Tension headaches are a common condition that many people experience. This phenomenon not only causes discomfort but also affects their daily lives. In the article below, let’s explore the causes and effective remedies for tension headaches.
What are tension headaches? Symptoms of tension headaches
Tension headaches are a common occurrence in adolescents and adults. This condition occurs due to the over-tightening of muscles in the head and neck area. Tension headaches are not directly dangerous to the patient, but if not detected and treated in time, they can lead to regrettable consequences.
Tension headaches can be identified by the following signs:
- The headache starts from mild to increasingly severe.
- The headache occurs in cycles of 8-10 times/day and lasts continuously for 30 minutes.
- You will feel a tight pressure around your head, like a band is wrapped around it.
- Aching and tension in the muscles of the shoulders and neck.
- Every time you have a headache, you will feel heaviness in your eyes.
- Dull pain without a pulsating sensation.
- When exercising, the pain does not increase much, and there are no signs of nausea or sensitivity to noise or light.
The symptoms of tension headaches can be mistaken for the symptoms of Migraine headaches. Therefore, to better understand your condition, you need to go to a reputable hospital or healthcare facility for examination and treatment.
Tension headaches are very dangerous for a long time
What causes you to have tension headaches?
According to experts, there are various reasons that can lead to tension headaches, with the most common being unhealthy lifestyle habits and diet, specifically:
Unhealthy lifestyle habits
One of the common causes of tension headaches is an individual’s unhealthy lifestyle habits. Especially in today’s busy and hectic life, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not easy. Here are some bad habits that can cause you to suffer from tension headaches:
- Inadequate rest, causing mental stress and tension.
- Sleeping too much or too little in a day, leading to headaches upon waking up.
- Incorrect sleeping posture, using a pillow that is too high or sleeping in the wrong head position.
- Incorrect working posture, bending your head for too long, causing your neck and shoulders to strain and tense up.
- Of all these factors, daily stress is the most significant “killer” that causes tension headaches.
- Therefore, it is essential to maintain a positive attitude for those who suffer from this condition.
Inappropriate diet
In addition to lifestyle habits, diet also plays a significant role in your overall health. In fact, some people have started experiencing tension headaches after consuming the following types of food:
- Caffeine: Caffeine is an essential substance for modern life, helping us to stay alert. However, if the caffeine concentration in the body fluctuates abnormally, users can experience tension headaches.
- Tyramine: Tyramine is found in many fermented products such as soybeans, wine, or in raisins, cheese, etc. Similar to caffeine, if tyramine is not consumed in moderation, it can cause headaches.
- Monosodium glutamate: This substance is usually present in large quantities in various cooking additives, such as sweeteners. Some people cannot tolerate this substance, leading to headaches.
- In addition to these types of food, people who skip breakfast or lunch are also more likely to experience tension headaches after eating due to the long gap between meals during the day.
Tension headaches need to be treated promptly.
Treating tension headaches
Tension headaches can be easily treated, so when you detect this condition, quickly find a suitable method to alleviate it. There are many different ways to deal with tension headaches, so let’s explore some methods below:
Home remedies
Using simple folk remedies is the choice of many patients to effectively improve the condition of tension headaches. Here are some ways to reduce pain at home that you can refer to:
Breathing exercises
Breathing is a simple and effective way to quickly relieve headaches. This movement will increase the amount of oxygen supplied to the blood, promote brain circulation. As a result, the headache will gradually subside.
How to do:
- Whenever you feel pain, sit down and inhale for 5 seconds, then exhale for 5 seconds.
- Repeat until the pain subsides.
Cold compress
A cold compress is a familiar method to quickly relieve pain, and tension headaches are no exception. Low temperatures will constrict the blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow to the brain, so the pain will gradually dissipate.
How to do:
- Whenever you experience a headache, use a cold, wet cloth and place it on your forehead for 8-10 minutes.
- In a short time, you will feel more comfortable and the pain will gradually subside.
Using Ginger
Ginger is known as a natural anti-inflammatory and can reduce swelling. Few people know that ginger also effectively improves the condition of tension headaches, helps relax blood vessels, and stimulates brain activity.
How to use:
- Each time you have a headache, add a few slices of ginger to warm water with a spoonful of honey.
- This drink will soothe the discomfort and help relieve tension and fatigue.
- In addition to drinking, you can also use ginger essential oil for steam inhalation whenever you have a headache.
Treating headaches with Western medicine
Using Western medicine to treat tension headaches has the advantage of being convenient and providing quick relief. That’s why many patients choose this method. Typically, for tension headaches, doctors will advise patients to use some pain-relieving Western medications. If it’s still not effective, doctors will prescribe other medications such as antidepressants and tranquilizers. Here are some commonly recommended medications for treating tension headaches:
- Pain relievers: Ibuprofen, Alaxan, Paracetamol,… These drugs are effective in quickly pushing back headache pain.
- Tranquilizers: This type of medication is usually prescribed to help patients relieve anxiety.
- NSAIDs: Naproxen, Ibuprofen,… NSAIDs not only have anti-inflammatory effects but also play a role in controlling headaches from mild to moderate.
- Opioids: If patients using NSAIDs still do not see improvement in their condition, doctors will prescribe opioids for severe headaches.
- Note: All of the above medications require the advice and prescription of a doctor. Patients should not use medications on their own to avoid unwanted side effects.
Tension headaches should avoid doing the following things.
Some notes to know when having a tension headache
In addition to using products that help treat muscle tension headaches, there are several things to keep in mind that can help change your lifestyle habits and improve your rest:
- Avoid stress and fatigue: As mentioned above, stress is the leading factor causing muscle tension headaches. Therefore, to improve this condition, patients need to take adequate rest, maintain a positive outlook, and avoid prolonged periods of tension.
- Adjust your diet: Instead of consuming substances harmful to the nervous system or spicy foods, greasy foods, you should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and drink enough water every day. A healthy diet will help you maintain a healthy body.
- Eliminate bad habits: You need to eliminate unhealthy habits such as staying up late, using stimulants, drinking alcohol, or smoking. These actions can make your headache condition worse.
- Maintain proper sitting posture: Incorrect sitting posture is also a common cause of muscle tension headaches in the neck and shoulders. Therefore, you need to practice proper sitting posture, keep your head straight with your shoulders and not bend your head or back forward.
- Moderate exercise: Many people mistakenly believe that when their muscles are sore, they should not exercise. In fact, gentle and moderate physical activities can greatly help improve your muscle tension headaches. At the same time, exercises such as cycling, walking, yoga, etc. can also support excellent health improvement.
Here are some basic issues about tension headaches. Hopefully, the above article has provided you with knowledge to effectively improve this condition!
John Alen was born in 1971 and is a doctor in the healthcare and psychology fields with many years of experience. He is currently working at easyhealthylive.com, a leading health and psychology blog. Having studied at Y1 National Medical University named after IM Sechenov, John Alen is using his knowledge and experience to help improve the physical and mental health of people in the United States.
