Dealing With the Problem of Headaches
It is rare to find someone who claims never to have suffered from a headache. On the other hand some people have headaches every day.
Several research studies over the past 20 years indicate that about 40 to 50 percent of headaches originate somewhere in the upper back or neck. This obviously is not in the head, and is why chiropractors and other manual therapists have a steady stream of patients who consult for this common problem.
Obviously there are many more causes. The good news is that most of these other causes are lifestyle dependent. Meaning that our choices in either what we eat or what we do are able to offer us help.
We are bombarded with the pharmaceutical industry’s tablets for headache symptoms, and as you may know, this is big business for them, to the tune of billions of dollars. This is great for them, but not so good for the individual.
Therefore let us consider a different approach to dealing with a headache as a symptom, based on the evidence.
Eye strain can cause headaches. Studies have found that workers who spent more than 11 hours per week in front of a computer were 50 percent more likely to suffer from weekly headaches. Solution, limit computer time and/or get more active.
Alcoholic beverages, especially red wine and beer are implicated with some headache sufferers who are sensitive to histamines. Cheese, chocolate, refined carbohydrates, Chinese food, coffee and food additives; such as nitrates and aspartame are implicated for others. People with specific food allergies often get a headache with ingestion of the offending food.
Other telltale signs are either a postural mal-alignment; such as, forward head posture, or restricted joint mobility in the cervical vertebrae. These are usually easily corrected through spinal adjustments and corrective postural retraining exercises. Once corrected, many people find that what they originally thought was the problem (such as eye strain), was not the problem after all.
This may surprise some, but many researchers are now warning that one common cause of a headache is called MOH - medication overuse headache. This simply means that a person’s headache is caused from consuming too much medication designed to give relief.
Many medications that are commonly prescribed for functional health problems such as; high cholesterol, hormone replacement therapy and depression, list headaches as common side effects.
There is no substitute for choosing a healthy lifestyle. Aim for seven hours sleep nightly. Sleep deprivation and snoring are linked with headaches.
Regular exercise is associated with a lowered tendency to headache. Ask anyone who is regular with cardiovascular exercise and they will tell you that one primary benefit is feeling healthy and energetic; with few headaches, among other positive health benefits.
Runners and others who are very active know that regular participation demands that you take care with your lifestyle choices. You must drink enough water, avoid junk food, eat nutritionally (snack regularly), and not pollute your body with common contaminants such as; cigarette smoke, household chemicals, cleaning supplies and garden pesticides.
There is no such thing as having a normal number of headaches. They are all a warning that something is not right. Try the lifestyle approach, taking things one step at a time, and see what changes. Consulting with a more holistic health care practitioner should help figure out what other potential causes might be lurking around.
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We find that three areas can be improve in most peoples lives to relieve stress and help with headaches. Sleep is a very key area and is so critical to our health and well being. If you suffer from sleep deprivation and related issues, we have a report that you may find extremely helpful with further resources for improving sleep and stress related issues. To learn more Click here Now.
Another issue involved with headaches is posture and workstation design. It is very common for people to get headaches and eye strain while working on the computer or phone. Posture is a key element in back strain as well. To Learn more about improving your work environment, Click Here Now.Â
Finally, I don’t know about you but I frequently get headaches while reading or studying. If you can improve your efficiency through accelerated learning or speed reading, it will eleviate a great deal of stress. Click Here to Learn More.
