Tension headaches are the most common type of headache, accounting for approximately 90% of all headaches. They are frequently caused by several different things, from muscle tension, poor posture and eye strain, to mental and physical stress. If these conditions go unchecked then it can lead to chronic headaches. So what can you do about it? Lasting results can be achieved when you address the cause of the problem instead of just covering up the pain. Following are a few treatment options for tension headaches.
Acupuncture
When we live with poor posture our muscles pay the price. The constant strain can cause some extremely tight muscles and adhesion to form in the neck, shoulders, and back. These trigger points can cause pain to refer to the head. The longer we live with these problems the more stubborn they can become. Acupuncture is able to get in and break up adhesions and help ease muscle tension. While this may sound intense, acupuncture is often relaxing and very effective when it comes to relieving stress, another common cause of headaches. Addressing the causes of your headache in this manner has been determined to be more effective then the standard drug-based therapies.
Massage
Often when we think of massage we think of pampering ourselves and relaxation. Massage can decrease blood pressure, decrease stress and of course loosen tight muscles. When the muscles in the back of the neck get tight it often causes pain behind the eyes or in the temples. Massage can go a long way in loosening the tight musculature. Deep tissue or therapeutic massage can engage the tight muscles and through manipulating them encourage them to relax. Relaxational massage will help to decrease stress and lower cortisol (a toxin produced from long term low grade stress) in the system. With both ways people feel relaxed and often with significantly decreased pain levels.
Getting a massage or acupuncture treatment is a relaxing way to spend an hour and get rid of a headache. If you would like to get away from using pain killers for headaches, schedule an appointment today!
