Headache is such a common complaint that can occur for so many different reasons that its proper evaluation may be difficult. The intensity, quality and site of pain — and especially the duration of the headache and the pressure of associated neurologic symptoms — may provide clues to the underlying cause. The onset of severe headache in a previously healthy patient is more likely than chronic headache to relate to an intracranial disorder such as subarachnoid haemorrhage or meningitis.
Headaches that disturb sleep, exertional headache and late-onset paroxysmal headaches are also suggestive of an underlying structural lesion, as all headaches accompanied by neurologic symptoms such as drowsiness, visual or limb problems, seizures oraltered mental status. Chronic headaches are commonly due to migraine, tension or depression, but they may be related to intracranial lesions, head injury, cervical spondylosis, dental or ocular disease, temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction, sinusitis, hypertension, and a wide variety of general medical disorders.
Tension headache: Patients frequently complain of poor concentration and other vague non-specific symptoms, in addition to constant daily headaches that are often vice-like or tight in quality and may be exacerbated by emotional stress, fatigue, noise or glare. The headaches are usually generalised; may be most intense about the neck or both of the head.
Depression headache: Such headaches are frequently worse on arising in the morning and may be accompanied by other symptoms of depression. These are associated occasionally with the focus of a somatic delusional system.
Migraine headache: Migraine headache is a special type of headache that is thought to result from abnormal vascular phenomena, though the exact mechanism is unknown. It often begins with various prodromal sensations, such as nausea, loss of vision in parts of the fields of vision, visual aura or other types of sensory-hallucinations. Ordinarily the prodromal symptoms begin half an hour to an hour prior to the beginning of the headache itself.
Alcoholic headache: As many people (those who drink) have experienced, a headache usually follows an alcoholic binge. It is most likely that alcohol, because it is toxic to tissues, directly initiates the meninges and causes the cerebral pain.
Headache caused by constipation: Constipation causes headache many a time. This probably results from absorbed toxic products or from changes in the circulatory system. Indeed, constipation sometimes causes temporary loss of plasma into the wall of the gut, and the resulting poor flow of blood to the head could be the cause of the headache.
Preksha — Yoga management of headache
Shat Kriyas – Kunjal, Jal Neti
Yogic Kriyas – For head ,For neck
Asanas – Surya Namaskar, Pawan muktasana, Sarvangasana
Kayotsarga – 30 minutes at a stretch
Pranayama – Nadi shodhan, Bhramari
Preksha – Perception of bright white colour at forehead
Anupreksha – To contemplate “My headache is getting subsided”
Dietary recommendations : Simple vegetarian diet without spices, Avoid rich food, cheese, chocolate, alcohol and overeating.