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Understanding Migraine Headaches

by Guest Author, Christian Goodman

When you say you have a headache, technically speaking, it isn’t your head that’s hurting. Did you know brain tissues and skull bones don’t have the nerve fibers that are sensitive to pain and therefore can’t generate the sensation of pain? So why does your head hurt with a migraine?

Migraine headaches have something to do with the blood vessels, that is why they are called vascular headaches. When you are experiencing migraine, your temporal artery is enlarged, which is located just under the skin at your temple. When this happens, it makes the tiny nerve fibers twisted around it to release chemicals.

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The chemicals released cause pain, inflammation, and further enlargement of the temporal artery. The greater the swelling, the worse your pain becomes. So why does this artery enlarge to the point of causing severe pain?

The answer may lie in another naturally occurring chemical in the body. There are two major neurotransmitters in the brain that control blood vessel size, and one of them is Serotonin. Studies have shown that before a migraine occurs, there is a high level of serotonin. During the migraine, its level drops to an abnormally low level.

While the actual cause of migraines remains a mystery, researchers are looking at a genetic predisposition, since migraine sufferers tend to run in families. They’re hoping to find a definitive answer in the near future.

Not only are the migraine sufferers the only ones impacted by this incapacitating headache. The American Academy of Pain Medicine said that approximately 150 million workdays are lost each year because of this. This translates to an annual cost to businesses of 5-17 billion dollars.

Everyone is affected by this debilitating headache, not just the sufferers. The missed work and productivity lost is becoming a significant burden to the general public. Migraine headaches are suffered by 28 million people in this country, and females are the ones more often to get them, although men suffer them too.

The problem persists because migraines remain underdiagnosed and often untreated. Doctors miss the diagnosis of migraine headaches in more than half the people who have them. Too often, when treatment is prescribed, it isn’t effective.

One reason why treatments are not effective is that most doctors prescribe pills for the headache. The problem with pills is that migraines usually stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, the one that controls the ‘fight or flight’ mechanisms in the body.

When the sympathetic nervous system is activated, it postpones the emptying of stomach contents into the small intestine, preventing any absorption into your system. So instead of getting broken down and absorbed, the pills just sit in your stomach.

There is another solution though. The Migraine and Headache Relief program is a simple to use program that’s given thousands of migraine sufferers amazing results. It doesn’t require the body to be able to absorb or process anything during the stressful time of a migraine attack.

The Migraine and Headache Relief Program requires several simple exercises that takes only a few minutes a day to do. It effectively reduces and in many cases completely eliminates the threat of migraines. Use the program and reclaim your life!

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Christian Goodman is a popular alternative health researcher, and the creator of the Natural Health Blog. His latest work is the natural migraine headache treatment, which has now helped thousands of people get relief from their migraine headache naturally.

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What Can Cause a Headache Over Your Left Eye?

By: Chad Melius

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If you have never had a headache over the left eye, consider yourself lucky. Lots of people suffer from this condition. These headaches can come on very quickly and, for some people, they are excruciatingly painful. There are many possible triggers for them, and you can hope to get relief only through the process of elimination.

When did you start getting the headache over your left eye? You need to figure out when the condition started, so you have a reference point from which to conduct your investigation.

Was there a change in your vision? As we age our eyes may not see properly, and this diminished vision would lead to eyestrain and headaches over one, if not both, eyes.

Schedule an appointment with your local eye doctor for a checkup. This is a good habit to develop anyway. The eye doctor can detect a reduction in visual acuity, and prescribe corrective lenses that should take the strain off your eyes. If your headaches are gone after changing your glasses, then you have solved the problem.

If you have no problem with your vision, you should still visit your doctor, to see if you have a more serious condition. Your physician will check for lots of things like high blood pressure, which can cause headaches, as well as many other physical ailments. If you eat a lot of processed foods and get little to no exercise, then you are a candidate for developing high blood pressure.

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There are also allergies that could have an effect on you, but not bother other members of your household. Your doctor can performed an allergy test, to see if there are any compounds you are sensitive to. If so, perhaps removing them from your environment will help alleviate the headaches above your left eye.

If vision problems, high blood pressure, and allergies are not the answer to your headache problem, then it’s time to look at your current lifestyle. Some of us work too many hours, and don’t get enough sleep. If you are stressed about money or other matters, it can affect your health, and your body responds to this stress by developing a headache.

Try to simplify your life as much as possible. Discuss your problems with people you can trust. Sometimes just venting your frustrations to another person can provide you with some stress relief.

One thing is certain: having a headache over the left eye is not normal! … nor is it part of getting older. Your body is reacting to something negative, and the longer you take to treat it, the more painful your headaches will become.


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About Adderall and Headaches

By: Chad Melius

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This article was written to provide some help for those people whose doctors prescribed Adderall for them, and find that they are experiencing headaches as a result of this medication.

What is Adderall?

Adderall is a stimulant used in the treatment of ADHD ( Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ). This is a disorder characterized by inattentiveness and impulsiveness. It is experienced primarily by children, but can also continue into adulthood.

The medication Adderall consists primarily of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. I know that doesn’t mean anything to you, unless you are a physician or a chemist. But bear with me a little longer…

Side Effects of Taking Adderall

Since Adderall is a stimulant, its primary side effect is hyperactivity, also known as high blood pressure. This in turn can cause insomnia, moodiness, dizziness, tremors, and headaches. Other unwanted symptoms can include dry mouth, constipation, diarrhea, and upset stomach. Over a longer period of time, Adderall can stunt growth in children, or cause sexual dysfunction in adults.

What causes the headaches sometimes induced by Adderall?

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The amphetamines of which it is composed release certain chemicals into the blood stream – norepinephrine and dopamine. These chemicals can not only cause stress, but can disturb the balance of feedback mechanisms in your brain.

How can I treat these headaches?

The first thing to try is over the counter medicines, such as aspirin or Tylenol. There are also some effective nootropical remedies available. But if your headaches persist, be sure to see your doctor. Another thing that helps some people is aromatherapy and/or massage.

Is there any way to prevent Adderall headaches?

Eat well, and have yourself a protein snack every couple of hours. And try to find ways to manage your stress. Gardening, painting, music, yoga, and other forms of exercise can help some people.

Disclaimer: The author has consulted the opinions of several doctors, as published on the internet, but is not a physician himself. Please check our Legal Page for more information.

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Cluster Headaches – Symptoms and Treatment

By: Chad Melius

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Cluster headaches occur in clusters, and may last for months. They are the most painful type of headache, and cause a horrible pain on one side of the head, near the eye. Although there is no cure, these headaches can sometimes be prevented. If incurred, attacks can be made shorter and less painful.

Cluster Headache Symptoms

A cluster headache attack occurs without warning, unlike a migraine. Here are some of the possible symptoms:

  • Pain occurs only on one side of the head.

  • An unbelievably severe pain near one eye – feels like a hot poker is being thrust into it.

  • Swelling around the eye.

  • Drooping eyelid.

  • Redness of the eye.

  • Tearing.

  • Stuffy or runny nose.

  • Restlessness – it hurts more if you lie down.

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Causes of Cluster Headaches

We don’t know the cause of cluster headaches. They are not likely caused by either genetics or smoking. One theory is that they are related to the hypothalmus – a portion of the brain that controls the biological clock. This may explain why cluster attacks often happen about the same time every day, and why they tend to occur during certain seasons of the year.

Prevention of Cluster Headaches

Since the cause of cluster headaches is not known, it is not possible to prevent them. However, verapamil seems to have some effect. It is most often used to treat high blood pressure, and dilates the blood vessels. But it has a side effect of causing headaches, so its efficacy is dubious.

Treatment of Cluster Headaches

The idea behind treating cluster headaches is to reduce their pain and shorten their duration. Here are some treatments that may be effective:

  • Oxygen. Inhaling pure oxygen through a mask provides relief for about 70% of sufferers in about 15 minutes.

  • Triptans. Taking sumatiptan, either by injection of via a nasal spray, has been shown to improve cluster symptoms

  • Hormone injection. Octreotide is a synthetic brain hormone, and can be an effective treatment.

  • Local anesthetics. Lidocaine, when sprayed into the nose, can ease cluster headache pain.

  • Natural medicines. Melatonin has shown some promise in treating night attacks.

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In addition to the measures already discussed there are two things that are easy to do that may help you to avoid a cluster attack once you have begun a cycle.

  1. Do not alter your regular sleep schedule.
  2. Do not consume alcohol.

Although cluster headaches only affect about 0.2% of the population, their severity causes sufferers to completely alter their normal lifestyle. So even though their cause is unknown and there is no cure, it is important for those experiencing them to try all possible means of reducing their pain and decreasing the length of an attack.


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Headaches During Pregnancy: When to Worry

Headache Types, Causes, and Cures

By: Chad Melius

Update – April 30th, 2020

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Headaches: 'The Head Ache' by George Cruikshank is a public domain work of art.

I have been negecting this headaches blog for some time. That’s a shame, since it really is an excellent reference if you need information about headache prevention. Or if you are hurting and want some headache relief.

So I decided to do a thorough update. I went through each post to make sure that there were no mistakes or bad links. And I looked through the statistics to find out what you have been interested in recently.

If you have a topic concerning headaches for which you would like more information, please let me know on our Contact Page. I will write a new post for you with good up-to-date information.

The post Headache Types, Causes, and Cures appeared first on Headaches - Headache Types, Causes, and Cures.