GreenWise July 2005
Natural Headache Relief
More prevalent than the common cold, headaches strike almost everyone at least once a year (90 percent of men and 95 percent of women).
| Most headaches can be classified into three major types: cluster, migraine, and tension headaches. A
natural approach, combining preventive and pain relieving measures, can help. (Note: Check with your
healthcare provider before using herbal supplements alongside prescription medicines. If your headache
is recurring and/or severe, you should also see a doctor.)
Headache Types
Cluster headaches strike only about one percent of the population; most sufferers are male. These
extremely severe headaches center around one eye, last approximately an hour, and recur in clusters
over the course of several weeks, often striking at roughly the same time every day. Sufferers
commonly smoke and/or drink; alcohol may set off a cluster.
Unlike cluster headaches, migraines affect women more frequently than men. Migraines often
consist of incapacitating and throbbing pain, which can be limited to one side of the head and may be
accompanied by vision disturbances, nausea, vomiting, and light and sound sensitivity. Roughly
one-fifth of migraine sufferers experience an "aura" - a group of neurological symptoms such as
blinking lights moving across the field of vision - before the headache pain begins.
Most adults also experience tension headaches: tension and/or pain across both sides of the
head, neck, and/or shoulders, which sometimes occurs in response to a stressful day.
Take In
Changing the diet can play a central role in both the prevention of and relief from headaches.
Magnesium has been shown effective for pain relief (in migraines) and is a helpful preventive as
well (for tension headaches). Bananas, green leafy vegetables, and beans are all good magnesium
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| In addition, calcium relaxes the nervous system, muscles, and blood vessels. Besides dairy products and supplements, enjoy other calcium sources (soy, green leafy vegetables, and beans).
Potassium helps the body's sodium/potassium levels remain balanced, preventing fluid retention, which can put pressure on the brain. Studies have found vitamin B2 (riboflavin) also effective in migraine prevention. Vitamin B6 plays a part in the creation of serotonin, which may help migraine sufferers.
Vitamin B complex can help relieve stress, a factor in many types of headaches. And vitamin E improves circulation.
Herbs, spices, plant materials, and other supplements also have a powerful effect on headaches. Ginkgo biloba, fish oil, and cayenne all improve circulation, a boon to headache sufferers. Ginkgo also fights platelet clumping and improves blood flow to the brain. Applying capsaicin (the heat-generating element in cayenne) cream to the nose may offer relief to those stricken by cluster headaches.
Stress is a known headache trigger, so sip calming herbal tea. Many herbs commonly used in teas also perform a variety of beneficial roles beyond stress relief. Peppermint oxygenates the bloodstream. Ginger and mint help fight the nausea that often accompanies migraines.
Sipping raw fruit or veggie juice can also offer relief. Carrot and celery juices are helpful for relieving migraine headaches, but plain old water may be the best headache-fighting beverage of all. Drink a glass every two hours to help toxins move out and to keep head and neck muscles limber. Peppermint or menthol creams can help relieve tension headaches when applied directly to the temples.
Keep Out
Adding nutritional supplements to your diet can help prevent or relieve headaches. So can avoiding certain foods and other substances, including avocados, nuts, onions, red wine, and wheat. Cold foods - the infamous ice cream headache is no myth - and fermented foods such as sour cream and yogurt may trigger headaches. Sweets can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar level, followed by a plummet, often resulting in a headache.
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| Tension and migraine headaches may be triggered by foods containing tyramine (including cheese, chocolate, citrus fruits, coffee, cold cuts, alcohol, and vinegar) or phenylalanine (anything with MSG, aspartame, or nitrates - most often processed meats, including hot dogs). Even fluorescent lights can trigger a headache (opt for incandescent), as can perfumes, aftershave lotions, and tobacco.
- SUSANNA BAIRD
SELECTED SOURCES
The American Council for Headache Education, www.achenet.org
Prescription for Natural Cures by James F. Balch, MD, and Mark Stengler, ND ($24.95, Wiley, 2004)
Relieving Pain Naturally by Sylvia Goldfarb, PhD, and Roberta W. Waddell ($18.95, Square One Publishers, 2005)
The Active Approach
A complementary approach to headaches can include a number of treatments, in addition to nutritional modification. The goal of acupuncture is to move energy away from the pain center (i.e., the head) and has proved an effective treatment in one large study. Relief can also be found by applying alternating hot (three minutes) and cold (one minute) compresses for a 15-minute period.
Cluster headaches may respond to a castor oil compress. Biofeedback, exercise, massage, meditation, and such meditative practices as t'ai chi and yoga all relieve stress. Biofeedback also addresses the physical responses to stress, which include headaches, while exercise generates endorphins, which in turn raise the body's pain threshold. Chiropractic treatment may help correct poorly aligned vertebrae, which can contribute to headaches by reducing blood to the brain.
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