If you’re alive, you’ve probably had a headache at least once in your life. Headaches seem to be a universal thing. You most probably have experienced a tension headache, from stress, or
kind of intense but fleeting headache that comes from eating something cold too fast. However, did you know that there are at least 18 different causes of headaches?We can get headaches from caffeine, indigestion, stress, alcohol, food allergies (MSG is a big culprit here and is disguised in many of foods we eat), eyestrain, fever, over-exertion, dehydration, hunger, hypertension, sinuses, menstrual problems, TMJ, muscle tension, allergic reaction to perfumes, cleaning products, car fumes, etc., infected teeth, oral contraceptives, improperly fitting eyeglasses, outdated eyeglass or contact prescriptions, or an injury to head.
Additionally, headache can come from congestion or imbalance in other parts of body. For example, headaches at temple may be related to TMJ, or temporal mandibular joint disfunction.
If pain runs from left shoulder up over cranium to left eye, gall bladder congestion may be a factor whereas liver congestion will sometimes manifest in headaches in crown area.
Another form of congestion or imbalance in body that can cause headaches, along with a host of other problems over time, is an overly acidic ph level.
And yet another cause of headaches - menopause. I didn't know this til I became perimenopausal myself and started reading posts on a menopause message board. Though this is one symptom I haven't yet experienced, it is apparently quite common in menopausal women.
As a wellness counselor, one of first things I like to know regardless of type of health challenge is how regular elimination is for that person. Constipation can definitely cause headaches, along with a host of other problems over time. If you are not having two to three regular bowel movements per day, you are constipated.
I’d like to briefly discuss most common type, tension headaches, and suggest some ways of working to manage tension headaches holistically. However, whenever frequent and unexplained headaches occur, it is always wise to seek medical attention, to rule out any underlying physical problem. Also, if you are under a doctor’s care for any known condition, you should always check with your chosen healthcare professional before adding anything new to your daily regimen. It is my hope that you have chosen a natural medicines practitioner or a doctor willing to work with one to find right combination of natural and allopathic options for your optimal health.
Tension headaches can be caused by quite a few things, most of them stress-related. Physical, mental or emotional stress can cause a tension headache. Poor posture, for example, is one physical factor. Emotional stress, unresolved anger, worry and anxiety, depression and resistance to change can also trigger a tension headache. In addition, some food allergies can cause them. Rhythmic and relaxing movement, such as Qigong may prove beneficial.
One note on food allergies: in eyes of an enzyme therapist, a food allergy is simply a food your body does not have sufficient enzyme capacity to assimilate. I am a firm believer in enzyme therapy for helping body correct food allergies naturally.
So what can we do about tension headaches? Well, number one suggestion I have is STRESS REDUCTION, whatever it takes. The truth is that a lot of us, in today’s fast paced world have become so accustomed to living in stress that we don’t even realize when it has become damaging to our system. So, in order to reduce it, we first have to become more aware of it’s effect. We do this simply by noticing our body.
Breathing is effected by stress so stop right now and see how you are breathing. If your breath is short and shallow or kind of “catches” at any point in in/out cycle, you are stressed. Your breathing should be slow, rhythmic and deep. If you are continually breathing in a shallow way, you are not getting enough oxygen to your body and this can cause a headache, along with all kinds of little problems that, over time, can become big problems for you sytem.
Another way to begin to notice effects of stress is to pay more attention to your physical body when you are in a “more than normal” stress situation. Some things you may notice: a tightening of muscles in solar plexus area, a constriction to throat, changes in your heartbeat or an increase in pulse, muscle pain or spasm, and even momentary blurred vision or dizziness. When we are so focused on what is causing stress, we can will ourselves not to notice what it is doing to our bodies. However, good news is that we can also will ourselves to begin to notice.
