Natural Remedies for Headaches - Seven Herbal Solutions to Reduce Annoying Headaches

Seven Herbal Solutions to Reduce Annoying Headaches

The reliance on natural remedies for headaches may be an option for some people who prefer natural solutions and prefer avoiding pharmaceutical medications. This annoying pain or neuralgia around the head and upper neck can often be very excruciating. While painkillers might be effective for relieving the headache, here are some options for those of you who prefer more natural approaches.

1. Lemons

Extract the juice of 3 to 4 slices of lemon and mix it into a cup of tea. This method works for immediately relieving headaches. Don't throw away your lemon rind. Instead, pound it in a mortar until it forms a fine paste and apply the paste as plaster to your head; this helps for headaches caused by heat. You can also apply the peeled-off rind of a lemon to both of your temples as a headache remedy. If you don't have lemon available, you can substitute a lime for similar results. Other citrus fruits are not suitable substitutes.

2. Bananas

Bananas are particularly helpful as a natural remedy for headaches that are caused by hangovers. When you drink alcohol, you lose lots of fructose and potassium. Banana helps you retain both of these substances. Eat fresh bananas or blend them to make a smoothie. For other variations, you can make a banana sandwich with bread, honey and peanut butter. While honey adds fructose, the peanut butter supplies vitamin B to help restore well-being.

3. Ginger

For headaches accompanied by nausea, ginger is the best natural remedy you can get. Besides treating headaches and migraines, this powerful herb is also known as a remedy for nausea, vomiting and many other stomach problems. Consume 2 to 4 grams of fresh ginger each day to relieve migraines. Make your own ginger tea by simmering two slices of fresh ginger root in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes.

4. Cinnamon

If you get headaches when you are exposed to cold weather, cinnamon is a good natural remedy for you. Mix cinnamon powder with a little water until it forms a fine paste. Apply the paste to your forehead and both temples to relieve the pain.

5. Coriander seeds

This recipe is taken from Indian Ayurvedic traditions. Put coriander seeds into boiling water and inhale the fragrant steam from this mixture to help soothe headaches caused by sinus problems.

6. Rosemary

Rosemary is also a natural remedy for headaches caused by cold. Boil a handful of the herb in a liter or quart of water and put the mixture in a mug or deep bowl. Cover your head with a towel and inhale the steam from the mixture for as long as possible. This should be done until you feel the headache improving. Rosemary is also known as an herb having a calming effect. Drink a cup of rosemary tea for relief of headaches caused by stress.

7. Peppermint

Peppermint has long been used for soothing headaches. This herb can be used in a lot of ways; you can relieve your headache by drinking it as tea, taking peppermint extract or using its essential oil for a head massage. However, if you have a tendency to suffer from stomach acid problems such as heartburn, it is better not to take this herb internally as a natural remedy for headache. Externally, of course, is not a problem.

Cure For Tinnitus - Does Medication Stop Ringing in the Ears?

Cure For Tinnitus - Does Medication Stop Ringing in the Ears?

Tinnitus is very often the symptom of another existing medical condition, although it too can be the problem as well. It is rather common that this disorder is a symptom of medication, infections, stress, malnutrition, insomnia and of course, deeper underlying medical conditions.

While you and your doctor thought right that medication can help stop the ringing in the ears, it does directly reduce the intensity of the disorder but only over the short term. Medication should never be used as a long term cure for tinnitus as they can cause serious side effects when consumed over time. In fact, as stated above they can be one of the symptoms that cause the ringing in the ears.

Take for instance the medication that helps to alleviate the intensity of the ringing in the ears, alprazolam, which gives moderate relief to the condition at best. The effect lasts slightly longer than short term but is still not a permanent treatment. Medication like antidepressants, tranquilizers, and muscle relaxants do help to reduce tinnitus but simply alleviate the pressure and relaxes the body so that you can start dealing with your depression induced disorder.

Take note that these medications only serve to alleviate the symptoms and not the root causes of tinnitus. Hence it is still imperative that you seek the advice of your physician to run a full body check up on you to find out the existing medical condition. Treat the condition and your ringing in the ears will disappear as well.

But the key is in the follow up as tinnitus recurs 70 percent of the time. And the key to preventing the recurrence is in living a healthy lifestyle, with a well balanced diet and good nutrition, free from stress, away from depression, as well as with regular exercise regime. This holistic perspective forms the basic foundation of the real cure for tinnitus that will serve you well as a permanent remedy.

Hearing Loss - 4 Types of Hearing Tests to Detect Early

 4 Types of Hearing Tests to Detect Early

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. This principle also applies to anyone with a hearing loss condition. The earlier the illness is detected, the better its prognosis is. However, for those who already are afflicted with the illness, hearing tests are done to see whether hearing has improved or not and whether treatments have been effective.

Hearing tests are also done for babies. Since these little tykes can't express subjective opinions yet, doctors can't be too sure whether they have normal hearing or not. Because of this, babies are subjected to hearing tests for the early detection of problems that pertain to factors that may interfere in the development of speech and other cognitive abilities. Tests for babies are very important to detect any congenital hearing defect such as hearing loss.

Hearing tests are also very important on children during school age. Although people can learn visually and kinesthetically, hearing still plays a very big part in the absorption of this information. If a child has hearing problems, then learning may be impeded. This is the reason why hearing tests are done to detect whether a certain child has hearing loss or not. If tests turn out positive, then appropriate actions can be done immediately.

For persons who are suspected of having hearing loss, the severity as well as the type of hearing loss can then be detected and established. With this, appropriate treatment and medication may be given to improve the condition of a patient. Hearing tests would also be used as an evaluative tool whether a person's hearing condition has improved or not.

1) Weber Test

Named after Ernst Heinrich Weber, the Weber Test is considered as one of the most basic tests for detecting hearing loss. This test will be able to detect two types of hearing loss: unilateral conductive hearing loss and unilateral sensorineural type.

The Weber Test makes use of a tuning fork. The fork is struck on a surface to produce vibrations. It will then be placed on top of the media lateral of the skull. A person is said to have a unilateral conductive hearing loss if one ear hears the sound louder than the other. The ear that hears the louder sound is the affected one.

2) Rinne Test

Just like the Weber test, the Rinne Test also uses a tuning fork. This hearing test was named after Heinrich Adolf Rinne, the person who developed this test. The Rinne Test compares how sound is perceived as conducted through the mastoid.

A tuning fork is struck to produce vibrations. The fork stem is then stuck on the mastoid of a person. When no sound can already be heard, the fork is then placed outside the ear.

Although the Webber Test and Rinne Test have been proven to be effective, these can't be compared to the hearing test called audiometry.

3) Audiometry Testing

Audiometry is the formal testing of a person's hearing ability. With the help of an audiometer, the hearing level of a person may be measured. It may measure the ability of a person to differentiate between different intensities of sound, distinguish speech from background sounds, or recognize pitch. In audiometry, otoacoustic emissions as well as acoustic reflex can also be measured. Results from audiometry testing can be used to diagnose whether the subject has hearing loss or other problems with the ear.

Unlike the Weber Test and the Rinne Test, audiometry testing needs a special soundproof room. It also does not make use of tuning forks. Instead, it uses a device called the audiometer.

4) Tympanometry

Tympanometry is a test usually used to detect conductive hearing loss. It is also used if nothing apparent is detected through the Rinne and Weber Test. This procedure makes use of an otoscope. This makes sure that nothing; neither foreign object nor earwax is blocking the path to the eardrum. It is considered as a foolproof method if ever the findings from the other tests produce suspiciously inaccurate or anomalous results, and further tests are needed for deeper hearing level assessment.

Tympanometry targets the eardrum's mobility, conduction of bones, and the condition of the middle ear.

Pulsatile Tinnitus - What Is It?

Pulsatile Tinnitus - What Is It?

Pulsatile Tinnitus is experienced by only a small cross-section of tinnitus sufferers (3%) to be precise. What is pulsatile tinnitusall Listen to your heartbeat and now to your tinnitus if both are in the same rhythm then you have this type of tinnitus, it sounds like a whooshing or pounding noise in your ear. There is also a type of tinnitus known as vascular which in simple terms is as a result of the blood flow being interrupted.

The head and neck contain blood vessels and these are areas where you would expect natural blood flow to occur, so when the flow is interrupted then pulsatile tinnitus will be experienced. Narrow blood vessel openings or faster blood flow is often an end result, irregular blood flow is the reason why you hear the noises in your ears. As you can see there are differing types of tinnitus and this example contrasts from continuous tinnitus which is as a result of nerve/cochlea damage.

It's not un heard of for a sufferer to have both pulsatile tinnitus and continuous simultaneously. Results show that pulsatile tinnitus caused more problems to its patients than continuous tinnitus. Any type of tinnitus should be checked out by a doctor and if you do have the symptoms of pulsatile tinnitus then I strongly recommend seeing your specialist because there maybe an underlying serious medical problem. Intense cases could lead to a stroke.

The specialist in pulsatile tinnitus will examine your head and neck. These are usually completed by using special imaging techniques. Sometimes these checks are negative or in conclusive if this is the case then ask for a more stringent examination because these tests can often say there is nothing wrong. Your ears contain a labyrinth of bones and soft tissue so the stringent imaging tests can miss the problem, always ask for further tests.

Magnetic Resonance Angiography and Carotid Artery Ultrasonography are recent advances in technology to help the specialists. These techniques pinpoint the problem areas of the head, ear or neck for pulsatile tinnitus sufferers, figures show that people report a significant improvement once the problem has been identified.

Here are common causes of Pulsatile tinnitus:

1 - Benign Intracranial Hypertension. When the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain is increased. Many of its patients are young overweight females. Improvements are see when the weight problem is looked at.

2 - Glomus Tumor. This is a benign vascular tumor commonly found in the ear or just underneath the ear at the base of the skull. Loss of hearing is a common problem. Younger patients are usually operated on and the tumor is removed, if you are an older patient you may not require treatment due to the tumours slow growth.

3 - Atherosclerotic Carotid Artery Disease. Atherosclerosis is when the artery narrows due to gathering of cholesterol on the artery wall. The opening is narrowed and erratic blood flow is a usual outcome which results in pulsatile tinnitus. Found in older patients who suffer with medical conditions, eg.hypertension, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, angina and smoking. Can be rectified using specific medication.

4 - Middle Ear Effusion. An air-filled space is common to the middle ear, if fluid builds up because of an ear infection, inflammation or eustachian tube dysfunction, pulsatile tinnitus is an end result. You may experience ear pain and usually controlled with antibiotics or a nasal spray.

5 - Twisted Arteries. Twisted arteries in the neck or head may result in erratic blood flow and causes pulsatile tinnitus.

If pulsatile tinnitus is caused by erratic blood flow in the arteries, then applying slight pressure to the area of the upper neck or head on the problem side can help or reduce it. Forcing air into eustachian tube in the middle ear. pinch the nose, close your mouth and can help (blowing your ears) is by no means an approved technique. Always see a specialist.

Ear Infections - Causes and Prevention

Ear Infections - Causes and Prevention

Have you ever heard, that if your ears are ringing, someone must be talking about youall It could be good news, bad news or plain old gossip. However, your itchy ear canal or earache is most likely an ear infection. Your next step will be a visit to your doctor and they will examine your inner ear with an otoscope. They will look for red irritation, the condition of the eardrum, and all the earwax.

Middle ear infections are the most common ear infection, because there is a small tube connecting the ear to the throat. This tube can swell and become congested that can trap fluid. This environment creates a place for germs to spread and cause an infection. And since children's ears are smaller, their tubes are smaller and therefore more easily clogged. So if your throat is scratchy, your ears may become inflamed also.

In baby's you make notice that they may tug at their ears, be fussy, cry, have a fever, or have trouble sleeping, all which indicate an ear infection. While a discharge of thick yellow fluid coming from a burst eardrum, seems serious, actually relieve the pressure and may make the pain go away. The eardrum will heal in time. As children age, they may complain about their ears being clogged and have a hard time hearing. This condition may last about two weeks until the fluid dissipates.

If you are a swimmer, triathlete, or ironman, you may get swimmers ear (otitis externa). Approximately 10% of the population is inflicted by this infection.

Inner ear infections called Labyrinthitis is usually caused by a viral infection, which can cause vertigo, which is a spinning feeling. Labyrinthitis may also cause hearing loss and a ringing sound in your ears (tinnitus).

Overtime, most ear infections heal own their own. In the meantime, a heating pad on the ear may relax the pain. Your doctor or pharmacist may recommend a pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) to help the symptoms. The doctor may also prescribe eardrops for the pain, and antibiotics depending on the age and severity of the infection. If infections persist, your doctor may put tubes in the ears to keep the canal open with minor surgery.

Here are some suggestions to keep ear infections at bay. If you smoke, just stop. The remnants of smoke in your hair or clothes still have an affect on children. Maintain good hand washing protocols. Immunization can help also reduce ear infections. Your doctor may use an examination tool called an otoscope, such as the MacroView Otoscope to check your ears. Basically an otoscope is a magnifying glass, and is used to examine your body cavities like your throat or ears. Just make sure that the doctor changes the probe cover to make sure that the infected ear does not infect the other ear. And if you have a fever also, the doctor may a thermometer such as the Braun ThermoScan Pro 4000 Ear Thermometer.

Many people have earwax buildup, and will need to remove it safely. There are many ways to remove earwax. While using a cotton swab for the outer ear, using it in the ear canal can compact the earwax further into the canal. Many doctors recommend using Debrox or Murine, which are earwax softeners. After the recommended use, the wax will eventually fall out or using a bulb or piston syringe with warm water to flush out that nasty wax. Some healthcare professionals use an ear wash system such as Welch Allyn's Ear Wash System.

Always consult with your healthcare team with any questions regarding your health. Stay Well!

How the American Tinnitus Association Fights For a Cure

How the American Tinnitus Association Fights For a Cure

Tinnitus is a term many people are not familiar with, yet many people have this condition. Most likely millions of people all over the world has experienced this condition at some point in their life. Some people can look over it and for some it has a devastating effect. Tinnitus is known is called ringing in your ear, however, it is basically an unusual sound you experience that comes and goes away whenever it wants. It could be the sound of the ocean, a pounding or throbbing sensation, or any other uncomfortable sound. This condition is so wide spread that the American Tinnitus Association was formed and actively works on finding a cure.

The American Tinnitus Association was founded by a doctor and his patient who suffered from tinnitus. They joined together on a mission to find a cure. That is the main purpose of the American Tinnitus Association is to help find a cure for this problematic condition. There are millions of suffers who are desperately seeking help.

When we experience this condition on occasion, it doesn't seem like a big deal. There are some people that experience it frequently and it affects their lives. The association fights to make headway in the medical and research industries to help those who suffer.

If you look at the history of the American Tinnitus Association they have been effective in educating not only consumers or the general public, but have done an exceptional job getting media attention. They have also been the driving force in getting grants and donations to keep the research top of mind in an effort to find effective treatments and cures. They have contributed over five million dollars toward research.

To give you an idea of how many people are interested or suffer from tinnitus, Dear Abby and Ann Landers mentioned tinnitus and the ATA in their columns and hundreds of thousands of readers responded for more information on the condition and to make donations.

The ATA has a website that will help sufferers and anyone else interested in learning more about tinnitus and how they can join the association to help the cause. There are a variety of ways you can help.

The ATA makes it easy for concerned individuals to join the cause, there are volunteer programs to help educate others, increase donations for continued research, provide assistance and support over the phone, through mailings, and emails to suffers, and support group assistance.

The American Tinnitus Association is very creative and at the forefront of actively raising money for research. They held their first Walk for a Cure in California, and had an online virtual walk in an effort to educate and raise money to find a cure.

They have a very unique store on their website that is quite valuable. It has a wealth of information on tinnitus, books, pamphlets, products and devices to protect your ears and hearing, and what is most unique that isn't normally found on other related websites is downloadable tinnitus sounds.

This is very enlightening and is good for families who have loved ones who suffer. This way they can hear and experience what tinnitus is and how important it is to be understanding and help find a cure. If you are a sufferer check out the resources The American Tinnitus Association makes available to ease your pain.

Hearing Loss - Getting Rid of Bilateral and Unilateral Tinnitus

Hearing Loss - Getting Rid of Bilateral and Unilateral Tinnitus

Tinnitus may be unilateral or bilateral - that is, it may affect one or both ears. It can also be triggered by any one of a variety of causes that range from excessive noise to an aneurysm. Hearing loss is likewise a common cause of tinnitus, but in cases where there is a conjunction of unilateral tinnitus and hearing loss caution regarding treatment should be observed - these may be signs of a serious condition that need immediate medical attention.

Unilateral tinnitus and hearing loss, when experienced simultaneously, may indicate the existence of a brain tumor often referred to as acoustic neuroma, or in medical jargon, vestibular schwannoma. This is why when both symptoms are present, a doctor will often direct his patient to undergo an MRI or a CT scan, which will determine if there is a cranial growth. It is only when this serious condition is ruled out that a person can opt for alternative remedies that provide relief from both bilateral or unilateral tinnitus and hearing loss.

Studies have shown that a person with tinnitus often also has a hearing problem. The most common assumption when these two problems are connected is there is a build-up of earwax in the affected ear. Most people find that commercial ear drops get rid of this problem quickly; in severe cases, though, it is best to seek medical attention.

If this is not the case, a hearing aid is the next best option, as it often solves both problems. In some instances, hearing loss may simply mean that a person finds it difficult to discern sounds due to a case of tinnitus; under these circumstances, herbal supplements like ginkgo biloba capsules can help eradicate the problem.

Hearing Loss - Causes and Symptoms

Hearing Loss - Causes and Symptoms

Due to our hearing capacity we are able to listen to songs, communicate with others, enjoy the movies etc. Some people have hearing impairment right from birth while others lose their hearing ability due to some reasons. Hearing issues can occur due to various reasons. There may be partial or total hearing problems. This can affect your health as well as your lifestyle. It will lead to immense suffering as you will find it very difficult to communicate with others and understand what others say. Hence you must get proper treatment to regain your hearing if possible.

Types of hearing issues

There are two types of hearing related problems namely conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss. Physical problems that obstruct the movement of sound wave in the ear cause conductive hearing loss. Dislocated ossicle, blast injury, and otitis media can also lead to this type of hearing issues. Sensorineural hearing loss is caused due to damage of nerve cells of the ear which sense sound waves. Non steroidal anti inflammatory medications, certain types of antibiotics, head trauma and vascular diseases can also cause this type of hearing loss.

For adults, various reasons can cause hearing symptoms in adults such as infections or diseases like otosclerosis, meniere's disease, noise pollution, trauma and aging.

In children, Otitis media is the main reason for hearing loss in infants and children. Genetic factors, prematurity, maternal diabetes, intrauterine infections such as rubella, herpes simplex can also cause auditory issues in children.

Symptoms of hearing loss

You can lose your capacity to hear suddenly or gradually. Problems in blood circulation or trauma can cause sudden your hearing to be damaged. Hearing loss can occur with one ear or both. Ear pain is related to trauma, infections and ear canal obstruction.

You can check for hearing loss by testing every ear to evaluate hearing ability. The doctor checks the ear canal and tympanic membrane by using an otoscope. Even the nose, nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract are checked by the doctor.

Treatment for hearing loss

Forceps or solutions are used to remove foreign bodies or wax blocking the ear canal. Antibiotics are prescribed for ear infections. If certain infections or diseases have caused the hearing issues, then appropriate medications are prescribed. Avoiding exposure to loud sounds can also help prevent hearing loss to a certain extent.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. We aim to be as accurate as possible, but there may be some unintentional omission of information. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on within this article.