How Much Do You Know About Headaches?

Drinking alcohol can trigger headaches in some people because sulfites, that are used as prescribed in some types of alcohol, like red wine (not white) bother some people. Alcohol causes more blood flow to the brain, triggering a headache. How the body metabolizes alcohol in red wine, beer, whiskey, scotch, champagne are the most common alcoholic headache triggers. Sinus Headaches: Sinus headache causes head pain with nasal discharge, congestion, post-nasal drip, and a sore throat. Treat a sinus headache with over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or accetaminophen (Tylenol). Taking a warm shower may help with congestion too. If you have fever, it may signal sinus infection. You should call a doctor. The ice-cream headache, or "brain freeze" is definitely real. Drink something warm and hold your tongue to the roof of your mouth to warm up and feel better. Cluster Headaches: Men are 6 times more likely to get cluster headaches than women. Cluster headaches are the least common headaches but they can be severe. They usually feel pain behind one eye, and can be so bad you can't sit still. They usually happen around the same time every day--the attacks can last a couple of minutes to several hours. To find relief, talk to a doctor who would know the best medication to stop or prevent the headache(s). Cluster headaches can last a few minutes, but usually last a couple hours like sinus headaches. Tension or migraine headaches can last several days. Rebound Headaches: Although ironic, rebound headaches are triggered after taking headache medication frequently. It becomes a vicious cycle--take medicine to feel better--then get a rebound headache after medication wears off. Remember: take medicine as directed--how much and how often taken. Getting a lot of headaches, talk to your doctor about ways to prevent headaches, including medication. Remedies to relieve headaches: To relax a tense neck, shoulder, or back muscles, use a heating pad or ice pack where it aches--try it on the neck, forehead, or temple. Gently massage the temples and neck. Or take a soothing shower. "Weekend Headaches": "Weekend headaches" are changes in routine that bring pain. To relieve a "weekend headache", get more sleep, drink less caffeine (caffeine headaches), or more active on the weekend--all symptoms that can trigger a headache. To avoid pain, stay with a schedule and stay off the caffeine during the week or weekend that triggers the headache. Cause of Headaches 9 out of 10 times, most diagnosed headaches are caused by tension. They are caused by tight muscles in the back of your neck or head. The pain goes across your forehead and back of head. Stress is often a trigger. If you're not sleeping enough, or you have poor posture from sitting at your computer all day, it can also make it worse. Depression is also linked to tension headaches. If tension headaches affect your day-to-day activities, talk with your doctor. He can prescribe medications like anti-depressants or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) can prevent them. How Doctors Diagnose Headaches Doctors diagnose headaches based on how they are described. Describe the pain, how you act during headache, and what you do to relieve the symptoms. Warning Signs Sometimes headaches signal warning signs--something that may be serious going on inside your body. Seek medical help right away if there is a sudden, severe, stiff neck and vomiting. This may be a sign of meningitis or bleeding of the brain. After hitting your head, there may be symptoms of a concussion. If they are accompanied by numbness, tingling in the arms or legs, or confusion--it can be a symptom of a stroke. Alcohol and Headaches Alcohol dehydrates the body, blamed for all kinds of things, from the throbbing headache after tossing a few drinks the night before. Hangover headaches are blamed for the hormonal changes that are caused by alcoholic or toxic affects that alcohol has on the body. To avoid dehydration, drink non-alcoholic beverages before or after you drink the harder stuff. Acupuncture and Headaches Research is mixed on whether acupuncture actually helps headaches. Some studies shown may be just as effective as painkillers for relieving tension or migraine headaches. Two large studies have showed that real acupuncture had the same effect as "sham" acupuncture--inserting needles incorrectly at non-acupuncture points on the body--easing headache pain. Sex and Headaches Some say the rush of chemicals in the brain from sex my provide sexual healing for headaches. Others say sex--just like other types of physical exertion--can trigger headaches. Migraine sufferers in men over 40 are more likely to get them. Sex headaches may be rare, but worth talking about with your doctor. Seek help if the pain hits like a thunder-clap at climax. Medical professionals can rule out anything from ruptured blood vessels and help with pain. Sex headaches are usually harmless, but is a good idea to have them checked out. Chocolate and Headaches While some people may get migraines after eating chocolate, researchers are not sure. Two studies show that chocolate rarely triggers headaches, and others show no link. They suggest it may be due to the caffeine in chocolate that leads to headaches. Chocolate has some caffeine, almost 1.5 ounces, milk chocolate has half as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. In some cases, caffeine can help relieve headache, as ingredients may be in some headache pain relievers. The best strategy is to figure out what triggers them and avoid them. The most common personal triggers are foods and fragrances. Source www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/rm-quiz-headaches.