MpigaKura
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 25, 2007
- 384
- 101
Headache is a common pain. It can happen at any age and can often be the result of your lifestyle. As pain is your body's way of saying 'HELP', if you can find out the cause of your headaches and learn how to deal with it, you can usually cut down the number of headaches you get and how painful they are.
There are several common types of headaches.
Tension Headache
Stress, worry and anxiety can cause pain at the back of your neck or across the top of your forehead. It can feel like a band around your head or weight on top of your head. Working in the same position for many hours (such as using a computer) may make a tension headache worse and last longer.
Migraine
Migraine pain commonly occurs on one side of the head and when severe, may throb in time with your pulse. If your headache is a migraine, you may not be able to bear light, noise or strong smells. You may also feel sick and sometimes vomit. Some people have warning signs before a migraine starts, such as flashing lights or numbness and tingling in their arms, legs or face.
Cluster Headache
Severe pain occurs behind one eye or on one half of the head, with redness and watering of the eye and blockage of the nostril on that side. It can last for 10 minutes to two hours and may occur again several times in 24 hours, often waking the person from sleep. These headaches occur in bouts (clusters) usually lasting for weeks or months and are separated by pain free periods of months or years.
Sinus Headache
Blocked sinuses cause pain above the eyebrows, between the eyes and in the cheekbones. The pain is worse when waking up or bending over.
IMPORTANT: Consult your doctor if;
1. Your headache is not relieved by the self-care tips on this card or lasts for more than 24 hours.
2. Your headache starts after exercise, sex, straining or coughing.
3. You get drowsy, confused, have trouble remembering things have a fever, joints and muscle pains, a stiff neck, loss of balance, or sight problems with your headache.
4. You have a sudden, new, severe headache.
5. Your headache occurs after a head injury.
6. Your headache comes back and is more severe.
CAUSES
Some people find that certain things start (trigger) their headaches. Triggers aren't the same for everyone and they can be different for the same person at different times. Triggers include;
1. Stress, tension.
2. Hormonal changes e.g. periods, periods, pregnancy, the oral contraceptive pill hormone replacement therapy.
3. Coffee withdrawal, too much alcohol, fasting, missing meals, too little or too much sleep.
4. Glare or cold, windy weather, some medicines.
5. Stuffy, smoke-filled rooms.
TAKE CARE TO:
1. Use a chart or calendar to keep a simple daily record of your activities and headaches to find your trigger factors.
2. Avoid trigger factors.
3. Have someone massage your tense muscles.
4. Plan ahead - rearrange activities to remove stress, let others help.
5. Learn to relax -
6. Exercise regularly.
7. Eat regular healthy meals.
8. Get regular sleep.
9. Be prepared for hormonal changes.
10. Wear sunglasses to reduce glare.
11. Drink 6-8 glasses of water each day. Check with your doctor first if you have kidney or heart problems.
12. Drink plenty of water before going to bed if you have had too much alcohol.
13. Have a regular break if you work in the same position all day.
MEDICINES
1. Simple pain relievers can help e.g. paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen
2. For sinus area, use an inhalation or a decongestant).
3. Your doctor may prescribe other medicines for severe headaches or migraines.
4. Take the right dose of medicine. Your doctor and pharmacist will tell you how much
There are several common types of headaches.
Tension Headache
Stress, worry and anxiety can cause pain at the back of your neck or across the top of your forehead. It can feel like a band around your head or weight on top of your head. Working in the same position for many hours (such as using a computer) may make a tension headache worse and last longer.
Migraine
Migraine pain commonly occurs on one side of the head and when severe, may throb in time with your pulse. If your headache is a migraine, you may not be able to bear light, noise or strong smells. You may also feel sick and sometimes vomit. Some people have warning signs before a migraine starts, such as flashing lights or numbness and tingling in their arms, legs or face.
Cluster Headache
Severe pain occurs behind one eye or on one half of the head, with redness and watering of the eye and blockage of the nostril on that side. It can last for 10 minutes to two hours and may occur again several times in 24 hours, often waking the person from sleep. These headaches occur in bouts (clusters) usually lasting for weeks or months and are separated by pain free periods of months or years.
Sinus Headache
Blocked sinuses cause pain above the eyebrows, between the eyes and in the cheekbones. The pain is worse when waking up or bending over.
IMPORTANT: Consult your doctor if;
1. Your headache is not relieved by the self-care tips on this card or lasts for more than 24 hours.
2. Your headache starts after exercise, sex, straining or coughing.
3. You get drowsy, confused, have trouble remembering things have a fever, joints and muscle pains, a stiff neck, loss of balance, or sight problems with your headache.
4. You have a sudden, new, severe headache.
5. Your headache occurs after a head injury.
6. Your headache comes back and is more severe.
CAUSES
Some people find that certain things start (trigger) their headaches. Triggers aren't the same for everyone and they can be different for the same person at different times. Triggers include;
1. Stress, tension.
2. Hormonal changes e.g. periods, periods, pregnancy, the oral contraceptive pill hormone replacement therapy.
3. Coffee withdrawal, too much alcohol, fasting, missing meals, too little or too much sleep.
4. Glare or cold, windy weather, some medicines.
5. Stuffy, smoke-filled rooms.
TAKE CARE TO:
1. Use a chart or calendar to keep a simple daily record of your activities and headaches to find your trigger factors.
2. Avoid trigger factors.
3. Have someone massage your tense muscles.
4. Plan ahead - rearrange activities to remove stress, let others help.
5. Learn to relax -
6. Exercise regularly.
7. Eat regular healthy meals.
8. Get regular sleep.
9. Be prepared for hormonal changes.
10. Wear sunglasses to reduce glare.
11. Drink 6-8 glasses of water each day. Check with your doctor first if you have kidney or heart problems.
12. Drink plenty of water before going to bed if you have had too much alcohol.
13. Have a regular break if you work in the same position all day.
MEDICINES
1. Simple pain relievers can help e.g. paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen
2. For sinus area, use an inhalation or a decongestant).
3. Your doctor may prescribe other medicines for severe headaches or migraines.
4. Take the right dose of medicine. Your doctor and pharmacist will tell you how much