A mild headache can disrupt your daily activities. Here are ayurvedic solutions and home remedies for migraine, sinusitis, tension headaches.
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Table of contents
What actually happens in your body to cause headache ?
What ayurveda says about headache ?
When an headache becomes emergency ?
Ayurveda Home remedies for tension headache.
Headaches are one of the most common health grievances of students, adults, and even children, Headaches are very common and usually do not point to a serious illness. But even a mild headache can disrupt your daily activities
What actually happens in your body to cause headaches?
The skull bones and brain tissues do not have pain-sensitive nerve fibers. But muscles of the face, mouth, throat, neck, scalp, and blood vessels on the surface and base of the brain are sensitive to pain as they contain pain-sensitive nerve fibers.
The tip of these nerve fibers gets stimulated by various causes like stress, anxiety, muscle tension, lack of sleep, etc. The stimulated nerve tip sends messages up the length of the nerve fiber to the related nerve cells of the Brain. The brain locates the region of the stimulated nerve tip based on these signals and we feel the pain or ache.
The headache may be mild, chronic, or severe depending on the underlying cause and pain-bearing capacity of the individual.
Our body produces natural pain-killing proteins called endorphins. One of the theories suggests that people with low endorphin levels suffer from severe headaches and other chronic pains in comparison with people having high endorphin levels.
What triggers headache ?
- Anger
- Muscle tension
- Missed meals
- Vigorous exercise
- Sexual excitement
- Infections like Common cold, Flu, Fever, Ear infection, Tooth infection Sinus infection, Pneumonia, etc
- Coughing – too much coughing can cause a form of traction headache.
- Lifestyle causes like Hangover, Excessive alcohol, Stress, Fatigue, Tension, Tiredness, Excessive smoking
- Dyspepsia
- Eye conditions
- Systemic or metabolic conditions, Hypertension (high blood pressure), Thyroid disease,Anemia, Kidney failure, Uremia
- Brain or head conditions Meningitis,Encephalitis , Head injury, Heatstroke, Sunstroke
- Before, during, or after menstruation
- Hunger
- Medications (Many drugs designed to relieve pain can actually cause headaches when the drug is stopped after a period of prolonged use.)
- Alcohol and caffeine withdrawal
- Not getting enough sleep
- Reading for long periods of time or eyestrain
- Doing repetitive work
- Staying in one position for a long time, such as working at a computer.
What does Ayurveda say about headaches?
The same causes of headaches have been explained in Ayurveda also. These causes vitiate all three doshas (Vata dosha, pitta dosha, and Kapha dosha). The vitiated doshas cause tension, migraine, sinus, and other headaches.
Common Types of Headache
A few common types of headaches are Tension headaches, Migraine headaches, and sinus headaches.
Tension headache:
The tightening of muscles of the face and neck cause tension headache. It is characterized by a dull ache in the forehead or back of the head and pain in the neck and shoulders which travels to the head. Causes like less sleep, stress, reading for a long time, and working in front of a computer for long hours can precipitate tension headaches.
Migraine Headache :
Migraine headache is caused when blood vessels of the head get too dilated or constricted. Females are more prone to this type of headache than males and migraine tends to run in families.
A person suffering from a migraine headache feels like vomiting and becomes too sensitive to light, sound, and other activities. Few people experience spots or flashes before headaches.
Few facts like menstruation in females, caffeine, alcohol, aged cheese, cured meat, stress, change in sleeping pattern, and strenuous exercise trigger migraine headaches.
Sinus Headaches:
A sinus headache surfaces when fluids in the nose are not able to drain well and pressure builds up in the sinuses. A cold, dust allergies, dirty or polluted water air travel may cause this type of headache.
Sinus headache causes pain in the forehead, cheekbones, nose, and stuffy nose. The headache increases when the face is bent or touched. The symptoms are worse in the morning.
When a headache become an emergency?
Although headaches are very common, It is recommended to consult a doctor about your headache. Go to an emergency department if any of the following symptoms occur:
- Pain that develops very rapidly
- A change in concentration or ability to think
- A change in the level of alertness
- Altered speech
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty in walking
- Changes in vision
- Headache with a stiff neck or neck pain, or if light hurts your eyes
- If you feel that this is the worst headache of your life
- Headache with dizziness, or a feeling that you are falling to one side
- Headache from an injury or blow to the head
- Headache with fever.
Ayurveda Home remedies for tension headache.
- For tension headaches massage a few drops of peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil on the temples.
- Massage the scalp with slightly warmed sesame oil. This relieves tension headaches and induces sleep.
- Regular exercise, yoga, and meditation reduce stress levels and keep the tension headache at bay.
- Persons of vata type can use hot water bags on aching parts and a hot shower will be of good help.
- Persons of pitta type can use cold or ice packs on aching parts and wrap a wet cold cloth around the neck.
Ayurveda Home remedies for migraine headaches.
Make a note of facts that trigger the headache and also the foods. Try to avoid these. Avoid spicy foods, coffee, tea, alcohol, onion, and garlic. Avoid citrus fruits except for lemon.
Try muscle relaxation exercises. Progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and yoga are definitely going to help. Relax at least for half an hour every day by doing your favorite activities like listening to music, gardening, taking a hot water bath, etc.
Stick to your regular sleep pattern and get enough sleep but don’t oversleep. Avoid sleeping during the afternoon.
Rest in a dark, quiet room when you feel a headache coming on. Place an ice pack wrapped in a cloth on the back of your neck and apply gentle pressure to painful areas on your scalp.
Ayurveda Home remedies for sinus headaches.
- Breathe in warm, moist air.
- Moist the nasal passages with the help of saline nasal spray. A saline spray can be used up to six times per day.
- Do not smoke. If you smoke, quit.
- Avoid second-hand smoke and polluted air.
- Avoid exposure to anything that triggers allergy or sinus symptoms.
- Wash your hands frequently to avoid colds.
- Seek treatment for a persistent cold before sinusitis sets in.
- Avoid alcoholic drinks. Alcohol can cause swelling of nasal and sinus tissues.
During these headaches, Crush a few leaves of Indian borage or Ajwain leaves and apply this paste on the forehead, around the nose, and below the eyes. Its anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties help to reduce headaches.
Author : Dr. Savitha Suri Consultant Ayurvedic Physician
Call us at +91 9945995660 / +91 9448433911
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