what kind of food n drinks should be avoided during headache? which ones trigger them? whts the cure for it?

Answer 1

Headaches have a wide variety of causes, ranging from eye strain, sinusitis and tension to life-threatening conditions such as encephalitis, meningitis, cerebral aneurysms and brain tumors.

Types
There are four types of headache: vascular, myogenic (muscle tension), traction, and inflammatory.

Vascular
The most common type of vascular headache is migraine. Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head, an upset stomach, and, at times, disturbed vision. It is more common in women. After migraine, the most common type of vascular headache is the "toxic" headache produced by fever.
Other kinds of vascular headaches include cluster headaches, which cause repeated episodes of intense pain, and headaches resulting from high blood pressure (rare).
Muscular/myogenic headaches appear to involve the tightening or tensing of facial and neck muscles; they may radiate to the forehead. Tension headache is the most common form of myogenic headache.
Traction and inflammatory headaches are symptoms of other disorders, ranging from stroke to sinus infection.
Specific types of headaches include:

Medication overuse headaches
Ictal headache
Ice cream headache
Thunderclap headache
Vascular headache
Toxic headache
Coital cephalgia (also known as: sex headache)
Sinus headache
Hemicrania Continua
Like other types of pain, headaches can serve as warning signals of more serious disorders. This is particularly true for headaches caused by inflammation, including those related to meningitis as well as those resulting from diseases of the sinuses, spine, neck, ears and teeth.

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Diagnosis
While statistically headaches are most likely to be harmless and self-limiting, some specific headache syndromes may demand specific treatment or may be warning signals of more serious disorders. Some headache subtypes are characterized by a specific pattern of symptoms, and no further testing may be necessary, while others may prompt further diagnostic tests.

Headache associated with specific symptoms may warrant urgent medical attention, particularly sudden, severe headache or sudden headache associated with a stiff neck; headaches associated with fever, convulsions, or accompanied by confusion or loss of consciousness; headaches following a blow to the head, or associated with pain in the eye or ear; persistent headache in a person with no previous history of headaches; and recurring headache in children.

Computed tomography (CT/CAT) scans of the brain or sinuses are commonly performed, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in specific settings. Blood tests may help narrow down the differential diagnosis, but are rarely confirmatory of specific headache forms.

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Treatment
Not all headaches require medical attention, and respond with simple analgesia (painkillers) such as paracetamol/acetaminophen or members of the NSAID class (such as aspirin/acetylsalicylic acid or ibuprofen).

In recurrent unexplained headaches, healthcare professionals may recommend keeping a "headache diary" with entries on type of headache, associated symptoms, precipitating and aggravating factors. This may reveal specific patterns, such as an association with medication, menstruation and absenteeism.

Some forms of headache may be amenable to preventative treatment, such as migraine. On the whole, long-term use of painkillers is discouraged as this may lead to "rebound headaches" on withdrawal. Caffeine, a vasoconstrictor, is sometimes prescribed or recommended, as a remedy or supplement to pain killers in the case of extreme migraine. This has led to the development of Tylenol Ultra, a paracetamol/caffeine analgesic. One popular herbal treatment for migraines is Feverfew.

Diet Headache Migraine: Foods to avoid
Top offenders:
Cheese (except cottage, farmer's, ricotta and cream), Alcohol (red wine is the worst. Watch out for flavourings (ie vanilla) which may contain alcohol), Caffeine (especially suddenly raising or lowering your intake), Chocolate, Aged and non-fresh meats and liver (ie cold cuts), -(also watch out for products with meat and hydrolyzed protein, such as gravy and soup mixes), Soy beans, Italian green beans, broad bean pods, MSG, Nuts (especially peanuts), Yeast (especially in homemade bread and sourdough), Sauerkraut (and other aged foods)
A big problem for migraine sufferers is food with tyramine, so there is now a page dedicated to cutting down on foods with tyramine.

Another theory is that tannins are diet headache migraine link. Find out what tannins are and where you find them.

Eat with caution:
Salad Dressing, Rennet tablets, Dried fruits (including raisins), Imitation crab, Licorice, Mushrooms, Snails, Salty foods, Rhubarb, Citrus fruits, Ripe avocado, Ripe banana, Yogurt and buttermilk, Fresh raspberries, Red plums, Onions, Worcestershire or teriyaki sauce. Wheat is a trigger for some as well.
Eat in moderation:
Everything!
Especially avoid sudden drastic changes in your diet, such as suddenly cutting out all caffeine or suddenly eating large amounts of peppermint. Whatever it may be, ease into it and eat a well balanced diet!


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Suspect you may have an allergy headache?

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Headache Fighting Foods:
In the world of diet-headache-migraine cures, the best advice is simply to eat a well balanced diet with plenty of fresh, non-processed foods. That includes a variety of grains, fruits and vegetables. But here are a few specific foods that you may want to introduce into your diet. These are believed by many to have the diet headache migraine connection, and may cut down on your pain:
Peppermint, Cayenne pepper, Ginger (more on ginger here), Fish and fish oil, Foods rich in calcium (such as spinach, broccoli and kale), Foods rich in magnesium, such as spinach (maybe Popeye was right! -read this article for more on the magnesium migraines connection), Oatmeal, Wheat, Garlic




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For more on the diet headache migraine connection, visit our herb for headache page. Another excellent all around reference for healing foods (special thanks for their ideas on headache fighting foods) is Food--Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper.
There are also foods that may help raise your serotonin levels. Dropping serotonin levels may be a major part of the migraine pain process. Read more about serotonin and foods here.

Remember, eat a balanced diet and also try to eat small amounts throughout the day. Skipping meals and fasting are surefire triggers for many people, possibly because dropping blood sugar levels may contribute to migraine symptoms and other headaches


BACON BITSBAKING MIXTURESBOUILLON CUBESBREAD STUFFINGCANNED MEATSCHEESE DIPSCLAM CHOWDER (Canned)CORN CHIPSCROUTONSDRY ROASTED PEANUTSFROZEN DINNERSFROZEN PIZZAGELATINSORIENTAL FOODSPOTATO CHIPSPOT PIESPROCESSED MEATSRELISHESSALAD DRESSINGSSALT SUBSTITUTES SEASONINGSSOUP (Canned)SOY SAUCEFOODS CONTAINING NITRATESBACONBRATWURST BEEF JERKYCORN DOGSHAMHOT DOGSLUNCH MEATSLIVERWURSTPASTRAMIPORK AND BEANSSALAMISAUSAGESMOKED FISHSPAMTURKEY LUNCH MEATSOTHER FOOD TO AVOIDYOGURTPreserved, Pickled or Marinated FoodsCHOCOLATEALCOHOL (Particularly Red Wine)FOODS CONTAINING TYRAMINE (Check labels)

Answer 2

It depends on the cause of the headache. I suppose you get them regularly, and some tablets are not working as well now. Try some of these methods ... all work depending on why you have the headache. 1/ Drink water (the brain is 90% water and most people dring coffee or flavoured drinks ... but the brain needs water) 2/ DIET: keep a food journal for a month or util you have 3 headaches ... whichever comes first. Write down everything you consume (or even places visited) and see if there is a pattern to why you get the headache. Food dyes, sugars or substitiutes, alcohol ... they may effect you different from others. Otherwise, are some of the electrica equipement in areas you go to effecting your electrical impulses in the brain (eg: cell phones; microwaves; some monitors ...) 3/ THUMPING headache: the left and right sides of yourr brain have a pulse ... and if they beat at different times, they throw each side around. Find the pulse just above the eye-brow following the line up either side of your nose using index and middle finger of the same hand. Press hard enough to find the pulse for 20 to 40 secs. There is an almost inpercievable pulse in your fingertips that naturally allines the pulse in the brain. 4/ *REFLEXOLOGY: There are pressure points in the hands and feet that help massage other parts of the body. Where the bone of the index finger meets the bone of the thumb on both hands, press there (towards under the bone of the index) 5/ as a final suggestion before consulting a neurosurgeon ... do you need a larger hat size? Or are your plaites too tight? 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o * In Reflexology, there are nerves that leave the brain, go through the neck and down the arms. The nerves turn around in the hands and again after going down the legs, they turn at the feet. Then they pass through a specific part of the body before returning to the brain. By massaging the feet and hands, that is like a massage to the parts of the body where those nerves pass (It is like if there is a blocked hose, the massage is like blowing through the hose to clear it) Look up web sites for Reflexology feet and hand pressure point charts.

Answer 3

What Causes Headaches?
Lots of different things can bring on headaches. Most headaches are related to:

stress
dehydration
computer or TV watching
loud music
smoking
alcohol
caffeine
skipping meals
lack of sleep
a bump to the head
taking a long trip in a car or bus
The following kinds of infections can also bring on headaches in some people:

flu
sinus infections
strep throat
urinary tract infections
ear infections
Lyme disease
For some teens, hormonal changes can also cause headaches. For example, some girls get headaches just before their periods or at other regular times during their monthly cycle.

Migraine headaches often are hereditary. So if a parent, grandparent, or other family member gets them, there's a chance you may get them too (but that doesn't mean you will get them). Certain things (called triggers) are known to bring on migraine headaches in people who are predisposed to getting them. Some of the things that can trigger migraines are certain foods, stress, changes in sleep patterns, or even the weather.


Common triggers for these headaches are hormonal changes, dietary factors, environmental factors, sensory stimuli, and stress. Examples include too much or too little sleep; missed or delayed meals; menstruation; alcohol; food and food additives; chemical and drug ingestion and withdrawal; light glare; and odors.

Getting Relief
Most headaches will go away if a person rests or sleeps. When you get a headache, lie down in a cool, dark, quiet room and close your eyes. It may help to put a cool, moist cloth across your forehead or eyes. Relax. Breathe easily and deeply.


If a headache doesn't go away or it's really bad, you may want to take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. You can buy these in drugstores under various brand names — and your drugstore may carry its own generic brand. It's a good idea to avoid taking aspirin for a headache because it may cause a rare but dangerous disease called Reye syndrome.

If you are taking over-the-counter pain medications more than twice a week for headaches, or if you find these medicines are not working for you, it's a sign that you should talk to your doctor.

Answer 4

Alcohol, particularly red wine.
Too much caffeine. A little caffeine is OK, but drinking beverages every day that give you more caffeine than what you would get in two 8-ounce cups of coffee can cause headaches.
Chocolate. Marks recommends cutting it totally from your diet, unless you know from doing the headache elimination diet that you are not sensitive to it.
Aged cheeses such as Swiss, cheddar and mozzarella. They contain tyramine, a natural compound that can cause dilation and constriction of your blood vessels.
Food additives, such as monosodium glutamate or MSG, a common ingredient in canned soups, sulfites (used to preserve dried fruit) and nitrites (used as a meat preservative).

Answer 5

I don't know the cure for headaches which I suffer from too but I heard to stay away from caffeine. I know that is a trigger for a headache.

Answer 6

Red dyes and chocolate can sometimes trigger migraines for migraine sufferers. Caffeine often helps headaches.