Headache Disorders

HEADACHE DISORDERS are among the most common disorders of the nervous system. Headaches are one of the most common complaints, and most people experience them at some point in their life.

A headache can be a sign of stress or emotional distress, or it can result from a medical disorder, such as migraine or high blood pressure, anxiety or depression. It can lead to other problems. People with chronic migraine headaches, for example, may find it hard to attend work regularly. A headache can occur in any part of the head, on both sides of the head, or just in one part.

HOW COMMON ARE HEADACHES ?

Headaches are extremely common. Nearly everyone has a headache occasionally. When they occur repeatedly, they are a symptom of a headache disorder. The most common headache disorder is tension-type headache. In developed countries, tension-type headache affects over one third of men and over one half of women. Recent studies suggest the same in developing countries. Less well recognized is the toll of headache disorders characterized by very frequent headache: up to 1 adult in 20 has a headache every – or nearly every – day.

Headache disorders are painful and disabling. They can cause substantial personal suffering, impaired quality of life and high financial cost. Repeated headache attacks – and often the constant fear of the next one – can affect family life, social life and employment. Despite this, many people – including many health care professionals – tend to perceive headache as a minor or trivial complaint. As a result, the physical, emotional, social and economic burdens of headaches are poorly acknowledged.

 

FACTS AND FIGURES

• 91% of people with migraine cannot work or function normally during an attack. 53% are severely impaired and often require bedrest. (Lipton, et al, Headache, 2001)
• 54% of people with migraine have at least one attack each month. 13% have one or more more attacks each week. (Steiner et al, Cephalalgia, 2003)
• Up to 4% of adults worldwide have a headache or migraine on 15 or more days each month.
• Migraine is the 7th highest cause of disability worldwide. It is by far the most disabling neurological condition.
• In years of healthy life lost to disability, migraine is in the top 20 of all diseases
• Tension-type headache is the 2nd most common illness worldwide. Migraine is 3rd

CURES

Streach,Relax and Breathe- Yoga will get your mind focused, stretch out your muscles, and get you moving in ways that can help you drop the tension-and if you drop the tension, you can drop the tension-headache. Make a conscious effort to take deep, full, breaths that start in your diaphragm and fill up your lungs. This will get your plenty of fresh oxygen circulating through your blood and will also help relax your mind and body.

Improve Your Posture-  Make a conscious effort to sit up tall but relaxed, with your shoulders back, your chest open, and your neck not sticking too far forward. Working on strengthening core muscles helps a lot with posture, since balance and the strength to support ourselves properly comes from mostly from our center.

Eat Less Chocolate- Pretty straightforward-chocolate and the caffeine it contains make it a common trigger for headaches in many people.

Drink More Of H2O-On average we don’t drink enough water daily, and that alone is cause for a headache. As soon as your head starts to hurt, drink a tall glass of water, and then sip throughout the day. Gradually the pain will start to ease up, and you’ll be hurting less and well-hydrated to boot.

Keep A Food Diary- Record the foods you eat and track your headache patterns. See if you can spot a link.

DONT TAKE HEADACHE DISORDERS OR ANY OTHER MENTAL PROBLEM LIGHTLY, AS A DISEASE IS A DISEASE AND CAN HARM YOUR BODY MORE SERIOUSLY.

EAT DRINK WORK AND ENJOY