Although medical science cannot pinpoint the exact cause of headaches in a patient, some of the most common causes of headaches can typically be blamed in the majority of cases.

Headaches are broken down into three basic categories. A primary headache is something almost all people are familiar with. Primary headaches are what the majority of headaches can be diagnosed as, and are almost never life threatening. Despite this frequency of occurence and a lack of life threatening danger, a primary headache can be very painful. Cluster headaches are a far more serious form of headache, that although not life threatening, can cause debilitating pain. Secondary headaches are sometimes a sign of a deeper neurological issue.

It is believed that over 90% of primary headaches, which most people experience, can be blamed on tension. The muscles that surround the skull sometimes contract, putting too much pressure on the head. This can cause a severe amount of pain. Although the reasons for skull muscle contraction are difficult to ascertain, it is commonly seen as a result of emotional or physical stress. Significant emotional stress typically results in a contraction of the muscles, and therefore a tension related headache. Prolonged physical stress, such as hard manual labor that is engaged in for several hours, can also result in headaches caused by tension.

Cluster headaches are a far rare occurence, and typically only occur in a small portion of the population. Sufferers usually experience cluster headaches only for a small window of time, thus the name "cluster" headache. This can make prevention and treatment difficult. When a cluster headache occurs, severe and debilitating pain usually follows. Water running from the eyes and nose are common with cluster headaches. Treatment should be undertaken as soon as possible to bring the pain under control.

Secondary headaches occur as a symptom of a more serious problem. This is much rarer than primary headaches. A secondary headache can be indicative of internal bleeding in the brain, a tumor, or a malfunction of the brain. Headaches that occur frequently or on a regular basis should be cause for a check with the doctor. Secondary headaches sometimes present with severe pain and sensory issues. knowing the cause of headaches may help us to prevent further attacks.

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Things don't always necessarily need to be new in order to be helpful.  This is true in a lot of areas in life and is also true when it comes to certain types of medical treatments. 

As a matter of fact, there were treatments that were being performed thousands of years ago in Asia that still have some medical benefits, even today.  One of those is the practice of acupuncture, something that is becoming more popular in Western society today.  What exactly is acupuncture and how can it help you with your health?

How Acupuncture Works

Acupuncture is a part of traditional Chinese medicine in which small, hair sized needles are inserted into the body at specific locations in order to alter the flow of energy.  These channels which, according to Chinese acupuncture medicine, run through the body keep everything in line and balanced.  If one of these should happen to get out of balance, however, it could cause a problem in the entire body and depending on where the imbalance occurred, it could affect a specific area of the body.  This is really the essence of yin and yang, the two forces which regulate almost everything within the human body.

Acupuncture Is Safe

Many people are nervous about going to the acupuncturist but, as a matter of fact, it is actually one of the safest forms of medical treatment that there is.  In fact, there are very few problems that can occur as long as a few safety guidelines are followed by a doctor.  This would include such things as only using prepackaged, sterile needles and, of course, understanding what they are doing so that the needles are inserted in the proper areas.

Although it has not been totally embraced by all areas of the medical community, acupuncture is actually a relatively safe way for you to enhance your health through the use of natural medicine.  Some of the studies that have been done on acupuncture actually show that it does contain some benefit and that it causes certain changes in a person's physiology that may help them in the healing process.

So, if you're having a difficult time with any number of things physically, acupuncture may be able to help you to get back on the road to better health.  Even though it is not a total replacement for traditional medicine, it can still enhance your ability to live a healthy life.

Acupressure

Acupressure is another related ancient healing tradition that uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body's life force to aid healing. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses the gentle but firm pressure of hands (and even feet). There is a massive amount of scientific data that demonstrates why and how acupuncture is effective. But acupressure, the older of the two traditions, was neglected after the Chinese developed more technological methods for stimulating points with needles and electricity. Acupressure, however, continues to be the most effective method for self-treatment of tension-related ailments by using the power and sensitivity of the human hand.

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