Get Ahead of the Pain
Headaches hurt! Here's how to stop the pain
THEY'RE ANNOYING. They're painful. They're used as an excuse for
countless missed dinner parties. But people with chronic headaches
know they're nothing to joke about. They're distracting at best and
debilitating at worst. Fortunately, there are things you can do to
prevent and treat tension or migraine headaches.
What's Your Type?
Before you can treat a headache, you must first understand its
cause. There are two common types of headache: tension and
migraine.
Tension headaches make up the majority of headaches and are
often triggered by stress, anger, fatigue and eyestrain. Symptoms
of tension headaches include steady pain on both sides of the head
or neck, pressure around the head, and clenching of head and neck
muscles.
Migraine headaches are less common than tension headaches but
tend to be more problematic. It can also be more difficult to
manage migraine headaches. Researchers aren't exactly sure what
causes them, but they seem to be associated with inflammation of
nerves and blood vessels in the brain. Between 70 and 80 percent of
sufferers have a family history of migraines, and women are
affected three times more than men. Migraine symptoms can last four
to 72 hours and consist of throbbing head pain (usually on one
side), which may be accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light
and sound.
Massage the Pain Away
If you're one of the 45 million Americans who experiences
chronic headaches, you may be relieved to hear that one way to
prevent and treat them is with massage therapy.
Regular massage reduces the frequency of headaches by helping
maintain optimal levels of relaxation and by relaxing muscle
spasms. Massage therapy also can help ease the pain and discomfort
of migraine headaches and relieves
tension headaches. At Massage Envy, walk-ins are always welcome
and same-day appointments are available, so we can help you when
you need it most.
Pain, Pain, Go Away
Other prevention and treatment methods include:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Being active for 30 minutes a day
- Engaging in relaxation exercises
- Getting adequate amounts of sleep
If these techniques don't work, talk to your doctor about other
ways to control your headaches, including over-the-counter and
prescription medications. - By Shelley Flannery