being. Think about your arteries clogged with years of eating crap. Think about it like the steam in a steam-engine, so high it is about to blow, and then consider that you should now do something about it.

Try to relax more, tell your body that you are OK and the stress is OK in your life as you can handle it. Think your blood-pressure down. Lie in a darkened cool room and think chill. take deep breaths. Gently stretch your arms, legs and body. Stretch out and hold it for ten seconds.

Avoid animal fats cut down on salts. Introduce Rapeseed Oil into your diet, as it is probably the healthiest food on the planet. Eat more fruit especially bananas and apples.

Menstrual Headaches

These can be a migraine type of pain that happens even during menopause but generally before, during or after menstruation. It can even happen when a woman ovulates.

This is mainly due to sudden changes in hormone levels, like estrogens. And is made worse by being too fat and over-eating, combined with taking too much salt.

Taking a mild pain-killer, may help but do not be led into relying on these throughout your life as you may become dependant on them. Lie in a darkened cool room and think chill. take deep breaths. Gently stretch your arms, legs and body. Stretch out and hold it for ten seconds.

Migraine Headaches - Common

Migraine is the granddaddy of headaches. Really bad unrelenting Migraines have caused people to kill themselves. The Common Migraine is usually quite severe, always with a violent throbbing pain that ticks in time to your heart. Generally it only attacks one particular side of the brain, and does eventually subside, leaving you with something like a Tension Headache.

Migraines, are still an enigma, and we do not not know why they happen, but it believed, as is the trend that they are triggered by things you eat, like cheeses, chocolate, alcohol, especially red wine or nuts. Also taking too much salt.

It can be brought on by a myriad of things, and may not be a migraine but just a severe headache. Only if it is regular and does react to the things above, can you call it a migraine.

All you can do is go into a dark cool room, and meditate about it not being there. Use ice-packs on your head, sip iced water, take a pain-killer but be careful as it might be these drugs that are giving you the headache.

Learn what triggers you off and do not take them.

See your doctor.

Migraine Headaches - Classic

This is basically the same as the common migraine but with other problems. Other symptoms, such as numbness in parts of the body, seeing blind-spots, having strange lights go across your vision, nervous disorders, mood-swings, anything that is out of the norm.

This maybe triggered by the same things as the common migraine, or it might be something else, like a tumor.

See your doctor as soon as possible if these persist, though it is said that migraine does subside as you get older.

Nicotine Headaches

After smoking in excess , there can be a reaction to this self-induced recreation drug, and give you a dull, though sometimes pounding headache. Caused by your blood vessels restricting in size, and raising your blood pressure.

Tacking too much nicotine, can be good at the time, but could lead to an addiction.

In the USA and the UK, taking regular and copious amounts of nicotine, has become habitual and additive, and it is hard for people to cut this drug / habit out.

You may find that, if you cut down on your nicotine intake, or even go cold-turkey, you may start to feel much better after a short period of confusion. Drinking pure fresh water is ten-times better for you.

What is Nicotine - an organic compound that is the principal alkaloid of tobacco. An alkaloid is one of a group of nitrogenous organic compounds that have marked physiological effects on humans. Nicotine occurs throughout the tobacco plant and especially in the leaves. The compound constitutes about 5 percent of the plant by weight. Both the tobacco plant - Nicotiana tabacum, and the compound are named for Jean Nicot, a French ambassador to Portugal, who sent tobacco seeds to Paris in 1550.

Crude nicotine was known by 1571, and the compound was obtained in purified form in 1828; the correct molecular formula was established in 1843, and the first laboratory synthesis was reported in 1904. Nicotine is one of the few liquid alkaloids. In its pure state it is a colourless, odourless liquid with an oily consistency, but when exposed to light or air, it acquires a brown colour and gives off a strong odour of tobacco. Nicotine's chemical formula is C10H14N2.

Nicotine is the chief addictive ingredient in the tobacco used in cigarettes, cigars, and snuff. In its psychoactive effects, nicotine is a unique substance with a biphasic effect; when inhaled in short puffs it has a stimulant effect, but when smoked in deep drags it can have a tranquilizing effect. This is why smoking can feel invigorating at some times and can seem to block stressful stimuli at others. Nicotine is also an addictive drug, though, and smokers characteristically display a strong tendency to relapse after having successfully stopped smoking for a time. When ingested in larger doses, nicotine is a highly toxic poison that causes vomiting and nausea, headaches, stomach pains, and, in severe cases, convulsions, paralysis, and death.

Nicotine is commercially obtained from tobacco scraps and is used as an insecticide and as a veterinary vermifuge. Nitric acid or other oxidizing agents convert it to nicotinic acid, or niacin, which is used as a food supplement.

Secondary Headaches

Maybe the most common reason overall, even though it might be the least considered pain, that we can get. This is what is says, generally a follow on from another incident, injury or bout of symptoms. Especially anything that may affect nerves or nerve-endings. Like a whiplash injury or a bad back, having a bad tooth or some muscular / skeletal pain.

Sexual Headaches

These can be sharp and on one side of the head, brought about by the thought of having intercourse, during and after. Can be induced by many things, like anxiety or nervousness about many aspects of this enjoyable, but trying event. It can be caused by the sudden increase in physical activity, breathing and the raising of your blood pressure.

As you get older, and more used to this act, your should get over the stress of all that it can entail. Having an experienced partner might help, but do not be coerced into anything you are not sure about.

If the pain persists, see your doctor.

Sinus Headaches

A persistent tight pain over the nasal areas, which can get worse as the day goes by. A typical symptom when you have a cold.

See your druggist / chemist, and if too bad, your doctor.

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Tension Headaches

The most common cause of headaches, that can cover the whole head, especially on the sides.. Just a dull ache, without the pounding; aches that can spread below the head.

Stress will trigger this, especially long term stress. You may not even though you have it, as you will get used to it and accept that it is the way you feel.

Short term, anxiety and feelings of strong emotion can bring this on. Along with external feeling that may not be usual to you, such as guilt, anger, grief, a pain coming from elsewhere, a stuffy room, or a bad smell you cannot get away from.

Try to rest, in a dark room, and forget what is causing the problem. Take a mild pain-killer, and see a doctor if it reoccurs persistently.

PAIN - a complex experience consisting of a physiological or bodily response to a noxious stimulus followed by an affective or emotional response to that event.

Pain is a warning mechanism that helps to protect an organism by influencing it to withdraw from harmful stimuli; it is primarily associated with injury, or the threat of injury, to bodily tissues.

Because it has an affective as well as a sensory component, pain is subjective and difficult to quantify. Although the neuro-anatomic basis for pain reception develops in the foetus, individual pain responses are learned in early childhood and are affected by social, cultural, psychological, cognitive, and genetic factors, among others. This accounts for the apparent difference in pain tolerance among people. Athletes may be able to withstand or ignore pain while engaged in a sport, and certain religious practices require participants to endure pain that seems intolerable to most people. The perception of pain may be exacerbated by non physical factors such as anxiety, and some pain has no physical cause whatsoever.

An important function of pain is to alert the body to potential damage - nociception. The pain sensation, however, is only one part of the nociceptive response, which can include a rise in blood pressure, an increase in heart rate, and a reflexive withdrawal from the noxious stimulus. Acute pain can arise from breaking a bone or touching a hot surface. Two phases are perceived in acute pain: an immediate, intense feeling of short duration, sometimes described as a sharp, pricking sensation, followed by a dull, throbbing sensation. Chronic pain, which is often associated with pathological conditions such as cancer or arthritis, is more difficult to locate and treat. If pain cannot be alleviated, psychological factors such as depression and anxiety can intensify the condition, complicating an already challenging treatment situation.

Most people suffer from headaches occasionally, but for some they can seriously affect their quality of life and may even be a sign of a more serious health problem.

Non-drug treatments for headaches

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