7 Tips from Our Experts for Easing Tension Headaches

The stress of a tension headache can be infuriating. You’re already having a stressful day, and now you have to deal with a pounding head. What can you do to get through your day?

At Advantage Spinal Dynamics & Innovative Medicine in Meridian, Idaho, our team can help manage tension headaches with massage therapy. However, you can’t always drop what you’re doing and book an emergency appointment.

Here are seven tips to get you through until your next session.

All about tension headaches

Tension headaches often begin with a feeling of tightening in the scalp, and they quickly move down and back to manifest as additional neck pain and shoulder pain. Tension is the most common type of headache, and it can result from one or more of these triggers:

Lack of sleep
Hangover
Stress
Nicotine or caffeine overuse or withdrawal
Eye strain
Teeth grinding (bruxism)
Lack of food or dehydration

Some tension headaches only last an hour or two. Others can span an entire day.

7 tips for easing tension headaches

There are several things you can do to help ease a tension headache:

1. Take a quick nap

If you work from home or can find a dark and quiet spot on your lunch break, getting a bit of shut-eye may help banish a tension headache.

2. Eat a little snack

A tension headache may be your body telling you about its neglect. Take a few minutes to find a healthy snack and chase it with a full glass of water. Chew slowly and don’t rush.

3. Take medication

There are plenty of over-the-counter medications for headaches, and taking a dose can help take the edge off of your pain. However, if you have frequent headaches, talk to a professional to find out why.

4. Drink a hot beverage

Heat can be relaxing, and sipping some hot tea or soup may help the pounding in your head recede and your shoulders drop down from near your ears.

5. Consider your vision

If your work includes staring at a screen, take breaks every 10 minutes to refocus your eyes on something across the room for 10 seconds. Make sure your screen is comfortably at eye level so you aren’t hunching or tipping up your chin to see it.

Also, if it’s been more than a year since you had your eyes checked, schedule an exam.

6. Decrease stress

That’s an easy thing to say, but harder to do. However, workplace stress is a strong factor for chronic headaches. Try to delegate when you can, and practice saying no if asked to juggle more than you can handle.

7. Book a massage

Our experienced massage therapists can help banish the lingering effects of a tension headache, relaxing tight muscles in your neck and shoulders that may contribute to your frequent bouts of head pain.

Regular massage therapy can also reduce the frequency of tension headaches.

To learn more about tension headaches and massage therapy, schedule a consultation at Advantage Spinal Dynamics & Innovative Medicine by calling 208-213-7963, or request an appointment online today.