Finding The Best Way To Cope With Stress Headaches

Quite a few people suffer from stress headaches, making it one of the most common health complaints of all. When you get such a headache, your first concern of course is to find relief as fast as possible. If you only get headaches occasionally, you might just take a painkiller, but if you get them frequently you should really discover why this is happening. The information we'll be covering in this article will help you better understand and treat stress headaches. 

A wonderful stress headache reliever is a gentle face and scalp massage. It's great if you have someone who can do this for you. Nonetheless, it isn't hard to massage your scalp and face yourself. Massage your fingers into your scalp using a kneading motion. Midway between the outside edge of your eyebrows and your hairline, is your temple area. Gentle rub this area. While you're doing this, take a few deep breaths and relax Notice any tight areas in your jawline or face and consciously relax the tension. There are also inexpensive scalp massagers that you can buy that can help you relax. Even though this scalp and face massage is a great way to get rid of a stress induced headache, it's a good idea to do this type of massage even when no headache is present. 

You may feel tension headaches all the time if you don't sleep enough. Most people will have these headaches habitually if they do not get enough sleep. You may feel that you are used to not sleeping a lot, and because of this, you may not think that sleep deprivation is the underlying problem. If you get stress headaches regularly, obviously a lack of sleep on your part may be the problem. Maybe you surf the Internet too much, or watch too much TV. Instead, get to bed at an earlier time. Getting a nap during the day is also a great way to fix your lack of sleep problem. By sleeping more, you may find that your stress headaches may go away. 

Since stress headaches are, by definition, caused by stress and tension, the best way to prevent them is to avoid the triggers that create this stress It might be difficult at times to do this. It's to your benefit, however, and preferable to another stress headache. High blood pressure is but one health condition that can result if you suffer from chronic stress. You can develop positive techniques to handle the most stressful situations that lead to stress headaches. When you identify what is causing your stress, you may find that you can dodge the responsible event entirely. If not, you can still make up your mind that you're not going to let it get to you, whether it's traffic, your boss or the evening news. In this report, we've talked about some easy steps you can take to control the stress in your life and the resultant stress headaches it brings. Nonetheless, it's important to find out what's behind your stress headaches if they happen frequently or are very strong. Your health care practitioner is the one who can help you with this. In order to eliminate stress headaches, however, you are the only one who can pinpoint what areas of your life are causing you stress. This is the best way of getting rid of these headaches once and for all.

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Stress and Tension Headaches

With stress such a common issue in life today, it's no wonder that more and more people are complaining of tension headaches. In fact, what you may know of as 'tension headaches' are frequently being referred to now as 'stress headaches'. But what causes these headaches, and how can they be treated naturally? Tension headaches are indeed the most common type of headaches, and may appear only once or twice a month, daily, or anywhere in between. The majority of people experience these headaches as mild and short-lived, but they may last for several days. The pain tends to be throbbing, affecting the front, top, and sides of your head, as well as the back of your neck and possibly the muscles in between your shoulder blades as well. Irritability, trouble sleeping, and mild sensitivity to light are also common. These headaches often appear during the day, and do not affect your vision, balance, or strength, and so usually you are still able to perform normal daily activities. Stress appears to be the leading cause of tension headaches, but scientists have yet to specifically determine why. Most likely, it's because when you're stressed, the muscles around your neck, head and eyes get tighter. In addition, it's believed that the following may play a role in the formation of these headaches: hormones sleep issues poor posture chronic fatigue poor diet excessive exercise Conventional medical treatment usually involves over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and various combinations of drugs that may also include caffeine and/or codeine. Unfortunately, over-use of these medications can sometimes trigger tension headaches, and so use of them is suggested only with monitoring by your doctor. Acupuncture is excellent for treating tension headaches, as it helps your body in a variety of ways. For example, acupuncture has been shown to help decrease pain levels, as well as lowering the tension in your muscles. Plus, your hormone levels can be balanced (increased or decreased where needed) and stress levels can be greatly diminished through acupuncture treatment. Massage therapy can help reduce the tension in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. Your trapezius muscles, for example, are often quite tight when you experience tension headaches regularly. Furthermore, massage therapy can help stimulate endorphins, thus assisting in making you feel better. There are indeed many other natural therapies that might help your tension headaches. Yoga, for example, can help you to improve your posture and tone your muscles. Psychotherapy can help you learn to handle stress better, and perhaps reduce the number of tension headaches that you experience. On your own, try closing your eyes and gently rubbing your temples for a few minutes. This may relieve some of the pressure. Also, try taking a warm bath with Epsom salts, and make sure that you are drinking plenty of water on a regular basis. Finally, try adding some fish oil supplements to your diet, as this may help reduce some of the inflammation in your muscles.

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