How To Get Rid Of A Migraine
If you are a migraine headache sufferer you know how important it is to get pain relief fast. A migraine can be so severe that it can put a stop to your whole day. Many people who have migraines may have two or more each month. This article will examine a few ways to get rid of a migraine headache.
If you experience auras with your migraines then you have a warning system in place. It you start to notice bright flashes of light, dark spots in your field of vision or zigzag lines in your vision field, then you are about to develop a migraine. Take an over the counter NSAIDS right away. These drugs such as, Advil and Motrin can help with mild pain from migraines. It is probably a good idea to lie down in a dark, quiet, room also. A cool cloth applied to the forehead may be of some comfort.
If your migraines are severe, you need to see your doctor. He will prescribe prescription strength migraine medicine for you such as,Imitrex. This was the first drug that was developed specifically to treat migraines. Imitrex acts like serotonin and binds itself to the serotonin receptors in the brain. This cause the blood vessels to constrict, therefore relieving the pressure on the brain and the migraine pain.
Since Imitrex was developed a few other drugs have been created also. They work in similar ways to Imitrex but have fewer side effects and will cause fewer rebound headaches.
Since nausea is a common complication that occurs with a migraine, your doctor may prescribe an anti-emetic medication such as Reglan, Compazine or Phenergan. These medicines do not decrease the pain from a migraine, but they can stop the nausea and vomiting associated with it. Some of these drugs do have the ability to make you relaxed and very sleepy. Being more relaxed can help your pain medicine work better and possibly shorten the duration of your migraine.
The best thing you can do for your migraines is to find out what causes them. Keep a diary and try to pinpoint certain triggers that may set off a migraine headache. Some people are overly sensitive to certain perfumes or flowers. Others may develop a migraine after eating certain foods.
Your other option is to talk to your doctor about preventive medicines for migraine headaches. Studies have found that certain cardiovascular drugs and certain antidepressant medications have been highly effective in the prevention of migraines. New studies are being done all the time. Who knows, maybe eventually they will find a cure for your migraine headaches. But for now all you can do is try to prevent them or if you feel one coming on, try to treat it as quickly as possible.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Stress and Meditation
Meditation As A Stress Relief Tool
Do you remember seeing comedy shows or skits when you were young where someone is practicing meditation. There was usually one person closing their eyes and "ohm"ing while the other person tried to imitate them or simply made snide remarks. While we used to look upon meditation as being funny, ridiculous, or just plain odd; we now know about all the benefits it has to offer. Originally, meditation was used to focus and gain religious knowledge. Now, it is commonly used to reduce stress and live longer, happier, healthier lives.
So why is mediation so helpful for relieving stress? First of all, it helps focus the mind on something that is deeply and spiritually rooted. By focusing on one thing, you're forced to forget the world around you and all the stressors that come with it. By closing your eyes and sitting in a quiet room, you also filter out the sights and sounds that may stress you. Meditation also helps repair the physical and mental damage caused by stress. The chemicals present in your body actually change during meditation making you more relaxed and peaceful.
The relaxing benefits from above are only the short term benefits Those factors are only successful in filtering out stress that you've already experienced and making you relaxed during and after your meditating. The real benefit of meditation is its longer term effects.
If practiced on a daily basis, meditation can actually balance the levels of hormones and other stress related chemicals on a day-to-day basis; even when you're not meditating. This means that meditation will not only help you unwind at the end of a stressful day, it can also leave you more peaceful and less stressed during your long day at work.
The best part about meditation is, unlike yoga, it requires no special physical skills. While good meditation requires mental skills, you can start small and build your way up as you get more practice. Here's how to get started.
* Find a quiet room and sit in a comfortable position. There is no specific "better" position, just one where you feel comfortable and can relax.
* Close your eyes and relax your muscles. Do this by focusing on each individual muscle, starting at the feet and working your way up. Focus on the stress leaving each muscle as it relaxes.
* Begin to breathe slowly while you repeat your mantra. This can be anything from the traditional "ohm" to something you find personally important. If you are religious or spiritual, you can chant something related to your beliefs.
* If you find your mind wandering, don't beat yourself up about it; simply remain calm and return to your focus word.
* After 15 to 20 minutes, you can stop meditating and sit quietly for a few minutes before you return to your regular life.
By doing this regularly, you will train your mind and body to be more relaxed, peaceful and focused. You will find this not only affects your stress levels, but also your physical and mental functioning.
Do you remember seeing comedy shows or skits when you were young where someone is practicing meditation. There was usually one person closing their eyes and "ohm"ing while the other person tried to imitate them or simply made snide remarks. While we used to look upon meditation as being funny, ridiculous, or just plain odd; we now know about all the benefits it has to offer. Originally, meditation was used to focus and gain religious knowledge. Now, it is commonly used to reduce stress and live longer, happier, healthier lives.
So why is mediation so helpful for relieving stress? First of all, it helps focus the mind on something that is deeply and spiritually rooted. By focusing on one thing, you're forced to forget the world around you and all the stressors that come with it. By closing your eyes and sitting in a quiet room, you also filter out the sights and sounds that may stress you. Meditation also helps repair the physical and mental damage caused by stress. The chemicals present in your body actually change during meditation making you more relaxed and peaceful.
The relaxing benefits from above are only the short term benefits Those factors are only successful in filtering out stress that you've already experienced and making you relaxed during and after your meditating. The real benefit of meditation is its longer term effects.
If practiced on a daily basis, meditation can actually balance the levels of hormones and other stress related chemicals on a day-to-day basis; even when you're not meditating. This means that meditation will not only help you unwind at the end of a stressful day, it can also leave you more peaceful and less stressed during your long day at work.
The best part about meditation is, unlike yoga, it requires no special physical skills. While good meditation requires mental skills, you can start small and build your way up as you get more practice. Here's how to get started.
* Find a quiet room and sit in a comfortable position. There is no specific "better" position, just one where you feel comfortable and can relax.
* Close your eyes and relax your muscles. Do this by focusing on each individual muscle, starting at the feet and working your way up. Focus on the stress leaving each muscle as it relaxes.
* Begin to breathe slowly while you repeat your mantra. This can be anything from the traditional "ohm" to something you find personally important. If you are religious or spiritual, you can chant something related to your beliefs.
* If you find your mind wandering, don't beat yourself up about it; simply remain calm and return to your focus word.
* After 15 to 20 minutes, you can stop meditating and sit quietly for a few minutes before you return to your regular life.
By doing this regularly, you will train your mind and body to be more relaxed, peaceful and focused. You will find this not only affects your stress levels, but also your physical and mental functioning.
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