Headaches
What is it?
Headaches occur when the pain-sensitive nerves in head muscles and blood vessels are stimulated. The Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society currently recognizes more than 100 types of headaches. As many as 50 million Americans experience chronic headaches.
Types of Headache
Headaches can be divided into several different types:
- Vascular headaches, which include migraine headaches, and are thought to involve abnormal function of blood vessels.
- Muscle contraction headaches.
- Traction headaches, which occur when pain sensitive parts of the head are pulled, stretched or displaced.
- Inflammatory headaches, which are symptoms of other diseases such as those of the sinuses, spine, neck, ears and teeth.
Muscle Contraction Headaches
A muscle contraction headache involves the tightening or tensing of the facial, scalp and neck muscles. This is the most common type of headache, accounting for around 60 per cent of those suffered. The pain is mild to moderate and usually steady. Chronic muscle contraction headaches can last for weeks or months.
Muscle contraction headaches can develop for a number of reasons, including poor sleep patterns, depression, anxiety and stress. Certain physical postures such as holding the head to one side while using a phone may aggravate muscle tension and cause chronic headaches.
Causes of headaches
There are many causes of headache but most are caused by fatigue, emotional disorders, or allergies. Other causes include diseases of the eye, ear, nose, throat, and sinuses; brain tumors; thyroid disease; high blood pressure; low blood sugar; dental problmes; head injuries; aneurysm (ruptured blood vessel); and nutrient deficiencies and toxicities. Alcohol; cigarette smoke; exposure to chemicals and pollution; and some medications, including oral contraceptives; may also cause headaches.
Treatment of headaches
Rest in a quiet, dark room; massaging the base of the skull, temples, shoulders, neck and jaw; a warm bath or shower; a cold or warm washcloth placed over the area that aches; ice packs; relaxation techniques; acupuncture and biofeedback techniques may all be useful in treating headaches. Painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen are more effective if taken as soon as a headache starts to develop.
Preventing headaches
Regular exercise seems to help prevent some types of headache. If headaches are caused by reactions to certain foods, it is obviously advisable to avoid these foods. Common triggers include alcoholic beverages, especially red wine; the artificial sweetener, aspartame; bananas; caffeine from coffee, tea, cola soft drinks, or some medications; chocolate; citrus fruits; cured meats; food additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG); hard cheeses; nuts and peanut butter; onions; sour cream; fermented foods such as soy sauce and pickles; and vinegar. MSG is found in hydrolyzed protein, autolyzed yeast, sodium caseinate and calcium caseinate.
Vitamins, minerals and headaches
B vitamins
A deficiency of any B vitamin may lead to headache. Both vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies eventually lead to anemia, one of the symptoms of which is headache. Supplements are useful in these cases. Niacin is sometimes used to treat headaches and migraines. It is given at the onset of a migraine and its effect may be due to its ability to dilate blood vessels. Vitamin B6 may be useful for treating headaches associated with premenstrual syndrome and estrogen- related headaches that occur in the early stages of pregnancy.
Herbal medicine and headaches
Herbal treatment of headaches focuses on treating the underlying cause whether it be muscle tension, poor liver function or sinus infection. Commonly used herbs include black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), chamomile (Matricaria recutita), skullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia), white willow (Salix alba) and valerian (Valeriana officinalis). Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a very useful herb in the prevention of migraine.