What to Do and What Not to Do If You Are a Headache Sufferer

Most people mistake feeling good for health. But anything that quickly makes
you feel good is likely to be harmful to your health. Often, in order to recover
your health you may have to temporarily feel bad so your body can cleanse
itself of an offensive substance. Cocaine may make a person temporarily feel
better, but you would not argue that cocaine use is a healthful practice.
Anything that rapidly takes away symptoms of ill health or makes you feel
stimulated is likely to be a health risk. Superior health must be earned through
healthful living. The road to optimal health through removal of cause may take
a little longer, but the result you earn will be everlasting.

Drugs to relieve pain are rarely necessary if headache sufferers are allowed to
fast and detoxify at the first sign of headache symptoms. Patients trying to
detoxify and eliminate dependency on medication often find it useful to retire to
a dark room and use ice compresses or a tight ice wrap around the head to
reduce pain. An alternative can be to stand in a hot shower with hot water
beating on the painful area. In addition, biofeedback techniques such as
progressive relaxation and self-hypnosis can often be helpful to these patients.

Commonly, though, such techniques are not needed because the headache
sufferers have quickly eliminated their headaches through the nutritional
approach described here. By the time biofeedback methods are learned, they
are no longer necessary. If the person still suffers from headaches during the
first week after the diet is changed, I find cold and pressure to be most
effective and practical.

Many individuals with migraine can obtain effective relief by simply applying
an elastic band around the head, securing it with Velcro, and inserting rubber
discs for added local pressure over the areas of maximum pain. An
investigational study utilizing a 2-inch elastic band approximately 25 inches
long with Velcro at each end illustrated impressive results with this non-drug
approach for relief. Firm rubber discs the thickness of a finger and a little over
an inch in diameter were employed. Patients were instructed to place these
discs under the elastic headband over the area of maximum pain. Almost every
patient in the study reported benefit. Twenty-three patients used the band for
a total of 69 headaches. Forty of the headaches were relieved by more than 80
percent and 15 headaches improved by more then 50 percent.

One should be warned that when one is not continuing to ingest harmful food
substances, the body will often use this opportunity to detoxify, and that may
initiate another headache. This is the time when the patient must try to use
physical modalities—such as cold compresses, seeking rest in a dark room,
banding with Velcro, and biofeedback—and at all costs avoid the use of further
medication. Employing such mechanical approaches and avoiding medication
will enable the headache sufferer to avoid taking toxic drugs, which will
interfere with the body's ability to manifest a complete recovery through
nutritional intervention.

Headache can be exacerbated by not eating. The reason is that not eating
triggers withdrawal symptoms as the body begins to detoxify and get rid of
retained toxins. Remember: For a short time you must feel bad so that for a
long time you can feel good.

Obviously, some headaches may result from brain tumors, meningitis,
tuberculosis, hypertension, head injuries, and diseases of the eyes, nose,
throat, teeth, and ears. Such conditions are rare, however. Allergic conditions
and chronic sinusitis are also uncommon causes of headache. Persistent severe
headaches that do not respond within a few days of fasting should always be
further evaluated by a physician. The onset of a severe headache like one
never experienced before, especially in an older person, should also be properly
evaluated by a physician.