Headaches - You're not Alone

If you suffer from chronic headaches, you are not alone. According to the National Headache Foundation, more than 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches and almost 30 million suffer from migraines. Headaches are one of the top 10 reasons why people visit doctors in the United States and are responsible for 157 million lost workdays each year. Headaches diminish your quality of life and cause unnecessary suffering.

You don't have to suffer...

There is a safe, non-toxic, and highly effective therapy for chronic headaches. Whether you suffer from migraines, chronic tension-type headaches, menstrual headaches, cluster headaches, or sinus headaches, homeopathy has proven to be consistently effective at eliminating headaches and is free of the side-effects all too common with prescription and over-the-counter drugs. In most cases the severity and frequency of your headaches will begin to diminish shortly after starting treatment and will continue to improve over time. With consistent homeopathic treatment, most people can expect their headaches to eventually stop altogether. Other areas, such as diet and lifestyle or misalignment of the spine, may also need to be addressed in some people to achieve complete recovery.

Below you will find a brief description of the most common types of chronic headaches:

Migraines

Migraines affect women three times more often than men and 4 out of 5 people who suffer migraines have other family members who suffer migraines as well. According to findings from the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention Study, 9 of 10 migraine sufferers cannot function normally during a migraine. Though 98% take medications for their migraines, the majority report that their lives are still significantly affected by pain and debilitation associated with their migraines.

Seventy percent of migraine headaches occur on one side of the head only. The pain is often severe and debilitating and commonly described as throbbing or pulsating. Migraine headaches are usually accompanied by nausea, and sometimes vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise. One-third of migraine sufferers experience neurologic symptoms called an aura 5-30 minutes before the headache begins. Aura symptoms include changes in vision, hallucinations of hearing, disruptions in smell, taste, or touch, and even difficulty speaking or numbness and tingling. Specific foods, in particular food additives and tyramine-containing foods, are estimated to trigger headaches in approximately 30% of migraine sufferers. Children may experience migraines as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea instead of headaches.

Cluster Headaches

Approximately 1 million people in the U.S. suffer from cluster headaches. They affect males five times more often than women and are most common in the 20-45 year old age group. They are called cluster headaches because they occur in groups or clusters, on average 1-4 times per day over a period of time that can last from weeks to months. Cluster headaches produce severe pain. Attacks last 30-45 minutes on average, but can be longer. Like migraines, they most commonly affect one side of the head and are characterized by piercing, stabbing, burning, or throbbing pain. The headache often begins around one eye with the pain commonly described as nail or knife-like. The affected eye may tear and become bloodshot and the nose may run. The pain then typically spreads to the forehead, temple, or cheek. For 90% of sufferers, cluster headaches occur most commonly in spring and autumn.

Tension-Type Headaches

Tension-type headaches are most commonly felt in the back of the head and neck, as well as the forehead and temples. The pain is commonly experienced as tightness, contraction, pulling, pressure, a band around the head, or a sensation as if the head is in a vise.Tension-type headaches can be due to poor posture or work position, arthritis in the neck, eye strain or weakness, or misalignment of the jaw and teeth, but are also frequently associated with depression and anxiety. In fact, depression and anxiety are so often the underlying cause of chronic headaches that these conditions must be considered and ruled out when evaluating someone for chronic headaches.

Hormone or Menstrual Headaches

Seventy percent of women who suffer migraines will experience headaches before, during, or just after their period, or during ovulation in the middle of their menstrual cycle. Even women who do not suffer migraines may experience headaches just before their period as part of Premenstrual Syndrome, or PMS. Even when not migraines, these headaches can be very painful and troublesome. Fluctuations in the female hormone estrogen are believed to be the underlying cause of these headaches. Despite the hormonal nature of these headaches, they are very effectively treated by homeopathy.

Sinus Headaches

Sinus headaches typically produce deep and constant pain in the cheek bones, forehead, around the eyes, or at the bridge of the nose. They are often accompanied by other sinus symptoms, including nasal discharge, stoppage of the nose, fullness in the ears, facial swelling, sore throat, and fever. Sinus headaches are caused by allergies or infection. Homeopathy not only effectively treats sinus headaches, but also the underlying allergies or infection.

Consult with a naturopathic doctor to find out if homeopathy can work for you.