Look at the alternatives before you
pop another pill
It has been
revealed that more than one million people in Britain may be suffering from
constant, crippling headaches because they are taking too many painkillers,
experts say. The pills people take to relieve headaches and migraines may be
making things much worse, according to the National Institute for Health and
Clinical Excellence (Nice) in guidance to the health service for England and
Wales.
As many as one in
50 people suffer continual headaches because of "medication overuse",
Nice reports. The problem begins with taking the odd painkiller for tension
headaches or migraines, which usually works. But some people take the pills
more and more often, until they are on tablets for more than half the days in a
month. Nice says that if this goes on for more than three months the medication
ends up causing the problem it is intended to cure.
So what alternatives are
there to continually popping pills? British Osteopathic Association Council Member
Robin Lansman, Osteopathic Principal, Body Back-Up comments, “tension-type and neck related
headaches are the most common form of headache. If you suffer from tension-type
headache, then regular gentle exercise will almost certainly help - such as
yoga, Pilates, swimming, walking. Some people find it hard to relax and
probably don't realise how tense they are. If someone suffers from headaches it
may also be neck related due to stiffness or restrictions of the neck. Osteopaths
look to find the cause of tensions or stiffness and seek to relieve it by helping
the body achieve more mobility and flexibility.
“Other lifestyle factors such as poor posture at a desk or tiredness can lead to tension-type or neck related headaches. Osteopaths look to relieve this tension and give advice on posture and exercises to do to help prevent the tension or stiffness from building up. For example we would recommend taking regular breaks from sitting at a computer desk for long periods of time or prolonged driving. Any persistent or sudden severe headache should always be checked by a GP first.”
http://www.bodybackup.co.uk/infosheets.html
