Tag: headache

Acid Reflux Medication: Keeping Heartburn at Bay

In a normal digestive process, the partially digested food is being forwarded by muscular movements from the stomach to the intestines. However, for some people, the stomach contents travel back to the esophagus from the stomach. This condition is known as acid reflux.

Common symptoms of this disease include heartburn, difficulty in swallowing, regurgitation, chest pains, dental erosion, hoarseness, asthma, dyspepsia, vomiting, and many others.

If not properly treated, acid reflux can last for several months. But drug treatment can play an essential part in the treatment process of a patient.

The most common medications used include the following:

Antacids. These drugs are used to neutralize the acids in the digestive tract and are primarily taken in for relief of mild symptoms, such as occasional episodes of indigestion and heartburn. They also act to incite the defensive mechanisms of our stomach by building up the secretion of mucous and bicarbonate. Most antacids can be bought over the counter even without a medical prescription. Moreover, these drugs are one of the first to be recommended by professionals to lessen the pain brought about by heartburn or mild symptoms. The three basic ingredients of antacids are magnesium, calcium, and aluminum.

Acid suppressants such as histamine blockers are also commonly used. Histamine blockers obstruct the production of stomach acids by alienating the actions of histamine. Histamine is a chemical in the body that promotes the production and secretion of acids in the stomach. Anti-histamines are available even without prescription and offers relief of symptoms in most of the patients with frequent acid reflux. Patients have to wait for 30 to 90 minutes for these drugs to take effect. But their effect also lasts six to 24 hours. In cases of severe symptoms, a patient may have to take two dosages a day. In some researches, histamine blockers have shown to improve asthmatic symptoms in those who endure from both acid reflux and asthma.

However, in a study dated 2001, it was suggested that histamine blockers occasionally impart complete relief of symptoms for dyspepsia and heartburn.

Proton pump inhibitors are also employed as a medication. They act to trim down the production of stomach acids by reacting with the cells found in the stomach wall which produce and release acids into the stomach. However, researches have revealed that the use of proton pump inhibitors poses some concerns. Side effects, although uncommon, include diarrhea, headache, itching, and nausea. Moreover, these drugs should also be stayed away from by pregnant and breast-feeding mothers.

Another medication that is generally handled is the use of agents which protect the mucus lining in the gastrointestinal region. This kind of drug acts by attaching to an ulcer crater so that it will be guarded from damage caused by digestive acids. It is advisable for people undergoing maintenance therapy with mild or moderate acid reflux conditions. Likewise, it has minor side effects, including constipation.

Anti-spasm drugs are also utilized to prevent acid and even non-acid reflux. A gamma-amino acid butyric acid agonist, an anti-spasm drug is generally used to abate the spasms in the muscles. Unlike most medicines used for acid reflux, it can also lessen non-acid refluxes and amplify the pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach and prevents backing up of stomach contents.

Simple Ways to Stop Acid Reflux

Several millions of people are being struck by Acid Reflux disease – adults, children, and even infants cannot escape from its affliction.

Basically, the Acid Reflux or heartburn pertains to the disease caused by upflowing of the acid from the stomach up to the throat.

Scientifically, the process occurs when there is a relaxation that occurs in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), allowing then the stomach juices to flow back into the esophagus.

There are already various conditions that have been connected to this. Several of these are the average persons increase in anxiety, lack of bodily exercise, and unhealthy diet. All of these have sole effect in the bodythe body increase in the production of acid, thus, resulting to Acid Reflux disease.

There are already findings that show wherein the boost in the production of acid in the body can also be connected to kidneys, digestive respiratory and heart disorders as well.

The symptoms of the Acid Relux come in difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, headache, constipation, and insomnia. These are all indications that acids had already invaded the esophagus.

The only way to battle the disease is definitely to reduce the entire amount of body acid. Through this the production of body acid will be corrected, the disorder will be fixed, and so, overturning the sign of the Acid Reflux.

If the repeated occurrence of acid in the esophagus will not be treated immediately, the person affected by this will continually suffer from the extreme pain as it directs to the harsh stage of Acid Reflux, and could probably lead to fatal situation.

Although time was able to establish the numerous medicines which are specially made to treat the disease. Most of them still deal to a serious troubleside effects, costly prices, short-term results, permanent prescriptions.

The issue on the costs of medicinal cure have always been stressing the patients; this is a common scenario, especially for those who are incapable to afford this.

For this reason, there are several ways that have also been practiced to cure the disease. This would only require simple methods which are stress-free in the pocket.

The methods are only simple. Home treatments specifically could correct the body acid imbalance and this are assured to bring an enduring relief.

The primary recommendations for this disease which will not require for a heavy cost is proper diet, in particular, a healthy eating habit and a regular physical exercise.

Believe it or not, chewing gum is advisable to neutralize the acid instantly, and this will bring out an instant relief. Likewise, honey and aloe juices create the same effect, they neutralize the acid in the throat and they are offered in the nearby local stores. All of these are directly equivalent to a medical prescription of a doctor, the sole difference lies in their prices.

Also, try to remove in your diet the drinks that contain caffeine, alcohol beverages, fatty and fried foods, spicy foods, citrus fruits, chocolate. If you think you are totally addicted to them, you can still take them, though only in reasonable quantities.

However, if you are frequently attacked by the symptoms, you have no other choice but to completely get rid of them, or else, the consequences are yours alone.

Now, as you practice your diet, maintain in your habit as well to go to bed when you have already rested for two to three hours after you have eaten your last meal.

Pressure Points To Relieve Headaches-Temples Most Obvious

Having headaches isn’t any fun. When you have one the only thing you can think about is getting rid of it. Most people will either ride it out and hope the pain passes, or they will pop a few pills that promise to relieve the pain. However, a few people find that using pressure points to relieve headaches is a much better option for easing the pain.

There are pressure points located all over the body, and each one can help ease different ailments. Luckily, some of these pressure points will be able to treat your headaches. Some of the pressure points are quite obvious, while a few of them may end up surprising you. But where they are located is less important than the fact that they work. To be fair, not every single headache will go away instantly using these points, but they will almost always bring a noticeable level of relief.

Chances are you are already familiar with one of the pressure points, but didn’t even know it. We are talking about the temples. Now, you have to be careful to not apply too much pressure here, so just use your fingers to make a gentle circular massage motion. Keep doing this for a minute or so and you should find that your head is feeling better.

Another set of pressure points on the head can be found on the inside of your eyebrows right next to your nose. You should be able to apply more firm pressure here (though you always need to be careful to not overdo it on any pressure point). Use your thumbs to make smaller, then larger circles until you start to notice the pain lessening.

You can find another series of pressure points on the head along the front of your hairline, near the top of your forehead. Start at level that is even with the horizontal plane of your eyes (but close to the ears) then gently massage along the hairline until your fingers meet at the middle of your head (a few inches above your nose). However, the head is not the only place where there are pressure points to relieve headaches.

More points can be found at the midpoint between your head and the outside of your shoulders. These muscles typically store up a lot of tension, and releasing that tension with a massage can help bring headache relief.

Moving down to your forearms, you can find more pressure points on the inside of your arm just above the elbow joint. You can locate more points by moving diagonally toward your bicep. Alternating between both spots should make an improvement in your level of pain.

These are a few of the pressure points to relieve headaches, but there are several more. Sure, you can always take an aspirin or medication if you must, but trying natural remedies first may bring just as much relief without having to add chemicals to your body.

Natural Ways To Relieve A Headache-Sometimes The Old Ways Work

Natural Ways To Relieve A Headache-Sometimes The Old Ways Work Better

Having frequent headaches can range from being a nuisance to affecting your ability to function. Modern medicine’s typical response is to shove pills down your throat and see what happens. If the first pills don’t work then new pills are tried, and so on until you are able to find some relief. However, there are also some natural ways to relieve a headache so you won’t have to pop pills.

A warning is in order before we get to any of those methods: Nothing in this article is meant to be medical advice. You should always consult with your doctor before trying to treat any health condition, including headaches. If your doctor has prescribed medication, then you should always take it unless they instruct to stop taking it. Okay, and now onto the good stuff!

Cold or heat therapy is one of the oldest natural ways to relieve a headache. Placing a cold pack on the head, face or neck can lessen the severity of a headache, but don’t use anything that’s too cold as that can make the headache worse. Heat can be applied in the same way, and excessive heat should be avoided as well. Everybody is different, so you may need to see which temperature works best for you. How this works is still the topic of discussion, but what really matters is that it does indeed work, not how it works.

The body is covered with pressure points that affect other parts of the body. You can find pressure points that will help alleviate headaches. They can be found on the temples, the bridge of your nose, the hairline, the crook of your arm, your back and certain parts of your feet. Using a bit of trial and error, you should be able to zero in on the areas that bring you the most relief; however, if you want to be more precise then you can find information that shows you exactly where to apply pressure.

Aromatherapy can work wonders on your headaches, but you need to be careful. The reason is that some people are highly sensitive to certain scents, and they could end up making your headache worse. On the other hand, there are sure to be some aromas that soothe and clam you and lessen your headache pain. Some of the more popular scents for the treatment of headaches include lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint.

Staying in good health isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but it can definitely help control your headaches. After all, what could be better than preventing them in the first place? Make sure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day, eat right, exercise on a regular basis, practice stress reduction techniques and get a good night’s sleep.

The cool thing about all of these natural ways to relieve a headache is that they can be done by just about anyone, and you don’t have to worry about popping pills and adding chemicals to your system.