Article Review: Safe Self- Treatment of Headaches
“The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) estimates that fully 90% of adults will experience one or more headaches during their life… About two-thirds of children have had a headache of one type or another by the time they reach the age of 15 years” (Pray, 2014). Making headaches one of the top complaints patients have when visiting the doctor's office. Due to the wide spectrum of headaches it is important for a patient to know when the option of self treatment with over the counter drugs is relevant, and when it is time to seek further medical care by a physician. The patient can make this decision by first knowing what kind of headache they are having, which will allow them to make the call of what to do next in terms of treatment. These are the topics that will be discussed in the following.
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Headaches occur when the trigeminal nerve that originates on the bottom of the brain that reaches the face, ears, and eyes. It has pain receptors called nociceptors that carry the signals of pain to the thalamus which then can be triggered by hunger, curtain foods, odors, and stress. The thalamus then sends a message to the brain that initiates the pain, and now the individual feels that they have a headache (Pray, 2014). The vast array of headache types are believed to be a whopping one-hundred fifty different types, but the NINDS has categorized them into four different classifications that have specific traits. Such as vascular headaches, tension headaches, traction headaches, and inflammatory headaches (Pray,
The borders between the different forms are very fluid and the specific conditions are often misdiagnosed as a strong migraine, causing the patients to suffer significant pain before treatment is started. Which directly links to another problem: The treatment. Oxygen treatment seems promising, yet it is not readily available to the patients. Orally administered triptans are usually too weak and nasally administered triptans (e.g. ZOMIG) cannot be used in a sufficient frequency to relieve the pain during the whole day, especially in the case of Paroxysmal Hemicrania where attacks are generally of shorter duration yet of higher intensity. Therefore, patients still need to resort to taking a significant amount of painkillers which is medically problematic since an attack period can last up to several months or even years in the case of chronic conditions which 10-15% of cluster headache patients suffer from.
Results: Preoperatively, patients’ levels of pains were at an average of 8.6 out of 10. After leeching procedures, pains were significantly reduced to an average of 3.5 out of 10. Not only did the pain dramatically decrease, but there were dermatological signs of improvement.
Have you ever wondered why when you stub your toe on the chair in the living room, it helps tremendously to yell out an expletive or two and vigorously rub the area? I may not be able to discuss the basis for such language in this paper, but we will explore the analgesic response to rubbing that toe, in addition to the mechanism of pain and alternative treatments such as acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
Whenever pain or a headache is felt people will immediately reach for the bottle of Aspirin they have in their medicine cabinet. For many years this has been the solution to any pain a person feels. As much as Aspirin will help to cure symptoms of pain it may also being doing the body harm. More and more studies have brought many harmful side effects to the surface. The question now comes into play of if Aspirin is actually doing more harm than good.
Tulunay, F. (2000). NSAIDs: behind the mechanisms of action. Functional Neurology, Suppl 15 (3) 202-207.
I will leave you with this: Imagine you feel a sudden pain on the left side of your head that radiates down your neck so agonizing that your vision begins to blur, making you sick to your stomach at the thought of your anguish. Would you have the knowledge to identify your ailment solely with these symptoms and pinpoint possible causes to treat or seek treatment for your suffering with the information I have given you
Migraines, which are three times more dominant in women than in men, are characterized by frequent attacks of moderate to severe, painful headaches that are often associated with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to sound and light. This headache pain typically occurs on one side of the head and is described as pulsing, pounding or throbbing pain lasting 4-72 hours if left untreated. Migraines may also present with or without an aura (sensory warning symptoms).1
A concussion is a physical injury to the head resulting in altered mental function, with expectation of recovery within 2–3 weeks. In a significant minority of cases the symptoms persist longer, thereby comprising a symptom complex commonly referred to as the “post concussion syndrome”, that is, one or more somatic (for example, headaches, dizziness), cognitive (for example, poor concentration, memory), or behavioural/affective (for example, irritability, mood swings) symptoms. Unfortunately, the referral of a patient with the possibility of post concussion syndrome to a busy neurology outpatient clinic can precipitate an inward sigh of reluctant resignation in even the most diligent neurologist or neurosurgeon.
If an individual has never experienced a migraine headache, it is difficult to understand. Migraines are more than just a headache and can touch many areas of someone’s life. Migraines have played a significant role in how I go about each day, how I feel about myself and how I interact with people in my life. Migraines have affected my work life and have had a major influence on my personality, not to mention the impact it has made on my finances.
Marturana, A. (2016). What headaches can tell you about your health. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from www.self.com
Anti-depressants may also be an alternative for those suffering from tension headaches or depression. The psychosocial aspect of TMD should be addressed with patients as their lifestyle may contribute to stress that can cause them to clench or grind their teeth. Bruxism is a cause of tension type headaches and reducing stress by means of counseling or anti-depressants may reduce stress and in turn they may no longer clenching and grinding contributing to their TMD. Treating anxiety and depression does not necessarily need to involve pharmaceuticals but perhaps cognitive behavioral therapy can help the patient address the main causes of stress and learn how to manage their lifestyle. Romeo-Reyes and Uyanik state that “patients have reported feeling less pain immediately after their initial patient education/counseling visit, perhaps as a consequence of an immediate reduction in stress/tension-related parafunctional activity.” (8 p.
There are two main types of pain that are described in the next
Many people wish to treat familiar pains themselves, such as toothache or headache pain. To treat these types of symptoms, OTC's are used. There are three main types of OTC drugs. They are as follows:
More so, numerous naps throughout the day reduce sleep during the night hence resulting in morning headaches. Sleep headaches are common amongst working professionals, students, and homemakers. The headaches are more like hangovers from alcohol and they do not go easily. Variations in the Rapid Eye Movement sleep cycle is among the reasons of sleep headaches. These headaches are mainly migraines or cluster headaches. Sleep headaches lead to conditions such as depression and sleep apnea. People in despair often sleep too much (Judd, 2010). A person who is sad, discouraged and a mind that is depressed is more likely to sleep for long duration because they find peace at that time. The low physical activity and moods results to pain in the neck, back, and head. Sleep apnea causes sleep headaches because one experiences difficulties in breathing. The pain is attributed to low oxygen levels that the individual experiences. Sleep headaches can be treated by ensuring that a person sleeps for approximately eight hours. Setting a fixed bed time helps one avoid oversleeping. Avoiding long naps in the afternoon and doing away with caffeine, spicy foods, and alcohol before sleeping time can also help in managing the condition. Using clean and comfortable pillows, mattresses are essential for good sleep. Additionally, one should avoid using a laptop, eating food or watching television some hours