10 Things You Didn’t Know About Headaches
By Sarah Jio via Woman's Day
Oh, the dreaded headache. The pounding. The tension. The pain. Whether you’re plagued with regular headaches or only get one every once in a while (let’s hope for the latter), we’ve rounded up the most interesting—and surprising—facts about headaches in general, along with smart tips on treating and preventing them.
1. A trip to the dentist, not the doctor, could solve your headache issues. If you get frequent, unexplained headaches, you may want to talk to your dentist about it at your next cleaning. “I suffered from awful headaches for many, many years,” says Gretchen Anderson, 48, a reader in Eagle, Idaho. “After medical tests and a battery of drugs I learned the cause: jaw clenching in the middle of the night. I had cracked a molar in the back of my mouth and my dentist asked if I was having headaches. Duh!” After her dentist fitted her with a mouth guard, and she began practicing jaw relaxation exercises before bed, Anderson says she was finally free of her headaches.
2. You may be able to ward off a morning headache by eating a bedtime snack. Do you have a snack before bed? If you tend to get headaches in the morning hours, you might consider eating a light snack shortly before you snooze. “A possible cause of headaches, especially first morning headaches, can be low blood sugar that occurs overnight,” explains Donna Hedgepeth, DC, DACCP, a chiropractor practicing in Raleigh, North Carolina. “Simply having a snack closer to bedtime that includes some protein can be of relief.” Some suggestions: cottage cheese with diced fruit, a small bowl of cereal with milk, a slice of lowfat cheese and a cracker.
3. Acupuncture may zap your headache once and for all. A brand-new study from researchers at the University of Rochester found that acupuncture may elicit a neurotransmitter called adenosine that can numb nerve cells and bring natural pain relief. “Acupuncture is extremely effective in both short-term and long-term treatments for headaches and migraines,” says Kristen Burris, an Idaho-based acupuncturist. “Acupuncture, when compared with flunarizine, a commonly used migraine medication, proved to be more effective in reducing the frequency of migraine occurrences in the first four months of therapy. Acupuncture also significantly lowered the intensity of pain.”
Get the rest of the story at Woman's Day
Are you prone to headaches? What remedy works for you?
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Oh, the dreaded headache. The pounding. The tension. The pain. Whether you’re plagued with regular headaches or only get one every once in a while (let’s hope for the latter), we’ve rounded up the most interesting—and surprising—facts about headaches in general, along with smart tips on treating and preventing them.
1. A trip to the dentist, not the doctor, could solve your headache issues. If you get frequent, unexplained headaches, you may want to talk to your dentist about it at your next cleaning. “I suffered from awful headaches for many, many years,” says Gretchen Anderson, 48, a reader in Eagle, Idaho. “After medical tests and a battery of drugs I learned the cause: jaw clenching in the middle of the night. I had cracked a molar in the back of my mouth and my dentist asked if I was having headaches. Duh!” After her dentist fitted her with a mouth guard, and she began practicing jaw relaxation exercises before bed, Anderson says she was finally free of her headaches.
2. You may be able to ward off a morning headache by eating a bedtime snack. Do you have a snack before bed? If you tend to get headaches in the morning hours, you might consider eating a light snack shortly before you snooze. “A possible cause of headaches, especially first morning headaches, can be low blood sugar that occurs overnight,” explains Donna Hedgepeth, DC, DACCP, a chiropractor practicing in Raleigh, North Carolina. “Simply having a snack closer to bedtime that includes some protein can be of relief.” Some suggestions: cottage cheese with diced fruit, a small bowl of cereal with milk, a slice of lowfat cheese and a cracker.
3. Acupuncture may zap your headache once and for all. A brand-new study from researchers at the University of Rochester found that acupuncture may elicit a neurotransmitter called adenosine that can numb nerve cells and bring natural pain relief. “Acupuncture is extremely effective in both short-term and long-term treatments for headaches and migraines,” says Kristen Burris, an Idaho-based acupuncturist. “Acupuncture, when compared with flunarizine, a commonly used migraine medication, proved to be more effective in reducing the frequency of migraine occurrences in the first four months of therapy. Acupuncture also significantly lowered the intensity of pain.”
Get the rest of the story at Woman's Day
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Are you prone to headaches? What remedy works for you?
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Comments
After I had heart tests done last fall and had to forego caffeine, meds, food, etc, my DD greeted me with an icy cold Diet Coke, bless her heart. She also had hot food, but lol, I didn't need the food as much as my caffeine and regular meds.
I also discovered I can unwittingly give myself a headache when my arthritis is at its worst and I clench my jaws. I also tend to hold my breath and breathe terribly when in severe pain (probably messing up the flow of oxygen to my brain), so am trying to train myself to be more aware, breathe slowly and unclench my poor jaws. Usually, the sudden headache is my first clue. I am really lousy about body awareness.
Great guest blog. Thanks, SP. - 4/12/2011 1:34:32 PM
The headaches went away (don't chew gum!!!) and I still wear it every night (over 25 years) - 4/12/2011 12:43:53 PM
Jocelyn - 4/11/2011 12:42:33 PM
I've suffered from headaches since 3rd grade and migraines since I was 16. I think that the most frustrating thing is that what causes a migraine/headache one day might not cause it the other 9/10 times you consume/smell/etc the item. I have to say that since becoming a vegetarian, losing weight and guzzling water each day, my head pain is much more rare. - 4/11/2011 9:12:14 AM
Wish I'd known years ago. - 4/11/2011 8:29:28 AM
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