Tension-type headaches are by far the most common

Although there really is no substitute for a skilled and experienced body worker, there are some things you can do to help yourself. The meat and potatoes Let's first talk about headaches in general. Headaches are one of the most common physical problems for humans with up to 90% of adults in the United States experiencing at least one each year. Headaches are only rarely an indication of a serious underlying disorder, but can still be quite a hardship and can lead to problems in work, social life, family, or even love life. Headaches can be classified into 4 categories: Tension, vascular, chemical, and traction-inflammatory. type of headache people experience (90% or more). They are triggered by muscular tension caused by emotional or physical stress, bony misalignments, TMJ disorders, and other musculoskeletal imbalances. Lots of people misconstrue a bad tension headache with migraines. Vascular headaches include the infamous migraine headache, cluster headaches, and possibly sinus headaches. About 1 in 20 headaches is in this category. Triggers include food or smell sensitivities, alcohol use, shifts due to menstrual cycle etc. They can even start as a tension headache and progress to a migraine. Chemical headaches are due to chemical disturbances, the most common due to dehydration, low blood sugar ("hunger headaches"), or hormone shifts, but can also be caused by medications such as painkillers or drugs like caffeine. Traction-inflammatory headaches are the rarest type of headache, and the most dangerous. Sometimes they are called "secondary headaches" because they are a secondary symptom caused by something else that is underlying such as a tumor, aneurysm, infection of the nervous system such as spinal meningitis, or even inflammation due to trauma like a car accident. Of the 4 types of headaches, tension headaches are really the only ones quickly addressed after the headache has already started. The vascular and chemical headaches can be addressed to some degree, especially if they start as a tension headache, but are usually treated on the preventative end of the spectrum. The traction-inflammatory types can be an indication of a serious or life threatening problem and should be under the care of a doctor or other licensed health care professional. So, what can you do about the first 3 types of headaches? The old headache "stand-by" is taking an over-the-counter drug. Those can do a lot for the average headache, but the drug has to be processed by the liver and kidneys and can have serious side effects, especially over time. According to www.painkillerawareness.org over 16,500 deaths in the U.S. are caused by kidney failure each year linked to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen. Tylenol can damage the liver and contribute to cirrhosis (fatty liver that can cause poor health or even death). Other drugs can be just as bad or worse and quite a bit more costly not to mention requiring expensive doctors' appointments to prescribe them. Instead of drugs, consider other methods of treatment such as massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, to name a few. I urge you to educate yourself and try alternative options. The benefits are vast as well as being enjoyable. Your body and mind will thank you--and spending time away from people in a dark room, hoping the pain will go away, will be a thing of the past. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8119024

Tension-type headaches are by far the most common

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