How to relieve tension headaches?

In this article we will look at tension headaches. Why do they occur, what symptoms precede them? We will also give several traditional medicine recipes to combat this type of headaches.

It is probably impossible to find an adult who has not suffered from tension headaches at least once in his life. This type of headache is considered one of the most common.

General information

Despite the fact that almost everyone has experienced it, its advantage is that it is not overly strong and the person does not suffer too much when compared with some other headaches.

But at the same time, because of such pain, it is difficult for the patient to lead a normal life. Some patients experience these headaches so often that they are forced to seek help from specialized doctors.

It cannot be said that such pains are inherent in any particular category of people, since from time to time they are felt by both male and female representatives. Although, women still complain of tension headaches a little more often.

In addition, these headaches are also present in young children, but this happens extremely rarely and only due to the influence of certain external factors.

How to Reduce Stress-Induced Headaches

In addition to headaches, stress can cause us to experience muscle tension and jaw clenching . All this can lead to intense pain that reduces our quality of life.

This is why it is so important to be able to competently manage situations that negatively affect our mood.

The following recommendations will help you with this:

• Spend more time on hobbies that bring you pleasure: listen to music, read, play sports, dance, spend time with your pets.
• Pay attention to relaxation, using deep breathing techniques and meditation.
• Try to make your life easier: analyze which tasks require mandatory completion, and optimally organize your time.
• Don't be afraid to seek support. When we communicate with loved ones and friends, it becomes easier for us to solve existing problems and control stress.
• Drive away negative thoughts. This will make it easier for you to cope with stressful circumstances.
• A good mood is the best way to deal with stress. When we feel good, our body produces endorphins, which, in turn, stimulate a positive approach to solving life's difficulties.
• Physical exercise also helps us cope with nervous tension and is a good prevention of stress.
• Get a massage more often. You can ask your partner about this or seek help from a professional massage therapist.
• If the cause of your headaches is the cold, make sure you are warm.
• Pay attention to the position of your body while sleeping. The same goes for your posture while reading, working and playing sports. Remember that your sleep and rest should be healthy and restorative.
• Keep your neck and shoulder muscles in shape by doing appropriate exercise. published by econet.ru. If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to the experts and readers of our project here .

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What is it and what types are there?

There are two types of tension headaches nowadays. Episodic pain. This type of headache is considered less serious, since headaches are felt only occasionally, and a person experiences painful sensations no more than 20 times during the month or 180 days per year. The intensity indicator is also quite low.

Chronic pain belongs to a more serious and complex stage. The patient experiences severe headaches for a longer period of time. As a rule, chronic tension headaches occur about 20-25 times a month, and in some cases almost every day.

The nature of its intensity is also much higher than that of episodic headaches. Most often, this type of pain can be accompanied by a very long period of depression.

Despite the fact that the differences in both types of headaches are quite arbitrary, it is thanks to them that specialists are able to determine the correct diagnosis and, accordingly, prescribe the necessary and effective course of treatment.

Why do you get headaches when you're stressed?

If you have a headache from stress, you should be wary, since such pathological manifestations do not occur on their own. They usually appear during the course of various disease processes in the internal environment of a person. There are several reasons that can cause stress headaches. Let's look at each of them in more detail:

1. About fifty percent of headaches are associated with active mental activity. Tension headaches usually manifest themselves during intense intellectual work associated with nervous overload. Therefore, first of all, during stress, workers engaged in mental work get headaches. These are, for example, researchers, municipal and government employees, cultural workers. Headache after stress can be either sudden or chronic. In the first case, the headache is rare, but very severe. We can speak of a chronic form when pathological symptoms appear once or twice a month and last for several days in a row. It is characterized by the fact that the pain is moderate and aching.
2. Migraine attacks. Their true reasons have not yet been established. They are known to primarily affect adults between eighteen and forty years of age. People suffering from migraines note that after stressful situations their headaches become even worse. In this case, the pain is most often localized on one side. The situation is complicated by the fact that in addition to headaches, stress provokes other manifestations characteristic of migraines. The symptoms are very unpleasant: a nauseating sensation, the appearance of vomiting, excessive sweating, unreasonable aggression, refusal to eat. Migraine headaches usually last for several days.
3. Cardiovascular pathologies. With age, all human organs begin to malfunction. Closer to fifty years, vascular tone is noticeably impaired. This leads to unexpected surges in blood pressure. In the presence of frequent stress, the patient worries, the central nervous system causes the blood to circulate more actively. The vessels cannot cope with such heavy loads, so changes in blood pressure become even more frequent. This is the reason why headaches appear after stress. Pathological sensations are usually concentrated in the occipital and temporal regions. The pain increases when a person already has certain problems: increased blood viscosity, atherosclerotic plaques, blood clots. Such conditions are very dangerous to health. In addition to headaches after stress due to changes in blood pressure, more severe complications can occur, including cardiac arrest.
4. Staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time. This primarily applies to office workers. Sitting at a desk for long periods of time in front of a computer monitor leads to severe muscle spasms. During an emergency at work, a person experiences stress, is afraid of letting the team down, so he sits at his workplace for hours. This results in a headache. This occurs especially often when nerve endings are pinched in the area of ​​the cervical vertebrae. Eye strain also has a negative effect. Everyone knows that the visual organ is directly connected to the cerebral cortex. Therefore, tension in the eye muscles during stress leads to headaches.
5. Hormonal imbalances. When stressed, stress hormones are actively synthesized. For example, adrenaline, thyroxine, cortisol. Hormones are very active biological substances. The slightest fluctuations in their concentration in the internal environment can lead to disruptions in the functioning of all organs. Therefore, when under stress, painful symptoms appear. In addition, the synthesis of stress hormones leads to the fact that a person is constantly nervous and in a state of stress. That is, it turns out to be a vicious circle.

Symptoms preceding headaches

Painful pressure in head on both sides. Quite often, such pain is transient in nature, that is, it first appears, for example, in the back of the head, and then gradually moves closer to the forehead. The very first symptom of tension headaches is pain of mild or moderate severity. At first it seems to a person that it is unbearable, but over time he simply gets used to it.

Pain is considered relatively moderate, and therefore many people are confident that this disease can be cured with the help of traditional medicine, but you should not self-medicate. This is not always correct. A headache of muscle tension is generally tolerated relatively easily and does not distract the patient from his daily activities.

The attacks last from several minutes to several days. The duration of felt headaches depends directly on each individual patient’s body and its characteristics. The main difference between tension headaches is that they are constant and not pulsating, as is observed with other types of diseases.

Such a headache is not capable of provoking vomiting and nausea, but at the same time there are other unpleasant signs, for example, a person begins to be irritated by the presence of bright lights, as well as loud sounds. In addition, unreasonable nervousness manifests itself and the overall fatigue of the body increases significantly.

Tension headaches can occur in both children and adults, and therefore age is never taken into account when making a diagnosis; it is much more important to take into account the reasons that actually provoked the appearance of such pain.

Why do you get headaches when you're stressed?

Painful symptoms often occur during prolonged work at a computer, driving a car, or any visual strain. Another factor provoking tension headaches (TTH) is considered to be affective states. A suffering person takes an analgesic or tranquilizer tablet. But this measure does not always help.

When asked by patients whether stress can cause a headache, doctors do not give a clear answer upon examination. Among the reasons that can cause it are different conditions:

1. Hidden forms of depression are accompanied by cephalalgia and weakness, fatigue and irritability. With the disease, appetite and sleep worsen. Any nervous tension (stress), conflict or fatigue can provoke an attack of pain.
2. Muscle stress occurs when working in an awkward position or due to eye strain. The cause of tension-type headache is muscle spasm (neck, eye, cranial, shoulder girdle). Unpleasant sensations disappear after rest.
3. With prolonged use of therapeutic doses of analgesics and tranquilizers, a condition develops accompanied by constant pain that is difficult to relieve. Taking a new dose of medication makes the problem worse.

Causes of headaches

Nowadays, doctors identify a large number of different factors that can provoke such pain. So, what are the most common causes of tension headaches?

Psychological stress, as well as various states of affect, such as deep depression or severe anxiety.

We must not forget that depression can be expressed in both open and closed forms. In other words, in some cases the patient simply does not recognize that he is depressed, and therefore categorically refuses any course of treatment. It is precisely such cases that are most dangerous, because they can most often cause serious headaches.

In situations where headaches occur precisely because of psychological stress, the patient may also complain of impaired appetite and sleep, irritability and fatigue. The conversation between the doctor and the patient is of great importance in this matter, since the more information the specialist learns, the easier it will be for him to determine the essence of the problem and prescribe effective treatment.

Muscle stress. Another factor that can affect headaches in a person. It lies in the fact that if a person practically does not move for a long period of time and is in the same position, then pain is felt in the eye and neck muscles, as well as in the shoulder area.

Over time, these pains allegedly move away and the patient begins to feel severe headaches. I would like to note that most often headaches for this reason are observed in those people who spend a lot of time in the same place, for example, in the office at the computer.

Also included in the risk category are those who work with small parts and are forced to constantly strain their eyesight and coordinate their own actions with high precision. Medicinal factor. Oddly enough, in some cases it is medications that can cause headaches, since a large number of medications today have side effects.

For example, frequent and constant use of tranquilizers or analgesics can cause headaches.

You need to understand that you should never try to self-medicate, because getting rid of one disease can provoke a completely different one.

Respiratory disorders. Sometimes they can cause increased anxiety, resulting in headaches. Being in this state, the patient feels a great need for fresh air and he practically cannot stay in rooms where there is no good ventilation and, in general, the climate is quite hot.

There are other factors that can cause tension headaches in the head, but they tend to be much less common than the ones listed above.

The main thing that a person who begins to feel pain in the head needs to remember is that it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor and tell the specialist in as much detail as possible about the signs of pain, as well as the reasons that could trigger its appearance.

Tension headache – visit a doctor

In case of severe general symptoms, the patient should first consult a physician . During your visit, describe your symptoms and the circumstances under which they occurred, and whether there are factors that aggravate them. It is also important to list any comorbid conditions for which we are being treated or have received treatment in the past and whether we are taking chronic medications .

The family doctor must, in accordance with his skills, carefully examine physically ill people, including neurological patients. After conducting an examination and collecting a detailed interview, he should already have some assumptions; the next step will probably be to refer the patient to a specialist - a neurologist. After receiving the referral, you should consult a neurologist.

At the first meeting with the specialist, you should again present your symptoms, provide all the information received by your family doctor, as they are important for making a diagnosis. By talking with the patient, taking a detailed medical history, studying and reviewing the test results obtained, the doctor will definitely get the correct observations, but it is very likely that the specialist doctor will order additional important tests.

About

What and how to treat such a headache?

The treatment of tension headaches primarily refers to finding out the causes, as well as the ways in which such causes can be completely eliminated.

The course of treatment must be prescribed by a professional doctor and, as a rule, it consists of taking medications and also attending special relaxation procedures. Also, when choosing a course of treatment, the doctor pays attention to the nature of the headache, that is, mild, moderate or severe.

If we talk about the first two degrees of severity, then everything is much easier here, because such painful sensations in a person appear only from time to time, and accordingly, the treatment will also be quite quick and easy.

The factor that causes such headaches may be constant exposure to a hot room, while at the same time a person is extremely rarely in the fresh air. Thus, in order to get rid of headaches, you only need to change your daily routine and spend as much time as possible in the fresh air.

Several recommendations for treating headaches without the use of medications:

A person should sleep no less than 7-8 hours a day. If you need to get up early because of work, study or some other business, then you don’t have to go to bed late.

It is necessary to constantly monitor your own nutrition. It is advisable to completely or at least partially exclude alcoholic beverages, coffee and too fatty foods from your diet.

Sport is another point that necessarily has a positive effect not only on the absence of headaches, but also on the general state of health.

If there is no need to constantly be at the computer or some other type of equipment, then you definitely need to take breaks, at least for 10-15 minutes.

In the case when a person has made changes to his own lifestyle, but this did not give a positive result, and the tension headache continues to be present, then one can resort to the use of medications. Most often, in this case, Ibuprofen, Aspirin and Paracetamol are used.

Treatment of severely felt tension headaches is much more difficult, and in this case, without the help of a doctor, a person is unlikely to be able to get rid of unpleasant symptoms on his own.

As a rule, in such cases, treatment occurs by taking antidepressants and other medications that are aimed at eliminating the very cause of pain.

You also need to understand that the constant use of anti-inflammatory and painkillers will negatively affect a person’s health, since over time the painful sensations will begin to intensify. The course of treatment for severe headaches usually lasts about 3-4 months.

Causes of tension headaches

The cause of tension headaches is not clear. However, they are believed to be caused by certain situations such as:

• stress, emotional tension, depression or anxiety;
• poor posture, which causes tension in the muscles of the head and neck;
• read squinting, which causes the head muscles to tense;
• certain products;
• bright sunlight;
• fatigue;
• noise;
• caffeine;
• certain smells;
• menstrual periods;
• weather changes;
• daily use of painkillers (the body becomes accustomed to painkillers and a persistent headache may occur if painkillers are not taken every day).

Treatment with folk remedies

In addition to drug treatment, many people prefer to get rid of tension headaches with the help of traditional medicine, but not everyone knows how to treat it.

It should be noted that today there are a large number of different methods and recipes for treating headaches with the help of different plants, since people have felt such pain since ancient times.

All recipes that exist today can be divided into several large groups, namely:

• Home treatment.
• Plants, herbs, flowers and their collections.
• Conspiracies for headaches.
• Various types of tea.
• Acupuncture and massages.
• Treatment with mud, stones and sand.

Most often, in order to get rid of headaches, people use various herbs and mixtures. Some of these recipes have been known to mankind for several hundred years, and it should be noted that they are truly effective. The most famous are the following:

Herbal decoction. Mix one tablespoon each of St. John's wort, peppermint, chamomile flowers, valerian roots and calendula officinalis. Then all these herbs are poured with hot water. The components are crushed and then boiled for approximately 15 minutes. After straining, you need to drink one glass of this drink per day.

"Magic mixture" In order to prepare such a decoction, you need to take one spoon each of creeping thyme, rosemary and medicinal sage. All this is poured with boiling water and infused for approximately 5-10 minutes. After straining, the broth must be drunk quickly, before it has time to cool.

Herbal collection. Coltsfoot, stinging nettle and narrow-leaved fireweed are mixed in the same quantity. The mixture must be finely chopped. Add approximately 500 milliliters of water and boil for 10 minutes. You need to drink a glass every day.

Signs of neurasthenia

Neurasthenia is characterized by a depressed state in the patient and increased excitability. Signs of neurasthenia are expressed in a depressed mood when a person is unsure of himself. Currently, neurasthenia is divided into two forms: the hypersthenic form, and the depressive or hyposthenic form.

This condition is accompanied by severe fatigue, and there is a loss of mental and physical strength. There is no energy, vigor, ordinary loads are difficult to bear.

Any action, even a minor movement, requires more effort from a person. First of all, sensitization to external stimuli becomes very noticeable, and such factors create many problems in everyday life.

For example, the ticking of a clock, the sound of dripping water, the slamming of a door, etc. are annoying. Physiological sensations associated with the functioning of the body are also perceived more acutely; a person notices heartbeat and increased peristalsis. Often the predominant complaints are problems with sexual activity.

There may be increased or decreased sexual excitability. With neurasthenia, hyperesthesia is a constant symptom, and tension headaches are present. Such pains are varied and may vary. Signs of neurasthenia include pressure in the temple area, tingling, squeezing, etc. Such symptoms cause a lot of concern.

Headaches due to neurasthenia

Prevention of a healthy lifestyle

Many people experience tension headaches on an almost regular basis, and therefore most people believe in taking as many different medications as possible.

But you should absolutely not get carried away with such means. The most important thing is to learn how to prevent such symptoms from occurring, and this can be done by keeping the following in mind.

Good and, most importantly, adequate sleep significantly minimizes the occurrence of headaches. Be sure to sleep at least 8 hours a day. Doctors recommend going to bed no later than 10 pm, since the time from 22 o'clock to one o'clock in the morning is considered the most effective in order to fully restore one's own strength.

• You need to spend as much time outdoors as possible.
• If work forces a person to constantly be in the same position, then it is necessary to sometimes take short breaks and do some relaxing gymnastic exercises.
• It is advisable to eliminate alcoholic drinks and strong coffee from your diet.

Hypersthenic stage

In the third stage of neurasthenia, patients become more apathetic, their mood is predominantly low, and tearfulness and melancholy are characteristic. Gradually, interest in the world around us is lost, a person concentrates on internal sensations, and may find signs of non-existent diseases.

Headache with hyposthenic neurasthenia can be of a different nature: from constant aching to acute paroxysmal. Treatment during this period is impossible without the use of pharmacological drugs.

Sometimes patients need treatment in a hospital setting.