Headaches! From Tension Headaches To Migraines, You Don't Have To Suffer

At the end of each day I usually have a headache. It's from the stress of a deadline, or something needs to be done that I haven't had time to do, kids, another deadline, traffic, or just everyday life. For a lot of people tension headaches seem can be part of ongoing everyday life. You may have one right now and that's why you're reading this. There are a few simple things you can do to get through the day without a headache.

Many of us know the pain of a garden-variety tension or stress headache. It throbs; it's dull and comes on slowly. Eye strain from computer work, a meeting that went haywire, a demanding boss or a late bill charge can all cause tension headaches. A quick walk outside for a few deep breaths of fresh air, maybe an aspirin and you're good to go.

My tension headaches are always present a few days before a looming deadline and they don't let up until the project is over. My habit of a full pot of coffee, five or six diet sodas and a box of junior mints (a day!) during deadlines really had to stop or at least I needed to give thought to cutting back.

My case is extreme but if you do drink a lot of caffeinated beverages, the best thing to do is try to cut back. I have found that cutting back on the junior mints (hey, I had to start somewhere) along with an over the counter pain medication and alternating decaf and caffeinated beverages has helped enormously to lessen the frequency and the length of those pesky tension headaches. I'm still working on decreasing the coffee and sodas; baby steps.

But migraine headaches are another story. Migraine headaches are the black hole of headaches that suck all that is human out of you with pain that causes overwhelming nausea, intense sensitivity to light and a clenched grip around your head that feels like it's slowly and painfully splitting your skull into a thousand pieces.

Migraines can happen to anyone but studies show that more women than men suffer from them. Young girls reaching puberty have been reported to suffer from migraines as well as women going through menopause. Several studies suggest the reason for this is the hormonal fluctuation that women experience during the natural course of their biological lives.

Migraines do need medical attention however, because sometimes they can be a symptom of a more serious medical condition. There are numerous medications that help tremendously which your doctor may prescribe to help bring your migraines under control. Along with medication, eating right, and exercise, your migraines may be few and far between. If a headache of any type lasts longer than 48 hours it's wise to seek medical attention.