Headache Coaching

Stop Procrastinating Because of Your Headaches

2009-04-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

It’s easy to put your life on hold when you have a headache. Who wants to do anything but lay in a dark room the second the head pain starts? However, your life remains waiting for you, even if you would rather it not. The issue is, if you keep putting everything off, you will never get where you want to in life.

Just this past weekend, I faced a nasty migraine attack. I typically use the weekend to get caught up on everything else that didn’t manage to get done during the week, such as grocery shopping, laundry, homework, etc. By the time I got home from work Friday night, I could feel the familiar ache in the right side of my head. A migraine was coming on…

I knew what this meant. That I would spend a lot of my time lying down by myself. Typically, when I get a migraine, I get maybe a half hour or so where it is bearable enough for me to be able to do something. When that short break comes, I start to do whatever it is. Most likely, I can’t go out to the grocery store, because I would never make it there and back in a half an hour, but I will read a few pages in a book or write a page of my homework. I try to do just a little something, and then when the next break from the migraine comes, I do a little something more, and then when it is all done, I finally feel like I have accomplished something.

You know that you are going to get headaches. That doesn’t mean that you can’t start living your life how you want it. No, it may not be 100% how you want because of headaches, but you can start taking small steps to take control and make it your own.

The trick is just to do something, no matter how small. Remember that small things add up to big things. You have to start somewhere. Yes, the pain is real, but if you don’t take steps now to do something to make your life the way that you want it, you will regret it.

The Migraine and Headache Program

Understanding Cluster Headaches

2009-04-13T05:08:00.000-07:00

Cluster headaches are the least common type of headaches, affecting less than 1 in 1,000 people, but they are also the most severe type of headache. Cluster headaches are more common in men, but women can also get them. These types of headaches most likely will start before the age of 30, but as with everything this is not a golden rule. These are one-sided headaches that happen in groups or "clusters”, hence the name. They usually happen at the same time each day, maybe even at the same time a week later. Being that these headaches are so severe, the sufferer is not able to do their normal routine or activities. A severe burning or sharp, piercing pain on one side of the head is the main symptom.

As with any types of headaches, the role of diet is not clearly understood. Chocolate may be one possible trigger.

Lifestyle factors such as these may also trigger cluster headaches:
• smoking
• drinking alcohol frequently
• occurring in the spring or autumn (due to this seasonal nature, they may be confused with seasonal allergies)
• from stimulation or activation of the hypothalamus

Chemical triggers:
• exposure to hydrocarbons (petroleum solvents, perfume)
• nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate)

Most cluster headache sufferers have one or two cluster periods each year. They are very painful, but they don't cause long-term harm, even though it may certainly feel like it at the time. It is always a wise idea to see your doctor so that it can be determined that what you really have is cluster headaches and not something else that could cause long-term harm. For more information about cluster headaches, see: The Cluster Cure

Reading "Pain Free"

2009-04-12T06:03:00.001-07:00

I have just started reading a book called "Pain Free" by P. Egoscue. The book is of course about getting rid of pain without drugs and surgery or even physical therapy. There are very simple exercises contained in the book called "E-cises". Since I have headaches, I'm starting with the "E-cises" for the head and neck. These exercises only take about 10 minutes of my time so hopefully with regular practice I'll begin to see some benefits to them. I'll keep you posted.

Green Smoothies

2009-04-07T22:28:00.000-07:00

Why am I such a fan of "green smoothies"? This is because not only do they taste good, but they are good for you. When you add greens such as kale or spinach to it, this give you nutrients you otherwise probably wouldn't get. The majority don't like to eat greens. Combines with fruit, eating your greens can taste good.

I have one almost every night and sometimes in the afternoons on weekends. They help you feel fuller longer and help you lose weight.

Two Things Not to be Without

2009-04-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

Two things that you don't want to me without are the book "Green for Life" and a Vitamix. The reason I say this is because these two items can make your meals so much healthier and tasty. I have been making green smoothies for over 2 years now. I have one for dinner almost every night and on the weekend, I have them for lunch, too. I have no weight problems. I'm 5.65 and 110 pounds right now.

I have found that buying the Vitamix helps tremendously with the making of green smoothies. I used to use a blender which never made the smoothie, well, smooth. It didn't taste that great, either, but a couple of months ago, I finally went out and got myself a Vitamix. It works great and is easy to clean. It works wonders and I highly recommend it.

Green smoothies are great for healthful eating and weight loss.

What's a "Headache Coach"?

2009-04-05T21:53:00.000-07:00

You may be asking yourself why do I call myself the "Headache Coach" or what exactly is a "Headache Coach". I call myself this because I am currently in the process of becoming a certified coach with the Coach Training Alliance (CTA) and my focus is on people who suffer from headaches, although I do work with people in the area of general wellness.

I have suffered from all sorts of headaches for over 25 years. I know about the frustration of knowing understanding you, the doctors making jokes about how it's "all in my head"-(yes, how observant, it is in our head, but it's real). It affects every bit of a headache sufferer's life, from their work, their pleasure, their relationships, and just their general well-being.

For many years, I had given up, until one day I realized that these headaches weren't going away, and I was going to have to learn to live with them one way or the other. I have a lot of goals and dreams and I was determined to start on the journey to accomplishing them and to make them happen. I feel that being a coach to other headache sufferers is where I can make the greatest impact in my life.

What are Tension Headaches?

2009-04-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

Headaches are one of the most common occurrences in the adult population in North America and probably in the world. That probably isn’t a surprise considering how much stress and overworked we are. Headaches have an enormous impact on society due to missed workdays and the loss of productivity when one is dealing with the pain, resulting in huge costs over time for any employer.

“Headache” is usually described as an aching or pain that occurs in one or more areas of the head, face, mouth, or neck. Headaches can have many causes, but serious causes of headaches are rare, however, anyone suffering with a pattern of headaches should pay particular caution that the pattern does not change or become more frequent. This could signal the possibility of a more serious issue. A headache that becomes worse over time, say in a period of 6 months or possibly less depending on the severity of symptoms, especially if most prominent in the morning or if accompanied by neurological symptoms would warrant a call to your physician.

A headache can be a primary disorder, as in migraine or cluster headaches. It may be a common symptom associated with head injury or many illnesses such as acute infection, brain tumor or abscess, eye disorders such as glaucoma, dental disease, and hypertension. Headaches can be chronic, recurrent, or occasional.

Perhaps you have heard of a “tension headache”. What exactly does that mean? Believe it or not, the most common type of headache is a tension headache. Tension headaches are the most common type of primary headache; as many as 90% of adults have had or will have tension headaches sometime in their lives. Up to 90% of all people who complain of chronic or frequent headaches suffer from a tension headache. This type is more common among women than men, but while perhaps they feel it at times, they are not life-threatening. Tension headaches are brought on due to tight muscles in your shoulders, neck, scalp and jaw. Tensions headaches can be brought on from working too much, not getting enough sleep, missing meals or improper eating habits, or from the use of alcohol.

Headaches can be triggered by chocolate, cheese, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). They can also occur if you have a cold, the flu, fever, or premenstrual syndrome, along with a host of other conditions.

Headaches are one of the most common and universal human ailments. They have been documented in ancient medical writings from Egypt, Greece, Rome, and other countries. They have even been mentioned in the Bible. There seems there is no “fast cure” or “permanent cure”, either for this very common nuisance that occurs are one time or another for every person, with some people unfortunately being forced to live with them every second of their lives.

Welcome to the Headache Coaching Blog!

2009-04-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! My name is Betty and I call myself the "Headache Coach". I've lived with chronic headaches for over 25 years. I've come along way since then, and in this blog, I would like to share some of the things I have been through. I would also like to hear your stories.

You can learn more about me and what I do at: http://headachecoaching.com.