Monday, February 6, 2012

How to Massage Migraine Headaches

Massage, a common method of relieving migraine headaches, can be done by a professional - or you can do it yourself using this technique.

A light massage combined with migraine pressure points will give you the greatest relief. You need only a few simple points about how to massage a migraine headache.

Migraine

Migraine Pressure Point Defined

It is important to learn the migraine pressure point or points that bring relief. A migraine pressure point is a point on your body that, when pressed, will lessen the pain in your head. Surprisingly, a migraine pressure point is not necessarily the point that hurts most.

A migraine pressure point may be pressed and released in slow, rhythmical fashion, and deliberately massaged to gain relief. This will release congested energy and blood from the head and ease your pain.

Migraine Pressure Point Technique

You will be treating each migraine pressure point with these simple steps.

* Use only the pads of your thumbs or first two fingers - never the ends.

* Keep the pressure light to moderate, depending on how sensitive the point is to your touch.

* Press hard enough so you can feel hardness or tension under your thumb or fingers.

* If a migraine pressure point hurts so much that you can't take a deep breath, apply less pressure on that point.

* Let your fingers sink into the migraine pressure point as you apply pressure gradually. Feel your thumb or finger going gently, gradually deeper and deeper.

* While your thumb or finger is as deep as you want to go, massage the point with tiny, circular movements of your finger.

* Keep your thumb or finger on the migraine pressure point until you feel a movement or change there. It may feel softer or warmer.

* Now slowly, gradually release the migraine pressure point until your thumb or finger leaves the skin.

* Repeat several times at same point.

Migraine Pressure Point Locations

Remember to be firm, but gentle. Insufficient pressure on a migraine pressure point will not be effective - too much pressure will create tension in your surrounding muscles.

Here are a few migraine pressure point locations to get you started. Start with the first, and work your way through each point, consciously relaxing as you do so.

1. Migraine Pressure Point at Base of Skull

Locate the bony base of your skull in back. Place your thumb pads under the skull's base, each thumb about 1 inch from your spinal column. Holding your thumbs against the two points, tilt your head back slightly. Now press upward gradually, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions of the thumbs, still holding the pressure. When you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 again. Repeat 5 times.

2. Migraine Pressure Point at Mid-Forehead

This migraine pressure point is located at the middle of your forehead, right between your eyebrows. Using the migraine pressure point technique described above, and your thumbs or one of the first two fingers, press inward gradually, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 as you do so. Repeat 10 times.

3. Migraine Pressure Point at Eye Corners

Feel the face at the outer corners of your eyes. Move your fingers away from the eyes until you find the spots just behind the bone. Using the migraine pressure point technique and one or two finger pads, apply pressure gradually inward, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 as you do so. Repeat 10 times.

4. Migraine Pressure Point on Hand

Surprisingly, you have a migraine pressure point on each hand. It's the fleshy part between your thumb and index finger. Using the thumb pad and index finger of your opposite hand, gradually squeeze the upper portion of this migraine pressure point, counting to 10 and breathing deeply. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 as you do so. Repeat 10 times.

5. Migraine Pressure Point on Foot

The last point you will use to massage migraine headaches away is located on the top of each foot. Locate the place where the bones come together between your big toe and your second toe. With thumb or finger pads, press downward gradually, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 again. Repeat 10 times.

Different bodies respond differently to pressure points. These should work for you. If you want information on additional migraine pressure points, ask a local shiatsu professional. A professional will also be able to give you a complete treatment for relief or prevention of migraine headaches.

How to Massage Migraine Headaches

Migraine

3 Natural Cures For A Migraine Headache

Only a migraine sufferer understands the pain. Regardless of how the migraine starts the end result is the same - excruciating pain that renders you helpless. Walking hurts, breathing hurts. Even thinking hurts.

People often discount migraines without any true understanding of the suffering a migraine can inflict. They treat migraine sufferers like hypochondriacs or drama queens. This is simply not so. There are any number of painkillers and pills available to help curb the pain. The issue here is that many of these painkillers require repeat prescriptions and involve an ongoing cost. The other side effect of many of the prescribed medicines is that they can help with the pain of the migraine headache itself but tend to have a "knockout" effect on the sufferer.

Migraine

Most migraine sufferers will be familiar with the "where did the day go?" effect of many of the stronger painkillers. There are natural remedies to the migraine plague. They're simple and cheap (if not free). None of these are to replace prescribed medication but can be used in conjunction with your medication to bring relief about faster. They also complement each other.

Dark Room

If you suffer from migraine headaches and an attack begins then find the quietest, darkest spot in your home and lay down there. The area or should also be relatively warm to allow you to relax faster. Your eyes should remain covered but open. This usually means using some sort of blindfold but a scarf, long handkerchief or other material works just fine. Keep your eyes open as much as possible because experience has shown that shutting your eyes to try and cope with the pain uses extra facial and jaw muscles that can just increase the problem and not cure it.

If an attack has already begun then follow the same routine and take whatever prescribed medication you have.

Relaxed Breathing

A migraine attack generally brings on a sort of anxiety attack in the sufferer. They know how much it's going to hurt so their heart rate increases. This increase in blood flow makes the problem worse. Once you've retreated to the quiet, dark area and covered your eyes from any possible stimuli then breathing is the next area to focus on. You must let your breathing relax. Panicked breathing will increase the pain you're already experiencing.

To allow your breathing to relax follow these steps:

1. Take a long slow deep breath and exhale equally slowly.

2. Again take a long, slow deep breath. As you're slowly inhaling focus on the sensation of the air filling your lungs. Feel the air filling your body. Once you've inhaled as much as is comfortable again exhale slowly. As you're exhaling focus on the sensation of the air leaving your lungs and escaping through your mouth. Breathe out completely.

3. Repeat the process of inhaling slowly, focusing on the sensation of the air filling your lungs and exhaling slowly 4 or 5 more times.

4. By the fourth repetition you should notice that your breathing is far more relaxed and calm. Your heart rate should now also have lowered back to a resting rate and you may even feel slightly sleepy. If so embrace that feeling and allow yourself to fall asleep.

Lavender Oil

This is the final step in the process. Lavender oil is renowned for its medicinal properties and this is doubly so for migraine headaches. Lavender oil is cheap and completely safe to use. Only use pure Lavender oil for treating migraines - lavender scented fragrances or scented oils are useless. It must be the purest lavender oil you can find.

If you feel a migraine attack coming then grab your lavender oil. Place a single drop of pure, undiluted lavender oil on each temple or behind each ear. Also place 2 or 3 drops of undiluted lavender oil on the pillow you're going to rest on.

Combined with a quiet, dark room and the deep breathing technique the lavender oil provides that final "punch" in the natural treatments. The scent of the oil will relax you and simply inhaling lavender infused air helps to ease the pain of a migraine almost immediately.

3 Natural Cures For A Migraine Headache

Migraine

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Ophthalmic Migraine - What Causes These? How to Handle Your Migraine in an Easy and Fast Way

Ophthalmic migraine is the migraine that involves the eyes but there is no headache. Light flashes may look like jagged lines/ heat waves either in 1 or may be both eyes and may last up to 10-20 min without a headache. It is an eye migraine producing visual symptoms with/ without headache. It has been associated with some changes happening in blood circulation of brain.

Accurate diagnosis require identifying specific causes of visual symptoms that needs to rule out possibility of other disease/ disorders producing similar kind of symptoms. Common triggers causing ophthalmic migraine is temporary contraction or seizure of blood vessels that are located behind eyes. Hormonal changes, food chemicals, medication and flashing lights could be other causes of ophthalmic migraine.

Migraine

Visual changes like small blind spot/ shimmering/ zigzag lights that last for 20-30 min can be noticed. And you may feel pain in one eye. Pain is usually experienced behind eye and maybe because of poor blood circulation to eye that is caused by vasospasm. It is constriction of blood vessels or poor blood circulation in brain that causes it.

It can be diagnosed using fundoscope by doctor to get accurate diagnosis. This device indicates reduction in the flow of blood to eyes.

Ophthalmic migraines are certainly frightening and occur without any warning. It is not necessary to feel typical pain that accompanies traditional migraine. These are accompanied by halos, flashing lights, rainbows or even other scary optical effects. Main causes of this type of migraines are

- Stress is a major cause of this type of migraine, so learn to relax your mind.
- Menstruation period or right before menstruation, this type of migraine may get triggered.
- Hunger may act as trigger to this kind of migraine. Ensure eating regular and healthy meal to ward off this aspect.
- Alcohol may raise frequency of this kind of migraine so it is better to avoid drinking.
- Caffeine must be avoided especially if they are highly sweetened. Caffeine present in coffee may cause severe migraines of this kind.

There is no or very little treatment available for ophthalmic migraines as they are not very clearly understood. Symptoms are mild, painless and don't last long. As symptoms don't state an eye disease, eye doctor may not be able to treat properly. But if face them frequently, you may consult the physician and start medication.

Best treatment indicated so far is to be still and stay like that until symptoms passes. Vision disturbance caused is real and may cause temporary blindness so in case of driving, it would be imperative to stop and you may continue once migraine gets passed. Some people complain of lingering affect and must consult doctor as well as eye doctor. Symptoms of migraine are frightening, but it is not a serious condition. It may help to note your action before onset of migraine. It may help in figuring out if any particular food/ beverage/stress are triggering it.

Ophthalmic Migraine - What Causes These? How to Handle Your Migraine in an Easy and Fast Way

Migraine

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Frequent Migraine Triggers

Migraines are headaches that are acquired by a decreased claret breeze to the academician and added burden on the claret vessels. They are generally preceded by an "aura," or a faculty that the cephalalgia is advancing on. Some bodies additionally acquaintance beheld changes above-mentioned to the headache. These headaches generally are accompanied by a faculty of abhorrence and occasionally vomiting. best sufferers feel bigger lying still in a dark, quiet room. Although the exact apparatus of cephalalgia headaches is not yet known, migraines are generally triggered by accurate affairs factors, including diet, ambiance (indoor and outdoor), medications, beddy-bye habits, and hormonal changes. Try to accumulate a account of your headaches compared to your lifestyle, and attending for a arrangement to anticipate your own accurate triggers. Knowing what to abstain can change your arrangement of attacks. The triggers listed actuality are the best common ones that cephalalgia sufferers should pay absorption to.

Food Triggers

Migraine

o Chocolate

o Citrus fruits

o Tomatoes

o Preserved meats

o Dairy products

o Nuts

o Coffee

o Red wine

o Alcohol

o Sulfites

o Preservatives/flavor enhancers/MSG

o Salt

o Olive Oil

o Coconut and attic oil (includes beige lotions)

o Aspartame

Environmental Triggers

o Glare

o Loud or repetitive noise

o Strong odors (perfume)

o Certain acclimate conditions, such as dry apprehension or heat

o Changes in the weather

o Altitude changes

o Chemicals such as insecticides

o Air pollution

o Second duke smoke

o Fluorescent lighting

o Flickering lights (computer monitors)

Physiological Triggers

o Stress

o Exercise

o Hormonal changes

o Birth ascendancy pills

o Too abundant or too little sleep

o Medicines such as antihistamines, aspirin, or diuretics

o Hypoglycemia and missing meals

Frequent Migraine Triggers

Migraine

Monday, December 12, 2011

Migraine Treatments At Home - Tips And Techniques

Getting abatement from cephalalgia attacks

Many bodies from America and added places are sufferers of migraine, which is astute cephalalgia occurring on one ancillary of the arch or both, which generally after-effects from the eye. This ache causes disability, as the dead adventures abhorrence and airsickness as well. A being who has a cephalalgia advance aloof cannot abide with his accustomed life, and all schedules go haywire. But, there lies a home-made analysis for this disease.

Migraine

Homemade alleviative options for cephalalgia attacks

A acceptable analysis for cephalalgia attacks is authoritative use of a anhydrate which is frozen. For this, put baptize on a anhydrate and clasp it, again put it in the abysmal freezer for about bristles minutes. afterwards that, aloof acclaim allay it over the eyes and the head, which will accommodate absolutely some abatement from the pain. Massaging is addition treatment. This can be done by massaging the forehead as additionally your attic by switching amid fingers.

Yet addition alleviative advantage is the balm therapy, admitting the aftereffect of this cannot be apparent in all the sufferers of cephalalgia attacks. The astute affliction can be adequate by application scents and oil, like that of peppermint and lavender, which are actual helpful.

Ginger possesses backdrop which are anti-inflammatory, so this counts for addition analysis option. amber helps in able claret circulation, appropriately absolution tension. The anatomy of amber to be acclimated can be adapted ginger, or amber powder.

If you are adversity from cephalalgia attack, accomplish abiding you alcohol acceptable water. At times, clearing attacks are a account of aridity as well, so accomplish abiding that you absorb a minimum of eight baptize glasses per day.

Remember what triggers the attack. Few bodies acquaintance cephalalgia attacks afterwards accepting eaten a accustomed food, and for others, accent is a account as well. You can ascendancy cephalalgia attacks by advancement a account recording what you eat, what you do etc. so that by anecdotic the trigger, you can abstain accomplishing those activities which account the attack.

However, these bootleg treatments for preventing cephalalgia advance are additionally abased on the acuteness and the attributes of the attack. It is recommended that you argue your bounded physician if the Above-mentioned treatments abort to assignment to your benefit. Still, if there is a slight advance in your attacks as a aftereffect of afterward the accustomed techniques, again you can actual able-bodied alter the affairs of castigation for a abundant bigger result.

Migraine Treatments At Home - Tips And Techniques

Migraine

Thursday, December 8, 2011

10 Tips To Reduce Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches charge be one of the best debilitating illnesses on earth. If you are a dead you will apperceive what I mean. The abundance and severity can alter from actuality to actuality but abounding bodies still apart 2 or 3 canicule a ages to migraine. Yes, that is absent money in your pay cheque or absent affection leisure time with ancestors and friends.

That acute anguish affliction usually at one ancillary of your arch and generally accompanied by abhorrence and/or airsickness absolutely knocks abounding bodies of their feet. The advantageous ones may get some admonishing a few canicule afore such as cravings for assertive foods like sweets and amber or accepted lethargy. In such cases if you can recognise these admonishing signs it may be accessible to annihilate the account or alpha analysis afore the onset. added bodies will accept what is accepted as an "aura" for a abbreviate time afore the cephalalgia bliss in. The best accepted affection of the "aura" are aflame lights in advanced of your eyes or zig zag curve abolition your vision. added advancing affection which can action are asleep bottomward the ancillary which is accomplished my the cephalalgia or accent difficulties i.e. slurring etc.

Migraine

There are abounding triggers which can accompany on an attack. In this day and age apparently the best accepted account is accent in the assignment place, the activity of actuality consistently placed beneath burden can account abundant all-overs appropriately fuelling the migraine.

Certain foods may additionally be to accusation such as cheese, chocolate, booze - red wine in particular, and candy or canned foods which generally accommodate monosodium glutamate. On the added duke abridgement of aliment can additionally act as a trigger.

Strong smells such as perfume, paint, dried smoke or actuality in a airless atmosphere generally contribute.

To be accurate it takes added than one of these factors to activate an advance and the aggregate is altered to anniversary individual.

Before you can anticipate about how to accouterment the symptoms, anticipate or abate the severity of attacks it is important that you assignment out what the aggregate of factors is that may accompany on the headache. Try befitting a account of foods consumed, dates aback you acquainted beneath added stress, and so on to gradually anatomy a account or arrangement of contest arch up to attacks.

For women (who incidentally are added acceptable to ache from migraines than men) it is important to accumulate clue of your account cycles as hormonal changes in the anatomy afore and during your account aeon are generally the trigger. The contraceptive bolus and hormone backup analysis can additionally sometimes access the accident of migraine.

So, you accept accustomed the account what do you do now?

There are a abundant abounding "over the counter" drugs advised to abate the symptoms, both affliction and nausea, about in bisect attacks these may not be enough. Prescription drugs from a doctor may be added able and can usually be tailored added to clothing individuals.

However, lots of sufferers these canicule would rather not booty drugs but rather try added methods usually aimed added at blockage rather than cure.

There are a few things you can try. Here are some examples:-

1. Try altered methods of alleviation for instance; yoga or meditation, activity forth to one of these classes may about-face out to be fun! Alternatively you can advise yourself these techniques application books or DVDs

2. Ensure you get abundant beddy-bye best bodies charge amid 7 and 9 hours per night.

3. booty some anatomy of exercise for archetype walking or pond - annihilation too boundless because too abundant action can accompany on a migraine!

4. Set abreast at atomic one hour a day aloof to do article you adore which will relax you such as account a book, watch your favourite television show, do some agronomical - beginning air can assignment wonders afterwards a day at the office!!

5. annihilate foods from your diet absolutely which you accept accustomed act as triggers for the headaches. accept some fun aggravating out recipes application alternatives.

6. A affable beating can be actual able and added added another treatments arise to admonition in some cases such as acupuncture.

7. If you accept an advance try lying in a blurred allowance and abode an ice backpack at the aback of your close - for others a hot baptize canteen may be added effective.

8. Apply affable burden to the aching areas of your arch and if accessible sleep.

9. There are herbal medicines that can be taken as bactericide measures such as feverfew and butterbur or supplements absolute magnesium and vitamin B2. If you doubtable or are abundant or breast agriculture do not use any of these items after able advice.

10. The best important affair to bethink aback aggravating to anticipate or abate cephalalgia attacks is to annihilate one or added of the accessory factors - the triggers.

10 Tips To Reduce Migraine Headaches

Migraine

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

How To Stop a Migraine Fast

Ways to stop a cephalalgia fast

1. If migraines tend to appear at atomic two times a month, ask your doctor to appoint a bactericide cephalalgia medication. This medication can be taken daily, or aloof above-mentioned to accepted stimuli, such as menstruation in women. There is no charge to ache through the affliction of a migraine.

Migraine

2. booty an over-the-counter affliction analgesic appropriate away. Ibuprofen and aspirin will allay a balmy migraine. Excedrin has been begin accessible due to a aggregate of acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine.

3. bethink to accumulate yourself hydrated by bubbler affluence of fluids. This is abnormally accurate if you accept been nauseated and vomiting.

4. ablaze can generally activate or aggravate an advancing migraine, so try comatose agilely in a aphotic room. beddy-bye can be beneficial; however, too abundant beddy-bye can accomplish a cephalalgia worse.

5. Try some alleviation techniques, maybe brainwork or yoga. Getting a beating can be helpful, too. Practice deep, steady, abstracted breathing.

6. algid and/or hot analysis is accessible in alive how to stop a cephalalgia fast. An ice backpack can be acclimated for algid therapy. For hot therapy, use a hot washcloth and acquiesce it to air-conditioned on your arch or face. The hot packs with buckwheat kernels are accessible for this blazon of treatment, too. Over-the-counter articles can affluence symptoms. Some to try are: Head-On, Icy Hot and Mentholatum. A hot battery or sitting in a bath with beef can additionally help.

7. Alternative treatments such as biofeedback and acupuncture accept been apparent to advice anticipate or abate cephalalgia pain.

8. This aftermost advancement on how to stop a cephalalgia fast involves the use of herbs such as feverfew and butterbur, alone if you are not pregnant. Riboflavin, CoenzymeQ10 and magnesium are accessible in abating cephalalgia auras and cephalalgia onset. Health food will accept homeopathic combinations. aloof bethink to analysis with your doctor or pharmacist afore application herbs. This will anticipate any interactions with prescriptions you may currently be taking.

How To Stop a Migraine Fast

Migraine