Headaches

Headaches and allergy flair ups are a common part of having a robust spring season here in MN. The trees bloom quickly as soon as the weather turns and the wind picks up blowing dust which can irritate eyes and sensitive sinus cavities. Tips for preventing the one set of a headache by applying gentle pressure to the webbed part of the hand between the forefinger and the thumb.

A easy self remedy is the cold washrag placed on the forehead or over the eyes. A cool to cold compresses causes vasoconstriction (shrinkage of blood vessels) and gives immediate relief of inflammation which can be the cause of headache symptoms particularly swollen sinus membranes.

Inflammation is a reaction of the body to a perceived injury or condition where normal functions and systems are affected. The body is trying to bring us back to a state of "homeostasis" or normal function. However, sometimes because of age, abnormal health conditions such as poor circulation, the cure the body employs of increasing circulation to the injury site backfires and we get inflammation as the result. In this case, to much of a good thing becomes a bad thing. Now this can happen in various degrees from extreme cases such as water on the knee or swollen ankles to lesser degrees such as puffy eyes or even the occasional headache. I'm not discussing major inflammation such as from an accident or trauma, but rather normal "wear and tear" that occurs because we live and breathe and fight the effects of gravity all day.

Please use caution. DO NOT use ice or ice packs on sensitive tissue such as the eyes or at the base of the skull. Ice has the ability to damage tissue (frostbite) and should not be used in these areas of the head. Therefore, use only cold tap water on your compresses to reduce inflammation in these specific areas.

Massaging an area of inflammation also helps to reduce swelling. This breaks up the excess tissue and lets the body reabsorb it. Always work with the flow of circulation towards the heart. For headaches, gentle circular strokes are effective especially on the temples and even a slow gentle tug on the ears can be soothing.

Often, light can intensify sensitivity so a darken room (yes, like a massage room) can help speed up the effectiveness of the treatment. None of this is anything new to anyone. However, even though we know WHAT to do, we don't take the time to actually do it. The key to prevention is recognize the signs of a headache at onset and to address them immediately rather than to become one of the walking wounded.