Do you often suffer from headaches or migraines? Have you tried medication but to no avail? Headaches can be quite disturbing, and especially when you have a migraine attack, the pain can be unbearable.

So, what can you do to treat this condition? This is where oxygen therapy comes into play. Would you like to know more? Do read this post.

Migraine:

Migraine is a complex neurological disorder and it comes with a variety of symptoms. For many people, migraine comes with a repeated throbbing headache that affects one side of the head and is accompanied by nausea. The other symptoms include vomiting, and sensitivity to light, sound or smell. The effect of migraine increases with physical activity and you need to lie still for several hours to get relief.

The symptoms of migraine vary from person to person, and the duration of attacks also differs. Migraine usually lasts from 2 – 72 hours. There are no specifically known reasons for migraine, but most people with it are genetically prone to migraine. Stress, lack of proper food intake, excessive alcohol consumption, hormonal changes in women, and lack of sleep are some of the factors that trigger migraine in people who are prone to it.

Headache:

There are two types of headache:

Cluster Headache:

Cluster headache occurs mostly in men than in women. It is a pain that occurs on one side of the head and comes in cycles. The pain of cluster headache is very severe. It is often accompanied by nasal congestion, swelling around the eye, runny nose or watery eyes. Most often, oxygen therapy or triptan is the recommended treatment. There is no cure, but medication can reduce the frequency and duration of an attack. Alcohol is one substance that acts as a trigger for headache. Even paint fumes, petrol smell, and perfume smell can act as triggers.

Tension Headache:

This is the most common type of headache and comes with a constant ache or pressure around the head. Tension headache is not as severe as migraine or cluster headache, and it doesn’t cause nausea or vomiting. The symptoms include dull aching head, the sensation of pressure around your forehead, and tenderness in the neck and shoulder muscles. Tension headache might be caused by heightened emotions, stress or tension.

Oxygen Therapy:

Oxygen is essential for all chemical processes by which the body cells produce energy and substances necessary for life. Lungs absorb oxygen from the air and transfer it to your bloodstream through millions of air sacs known as alveoli. The haemoglobin in the red blood cells then picks up the oxygen and carries it to the body tissues and cells. Some people with breathing disorders or acute or chronic diseases can’t get enough oxygen naturally. They may need supplemental oxygen, and this method of providing supplementary oxygen is called oxygen therapy. People who receive oxygen therapy often see improved energy levels, improved sleep, and an overall better quality of life.

Oxygen Therapy For Migraine And Headaches:

Among the many conditions believed to cause migraine and cluster headaches, decreased oxygen levels and restricted blood flow to the brain are the two most important causes.

Cluster headache patients have high-intensity pains and often require abortive therapy that can either be triptan or inhaled oxygen. But, according to various studies, a large percentage of people suffering from cluster headaches are cigarette smokers, who are also at a high risk of contracting coronary heart disease. This makes it impossible to use triptan, and the only alternative treatment left is oxygen therapy.

There are two main types of oxygen therapy that help adults who suffer from migraines and cluster headaches.

• Normobaric therapy consists of inhaling pure oxygen at normal room pressure through an oxygen mask.

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is more common, and, in this case, a patient will breathe oxygen in a specially designed chamber that increases the atmospheric pressure around the body.

Various studies have found that a hyperbaric treatment might give some relief for migraine headache whereas a normobaric treatment suits for cluster headaches. Oxygen therapy is the best way to treat cluster headaches. This gives relief in less than 15 minutes and works best at the onset of an attack. The treatment has to be repeated when the next attack begins.

The effect of oxygen therapy on the brain suggests that the rush of blood flow between the aura and headache phases is what actually causes the pain. Oxygen therapy would lower circulation in the brain to a level that does not cause headaches.

The oxygen administered for therapeutic purposes usually flows at the rate of seven litres per minute. A single session may last between 10 – 20 minutes.

Not all chronic patients get relief from oxygen therapy. Oxygen inhalation at a high rate, if used during the onset of an attack, can be an effective acute therapy to relieve migraine or cluster headache. But oxygen inhalation is not effective once the migraine has already set in.

Side Effects:

It is believed that oxygen therapy is safe and that it has no side effects. But people with intense pain will find it difficult to sit still throughout the treatment. Moreover, oxygen can also increase the risk of fire and cannot be safely stored.

Studies have proved that oxygen therapy works best at an early stage of an attack and patients should be able to get to their source of treatment as quickly as possible, whether they possess an oxygen tank or live near a chamber facility. The major drawback is a lack of accessibility and affordability of an oxygen tank or chamber.

Always consult a neurologist or migraine specialist and ask for his advice to find out if oxygen therapy is a safe option for you to try.

We hope this post has helped you. Do tell us your opinions and give your feedback by commenting in the box below. We would love to hear from you.

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by Chetana via STYLECRAZE