Almost everyone these days is familiar with headaches. The throbbing pain that invades your headspace when you are in the middle of your meeting or work   where you need to focus. It is unforgiving and a big nuisance.

Mostly common conditions like fatigue, lack of sleep, stress, sinus and migraine cause pain in the head. But recent studies show that high blood pressure, or what is commonly known as hypertension, may also lead to severe headaches. Most of the time high blood pressure do not exhibit any symptoms and hence is referred to as  the silent killer . More often than not people do not even realize how a mild headache can be a result of hypertension.

The Link between Hypertension and Headaches
Hypertension or high blood pressure usually occurs when the force of the blood flow in the arteries increase. A headache resulting from high blood pressure usually affects both sides of the head, particularly the temple regions. One major and common cause of high blood pressure is stress. Although people may not be able to find a relationship between the two, one may experience mild but steady pain throughout the head particularly in the forehead or at the back of the head. 

In high blood pressure, a palpitating sensation in the temple region often accompanies the sensation of pain in the head. Pain in the temple region is usually accompanied by mild headaches for which you should seek medical attention. Hypertensive emergency is normally considered when the blood pressure reaches above 180/110. Besides headaches, high blood pressure can also take a serious toll on your health leading to stroke or heart attack, if not treated on time.

There are three types of hypertension conditions that are followed by mild to severe headaches:

Malignant Hypertension- Sudden or rapid increase in blood pressure causes malignant hypertension, which requires medical attention. This is more common among young adults and women with pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension- This condition is characterized by increased blood pressure around the brain and is commonly diagnosed with symptoms like vision problems, shoulder pain, thumping noise in the ears, nausea, and severe headaches almost every day.
Hypertensive Encephalopathy- An extreme version of elevated blood pressure, can cause swelling in the brain, severe headaches that may worsen, nausea, dizziness, seizures and even coma.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can be deadly, and is more common among smokers and older people. The condition can be controlled by adopting certain dietary measures- diet rich in vegetables and fruits, but low in fat, salt, sugary and sweetened beverages, and red meat. However, with proper medications and a balanced diet, one may be able to keep their blood pressure in check. Once the blood pressure normalizes, the headache also disappears in no time.

High Blood Pressure And Headache - Is There A Relationship?

One of the main reasons of a severe headache is a prolonged toothache. Toothaches are extremely painful and can prevent you from enjoying your food. It becomes difficult to speak if toothache is unbearable.

Causes of Toothache:

Tooth decay.

Tooth fracture resulting from an accident.

A painful infection at the root of your teeth or your gums. This is known as tooth abscess.

Chewing gum continuously and grinding the teeth.

How does toothache cause headache?

Sometimes, a tooth becomes very inflamed and since the nerve endings are connected to the brain, this, in turn makes the pain travel to different parts of your head. Generally, people with bad cavities or caries have major headaches and migraines.

The inside of a tooth consists of a pulp. This pulp can get infected. If this tooth happens to lie in the upper jaw, then the pain is transferred to the head which can cause a severe headache.

Headaches can also be caused by TMJD (Temporomandibular joint dysfunction). This usually occurs spreading from the face, jawline and neck right up to the head. In extreme cases, the jaws might be locked up and it makes clicking or grinding noises. Misalignment of the teeth can be a cause by TMJD which in turn affects the head greatly.

Treatments:

If you are detected with TMJD, your jaws need to be healed, first thing you should do is to visit an expert dentist in order to get the underlying cause of toothache treated. It is always recommended to get a proper treatment started, do not emphasize the use of self-medications.
If the headache persists due to toothache, it is advisable to take a painkiller as prescribed by your dentist.
Use an ice pack or a towel dipped in cold icy water, and hold it against the area of toothache. Do not put ice directly on your tooth as it might increase the pain ten folds due to tooth sensitivity.
You can also apply numbing gel so that your tooth stops hurting. This in turn, will make your headache reduce.
Toothache is also caused by small amounts of food which get stuck inside your teeth or between your gums, so it is necessary to clean your teeth thoroughly and floss it regularly to avoid toothache.
Avoid chocolates and sweets. If you still get a cavity, you should visit your dentist immediately.
Dental abscess also causes headache. In this situation, a root canal treatment is recommended.

How Toothache And Headache Are Related?

Headaches are one of the most common symptoms experienced by most people. While a headache is not a disease per se, it is a manifestation of some underlying disease and can affect the quality of life. The underlying cause could range from something as innocuous as a hunger headache to a slightly more severe one like migraines to underlying neurological and vascular conditions like temporal arteritis. Common forms including a sinus headache, tension headache, cluster headaches, and migraines.

Ayurveda believes that the body goes through disease if there is an imbalance in one of the key components of the body, Vata, pitta, and Kapha. Restoring the balance will take care of not just the symptom but restore overall body health. Relief, therefore, is longer lasting with Ayurvedic solutions. Depending on the type of a headache, the imbalance varies, and treatment would differ and is aimed at restoring the lost balance.

Massage: Using natural oils like peppermint oil, lavender oil, or castor oil to massage the forehead or the temples can produce great relief. This also causes improved circulation and nerve stimulation, leading to pain relief.

Add substances that produce cold like khus khus, buttermilk, ghee, and coconut water. Try castol oil and shikakai for hair wash and see a headache vanish.
A mixture of green tea with a lemon squeezed in is one of the quickest reliever for a headache.
A paste or lemon rind that is applied externally on the forehead and temples also provides relief from a headache and a soothing effect for the affected individual.
A paste of cinnamon mixed with any essential oil or plain water can also be applied on the forehead and/or temple region for relief from the pain.
Watermelon juice with sugar reduces the heat produced by the body and relieves a headache.
Crush some ginger, add it to water, and bring it to a boil. This contains a lot of oils from the ginger, which is very soothing for the stomach. This has pain relieving properties and helps in relieving headaches.
A glass of warm water with honey in the morning on a daily basis takes care of chronic headaches. It is advisable to drink this on an empty stomach daily.
In addition to the above remedies to relieve the headache, the following measures should be followed for prevention and/or reducing the frequency of headaches.

Diet: Eating right by avoiding headache-inducing substances like cheese, chocolates, eggs, etc. On the other hand, going hungry can lead to hunger headaches.
Exercise: The neck, shoulders, and scalp should be eased frequently through regular exercise. This also improves blood flow, thereby reducing headaches.
Try these measures and see your headache disappear.

Recurrent Headache - How It Can Be Treated Through Ayurveda?

Headaches on their own are quite a pain, but headaches can also be a symptom of a more serious illness. Most headaches are caused by the disturbance of pain sensitive structures around the brain. This can be inside or outside the cranium. Headaches can be seen as a sign of stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, food allergies etc. Thus, it can be considered a warning that you need to change your lifestyle or diet and relax. Depending on what causes the headache, a number of homeopathic remedies can be used to treat it.

1. Aconite: this is effective if the headache comes on suddenly and is worsened by cold. Another symptom of headache, which can be effectively treated by aconite is the accompanying of the headache by the feeling of a tight band over the head.

2. Belladonna: a throbbing headache that is centered on the front or right side of the head can be treated with belladonna. This sort of headache is usually accompanied by shooting pains, dilated pupils and aggravated by the slightest movement, sound or draft of air. It is also usually worse in the afternoons.

3. Nux vomica: this is an effective cure for headaches caused by excessive alcohol or coffee, indigestion and hepatic insufficiency. It is usually centered over the eye and can persist all day or all night.

4. Cocculus: symptoms of headaches that can be treated with cocculus are first, pain that extends from the back of the head to the nape of the neck, motion sickness and a tendency to worsen by thinking too much. Such types of headaches improve when the patient is indoors and resting.

5. Sanguinaria: a headache, which begins at the back of the head and settles over the right eye can be treated with sanguinaria. These headaches usually start in the morning and intensify as the day progresses. It is often experienced by women who bleed excessively during menstruation. Lying down can relive this sort of headache.

6. Spigelia: a headache that settles over the left eye can be treated with spigelia. Such headaches usually begin in the morning, reach their peak in the afternoons and subside by the evenings. Noise, movement or a change in weather can aggravate such headaches.

7. Cimicifuga: headaches caused by fatigue and exhaustion can be treated using cimicifuga. This sort of pain is associated with sharp pains over the years and a shooting pain at the top of the head. You may feel like a bolt being driven through the head.

How Homeopathy Helps in Relieving Headache

Headache is a pain in any part of the head, including the scalp, upper neck, face (including the eye area).

A primary headache is caused by problems with or overactivity of pain-sensitive structures in your head. A primary headache isn't a symptom of an underlying disease.

What are the causes and triggers?

The three most common causes of a primary headache are:

Cluster headache
Tension-type headache
Migraine
Some primary headaches can be triggered by lifestyle factors, including:

Alcohol, particularly red wine
Certain foods, such as processed meats that contain nitrates
Changes in sleep or lack of sleep
Poor posture
Skipped meals
Stress
Doctors focus on determining whether a headache has another cause. They also check for symptoms suggesting that a headache is caused by a serious disorder. If no cause is identified, they focus on identifying which type of a headache is present.

Tips that could help before seeking consultation:

Try to keep stress in check. Stay organized and prepared to minimize stressful situations. Have some fun, and don't overdo it at work.
Try incorporating meditation or yoga in your daily regime
Apply a heating pad, hot water bottle or warm compress to aching muscles. Or take a hot shower.
Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the neck.
Practice good posture to ease muscle strain. While standing, keep shoulders back and head level, buttocks and abdomen pulled in. While sitting, keep your head straight and thighs parallel to the floor.
When to seek consultation?

In people with headaches, certain characteristics are cause for concern; these people should immediately seek medical consultation:

It occurs more frequently than usual
Are more severe than usual
Worsen or don't improve with appropriate use of over-the-counter drugs
Prevent you from working, sleeping or participating in normal activities
Headaches that cause you distress, and you would like to find treatment options that enable you to control them better
Tenderness at the temple (as when combing hair) or jaw pain when chewing
The presence of cancer or a disorder that weakens the immune system
Use of a drug that suppresses the immune system
Red eyes and halos seen around lights
If you are experiencing certain other symptoms like- headaches that increase in frequency or severity, headaches that begin after age 50, worsening vision, weight loss
A headache can be a symptom of a serious condition, such as a stroke, meningitis or encephalitis. Go to a hospital emergency room or your local emergency number if you have the worst headache of your life, a sudden, severe headache or a headache accompanied by:   

Confusion or trouble understanding speech
Fainting, drowsiness, confusion
High fever, greater than 102 f to 104 f (39 c to 40 c)
Numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of your body
Stiff neck
Trouble seeing, speaking or walking
Nausea or vomiting (if not clearly related to the flu or a hangover)
If people with none of the above symptoms or characteristics start having headaches that are different from any they have had before or if their usual headaches become unusually severe, they should call their doctor.

Doctors can usually determine the type or cause of headaches based on the medical history, symptoms, and results of a physical examination. Depending on their other symptoms, the doctor may advise taking an analgesic or ask them to come for an evaluation.

Headache - Certain facts one should know

Extreme and sudden changes in temperature as well as exposure to such conditions can harm the body and lead us to fall sick. One such condition caused by extreme temperatures is the heat headache, which is a result of prolonged heat exposure. When there is excessive heat, the body can end up reacting with heat strokes, dehydration and headaches, among many other conditions. Thankfully, a holistic approach like homeopathy has the exact solution for such kind of problem. Read on to know more!

Aconite: This medicine is most helpful when there has been direct exposure of the head to the heat. When there is direct exposure to the rays of the sun, the head may end up developing debilitating headaches, which can be treated with this medicine.
Carbo Veg: Along with heat headaches, the patients who will require this medicine will also have symptoms like flatulence and pain in the upper abdomen area. Also, the patient will have a constant need for air conditioning and cool breeze.
Glonine: This medicine is usually helpful when the patient has gone through a sun stroke. High temperature is one of the symptoms of this condition along with persistent heat headaches. Drowsiness will also be experienced by patients in such cases. This medicine mainly treats congestive headaches that have been caused due to a sun stroke.
Natrum Carb: This medicine is used for treating the symptoms of sun strokes that result in intense headaches caused due to exposure to extreme heat. Also, it is a good medicine to use when there is exhaustion and exposure to other chemicals like gas light.
Bryonia: When the patient is dehydrated and demands water constantly along with the heat headaches, one can use this medicine. The patient will require plenty of water and rest along with this medicine.
Belladona: This medicine can be prescribed for patients who are experiencing shooting pains on the intense and violent side in the head. These kinds of headaches also cause symptoms like cold feet and blood shot eyes. Belladona can be used to soothe these symptoms.
Antimonium Crud: The symptoms that this medicine can cure include abdomen pain, indigestion, aches and pains in the head   all of which are caused due to a sun stroke and heat headaches. When the heat headaches have been caused due to hot drinks and a hot bath, this medicine can be used for treatment of the same.
Lachesis: This medicine can be used for treating heat headaches that are accompanied by symptoms like faint headedness, dizzy spells as well as the inability to sleep. These symptoms are usually caused by a sun stroke.

Heat Headache - 8 Homeopathic Remedies For It!

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