Tension headaches are a common condition that afflicts millions of people worldwide. Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. There are other types of headaches, such as tension headaches, cluster headaches, and migraines, but tension headaches are the most common. Tension headaches are a pain in the neck and shoulders and occur when the neck and shoulder muscles get out of balance.
How to Control Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are not frequent, but they are painful. The cause of tension headaches is not evident; doctors do not know the exact reason why they occur, nor do they offer an effective treatment. They are also often confused with migraines, however, there is some difference between migraines and headaches, mainly about what causes each. However, certain triggers can lead to tension headaches occurring. These triggers include stress, nervousness, fatigue, poor sleeping habits, headache medications, lack of exercise, and certain physical activities. Here are some of the things that you can do to control your tension headache.
- Don’t stress too much yourself; try to reduce it and do something that can help you relax.
- Take care of your health, make sure that you can eat and sleep regularly, and do some exercise too.
- Practice good posture and stand up straight.
- If you have health problems like anxiety and depression, you should get treated for them.
- Every time that you have a tension headache, you should diary it to list down the time and date when you had it. Then you can list down the symptoms that you feel before the tension headache appears. So that when you visit your doctor for the consultation, he/she has a diary and plan to decide what type of treatment you need to control your headaches.
The Cause of a Tension Headache
If you suffer from a tension headache, you might not know the causes. You may have been told that it’s all in your head, when in fact, It is just in your neck. The following are the cause of tension headaches.
Physical or Emotional Stress
Stress can be a good thing, but for some, it causes tension, headache pain. The pain is often brought on by several triggers such as physical or emotional stress, but one of the most common is caused by a change in work, school, or home life.
Alcohol and Smoking
Not only do they cause these headaches, but they also make the headaches worse. While the exact way alcohol and cigarettes damage the nerves and muscles of our head and neck are uncertain, these substances likely weaken the muscles that support the skull and add pressure to the skull. As a result, the skull is pushed forward on the vertebrae, leading to pain and headache. While the exact mechanism by which alcohol and smoking cause tension headaches are unclear, the drugs themselves, rather than their alcohol and nicotine content, are likely to cause the headaches and other symptoms.
Eye Strain
The symptoms of eye strain include blurred vision, headaches, fatigue, and difficulty focusing. As a result of these symptoms, people can develop tension headaches.
Teeth Grinding
A rather unexpected headache cause could be teeth grinding. When someone with a condition like Bruxism grinds or clenches their teeth, there is tension created which spreads out to the rest of the head and neck. The pressure and friction generated can not only cause enamel erosion, but also dull pain around the temple, forehead, and the back of the head.
Caffeine
Caffeine is commonly believed to cause tension headaches, but that is not scientifically proven. However, a lot of research supports the notion that caffeine can lead to headaches and that the headaches might be due to caffeine. Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance in coffee and tea. It is also an ingredient in many beverages such as cola, energy drinks, and over-the-counter medications such as Excedrin.
Now that you know the things you need to do and don’t need to do to avoid tension headaches. That’s why you shouldn’t stress yourself so much at work. Just take it slowly and easily, because you can still finish your work even when you don’t rush it. If you are working all day in front of the computer, try to follow the 20-minute rule break every 2-3 hours to take care of your eyes in terms of looking at the screen. Try to close your eyes for 20 minutes, or maybe check out the scenery outside your office. And have some coffee to relax your mind. After that, you can go back to work with a fresh mind again and be as productive as before.
