Ayusanjivani Chikitsa
Dr. Prashant Sawant's
Copyright "ayusanjivani Chikitsa" 2011 All rights resesrved E-mail: drprashantsawant@gmail.com
Those Awful Headaches
By - Dr. Prashant Sawant, M.D (Ayu.)
Ramnath (name changed to protect identity), a senior finance executive, in his late thirties, was fed up! An attack of headache would mean that he would have to pop analgesic pills by the dozens and had been doing this now for the last fifteen odd years. He was exploring the merits of ayurved as a “last resort”. A common friend for ‘trying’ ayurvedic medicine brought him to our centre. Now, except for those annoying headaches, Ramnath was hale and hearty. He could not remember exactly when his problem began, but he clearly remembered that he had to consult his family physician frequently. As the headache persisted, he was prescribed some analgesics and a sedative, which provided relief, but only temporarily. It appeared that these headaches would be Ramnath’s regular companion. While the frequency of the attacks varied from once a week to once a month they were accompanied with spells of nausea. At times the intensity of attacks were so severe that Ramnath was forced to take leave from work. In addition, the constant dosage of analgesics, was creating another frustrating problem - acidity!
What is migraine?
We acknowledge the existence of our head only when we have those frustrating headaches! Strange isn’t it? Ramnath, as obvious, suffered from a common problem called migraine. Migraine is a symptom characterised by periodic headaches, usually temporal (sides of the skull behind eye sockets), one-sided and is often associated with vomiting and visual disturbances.
Generally, migraine starts after puberty, continues until mid-life and usually disappears in old age. An attack occurs at specific intervals, which varies from a few days to several months and lasts for hours to a day.
At its onset, migraine can cause symptoms such as flashing colored lights, blind spot, dazzling zigzag lines and a ringing in the ear. A few people also develop hypersensitivity to light and sound, and at times complain of drowsiness and depression.
The reason:
Migraine begins with a constriction of arteries to the brain. This causes visual symptoms, followed by an over dilation of arteries, which causes pain. It is related to fluctuations in the blood level of neurochemical entities.
The triggers:
·Most patients have a family history of migraine, suggesting a genetic predisposition.
·Dietary factors, including chocolate, cheese, and alcohol, may precipitate attacks.
·Episodes may occur more often just before the onset of menses.
·Oral contraceptive pills can also aggravate attacks in a women suffering from migraine.
·Stress and anxiety can bring on attacks too.
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By - Dr. Prashant Sawant, M.D (Ayu.)
Ramnath (name changed to protect identity), a senior finance executive, in his late thirties, was fed up! An attack of headache would mean that he would have to pop analgesic pills by the dozens and had been doing this now for the last fifteen odd years. He was exploring the merits of ayurved as a “last resort”. A common friend for ‘trying’ ayurvedic medicine brought him to our centre. Now, except for those annoying headaches, Ramnath was hale and hearty. He could not remember exactly when his problem began, but he clearly remembered that he had to consult his family physician frequently. As the headache persisted, he was prescribed some analgesics and a sedative, which provided relief, but only temporarily. It appeared that these headaches would be Ramnath’s regular companion. While the frequency of the attacks varied from once a week to once a month they were accompanied with spells of nausea. At times the intensity of attacks were so severe that Ramnath was forced to take leave from work. In addition, the constant dosage of analgesics, was creating another frustrating problem - acidity!
What is migraine?
We acknowledge the existence of our head only when we have those frustrating headaches! Strange isn’t it? Ramnath, as obvious, suffered from a common problem called migraine. Migraine is a symptom characterised by periodic headaches, usually temporal (sides of the skull behind eye sockets), one-sided and is often associated with vomiting and visual disturbances.
Generally, migraine starts after puberty, continues until mid-life and usually disappears in old age. An attack occurs at specific intervals, which varies from a few days to several months and lasts for hours to a day.
At its onset, migraine can cause symptoms such as flashing colored lights, blind spot, dazzling zigzag lines and a ringing in the ear. A few people also develop hypersensitivity to light and sound, and at times complain of drowsiness and depression.
The reason:
Migraine begins with a constriction of arteries to the brain. This causes visual symptoms, followed by an over dilation of arteries, which causes pain. It is related to fluctuations in the blood level of neurochemical entities.
The triggers:
·Most patients have a family history of migraine, suggesting a genetic predisposition.
·Dietary factors, including chocolate, cheese, and alcohol, may precipitate attacks.
·Episodes may occur more often just before the onset of menses.
·Oral contraceptive pills can also aggravate attacks in a women suffering from migraine.
·Stress and anxiety can bring on attacks too.
Next >>