Barometric Pressure Headache

Do you suffer from barometric pressure and headaches? What in the world is that? Well when the clouds roll in and the pressure drops, you know what I mean! Your head begins throbbing as the day goes on. Unfortunately, when this happens, many people think they are getting a sinus headaches. Sadly,this usually isn't the case. What you are really getting is migraine. The throbbing can be on one side or the other or even both! Up to 40% of all migraines are centered around the forehead and nose which is why you think you are getting "sinus".

Just about any migraine sufferer can tell you when the pressure is dropping or when the humidity is high, as a migraine will hit pretty soon. At the present time, scientists are not quite sure as to why this happens. (No..it's not the full moon!) A couple of theories have been put forth. One neurologist posed that changes in the barometric pressure could cause small pressure changes in the fluid in your brain. This could set off those migraine receptors in the brainstem.

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Several years ago, at an APA (American Psychiatric Association) meeting, Dr.Mindlin of Jefferson Medical College thought perhaps this type of migraine was due to dilation of blood vessels caused by pressure changes. This idea is a bit complex, as the vessels dilate during a migraine no matter what the cause. The basic theory here is that the barometric receptors in the brain (which regulate blood pressure when you stand up and change position) might also be affected by atmospheric pressure changes. As the pressure drops, perhaps these receptors are activated and cause vasodilation in the head and therefore, headaches.

None of this has been proven yet, but those of us with migraines are getting to the point where we can predict the weather almost as good as the arthritis patients!!

How Do We Manage Barometric Migraine?

There are a few ways you can manage headaches caused by pressure changes.

1. If you are taking daily medication, like anti-seizure medications, you could consider increasing the dose slightly when the weatherman says the pressure will change. By going up one dose for a few days, and then coming back down, this may blunt the oncoming headache.

2. Increase your magnesium intake. I advise patients to go up by 200-400 mg per day during this time.This too might help blunt the headaches during this time.

3. At the onset of the headache, take your medication as fast as you can. If you are taking triptans (like Imitrex), add Naprosyn or Aleve to the mix. These drugs have a longer mode of action and may stay in your system long enough for the weather to blow over!

4. Exercise! By doing aerobic exercise you raise seratonin and endorphins which may blunt the headache. Besides if the weather is bad and you can't go outside, might as well do something productive.

Hopefully one of these suggestions will ease your migraine, and will help you to have more headache free days.

Barometric Pressure Headache

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How to Massage Migraine Headaches

Massage, a common method of relieving migraine headaches, can be done by a professional - or you can do it yourself using this technique.

A light massage combined with migraine pressure points will give you the greatest relief. You need only a few simple points about how to massage a migraine headache.

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Migraine Pressure Point Defined

It is important to learn the migraine pressure point or points that bring relief. A migraine pressure point is a point on your body that, when pressed, will lessen the pain in your head. Surprisingly, a migraine pressure point is not necessarily the point that hurts most.

A migraine pressure point may be pressed and released in slow, rhythmical fashion, and deliberately massaged to gain relief. This will release congested energy and blood from the head and ease your pain.

Migraine Pressure Point Technique

You will be treating each migraine pressure point with these simple steps.

* Use only the pads of your thumbs or first two fingers - never the ends.

* Keep the pressure light to moderate, depending on how sensitive the point is to your touch.

* Press hard enough so you can feel hardness or tension under your thumb or fingers.

* If a migraine pressure point hurts so much that you can't take a deep breath, apply less pressure on that point.

* Let your fingers sink into the migraine pressure point as you apply pressure gradually. Feel your thumb or finger going gently, gradually deeper and deeper.

* While your thumb or finger is as deep as you want to go, massage the point with tiny, circular movements of your finger.

* Keep your thumb or finger on the migraine pressure point until you feel a movement or change there. It may feel softer or warmer.

* Now slowly, gradually release the migraine pressure point until your thumb or finger leaves the skin.

* Repeat several times at same point.

Migraine Pressure Point Locations

Remember to be firm, but gentle. Insufficient pressure on a migraine pressure point will not be effective - too much pressure will create tension in your surrounding muscles.

Here are a few migraine pressure point locations to get you started. Start with the first, and work your way through each point, consciously relaxing as you do so.

1. Migraine Pressure Point at Base of Skull

Locate the bony base of your skull in back. Place your thumb pads under the skull's base, each thumb about 1 inch from your spinal column. Holding your thumbs against the two points, tilt your head back slightly. Now press upward gradually, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions of the thumbs, still holding the pressure. When you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 again. Repeat 5 times.

2. Migraine Pressure Point at Mid-Forehead

This migraine pressure point is located at the middle of your forehead, right between your eyebrows. Using the migraine pressure point technique described above, and your thumbs or one of the first two fingers, press inward gradually, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 as you do so. Repeat 10 times.

3. Migraine Pressure Point at Eye Corners

Feel the face at the outer corners of your eyes. Move your fingers away from the eyes until you find the spots just behind the bone. Using the migraine pressure point technique and one or two finger pads, apply pressure gradually inward, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 as you do so. Repeat 10 times.

4. Migraine Pressure Point on Hand

Surprisingly, you have a migraine pressure point on each hand. It's the fleshy part between your thumb and index finger. Using the thumb pad and index finger of your opposite hand, gradually squeeze the upper portion of this migraine pressure point, counting to 10 and breathing deeply. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 as you do so. Repeat 10 times.

5. Migraine Pressure Point on Foot

The last point you will use to massage migraine headaches away is located on the top of each foot. Locate the place where the bones come together between your big toe and your second toe. With thumb or finger pads, press downward gradually, counting to 10, and breathing deeply as you do so. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 again. Repeat 10 times.

Different bodies respond differently to pressure points. These should work for you. If you want information on additional migraine pressure points, ask a local shiatsu professional. A professional will also be able to give you a complete treatment for relief or prevention of migraine headaches.

How to Massage Migraine Headaches

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3 Natural Cures For A Migraine Headache

Only a migraine sufferer understands the pain. Regardless of how the migraine starts the end result is the same - excruciating pain that renders you helpless. Walking hurts, breathing hurts. Even thinking hurts.

People often discount migraines without any true understanding of the suffering a migraine can inflict. They treat migraine sufferers like hypochondriacs or drama queens. This is simply not so. There are any number of painkillers and pills available to help curb the pain. The issue here is that many of these painkillers require repeat prescriptions and involve an ongoing cost. The other side effect of many of the prescribed medicines is that they can help with the pain of the migraine headache itself but tend to have a "knockout" effect on the sufferer.

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Most migraine sufferers will be familiar with the "where did the day go?" effect of many of the stronger painkillers. There are natural remedies to the migraine plague. They're simple and cheap (if not free). None of these are to replace prescribed medication but can be used in conjunction with your medication to bring relief about faster. They also complement each other.

Dark Room

If you suffer from migraine headaches and an attack begins then find the quietest, darkest spot in your home and lay down there. The area or should also be relatively warm to allow you to relax faster. Your eyes should remain covered but open. This usually means using some sort of blindfold but a scarf, long handkerchief or other material works just fine. Keep your eyes open as much as possible because experience has shown that shutting your eyes to try and cope with the pain uses extra facial and jaw muscles that can just increase the problem and not cure it.

If an attack has already begun then follow the same routine and take whatever prescribed medication you have.

Relaxed Breathing

A migraine attack generally brings on a sort of anxiety attack in the sufferer. They know how much it's going to hurt so their heart rate increases. This increase in blood flow makes the problem worse. Once you've retreated to the quiet, dark area and covered your eyes from any possible stimuli then breathing is the next area to focus on. You must let your breathing relax. Panicked breathing will increase the pain you're already experiencing.

To allow your breathing to relax follow these steps:

1. Take a long slow deep breath and exhale equally slowly.

2. Again take a long, slow deep breath. As you're slowly inhaling focus on the sensation of the air filling your lungs. Feel the air filling your body. Once you've inhaled as much as is comfortable again exhale slowly. As you're exhaling focus on the sensation of the air leaving your lungs and escaping through your mouth. Breathe out completely.

3. Repeat the process of inhaling slowly, focusing on the sensation of the air filling your lungs and exhaling slowly 4 or 5 more times.

4. By the fourth repetition you should notice that your breathing is far more relaxed and calm. Your heart rate should now also have lowered back to a resting rate and you may even feel slightly sleepy. If so embrace that feeling and allow yourself to fall asleep.

Lavender Oil

This is the final step in the process. Lavender oil is renowned for its medicinal properties and this is doubly so for migraine headaches. Lavender oil is cheap and completely safe to use. Only use pure Lavender oil for treating migraines - lavender scented fragrances or scented oils are useless. It must be the purest lavender oil you can find.

If you feel a migraine attack coming then grab your lavender oil. Place a single drop of pure, undiluted lavender oil on each temple or behind each ear. Also place 2 or 3 drops of undiluted lavender oil on the pillow you're going to rest on.

Combined with a quiet, dark room and the deep breathing technique the lavender oil provides that final "punch" in the natural treatments. The scent of the oil will relax you and simply inhaling lavender infused air helps to ease the pain of a migraine almost immediately.

3 Natural Cures For A Migraine Headache

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