Ayurveda Treatment For Headache

A headache is a pain in the head and neck region that may be either a disorder in its own right or a symptom of an underlying medical condition or disease. The medical term for headache is cephalalgia.
Headaches are divided into two large categories, primary and secondary, according to International Headache Society (IHS) in 1988 and revised for republication in 2004. Primary headaches accounting for more than 90% of all headaches. There are three major types of primary headaches: migraine, cluster, and tension. Secondary headaches are caused by another disease or medical condition, and account for fewer than 10% of headaches.
Rebound headaches, also known as analgesic abuse headaches, are a subtype of primary headache caused by overuse of headache drugs. They may be associated with medications taken for tension or migraine headaches.
Secondary headaches are classified as either traction or inflammatory headaches. Traction headaches result from the pulling, pushing, or stretching of pain-sensitive structures, such as a brain tumor pressing upon the outer layer of tissue that covers the brain. Inflammatory headaches are caused by infectious diseases of the ears, teeth, sinuses, or other parts of the head.
In ayurveda, it is known as shirashula. It is of several types depending upon the predominance of one or the other of the doshas in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Causative factors

Both physical and psychic factors are considered to be responsible for the production of this disease. Defective eyesight, inflammation of sinus, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, tumors in the brain, excessive exertion,  exposure to excessive hot or cold, indigestion, constipation.etc. may produce headache. Headache is the symptom of many other disease rather than disease.

Signs and symptom

In ayurveda, depending upon the domination of doshas, the signs and symptoms associated with headache vary .e.g. in slaismika type of headache, there is always heaviness in the head. Watering of the eyes, inflammation of the middle ear, running of the nose, nasal polyp and many other similar symptoms. This type of headache generally occurs in the morning, in rainy or winter season and immediately after food. Children are more affected by this type of headache. Paittika type of headache is always associated with the burning sensation all over the head and bleeding from nose. It is generally aggravated  during mid-day and summer and autumn seasons. The vatika type of headache is always associated with a giddiness, sleeplessness, dryness and roughness of eyes and various types of pain in different organs of the head. In another type of headache called ardhavabhedaka, pain appears in the half of the head. At times headache stats in the morning and goes on increasing till mid-day and subsides slowly till evening. Anantavata, an acute type of headache which is very difficult for the treatment. In anantavata, pain starts from the back of head and migrates to the frontal as well as temporal regions.Another type of headache described in ayurveda, samkhaka. In samkhaka, the pain is localized in the temporal region. This is associated with redness and swelling in the temporal region.

Methods for Ayurveda Treatment For Headache :

In ayurveda, for the treatment of headache depends upon the type of headache. But, general treatment of headache can be done which is applicable for all types of headache.

Nasya Karma with Anu tail:

A medicine which is commonly used for treatment of headache is anu tail. This is a medicated oil prepared by boiling different types of medicinal plants in oil.  About 2-5 drop of this medicine is to be dropped in the both nostrils  and deeply inhaled. It is better if the use of drop is done after steam  inhalation. The inhaled oil if swallowed is not harmful for the body.  Deep inhalation of this oil may irritate the mucosa membrane and also may cause sneezing too. So, deep inhalation should not be done.  This oil removes the blockage of the path from the sinus to the nasal cavity. So, removal of the blockage in the sinus results in the relieving of heaviness and mental strain. It also have soothing effect on the olfactory nerves in the nasal cavity hence resulting in the nourishment of the nerve. Normally inhalation of anu tail is done two times a day. But, if the headache is severe, this can be repeated to three to four times a day depending upon the condition.

Medicines for ayurveda treatment for Headache:

In slaismika type of headache laxmi vilas rasa is very useful. This is available in the form of tablets 0.25mg each. Two tablets of this should be taken three times a day  mixed with honey. In a vatika type of headache, godanti bhasma and shringa bhasma are very useful. Godanti is a calcium sulphate and it is prepare to bhasma by a special pharmaceutical process. Shringa is a horn of deer. This is burnt into ashes by a special pharmaceutical process to make to bhasma. This two powder are mixed in a dose of 0.25 gram each and taken mixed with honey three times a day.
In paittika type of headache and other types called suryavrata, ardhavabhedaka and sankhaka, suvarna sutshekhar is a medicine of choice and is commonly used by the Ayurveda physicians. It should be given in a dose of one tablet two times a day on an empty stomach mixed with half teaspoonful of cream and  half-spoonful of sugar. It can also be taken with a cup of milk mixed with sugar each time.
The patient should be given a mild laxative periodically to keep the patient free from constipation.

Diet:

Milk, sweet food and ghee are useful in this condition. Rice and the soup prepared by boiling kulattha(Dolichos biflorus) is also useful. Intake of hot milk especially that of the cow is considered to be exceedingly useful. The patient should avoid as far as possible fried things and spiced food articles.

Other regimens:

The patient should avoid exposure to excessive heat, excessive cold or rain. He should not inhibit natural urges. If the headache is of slaismika type, the patient is well advised to keep hair short and avoid washing head with excessive cold water. The mental stress and strain are also causative factor of headache, patient should be advised to keep himself free from emotional factors like stress, strain, anger and worry. He should not keep himself wake at night. Sleep during the day time is strictly prohibited in slaismika type of headache. It is also considered to be harmful for other types of headache.

Shirodhara

Shirodhara is one of the best ayurveda treatment for headache. During this procedure, medicated liquid and oils are poured on the forehead and scalp which creates soothing effect on head and benefits headache.