Splitting Headaches and Migraines - Cause & Cure

It was quite annoying every time my head would ache when I was little and it would only be on the right side of my forehead or sometimes the right side of the head. Over a period of time of course the head ache stopped and rarely ever occurred. However the headaches weren't as a repercussion to something I did like lack of sleep or food but it would come out in the open from nowhere. Today as I understand better it felt right to share the basics of how a headache originates and how we can prevent or cure it with food rather than the analgesics we are often prescribed.


Is Headache = Brain ache ? - No. The brain cannot ache because it does not have pain receptors but the surrounding of the brain like meninges, neck muscles, nerves in the neck, etc can cause the headache to occur as the receptors in these regions called "Nociceptors". Several areas of the head and neck have these pain-sensitive structures, which are divided in two categories such as within the cranium - area of skull that houses the brain part, (blood vessels,meninges, and the cranial nerves) and outside the cranium (the periosteum of the skull,muscles, nerves, arteries and veins, subcutaneous tissues, eyes, ears, sinuses and mucous membranes). 

Types of headaches & Causes - Headaches occur in different regions of the head & neck. Cluster headaches, Migraines, Tension, Sinus are the classification based on the region of the headache. The International Headache Society classifies the headaches as primary headaches which include  migraines, tension-types headaches, cluster headache and other trigeminal (cranial nerve) autonomic cephalalgias. Headaches due to stabbing, cough, exertion and sexual activity are classified as primary headaches. The secondary headaches are those caused by an underlying problem like injury or trauma to head or neck, intracranial hematoma, intracranial fluid imbalance, hemorrhage, post head surgery, stroke, transient ischemic attack (mini stroke), vascular disorders, cerebral venous thrombosis. Some other secondary headaches are due to intracranial disorders that are not vascular like low or high pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid pressure, non-infectious inflammatory disease, intracranial neoplasm, epileptic seizure or other types of disorders or diseases that are intracranial but that are not associated with the vasculature of the central nervous system. Headaches caused by dialysis, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, and cephalalgia and even fasting are considered secondary headaches. Headache are mainly caused due to traction or irritation of the meninges and blood vessels. The nociceptors in the surrounding area of brain may also be stimulated by other factors than head trauma or tumors and cause headaches. Some of these include stress, dilated blood vessels and muscular tension. Once stimulated, a nociceptor sends a message up the length of the nerve fiber to the nerve cells in the brain, signaling that a part of the body hurts. 


What happens next ? - Endorphin the happiness hormone plays a key role in the headache or rather preventing it. It has been noted through studies that those who have consistent high levels of endorphin in their blood have lesser occurance of headache than those with lower endorphins. People who suffer from chronic headaches or severe headaches have lower levels of endorphins compared to people who do not complain of headaches. The underlying cause and physiology of primary headaches are very vague and yet widely understood like those of migraines which is characterized by pulsating pain on one side of the head with a visual disturbance, nausea, and sense of smell this is known as the 'Aura', however some people who have migraine do not experience aura while the headache persists. It is also thought that the migraine is a result of the rebound to dilatation of the blood vessel. Many headaches that are primary in nature are caused as a result of blood vessel dilatation or sudden imbalance in the blood flow to the head region. 


Saving a Headache / Migraine - Natural remedies work as well as analgesics for headaches. The best known headache prevention is ample of fluids & exercise regularly. Migraines have to be treated with more regularity than when they inflict themselves on us. The vasodilation that enlarges the blood vessels in the head region stimulates the nerve endings surrounding the brain which in turn stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. Sympathetic nervous system stimulation causes stress and pain which is due to the response to flight, fight and fright. This gives sensitivity ot light and sound, slows gastric emptying into the intestine, slows the blood circulation. The best thing to do for treating a migraine is to devoid the body of any stimulant such as sound, light, caffeine, smoking, nicotine substance, spices, herbs that stimulate senses of smell and taste. Grape juice is a very good cure for migraine as well as beetroot juice mixed in cucumber juice and carrot juice, spinach and carrot juice of equal quantity mixed together helps curing it too. Lemon crust paste applied to the forehead during the headache helps ease it as well. Condiments, sauces and gravies should be avoided. Sleep and regular fluid intake of cold water helps quicker. Similarly for a tension type or cluster headache sleep without any stimulation to the nervous system like sound and light with plenty of plain cold water or vegetables juices gives instant relief. Secondary headaches need to be treated differently as their main cause should be treated first to get rid of the headache. 


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