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HEADACHES- Ayurvedic Treatment, Diet, Exercises, Research Papers, Yoga & Pranayama

Headache is a common disease experienced by many people. The causes of headaches are simple to complex.

  • SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEADACHES
  • CAUSES OF HEADACHES
  • PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF HEADACHES
  • DIAGNOSIS OF HEADACHES
  • TREATMENTS FOR HEADACHES
  • PROGNOSIS OF HEADACHES
  • COMPLICATIONS OF HEADACHES
  • HEADACHES AND AYURVEDA
  • NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF HEADACHES
  • PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF HEADACHES
  • SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF HEADACHES
  • LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEADACHES
  • AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF HEADACHES
  • CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR HEADACHES
  • AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR HEADACHES
  • AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR HEADACHES
  • AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR HEADACHES
  • COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR HEADACHES
  • HOME REMEDIES FOR HEADACHES
  • DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR HEADACHES
  • YOGA FOR HEADACHES
  • RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHES

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEADACHES

  • Dull to Excruciating pain on any side of the head
  • Tenderness on the scalp
  • Pain may radiate to other areas of your face and neck
  • Pain around the eye may also be found
  • Sensitivity to light and sound

CAUSES OF HEADACHES

  • Tension headaches
  • Migraine
  • Cluster headaches
  • Allergy or sinus headaches
  • Post-traumatic headaches

Other types are;

  • Primary headache – without an underlying pathology
  • Secondary headache – due to an underlying pathology

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF HEADACHES

The pathophysiology of headache is based on different mechanisms. These include vascular dilation, trigeminal nerve stimulation, circadian effects, Histamine release, increased blood pressure, an increase in mast cells and autonomic nervous system activation may also contribute to the attacks of headaches.

DIAGNOSIS OF HEADACHES

  • Proper history taking
  • Neurological examinations
  • Imaging techniques like CT scan and MRI
  • Monitoring blood pressure

TREATMENTS FOR HEADACHES

  • Oxygen therapy
  • Pain-relieving medications
  • Calcium channel blockers
  • Antihistamines for allergic headaches
  • Blood pressure-lowering agents for headache due to hypertension

PROGNOSIS OF HEADACHES

  • In primary headache symptoms are manageable with medications
  • Prognosis of secondary headache is based on the underlying pathology

COMPLICATIONS OF HEADACHES

  • Frequent attacks of headache interfere with the daily activities and lifestyle
  • Migrainous infarction (stroke with migraine)

HEADACHES AND AYURVEDA

  • In Ayurveda, headaches fall under shirasoola
  • As per ayurveda the types of headaches are vatika, paithika, kaphaja, sannipathika, krimija suryavarta, anandavata, ardhavabhedaka, shankhaka

NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF HEADACHES

  • Excess consumption of ununctuous, dry, acrid, cold food
  • Excessive physical exercise
  • Suppression of natural urges

PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF HEADACHES

  • Dull ache on anywhere in the head

SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF HEADACHES

  • Vata, pitta and kapha dosha move through all channels of circulation. Due to the subtle nature of vata it impels the remaining two doshas.
  • Due to the causative factors doshas excessively aggravated.
  • The aggravated doshas reside in the head and produce pain.

LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEADACHES

  • Pain on the head – shirasthoda
  • Pain on half part of the head – ardhavabhedaka
  • Radiating pain towards face and neck – vatika shirasula
  • Burning sensation – shiro daha ( paithika shirasula)
  • Shirogouravam – heaviness ( kaphaja shirasula)

AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF HEADACHES

  • Symptoms are manageable with ayurvedic medications
  • As per ayurveda a type of headache called shankhaka is incurable

CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR HEADACHES

Ayurvedic local treatment for HEADACHES

  • Svedam – local fermentation
  • Pain-relieving lepa application
  • Shirodhara
  • Murdhataila – oil massage on the head
  • Shiropichu – chandanadi tailam

AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR HEADACHES

  • Pathyashadangam kashayam
  • Brahmi vati
  • Shirasuladi vajra rasa
  • Lakshmivilasa rasa
  • For head massaging – lakshadi tailam, manjishtadi tailam, rasnadi tailam, thenginpushpadi thaila, thungadrumadi tailam

 AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR HEADACHES

  • NASYA- anu taila, shadbindhu taila

COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR HEADACHES

Internal administration

  • Pathyashadangam kashayam
  • Gandhaka rasayanam
  • Brahmi vati
  • Shirasuladi vajra rasa
  • Lakshmivilasa rasa

HOME REMEDIES FOR HEADACHES

  • Massage the painful area for 15 minutes ( NOT too much pressure )
  • Drinking an adequate quantity of water

DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR HEADACHES

  • Avoid food items that produce vata , pitta dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, acrid, hard to digest. Because dosha imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
  • Consume easily digestible food items, cow’s milk
  • Practice regular exercise
  • Oil massage on affected area advised. Which alleviates vata dosha
  • Take proper rest.

YOGA FOR HEADACHES

  • Nadi Shuddi Pranayam – calms the mind, cleans the respiration, and gets relief from  headaches

The patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. The patient has to close his one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.

RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHES

  1. Ayurvedic management of cluster headaches: a case report

http://www.iamj.in/current_issue/images/upload/2191_2194.pdf

  1. Response to Ayurvedic therapy in the treatment of migraine without aura

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2876931/

 

 

 

 

 

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Dr. Rajesh Nair
Licensed Ayurvedic doctor focused on providing individual Ayurvedic consultation services. Specialized in work related stress, Womens’ issues, diabetes, Pecos, arthritis, male and female sexual problems and infertility. Interested in academic work as well. Now working with www.ayurvedaforall.com as senior consultant, Ayurveda.

Dr. Rajesh Nair

Licensed Ayurvedic doctor focused on providing individual Ayurvedic consultation services. Specialized in work related stress, Womens’ issues, diabetes, Pecos, arthritis, male and female sexual problems and infertility. Interested in academic work as well. Now working with www.ayurvedaforall.com as senior consultant, Ayurveda.

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