Natural Treatment Options For Tension Headaches

leon • August 2, 2020

Let’s face it, life can be stressful from day to day with busy home, work, and social schedules, and stress certainly plays a role in making any headache worse. Tension headaches are the most common type of headache that people experience. It can range from mild to severe and is often described as feeling like a tight band surrounding the head. People regularly attribute headaches to stress, but there’s no official headache classification of “stress headaches.”

Most people who experience and suffer from tension headaches have episodic headaches. These occur one or two times per month on average. However, tension headaches can also be chronic.

Natural Treatment Options For Tension Headaches

  • Stay Hydrated. Dehydration can increase headache severity, so drink eight glasses of water each day.
  • Exercise. Physical activity releases brain chemicals (endorphins) that are natural painkillers. Exercise also leads to improved sleep.
  • Gentle Stretching Yoga and tai chi both blend relaxation, breathing, and stretching to reduce levels of stress.
  • Proper Sleep. Improve your sleep by minimizing daytime naps, avoiding caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime, being active, and avoiding electronic devices before bed.
  • Massage. Whether you prefer a light touch or deep-tissue work, massage helps relieve built-up muscle tension in the shoulders, neck, and scalp.
  • Mindfulness. Using your breath as a guide to keeping your thoughts in the present can help reduce overall stress and pain.
  • Chiropractic Care. Chiropractic adjustments are very effective for the treatment of tension headaches, especially headaches that are caused by muscle tension which then misaligns the spine. For some people, aligning the spine also leads to a lower level of stress. Routine chiropractic care can keep the spine aligned, keeping these headaches from coming back at all.

The Difference Between Tension Headaches And Migraines

  • Tension headache. Up to 78% of Americans will suffer from them at some point as they are the most common form of headache. Symptoms include pain on both sides of your head, tight pressure rather than throbbing, feeling like your head is in a vice or has a band around it, and possibly have soreness in temples, neck, and shoulders. The pain isn’t usually classified as severe.
  • Migraines. Migraine is also common but occurs far less frequently than a tension headache. The pain associated with a migraine headache is different from tension-type headache and can help determine which type of headache a person is experiencing. Symptoms include moderate to severe throbbing pain (often worse on one side of your head), the pain increases with physical activity, a sensitivity to sound, light or smell. You may experience an aura (flashing lights or wavy lines), nausea and have facial or arm tingling just before the migraine begins. Pain in temples, around eyes, jaw, or neck may also be experienced.

The Takeaway

Tension headaches are experienced by millions of people and while they may not be severe, your daily activities are often affected. If you suffer from tension-type headaches, try the natural treatments listed above.

Contact us today! We look forward to working with you so that you can live a life of complete health and vitality.

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