All kinds of Headaches and their treatment

Tension Headaches.

My border collie has never complained. if any dog on earth could tell me this, it would by my very intelligent border collie.

I get "cluster migraine" so that means that when I do get a headache it can last as long as three months (the one time I had a three month headache I was convinced that I must have a brain tumor!)! I used to have that a lot, but as I have aged my headaches have grown less and less and I probably only get one or two a month now:)

I must admit, that it would not surprise me, for my dog to come to me one day and point his paw to his head. then....i would assume he had a headache.
Because mammals have comparable physiology it is safe to assume under the analogy principle that animals can have headaches.
My cat had high bloodpressure, after treatment she became a lot less grumpy. According to her cardiologist that was because she no longer had a headache.
About 90% of all headaches are classified as muscle contraction, more commonly known as 'tension headaches'. These are the headaches most of us blame on work, bills and arguments.
The pain is typically all over the head. You may feel a dull ache or sense of tightness, and it mostly feels like a tight steel band is wrapped around your head. Not everyone under stress gets headaches, but millions of people get them time and time again. For them headaches are a cronic problem.

Migraines.
Migraines have an even uglier reputation than tension headaches. Migraines are part of the vascular headache family and most often strike women. About 70% of migraine sufferes are female.Migraines can be crippling, so much so that migraine sufferers lose millions of workdays each year.

Usually migraines bring severe, throbbing pain to either one side, or both sides of the head. This is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and dizziness. It can even cause blurred vision, and numbness in the limbs.

Trying To Prevent Them.
I myself have suffered for years with tension headaches, so now I try to head them off before they start. Here's a few tips :-

Medication - Take It Now.
As soon as I feel a tension headache coming on, I take a small dose of medication. It's no use using just a pain killer, you need something that will relax your muscles as well. After all, it's the tight muscles which are causing the pain in the first place, so it makes sense to relax them. If you know what kind of headache you have, your local pharmacy will be able to advise you on the right medication.

Exercise.
Exercise and has helped me a great deal. Exercise helps you to release stress, so regular exercise and stretching will be real of real benefit. If however you've got a severe headache, don't exercise, relaxation is what you need.

Sleep.
Many people sleep a headache off, but too much sleep can actually cause a headache, so don't overdo it. I little nap should be all you need to get rid of a headache.

Peace And Quiet.
Excessive noise is a common trigger for tension headaches, so try to find a quiet place where you can sit and relax. Practice some deep breathing exercises at least three or four times a day, you'll feel better for it.