Are You Searching for a Natural Solution to Headache Pain?
Stress headaches are no laughing matter, and sometimes a pill just isn’t enough to get rid of one. “Most headaches are harmless and resolve on their own,” according to Choose PT, “but severe headaches that recur frequently can affect your ability to do your daily activities and can reduce your quality of life.”
Tension headaches are characterized by the sensation of a “band of pressure” around your head, as well as tenderness and achy sensations. Muscle tension and emotional stress both contribute to stress headaches.
Fortunately, physical therapy can provide relaxation and posture correction to alleviate the symptoms of these types of headaches. Receiving therapy will not only relieve your current pain but will also reduce the number of stress headaches you will experience in the future.
Headaches and your posture
Did you know that the way we stand and sit can affect the amount of pressure we put on our muscles? That’s correct. Muscles and nerves in the shoulder, chest, and neck can be compressed by poor posture. These are the areas that cause painful tension headaches, so make sure you check your posture frequently and sit up straight if you work at a desk!
Your physical therapist will show you how to move, stand, and sit properly. They will also be able to assess your posture and show you how to improve it in order to reduce the strain on your overworked muscles.
A physical therapist may recommend a variety of modifications for you to make at home or at your workplace. A physical therapist could recommend raising your computer monitor, purchasing a special computer chair with lumbar support, or even purchasing a rubber mat to stand on while doing dishes in your kitchen. All of these modifications can improve your posture.
What is manual therapy and how can it help me?
Although not all prevention techniques must be performed in your physical therapist’s office, your physical therapist will know how to provide a more targeted approach to your stress-related headache pain. Using hot and cold compresses alternately is a simple but effective strategy. These compresses can be used in conjunction with gentle electronic pulse wands to soothe muscles and relieve strain.
To treat your headaches, you may also be prescribed manual therapy. Tense muscles can be relieved quickly with soft tissue mobilization and massage. Relaxing the muscles in and around the head can help to break the chain of events that leads to painful contractions. Patients suffering from chronic tension headaches report a significant reduction in overall pain after receiving manual therapy. They also experience headaches less frequently.
People who get therapeutic massages on a regular basis report getting a better night’s sleep, which leads to less stress during the day. Physical therapy massage also aids in the relief of emotional stress, which causes you to tense those muscles. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy a good massage?
Strengthen your upper body muscles for relief
Your back, neck, and shoulders do a lot of the “heavy lifting” when it comes to keeping you supported throughout the day. If these muscles aren’t strong enough, they’ll be overworked. Resistance training is used in physical therapy to strengthen the muscles in the neck and upper back.
Many patients report that having strong upper body muscles results in fewer (and less intense) stress headaches. Exercises to prevent these headaches may begin with chin-to-chest nods to build neck strength. Resistance bands and free weights may be used to strengthen your shoulder and back muscles. Your physical therapist will be able to conduct a thorough assessment of your abilities to determine which treatments are appropriate for you.
Alleviate stress through flexibility training
The less pressure you put on the major muscle groups in your neck and shoulders during the day, the more movement you’ll have in those areas. This can also help to relieve some of your stress headaches and make them easier to manage. Your physical therapist can demonstrate exercises that will stretch your neck while also loosening the muscles in your chest and shoulders. Doing these stretches on a regular basis helps you stay limber and prevents your muscles from becoming too tight.
What Are You Waiting For? Relief is just around the corner!
We all believe we know exactly how to unwind…until it comes to our health. Then we might need some assistance!
If you’re suffering from chronic stress-related headaches and want to learn more about how to reduce their frequency and severity, please contact Aspen Rehabilitation.
When you schedule an appointment with one of our licensed physical therapists, you’ll unlock a course of treatment to help you relax your muscles, sleep better, and get back to enjoying life pain-free!
