| Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a technique in which you learn to control certain biological responses, in order to manage pain or health problems. It relies on the power of the mind to cause various physical changes in your body.
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| Body aches
Most general body aches can be relieved with over-the-counter pain medication such as aspirin or aspirin substitutes. Acetaminophen (a-CEE-ta-MIN-a-fen) products can help relieve the pain of a bruise, injury, or sore muscle, and can also reduce fever.
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| Brain tumors
A brain tumor is a mass of abnormal tissue growing inside the skull. Some tumors are benign, or non-cancerous; others are malignant, or harmful. When describing brain tumors, the term 'malignant' means not only cancerous tumors, but also any non-cancerous tumors whose size or location makes them dangerous or inoperable.
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| Cluster headaches
A cluster headache is similar to a migraine, in that it causes severe pain on one side of the head. However, cluster headaches last only 15 minutes to 2 hours, while migraines can run for hours or even days.
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| Common headaches
Headaches usually result from stress or anxiety but may also be caused by a sinus infection, too much alcohol, or in some cases, a mild reaction to some kinds of food.
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| Diagnosis and treatment
A medical evaluation for headaches has two major goals: first, to diagnose which type of headache is occurring; and second, to develop a plan to relieve suffering.
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| Migraine headaches
Migraines are severe headaches which may last from several hours to several days. They are associated with a narrowing, followed by a swelling, of the blood vessels in the head.
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| Myths and mistreatments
Contrary to widespread belief, virtually every kind of headache has an underlying biological cause, influenced by factors both inside and outside the body.
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| Physical aspects of stress
Doctors are discovering that negative emotional stress can have a physical impact. It can affect your body in many ways. Some forms of temporary hair loss have been linked to stress.
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| Relieving pain
The first step in relieving pain is to discover what's causing the pain. It may be a simple tension headache, an injury, a sore muscle, or an aching joint.
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| Tension headaches
Tension headaches are caused, in part, by the prolonged tightening of the muscles of the head and neck. These tension-type headaches vary from mild to moderate in intensity, and are described as a tight, squeezing pain around the back of the neck, scalp, and forehead.
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| When to see your doctor
Headaches are sometimes a symptom of a disease or disorder. However, most occur independently of any other disorder, and are brought on by strain on muscular tissues or temporary changes in the blood vessels of the head and neck.
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