Headache — Hope Through Research

Why Does it Hurt?

What hurts when you have a headache? The bones of skull and tissues of brain itself never hurt, because they lack pain-sensitive nerve fibers. Several areas of head can hurt, including a network of nerves which extends over scalp and certain nerves in face, mouth, and throat.

A number of chemicals help transmit pain-related information to brain. Some of these chemicals are natural painkilling proteins called endorphins, Greek for "the morphine within."

Not all headaches require medical attention. Some result from missed meals or occasional muscle tension and are easily remedied. But some types of headache are signals of more serious disorders, and call for prompt medical care.

These include:

* Sudden, severe headache * Sudden, severe headache associated with a stiff neck * Headache associated with fever * Headache associated with convulsions * Headache accompanied by confusion or loss of consciousness * Headache following a blow on head * Headache associated with pain in eye or ear * Persistent headache in a person who was previously headache free * Recurring headache in children * Headache which interferes with normal life

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What Tests Are Used to Diagnose Headache?

Patients may be asked: How often do you have headaches? Where is pain? How long do headaches last? When did you first develop headaches? The patient's sleep habits and family and work situations may also be probed.

A complete and careful physical and neurological examination will exclude many possibilities and suspicion of aneurysm, meningitis, or certain brain tumors. A blood test may be ordered to screen for thyroid disease, anemia, or infections which might cause a headache.

EEG's can indicate a malfunction in brain, but they cannot usually pinpoint a problem that might be causing a headache.

Headaches are diagnosed as

* Vascular * Muscle contraction (tension) * Traction * Inflammatory

Sleep – are you getting enough? For some people, enough is four to six hours. Other people just don't feel right with less than eight hours. People need more or less sleep at different phases in their life. Women may need more or less sleep at different phases of month.

The simplest way to tell if you're getting enough is by noticing every morning - do you feel rested? Do you wake up without an alarm clock and feel ready to get right out of bed and start your day?

Not getting enough sleep is one of most direct ways that we self-sabotage our success and well-being. When we are better rested we not only feel better, but are calmer, smarter, more rational, nicer to be around and we look better. Why wouldn't we choose to have that every day??

1. Set Stage - turn off computer and television at least one hour before you'd like to fall asleep, and turn on some music that you find relaxing. Test what your stereo system will do when recording is finished – does it SNAP! or does it “wrrrr” – this will make a difference as you’re drifting off. My CD player makes a very soft "wrrrr" noise (though I honestly can't remember last time I was still awake when CD was over).

2. Music without words - words can provoke and direct your thoughts more than instrumental music or pure vocal sounds.

3. Music with natural "breaths" - music where soloist takes natural pauses to breathe can help you to slow down your own breath - try flute, other wind instruments or voice (either with no words or words in a language you don't understand).