Headaches/Migraines

What causes Migraines/Headaches?

Migraines are a neurological condition that lasts anywhere from 4 to 72 hours. It consists of a unilateral, pulsating pain ranging from your shoulders and neck, to the top of your head. Some side effects you may experience include visual disturbance, nausea, and vomiting. Headaches are more common and the pain is more centralized in a specific area of the head. Headaches are not a condition themselves, but rather a symptom of an underlying health condition.

Causes of Migraines and Headaches

There are five main causes of a migraine or headache. They include toxins, allergies, deficiencies, misalignments or imbalances, and stress. Environmental allergens that could cause a headache or migraine include: chemicals from a carpet, perfumes, dust or mold, pet dander, cleaning products, smoke, and freon gas emitted from an air conditioner. Think about your surroundings when you have gotten a headache. If you can figure out what could be giving you a headache, it may be easily avoidable in the future.

Misalignment of some vertebrae in your neck will put some pressure on nerves and cause a headache. Also, a misalignment of your teeth will cause tension in your jaw, causing TMJ, and a headache may be a symptom from that. Imbalances can be hormonal, stemming from a number of glands, including the thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary, thymus, thymus gonadals, pineal, pancreas, or adrenals.

Deficiencies can be caused by poor absorption by the body, poor digestion, and lack of nutrients such as Vitamins B6, B3, and E and minerals zinc, iron, potassium, sodium, calcium, and cholesterol. A side effect to these deficiencies could be a headache.

Toxins come on the forms of dietary toxins, environmental toxins, and auto-intoxication. Auto-intoxication is when your eliminating systems are not functioning properly and a build up is caused. This build up becomes poisonous to your body. There are many additives you will find in food that could prove to be toxic to your body. Some people’s systems build up a low tolerance and are not as affected by these toxins, but it still has an effect on the body. Other people, with more sensitive systems, will be highly effected if consuming these toxic food additives. They include aspartame, which is often labeled Nutra-Sweet and is found most commonly in diet sodas, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), aluminum, nitrates, hormones injected into some meat products, food preservatives, and food colorings. If your diet contains a high dosage of any of these and you experience chronic headaches, stop consuming them and see how it affects your body. These are toxic to everybody and should not be consumed, especially in high dosages.

Stress is a common cause of a headache. Stress can cause blood vessels to be restricted, pressure on your nerves, and poor circulation in the body, all of which can cause a lack of oxygen to the brain. Symptoms of this would include mental fatigue, dizziness, and poor memory. Stress can also cause an increase in acid production which will aggravate low levels of sodium and calcium in the body, possibly causing a deficiency in those levels.

Chronic headaches may also be caused by cysts, aneurysms, or a tumor. It is important to see a doctor if you have chronic headaches, to eliminate these as a cause.

Medical Options for Migraines or Headaches

Some people find relief from headaches through acupuncture. The most common way to relieve a headache medicinally is through pain-relievers such as aspirin or acetaminophen. These are proven to be effective, but can have negative side effects. Aspirin can irritate the stomach and in excessive or long term dosage, it can cause damage to the liver and kidney. It also increases blood flow, which can irritate an ulcer. Acetaminophen can cause severe liver damage when taken in high dosages. If a person consumes a lot of alcohol on a regular basis, it can cause liver damage even when taken in low doses. It is highly recommended that children and teenager do not take either one of these pain-relievers. They have been linked to Reye’s Syndrome, a neurological disease that can lead to a coma and even death.

Natural Alternatives for Headaches and Migraines

If your head is pounding or aching as a result of drinking too much alcohol the night before, here are a few home remedies to help ease the pain. Drink some peppermint tea and add some organic honey. It will help ease your headache and begin the re-hydration process. You can also simply soak a towel in ice-cold water and wrap it around your forehead. Try peeling a whole head of garlic in a pan with one and half cups of red wine. Bring it to a boil, then let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and drink the liquid slowly.

Oddly enough, eating a crust of stale brown bread with butter and marmalade can be very effective in curing headaches! If you have cabbage in the house, try putting a warm cabbage leaf compress on your head. A poultice of cucumber or raw potatoes places on the brow can relieve a headache caused by too much sun. If your headache is caused by hypertension, eat lots of garlic, that will help lower blood pressure.

Sinus headaches respond best to steam inhalations. Try the essential oils of pine, eucalyptus, rosemary, or thyme, either on their own or in combination. Apply a hot compress of plain water to the forehead. You can also infuse the water with lavender or peppermint oils. My favorite combination is lavender, rosemary and peppermint. Lie down and breathe in the aroma, making sure to keep the compress hot.

Feverfew is the main herb proven to have an effect on migraines. Summer the fresh leaf in olive oil and use it to massage the temples. Also try making a tea from the herb. If you cannot get feverfew, try two parts peppermint leaves and one part rosemary leaves and let them steep in hot water for about ten minutes. Also known to help migraines is eating a bowl of canned tomatoes simmered in basil and served with a dash of vinegar.

To prevent migraines, a daily drink made from fresh ginger root has been shown to be almost as effective as powerful prescription drugs. During early warning signs of an oncoming migraine, add ginger oil and almond oil together and massage onto your temples. Or try soaking your feet in a foot bath that has either fresh ginger or peppermint added, or their essential oil. The bath will draw the blood away from the head to the heat and provide some relief.

These are some home remedies to uncommon headaches or migraines. If you have chronic migraines or headaches, it is recommended you see a doctor.

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