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I have had a headache since early this morning.
I have been eating well, drinking less, taking my allergy
medicine and doing yoga in morning or evening almost every
day and I can't get rid of this headache. I usually don't
like to take headache meds, but it hurts so bad. I took an
800 mg Ibuprofen at lunch and still have a headache. Ugh!
Help me!!!! :-)
Kim
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Is it unlike any headache you've ever had? Have you eaten anything
different in the last 3 days? Is it throbbing? One sided? Located
on what part(s) of your head? Associated with nausea? Or visual
changes? Related to stress and neck tension?
B
Not something I've never had happen before. Only
had a couple that I couldn't shake like this. Not really anything
different the past 3 days to eat. Dull pain. Mainly forehead between
and around eyes. Seems like a sinus thing, but won't go away.
Probably related to work stress, as I have had lots the past couple
of days. No nausea or visual changes.
Kim
Ruling Out Serious Headache Causes
Good. I was asking to see if it were migraine, tension headache,
or something more serious. Migraines, though they can present
in many ways, are usually one sided, throbbing, and related to
nausea. Visual changes can be migraine or something more serious.
A headache unlike any other you've had before should be investigated
to rule out serious conditions. We should always rule out the
most serious problems first before treating anything with alternative
therapies.
It doesn't appear to be any of those- perhaps a combination of
sinus and tension headaches. The best thing, of course, is to
go see an acupuncturist/ herbalist yourself, but since that's
not possible, acupressure may help you.
Location of the Headache
The location of the headache tells us what channels are involved.
The channels that run to the eyes there are Bladder and Stomach.
When the qi ascends or gets stagnant in those channels, you can
get eye pain and other eye symptoms.
Acupressure for Headaches
Acupuncture would be best for short-term relief, but since you
don't have access to an acupuncturist, you can do acupressure
yourself on the same points. It's not exactly the same as acupuncture,
but with enough stimulation, you can still get some results.
When massaging the following points, try to get an achey dull
sensation and massage them vigorously for 30 seconds each at least
- 2 minutes is even better. Use your thumb, or the second knuckle
on your index finger.
Acupressure Points for Eye Headaches
Here are some acupressure points to try for this problem. See the
free acupressure chart
- if it's not on the chart, buy my book!
On your hands:
- Large Intestine 4: between the thumb and forefinger
in the muscle that flexes when you press thumb and index fingers
together - this point affects the face and moves stagnant qi
- Large Intestine 3: same area but closer to index finger
on that muscle
- Small Intestine 3: opposite side of hand, just on hand
from little finger- on the side not on palm or dorsum of hand
On your feet:
- Bladder 65: on outside of foot just behind the end
of the little toe (not toward the tip but toward the arch) -
basically the same location as SI3 but on the foot
- Bladder 63: on outside of the foot below ankle and
diagonally down and forward toward little toe- find hole with
sensitive spot
- Stomach 43 or 44: between tendons of second and third
toe (big toe is first toe) but on foot, in crease between toes,
and further up foot- again feel for sensitive spot
Also if some of the points on the back of the hand between the
tendons of your fingers are sensitive, massage them, too. Usually,
the most sore point is the most effective one. Massage it anyway,
as much as you can stand. No pain, no gain. A little pain temporarily
will result in overall pain relief.
Sinus Headaches
For sinus problems, your allergy meds should help. If this is
a chronic problem, try getting a sinus rinse, or snorting salt
water to keep them clear. Of course, for very serious sinus infections,
antibiotics are helpful. But in the case of low grade chronic
ones, constant antibiotic use can lead to intestinal imbalances
and serious digestive system conditions.
So it's best to keep the sinuses clear, and avoid whatever makes
them worse - this could be smoking, second hand smoke, "sick"
houses and buildings (fungus and mold in the air), animal allergies,
and seasonal allergens. If you're better outside and can't change
your house or workplace, get a good air purifier, and ventilate
the area fequently. Try some Lysol.
Preventing Bladder & Stomach Meridian Headaches
We should consider the possible causes so as to keep the headache
from returning. We've already talked about sinus congestion and
infections. Other things that can cause qi stagnation in the Bladder
and Stomach channels around the eyes are bad dietary habits, alcohol,
and excessive emotions. Try to eat easily digestible foods, avoid
greasy fried foods, cut back or eliminate alcohol.
Do whatever you can to have a more serene life experience. See
this article for suggestions on emotional health. Also: Stay away
from toxic/negative people. Find balance and equanimity by relying
on God and reducing unreasonable demands on people and situations.
Take responsibility for your own fears and selfishness, and attempt
to eliminate them by practicing courage and thinking of what you
can do for others. It may seem unrelated, but it isn't. Following
this advice will lead to serenity, contentment, and calm, which
will allow the qi to flow properly, and your immune system to
work optimally.
You can also see an herbalist for Chinese herbal formulas that
will balance your particular imbalances. This will reduce your
"pre-headache load," so to speak - that is, it will
reduce the factors that build up to lead to a headache.
The Last Ditch
If all else fails in the meantime, Excedrin migraine is pretty
effective, though try to stay away from too much acetaminophen
(one of the ingredients) since in large amounts it can lead to
liver failure.
Hope that helps!
B
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