Health & Nutrition Health and Nutrition - February 2018.edcoan.ir | Page 114

Dr Manik G Hiranandani, Acupuncturist HEADACHE SOLUTIONS I get frequent headaches but I hate taking too many painkillers. Is there anything else I can do instead? Is acupressure/ acupuncture helpful for headaches? Kokila Kotian, New Delhi Headaches always have a cause. Intelligent treatment for headaches needs you or your doctor to find the cause of the headache. Some common causes are:- 1. Sinusitis. A simple test to find out if you have sinusitis is push the area of the orbit just above your eye. If it hurts you have sinusitis. Steam inhalations and acupuncture or acupressure will help. 2. TMJ Syndrome (Tempero-mandibular Joint Syndrome). You can diagnose this if opening your mouth causes pain, clicking or incomplete opening of the mouth. 3. Cervical spondylosis causing compression of the C1 or C2 nerves. You can diagnose this if you also have pain in your neck and the base of the skull. 4. Constipation and gas can also cause headaches due to accumulating toxins in the body. 5. Eye strain can cause headaches as well. Have your eyes checked and don’t spend too much time on phones and electronic devices. 6. High blood pressure. Have your blood pressure checked. Headaches caused by all these can be helped with acupuncture or acupressure. 7. Occasionally, tumours in the brain may also cause headaches. Dr Ali Irani, Physiotherapist KNEE PLEA M y knees always ache when I walk for more than 10 minutes or if I have to climb up and down the stairs too much. What can I do? Can physiotherapy help? Ashok Chavan, Solapur Knee is one of the weight bearing joints of the body. During walking or climbing stairs up and down, the joint may give trouble, if the knee muscles, quadriceps, are weak. Strengthening of the muscles around the knee joint can protect it and reduce the pain on the weight- bearing activities. Physiotherapy will definitely help reduce pain, increase muscle strength and improve daily functions. Doing exercises under physiotherapy supervision is advisable. Coordinated by PRABHAKAR A PUTHRAN Have a health query? We will have it answered! Write to us at [email protected] 114 February 2018 HEALTH & NUTRITION