Hey there friends!
Do you ever experience the ever so present annoying headache? Or even worse, migraines?!
Some think that headaches are totally normal. They pop a few pills to make it go away and continue on with their life. Some people suffer with them so badly it can affect their entire life.
Either way, headaches are not normal.
Let's understand a little bit about pain in the body, shall we?
Pain is an opportunity. It shows us that our nervous system is going "Ding, Ding, Ding! Something isn't right here!"
With the exception of direct physical trauma, headaches are no different. They are a sign that something is out of balance. And let's be real, pain is exhausting. Your body actually has to WORK to feel pain!
There are multiple types of headaches:
Cephalalgia (or more commonly known as tension headaches affecting the neck and head and only occur occasionally- these are the most common)
Migraines (more common in women due to hormones especially estrogen)
Chronic
Cluster (more common in men but these are very rare)
So, if you are someone who suffers from headaches, what do you do when one comes?
I'm all for taking pain medications and doing what's necessary to get that thing goooonnnneee! I HATE having headaches! But I also begin my questioning of WHY I'm getting one in the first place and what do I need to do to put my body back in balance? Plus, if you are choosing NSAIDs as your pill of choice, too much use can break down the mucosal lining of your gut and cause permeability.... Eeeek!
Some common reasons people even get headaches:
Tension - neck and shoulder tension
Pressure (e.g. a big storm rolling through)
Dehydration
Poor posture
Mouth breathing
Poor diet
Eyestrain
Too much caffeine
Overuse of medications
Teeth clenching/grinding
Food sensitivities
Allergies
Stress (e.g. work, family, relationships) - a spike in epinephrine or cortisol
Mold/toxin exposure
Insufficient Magnesium
Histamine exposure & sensitivity
Hormonal imbalance
Gut/IBS issues
Insomnia
and more
My question for you:
What do YOU think is ultimately causing your headaches?
When we ask the right questions and allow our bodies to respond, it will usually give us the right answer.
We always want to know, what is the ROOT CAUSE?
But I'm realistic here. When you have a headache, you're not going to just sit around and do nothing. Just like me, I don't either! So, let's look at some ways to get rapid relief WHILE we figure out the root causes. Sound good?
Rapid relief for Migraines include:
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Magnesium
CoQ10
Ice Pack on your neck, feet soaking in hot water
Turn off phones and tv, close the blinds, and get back in bed until you feel better!
NSAID's/pain medication as last resort
When looking at the root cause of anything, including headaches, it is important to know that it could be a collage of one to many things that are at play. We need to evaluate the body as a whole and put together the puzzle pieces of each person bio-individually.
One thing to remember is by trying to silence the messenger, doesn't silence the problem.
People get better when they get they make the decision to make sustainable, healthy changes in their life.
Do you suffer from frequent headaches or other health issues? I would love to help you resolve these issues so you can be free to live your most healthy, vital self!
___________________________________________________________ May you live your life with purpose, passion, and joy. Have Courage, my Friends!
In Health & Wellness,
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