Our brain is actually insensitive to pain. There are two basic categories of headaches – those that we suffer occasionally – a one off type headache, that we can generally pin down to a known cause – this might include an “ice cream headache” where the extreme cold of the ice cream causes your blood vessels to narrow & temporarily reducing blood flow to the brain; a hangover headache, an MSG headache, a head ache due to a head injury.
Then there are the headaches that people suffer more regularly. These recurring headaches are generally classified as cluster headaches, migraine headaches or tension type headaches. While some people may experience a headache once per month, others are plagued by them weekly or even daily.
Most common forms of headaches
- Tension type headaches are the most widespread headache disorder
- Diet related headaches: Caused by digestive disturbances, allergies, food intolerances, poor quality nutrition, alcohol etc
- Hormones: Three times as many women suffer from headaches than men, this difference is most apparent during the reproductive years as female sex hormones are implicated as a significant trigger for women. This also includes headaches associated with peri-menopause and menopause.
5 ways Naturopathy can help your headaches (and the rest of your body )
1) Diet : Headaches can be triggered by insufficient food, allergies, intolerances, delayed meals, eating too little & dehydration. Fasting is recognized as a trigger & could be due to a lowered blood sugar level. By taking a full nutritional assessment, we can ascertain any possible food intolerances/imbalances that may be contributing.
2) Lifestyle factors: Naturopathy also encompasses a wholistic approach to all the factors that can influence your current state of health. By addressing lifestyle factors such as posture, stress, blood pressure, sleep we can provide a tailored approach to your long-term health, vitality and longevity.
3) Digestive system: An improper diet not only has negative effects on blood sugar, but also causes havoc on your gastrointestinal system. The intestinal lining is often damaged due to poor nutrition, leading to food sensitivities and decreased nutrient absorption. Once of the areas we specialise in is gut health and that can underpin your whole body’s state of wellness
4) Medication: Having a Science degree as well as extensive Naturopathy qualifications, we take a full medical case history to look at interactions of medications that can have an affect on headaches. Working with your GP/specialist may be a part of this as well.
1) Physical & emotional factors that can precipitate headaches. We determine areas contributing such as stiff & painful muscles, eye & dental problems, sinusitis, colds & flu as well as emotional triggers such as stress, anxiety, Cortisol levels & muscle tension
Our Naturopathic consults take a detailed health history which includes any possible headache triggers such as food intolerances, stress, sleep, hormonal imbalance or environmental factors. I then recommend a natural, individualised, multi-pronged approach to stimulate the body’s intrinsic healing process.
If your headaches are getting you down and stopping you from living your life to the fullest, or even if they are just downright annoying, call now for an appointment with our naturopaths to discover your triggers and solution to this sometimes very debilitating condition.