When a tension headache hits

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Tension headaches are a common condition that many people face on a daily basis. However, in each level from mild to extremely uncomfortable, affecting your daily life. Besides the many drugs used, here are effective natural remedies that will help you to get rid of the headaches.

1. What is a tension headache?

Tension headache is the most common type of headache. It can cause mild, moderate, or severe pain behind the eyes and in the head and neck. Some people say that tension headaches feel like a tight band around their forehead.
Most people who experience tension headaches have cluster headaches. This symptom occurs on average once or twice per month. However, tension headaches can also be chronic, with chronic headaches affecting about 3% of the US population with headaches lasting more than 15 days per month. Women are twice as likely to have headaches as men.
Tension headaches are caused by muscle contractions in the head and neck area. These types of spasms can be caused by a variety of causes such as:
Food Activity Stress causes headaches Some people get tension headaches after looking at a computer screen for a long time or After driving for long periods of time or in cold temperatures can also cause tension headaches.
Other triggers of tension headaches include:
Alcoholism Eye fatigue Dry eyes Fatigue Smoking Colds or flu Sinus infections Caffeine Bad posture Emotional stress Less water intake Lack of sleep Skipping meals Symptoms Tension headaches include:
Dull headache Pressure around the forehead Pain around the forehead and scalp The pain is usually mild or moderate, but can also be severe. In this case, you may mistake your tension headache for a migraine. This is a type of headache that causes throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head.
However, tension headaches do not have migraine symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. In rare cases, tension headaches can make people sensitive to light and loud noises, similar to migraines.

2. Measures to treat tension headaches

The best time to treat tension headaches is when they have just started and the symptoms are still mild. The goal of treatment is to prevent symptoms from becoming more frequent and to reduce the amount of pain the person already has. As a precaution, you can:
Take medication Avoid triggers or triggers Manage your stress or learn relaxation techniques Practice biofeedback Try these remedies Home remedies, like taking a hot bath, applying ice, or improving posture Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers are often the first treatment doctors recommend for tension headaches. People with this chronic condition can use some over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers to prevent headaches, if OTC pain relievers don't help, your doctor may recommend prescription pain relievers, or muscle relaxants.
Some medications can relieve tension headaches, such as antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and anti-seizure medications. It should be taken every day even if there are no symptoms of pain, then the medication is gradually reduced over time. However, care should be taken when using medication because all drugs have side effects.

3. Measures to cope with tension headaches

Biofeedback
This method helps you how to gain control over things your body normally processes automatically, such as heart rate.
To learn how to do this, you need to wear sensors to monitor your body activities on an electronic screen while your teacher guides you through relaxation exercises. You can see on the electronic screen how your body reacts.
Experts say these data are good support for biofeedback to reduce tension headaches. Some research shows that relaxation and a certain type of biofeedback, done alone or together, reduces tension headaches by 50%.
In another report, researchers reviewed 53 studies and concluded that biofeedback is effective in reducing the number of headaches. Any type of relaxation technique will provide some benefit, even if it's simple breathing exercises.
Peppermint Oil and Tiger Balm Oil
When applying peppermint oil it will feel cool and can help with pain, you can apply peppermint oil along the hairline which can also help relax the muscles on the face and neck yours. Some studies also support this measure, researchers focused on 41 people with tension headaches and found that applying peppermint oil to the forehead and temples was as effective as taking 1,000 milligrams of acetaminophen . (equivalent to two strong doses of Tylenol.) However, more studies are needed to confirm this result.
Tiger Balm Oil has nothing to do with tigers, this is an herbal ointment made with ingredients like camphor and menthol. This product has the same benefits as peppermint oil when used in the same way. Researchers in Australia found that Tiger Balm oil was as effective as acetaminophen in relieving tension headaches.
Some experts say that treatments like these on your skin are generally harmless and still safe to try, as long as you're not allergic to the ingredients contained in these two products.
Acupuncture
Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques use very thin needles at specific points on the body to redirect the body's energy for the purpose of alleviating various ailments. Acupuncture can promote muscle relaxation and is very effective for relieving tension headaches.
How well does acupuncture work? Studies are showing two different opinions. This is because the exact position of the needle depends on the person, so it is difficult to test a standard method.
A study of 270 people with tension headaches found that acupuncture worked better than no treatment, but it was no better than a fake acupuncture treatment.
When researchers combined several other studies, they concluded that acupuncture had limited effectiveness in reducing headache control.
Ginger tea
Some studies suggest that ginger may be an effective treatment for migraines because ginger suppresses inflammation, but few studies have evaluated the herb's ability to treat headaches. stress.
Part of the reason ginger tea can help with headaches is that it's warm and comforting, when you drink a cup of ginger tea you'll stop working and relax for a few minutes which helps relieve the headache.
Supplements
A few small studies have found that the herbs feverfew and butterbur may help treat and prevent migraines, leading some to speculate that these herbs may also be helpful. Useful for tension headaches.
But for tension-type headaches, these are not the recommended therapies for patients because there is no clear data proving the effectiveness of this herb.
Besides, this herb can have side effects. Feverfew can interact with certain medications, like blood thinners, and is not safe for pregnant women.
Some experts recommend melatonin to people with tension headaches, because it can help improve sleep and when you get a good night's sleep it can reduce your chances of getting a tension headache. In addition, coenzyme Q10 and magnesium oxide, may encourage muscle relaxation. However, you should consult your doctor before trying any supplement, even if it is natural.
Massage
There are short-term benefits to getting a massage such as reducing anxiety levels and reducing the stress hormone cortisol. In several studies, researchers found that people had fewer headaches when they received a neck and shoulder massage. But when the headaches hit, the pain level is still as intense as before.
So you can get a massage before a headache occurs by doing regular massages. However, you should still do other treatments in parallel.

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Reference source: webmd.com