Headaches and migraines

Who hasn't experienced the pounding pain of a headache at some time or another?

People usually put up with the occasional headache by using over-the-counter painkillers. But if those headaches are cropping up more often and you are regularly reaching for those tablets, then something has to be done.

As well as being painful and debilitating, headaches can reduce our quality of life.

Herbal medicine may be what's needed to get you off the rollercoaster of living with such a problem – and help you to live a more pain-free existance.

Types of headache

There are many different kinds of headaches such as cluster headaches, migraines and tension headaches.

Cluster headaches seem to affect men more than women. They are often one-sided and a sufferer experiences a bad patch, with many headaches over a short time, followed by a period of relief which can last weeks. It's thought one of the causes can be exposure to certain toxins from cigarette smoke as well as industrial and environmental pollutants.

Migraines are often precipitated by sensory disturbances affecting vision, taste or hearing for instance.  This is called an aura. However, many migraine sufferers do not have this sort of warning. They simply get an excruciating, one-sided headache. Nausea often accompanies this pain.

Recent research suggests that a poor supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain may start off a cascade of events in the brain which leads to the pain of migraine. Other factors such as tension, poor blood-sugar regulation, stress, hormonal imbalances, poor circulation and spasm in the blood vessels may be just some of the reasons these supplies are interrupted.

Tension headaches are usually experienced in the back of the head or round both sides and are most likely caused by excessive constriction in the muscles of the back and shoulders. This is usually a result of stress and anxiety.

Herbal medicine may be a great help to those suffering from headaches.  A qualified herbalist will endeavour to find out what is causing you such painful episodes.  As always, a herbal prescription is made up of several herbs uniquely blended for you to target your particular needs.

Most headaches are annoying and unpleasant but present no threat to health. However, if a headache follows an injury or has suddenly become more frequent, especially if accompanied by other new symptoms, then it may require further medical investigation.