
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
- Anamnesi corretta
- Esami neurologici
- 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
- I dosha vata, pitta e kapha si muovono attraverso tutti i canali di circolazione. A causa della natura sottile di vata, esso spinge gli altri due dosha.
- 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
- Applicazione di lepa antidolorifica
- 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:
AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR HEADACHES
- NASYA- anu taila, shadbindhu taila
COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR HEADACHES
Amministrazione interna
- Pathyashadangam kashayam
- Gandhaka rasayanam
- Brahmi vati
- Shirasuladi vajra rasa
- Lakshmivilasa rasa
Ayurvedic Supplement to Reduce Headache
HOME REMEDIES FOR HEADACHES
- Massaggiare la zona dolorosa per 15 minuti (senza esercitare troppa pressione).
- 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.
- Consumare alimenti facilmente digeribili, latte vaccino
- Practice regular exercise
- Oil massage on affected area advised. Which alleviates vata dosha
- Riposare adeguatamente.
YOGA FOR HEADACHES
- Nadi Shuddi Pranayam – calms the mind, cleans the respiration, and gets relief from headaches
Il paziente deve essere seduto in posizione meditativa con la testa e la colonna vertebrale erette e il corpo rilassato. Il paziente deve chiudere una narice (ad esempio la sinistra se si usa la mano destra e viceversa) con il pollice ed espirare completamente attraverso l'altra narice. Di nuovo, dovrà inspirare profondamente attraverso l'altra narice mentre la narice opposta è ancora chiusa con il pollice.
RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHES
- Ayurvedic management of cluster headaches: a case report
http://www.iamj.in/current_issue/images/upload/2191_2194.pdf
- Response to Ayurvedic therapy in the treatment of migraine without aura
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2876931/
