Digest Number 1624

[Guest guest]

Hi A.

 

thank you very much for your detailed reply...

 

I used to have a lot more headaches until I went to the eye doctor and

discovered I needed glasses. I have trouble using them for walking around (I

feel I can't see very well with them on), but I always use them for reading and

studying now. The headaches defintely decreased.I really don't think I have

migraine headaches because they are not daily, but come only a few times a few,

but may last from a few hours to 2 days...

 

In regards to caffeine I drink perhaps 4-5 cups a week..Other than that I drink

green tea and herbal teas and take ginseng and ginko. But sometimes I just have

to have tea because I am too tired otherwise...WOuld you have any ideas about

how to get more energy which caffeine provides from herbs?There was a point when

I quite all caffeine for a long time, but I was always tired and had to take a

nap in the daytime..whats the best alternative to caffeine? In addition, I

found that chocolate really helps my headache, is this really an illusion? Is

it really hurting me?

 

The main problem, is that I am studying in Cairo, Egypt. Which is not known for

its clean environment. Daily I must breath in tons of lead, and other unknown

pollutants. I try to escape once in a while to the clean desert, and usually I

experience an increase in energy and my headaches go away. I think the headaches

and other problems are caused by too juch studying, and by living in a such a

polluted environment. So, do you think magnesium would help? unfortunately, the

doctors here don't know anything about allergy tests or anything like that. They

just love to prescribe loads of awful chemical drugs and hope one of them works.

So basically I have to cure myself..I'll try some of your recommendations (I

just hope I can find magnesium and other stuff like that in Egypt) and hope

they'll work.

 

thanks very much,

 

Rose

 

 

 

Message: 19

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 21:28:04 -0000

" bronte_bell " <bellbronte

Re: natural cures for headaches

 

 

 

 

Hi Rose,

 

Your headaches sound alot like the ones I used to experience. " Push

at my skull, like it's going to burst " is a pretty good description

of the agony I used to be in.

 

Much as I hate to admit it, I think one thing that has helped me was

giving up caffeine. I don't think I drank that much to begin with

(3 to 4 cups a day; usually tea, sometimes coffee), but still, that

was dumping alot of caffeine in my system. I GRADUALLY weaned

myself off--two cups, one cup, half a cup, none--over a coupla

weeks. And while I STILL miss my tea (because decaffeinated tea

teas are SOOO not the same), if that has indeed cured my headaches,

well, I've go without my beloved teas (and chocolate / cocoa too).

 

'Course, you could be sitting there reading this thinking " But I

don't drink caffeine! " : ) Well, there may be hope yet. : )

 

Another thing I'd look into--getting tested for allergies. Treating

my allergies has probably also helped my headaches a great deal.

It'll take awhile, but I think over time it really helps.

 

I always *thought* I was allergic to a coupla things (Ragweed

usually killed me in the fall; when my friend's cat would come in

the house, I'd be reaching for an anti-histamine, etc.), but turns

out, allergy tests revealed I was actually allergic to quite alot--

weeds, trees, grasses, horses, cows, chemicals, etc., etc. I also

had food allergies--to corn and soy. I went with traditional

immunotherapy (I give myself shots every week), but there are ways

to combat allergies naturally.

 

Of course, probably the biggest change was simply trying to avoid

corn and soy in my diet! Corn and / or soy are practically in

EVERYTHING!! I haven't gone 'cold turkey' (ex. the bread I eat has

both ingredients), but I've tried to avoid it wherever possible.

(Ex. giving up popcorn, my Mother's vegetable soup; buying juice and

jellies that don't have corn syrup; swapping from flavored yogurt to

plain; avoiding corn and soy in my vitamins, etc., etc.)

 

I think the allergy route has helped because while I have fewer

headaches, I almost certainly have a dull version of my old

headaches the day after a shot.

 

Also, along those same lines: sinus problems might be something to

consider. They recently had a study that what most people thought

was a migraine was actually a sinus headache.

 

It might be a good idea to go to an ENT specialist (ear, nose, and

throat doctor: an otolaryngologist [sp?]) and describe your

headaches. I'd make sure they also do allergy testing (Before

setting up an appt., ask if they also do allergy testing.)

 

I have long-standing sinus problems, so I just went back to my ENT

for allergy testing. In some respects, an allergy doc is probably

the best way to go for allergy testing, but if you in any way

suspect / wanna investigate sinus problems, see an ENT doc.

 

 

Other ideas....

 

You might glance over a list of foods that trigger / are commonly

associated with migraines. You never know--a food you eat alot of

could be on that list. You could then do trial eliminations for

anything you suspect.

 

Try to stick to a regular sleeping and eating schedule. I know that

must be next to impossible in grad school, but I think that might

help. A regular schedule is something that has probably helped me

out alot. Ex.--I know if I wait too long to eat, I'm definitely

gonna pay for it (Hello! Headache).

 

Have your eyes tested. No doubt you're using your eyes an awful

lot; just might make sense to make sure that's not part of the

problem.

 

Wear sunglasses outside. My eye doctor noticed that I have larger

than normal pupils--something he has seen associated with

migraines. Regardless of pupil size, I think the sunglasses bit is

probably a good general recommendation for migraine sufferers. (I

don't think it can hurt anyway).

 

Supplements:

I agree with Beverly. I've seen alot of references to magnesium

benefiting headache sufferers. It's a supplement I take. I take

magnesium glycinate; it's supposed to not have the laxative effect

that other forms of magnesium--such as magnesium oxide--have.

 

Magnesium supplements should probably be combined with a calcium

supplement--especially if you don't eat alot of dairy foods.

 

Of course, a general high-quality multi-vitamin is a good idea, and

I'd recommend adding a B-complex supplement to that. The B-vtamins

help the body deal with stress; might help if your headaches are in

any way tension related.

 

Here are a coupla other links that might give you a few additional

ideas.

 

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/hc/resourceareas_view/0,1438,492,00.html

 

http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA3835/

(Dr. Weil has alot on his site about migraines / headaches; just do

a search on his site for both of these.)

 

http://headaches.about.com/od/triggers/

 

 

Best of luck. I know these headaches are awful, but hopefully,

you'll find something that works.

 

Regards,

 

A.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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