By Dr.Ravindra Patil
Nearly everyone experiences head pain once in a while. Headache is considered to be the second most common type of pain in human beings after backache. Luckily, most headaches are due to minor conditions and can be cured not with medicines but with home remedies. Your mother and grandmother may have more treatment suggestions for headache. And the surprising part is, most of them will be effective most of the times.
But alas, all headaches are not so benign. Some headaches need specialist doctors for treatment. We list out the special types of headaches which need a doctor’s treatment. All other types of headaches are likely to be relieved with the treatments suggested in the subsequent paragraphs. But first let us see the headaches for which you need to consult a doctor.
These headaches need a doctor:
If you have headache which is severe and recurs again and again, it may be one of the above and you must consult a doctor.
Now let us see home remedies for ordinary non serious Headaches
This can be done by any of the following methods. Choose the method which suits you and which you can easily implement.
Electrical heating pads or a hot water rubber bag applied to the forehead or temples may often relieve your headache. Keep the temperature setting to ‘mild’, not ‘hot’.
Paradoxically, a cold compress on the head or neck can also with pain relief! You may also take a cold shower or a warm water shower. Or take a bath.
You can do it yourself. Pressing the back of your neck with your index finger can help relieve a headache. This works because the muscles in this area tighten when you experience stress. A few minutes massaging your forehead, neck, and temples can help ease a tension headache, which may result from stress. Or apply gentle, rotating pressure to the painful area.
Pressing certain the pressure points on the back of your hand can help with headaches. This point is located between the base of your thumb and index finger. However, take advice from a trained person.
Drinking water or herbal tea can help with headaches.
Turning down the lights can help reduce headaches.
After you take a nap, you may awaken refreshed!
Chewing sometimes increases certain types of headaches.
The age old remedy of tea or coffee cannot be forgotten.
Whether it’s stretches, yoga, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation, learning how to chill out when you’re in the middle of a headache can help with the pain. You might talk to your doctor about physical therapy if you have muscle spasms in your neck.
A small recent study found that taking ginger, in addition to regular over-the-counter pain meds, eased pain for people in the ER with migraines. Another found that it worked almost as well as prescription migraine meds. In many Indian families, ginger is always added to regular tea.
Many special herbal teas are available for curing a headache.
There are plenty of medicines for headaches but use them in moderation. To get the most benefit with the least risk, follow the directions on the label and these guidelines:
Knowing the type of your pain greatly assists diagnosis. There are four types of pain that can be present individually or can be present at the same time which can cause a mixed pain pattern. With several types of pain, there are various unique treatment options to suit the intricacies of each type.The Four Major Types of Pain are…
Typically the result of tissue injury. Common types of nociceptive pain are arthritis pain, mechanical back pain, or post-surgical pain.
An abnormal inflammation caused by an inappropriate response by the body’s immune system. Conditions in this category include gout and rheumatoid arthritis.
Pain caused by nerve irritation. This includes conditions such as neuropathy, radicular pain, and trigeminal neuralgia.
Pain without obvious origin, but can cause pain. Examples of such conditions are fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome.
If you describe your pain precisely to your doctor, it will assist him/her in diagnosis and treatment of your condition. Also, when describing your pain to your doctor, keep these in mind:
What were you doing at the onset? What do you think provokes your pain? What in your opinion alleviates it?
What does the pain feel like and how often? Is it sharp, dull, stabbing, crushing, throbbing, nauseating?
Where is the pain located? To be specific, point to the location of the pain or draw it on a face diagram. Does it radiate anywhere? If so, where and to what side? Is it equal if both sides are involved? The more specific you can be the easier it is for the doctor to make a diagnosis.
How much does it hurt on a scale from 1-10?
Does the severity or character of the pain change based on time of day, activity, weather, time of year, or position?
OK, you have tried all home remedies but your headache is not relieved, or is getting worse. It is time to call your doctor. Also, gGet medical care right away for:
In some cases, a headache may require immediate medical attention. Seek immediate medical care if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms alongside your headache:
It is commonly thought that a simple symptom like a headache never requires the consultation of a neurosurgeon in a super specialty hospital like Samarth Neuro and Super Speciality Hospital of Miraj, District Sangli. Surprisingly some headaches may need the services of that hospital, and also the opinion of an expert neurosurgeon like Dr Ravindra Patil, who is the founder of that hospital.
Samarth Neuro and Superspeciality Hospital has 100+ beds & specializes in emergency surgery for neurological issues/disorders & diagnostics.
Samarth Neuro and Superspeciality Hospital
