What Your Headache Is Trying to Tell You Aching for Relief Put down that medicine — it’s not going to help your headache. Sure, you’ll feel some relief as the pain is numbed, but the source of your headache will still persist. Headaches are a sign that something is wrong, and while they are a common occurrence, they are not normal for your body. Maybe you’ve overworked your eyes or strained a muscle. Your head might be clogged with mucus, or your jaw muscles may be spasming. In more serious and rare cases, you could be experiencing a stroke, an aneurysm, or a tumor. But the most common type of headache, a forehead ache, may be related to muscles in the neck spasming and pinching nerves. Your body has four nerves that originate in the back of the neck and traverse over the top of the head and finally end at the forehead. There are two greater occipital nerves and two lesser occipital nerves. Each side of the head plays host to a greater and lesser nerve. Many times the pain you feel in the forehead comes from an irritation (usually an entrapment) of these nerves, but you can work out the pain on your own. The first step to relief is to ice your neck for 15–20 minutes, relieving some tension and cooling your nerves. Next, turn your head to the right as far as it can go, and without moving your shoulders, take a deep breath, let it out, and hold your stretch for six seconds. Repeat six times. Repeat this movement to the left six times, then do it again six times while looking at the floor and six times while looking toward the ceiling. After these movements, your pain should subside naturally without the assistance of pills. For other types of headaches, it’s important to understand where the pain is coming from. For a patient with TMJ disorder, headaches can transform into migraine pain and facial tension from jaw dysfunction. Patients who consistently feel tension in their nose, eyes, and sinuses may be experiencing symptoms of a persisting sleep apnea disorder. Regardless of the type of headache, your body is screaming for help. Luckily, relief is possible. If you think your headache is a symptom of TMJ disorder, sleep apnea, or something larger, see how the dental office of H. Charles Jelinek Jr., D.D.S., can help you by visiting NorthernVirginiaDental.com.
HURRICANE HERO TONY ALSUP
HowOne Man Rescued Hundreds of Animals
In the wake of destruction, it’s easy to focus on self-preservation. After all, fight-or-flight instincts are hard-wired into our brains so that we can survive dangerous situations. But while fear drives the actions of many in times of chaos, there are a few who find greater strength in compassion. Tony Alsup considered the potential devastation of Hurricane Florence as he sat comfortably in his home in Greeneville, Tennessee. Rather than sit back and watch, the truck driver by trade packed up an out-of-commission school bus he’d bought and set off to South Carolina with one goal in mind: to save as many animals as possible. Stopping by every shelter he found along the coast, Alsup rescued over 60 cats and dogs in both North and South Carolina and took them to Foley, Alabama. The heroic efforts of Alsup saved the lives of many animals, but it wasn’t the first time he’d rushed into danger for a good cause. He’d originally purchased the school bus, which he turned into Noah’s Ark last year, to save animals in Texas and Florida as Hurricane Harvey pounded the Gulf Coast. When he finished there, his mission shifted to helping animals in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria ravaged the island. It’s said that character is defined by the way someone acts when no one is watching. Many people heard of Alsup’s bravery after the devastation of Florence, but as news stories turned to sports, politics, and business, America slowly moved on. Victims of the hurricane who lacked supplies received less national attention, but more than a month later, Alsup’s commitment to the cause was as strong as ever. Living out of the back of the bus for weeks, he drove pets out of the persistent flooding and convoyed shipments of desperately needed supplies to the coastal Carolina towns. You can follow Tony’s commitment on Facebook. He’s not asking for money or fame; he’s just a person with a heart to serve, using social media to promote awareness about those who desperately need our help. If you’re wondering what drives such a person, you can find it written at the bottom of every update he posts: “Love y’all, mean it.”
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