Why stress can cause headaches
The body of a person in a nervous state begins to produce certain hormones in response.
For example, adrenaline is a stress hormone. When its level rises, a person's heart rate increases and blood pressure rises. Adrenaline reduces the level of “relaxing hormones,” which can lower the pain threshold and increase muscle tension. All of these factors contribute to increased stiffness in the muscles of the neck, head and shoulders, which causes tension headaches.
Tension headache: symptoms, how to treat, what to do if you have a headache from nerves
The head contains receptors that act on the brain. Often, after stress, a headache occurs because worries or conflicts only increase the unpleasant sensations.
Headaches can occur in all people, but those who have heart problems are more susceptible to them. Unpleasant throbbing pain appears due to overstrain of nerve endings.
Can you get a headache if you get too nervous?
Head pain from nerves
Development of the disease
Stress is one of the causes of headaches. The structure of nerve cells consists of long shoots - dendrite and axon. The role of the dendrite is to regenerate pain impulses at the moment of malfunction of the body. The axon sends a signal to the brain.
People who have heart problems also get headaches from stress. The cause may be injury or infection that affects the tissues of the head.
Emotional intensity causes very strong pain.
Types of headaches
Causes of pain
Most headaches occur due to a mental disorder. Headaches and muscle tension occur due to long-term and chronic stress.
Muscle tension can be caused by prolonged sitting or an uncomfortable sleeping position.
Chronic headache occurs due to tension in the neck muscles, eye muscles and scalp aponeurosis. The formation of the disease is influenced by:
- tonic muscle spasm;
- biochemical shift;
- spasm of blood vessels, which are responsible for the severity of pain;
- lack of serotonergic systems;
- depression;
- poor functioning of the antinociceptive system.
Head pain causes a lot of discomfort
Symptoms of the disease
Long-term stress has a negative effect on the body. The intensity of pain depends on the stage of the disease and the individual characteristics of the person. During a headache, a person cannot concentrate on work.
Noise in the head after stress has a bad effect on all organs, especially the brain. The disease manifests itself in the form of the following signs: fluctuations; pinching, bursting.
Nervous tension headaches affect only part of the head. If the volume of the lesion is large, then pain is felt throughout the head. When blood vessels narrow, nerve cells give a sign of circulatory failure. The disease develops if a person is in a state of nervous exhaustion. That is why he feels pain constantly. Pain can appear even with the slightest excitement.
Diagnostics
If you have headaches, dizziness after stress, or have suffered a head injury, you should consult a doctor.
During the examination, the patient undergoes a number of procedures, including a fundus examination session, echoencephalography, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, etc. A disorder of the brain leads to frequent pain. Therefore, to establish an accurate diagnosis, you need to undergo an extensive examination. After the examination, a diagnosis is made and treatment is prescribed.
Echoencephalography - diagnostic method
Treatment
There are different ways to treat headaches caused by stress. The most popular treatment methods are medications, exercises and gymnastics. Let's take a closer look at each method.
Treatment with medication
Stress can provoke unpleasant sensations in the head. To get rid of pain, you need to take drugs that act on nerve endings (for example, Pentalgin or Fintepsin). To relieve tension in the head, it is necessary to normalize the emotional background. You can use antidepressants for this.
People suffering from hypertension can relieve painful symptoms with medications to lower their blood pressure. To normalize blood circulation in brain cells, antispasmodic drugs are used (for example, “No-shpa” or “Papaverine”). Medicines act on muscles that are tense. When the drug begins to act, the tissues relax.
The patient's blood vessels begin to dilate and blood circulation returns to normal.
When taking medications, consult your doctor
Any medications have side effects and contraindications. Therefore, before taking medications, you need to consult a specialist.
Treatment with exercises
You can relieve tension in your head and strengthen your nerves with exercise. All actions in the body are carried out by the nervous system. There is also reverse contact, which stimulates muscles and organs. Therefore, exercise has a good effect not only on the body, but also on the nervous system.
Constant tension in the head appears due to mental overload. In such cases, you can not rush to the pharmacy to buy medicine, but relieve stress yourself. To get rid of headaches after stress, you can take a walk in the fresh air. It is necessary to do regular exercises every day for 10–15 minutes.
If you have a sedentary job, it is advisable to exercise 2-3 times a day to strengthen your muscles. For people who have heart problems, dynamic exercises are useful. During such exercises, the muscles are charged with blood, and the number of open capillaries increases. Gymnastics helps develop your shoulders, arms and legs.
Makes the body and posture beautiful, normalizes breathing.
Gymnastics for the face
There are several exercises that target the muscles of the face and head. They help treat headaches and tension. It is advisable to do them immediately when the first symptoms of the disease appear. Before performing the exercises, you need to stand facing the mirror to ensure that they are performed correctly. For facial gymnastics there is the following scheme:
- Raise your eyebrows and try to relax your facial muscles. It is necessary to make such movements separately with each eyebrow. You can help yourself by holding one eyebrow with your hand.
- Close your eyes and bring your pupils to the middle. Next, relax again and return your eyes to their previous position.
- Frown your eyebrows, then relax.
- Open your mouth wide, then relax, returning it to its previous position.
- Open your mouth and move your jaw in one direction or the other.
- Wrinkle your nose and relax your facial muscles again.
Gymnastics for the face
In addition to such gymnastics, you can make different grimaces. This behavior will help relieve tension in various forms of stress.
Gymnastics for the neck
When you have a headache from nerves, you can do gymnastics for the neck muscles:
- You need to point your neck down and stretch it forward, and your chin should touch your chest. Then return to normal state. You need to do the exercise 3-5 times.
- In a sitting position, tilt your head back. Do this 3-5 times.
- Rotate your head in different directions. Tilt your head either to the right or to the left shoulder.
- Do bends 3-5 times.
Neck massage for pain
Folk remedies
Treatment with folk remedies can be done at home, on your own. To do this, a person takes a warm bath, but with the help of special mixtures.
Bath with 100 g of sea salt, 2 tbsp. l. pine extract. You must take a bath for 10 days. Steam 200 g of pine needles in 5 liters of water, keep on fire for 5 minutes. Then strain and pour the broth into the bath. You need to do the procedure before going to bed.
Pine bath relaxes
You can prepare tinctures for internal use.
- Half a large leaf of golden mustache, 75 g of grated horseradish, 250 g of finely chopped oranges, 150 g of sugar and 0.5 liters of red wine. The container with the ingredients is placed in a water bath and boiled for 1 hour. Then strain well and drink 75 ml 2 hours after eating.
- Place 15 g of dried lemon balm in a thermos and pour 1 cup of boiling water. Leave for 1 hour, strain and drink 1-2 tbsp. spoons 5-6 times a day.
Preventive actions
To prevent tinnitus and dizziness at times of stress, several conditions must be met:
- move more;
- engage in physical exercise, it will help improve vascular tone;
- ignore unpleasant conversations, be less nervous and conflict with people.
Those people who cannot control their emotions are nervous. Nervous tension can be the first step on the path to a migraine.
Conclusion
Often after stress a person experiences pain in the head and ears. It can be of a different nature, it all depends on the severity of the disease. If the pain cannot be tolerated, a person should definitely go to the hospital and be examined. The duration and method of treatment depends on the diagnosis itself.
Source: https://psyhoday.ru/stress/bolit-golova-ot-nervov.html
What can get rid of stress headaches?
The best remedy for pain is to combat its sources and manage stressful situations. A healthy lifestyle is one of many ways to achieve improvement. For example:
- Good dream. Try to sleep 7–8 hours a day and accustom yourself to certain “nightly” rituals. Put gadgets on silent mode or remove them from the bedroom altogether, and don’t drink too much liquid at night.
- Exercise regularly. Exercise will help reduce adrenaline levels and increase endorphins.
- Eat right. Hunger can cause headaches, so start your day with a nutritious breakfast. Avoid fatty and processed foods.
- Practice meditation or other relaxation exercises, such as yoga or breathing exercises.
- Watch your posture. A straight back will help reduce muscle tension. When working at a computer, try to sit up straight and relax your facial muscles.
- If you have a stressful job, you need to take short breaks during the working day.
How to cope with migraines triggered by stress and long-term anxiety?
You may have noticed that anxiety and stress can trigger a migraine attack. Sometimes an acute migraine strikes during a period of relaxation after stressful days. However, a few simple steps can ease tension and help prevent headaches.
Stress is associated with migraine attacks in up to 80% of people[1]. In the days leading up to the onset of an attack, many people report irritability, increased anxiety, depressed mood, and stress.[2] Studies have examined the effects of reducing stress, or “reducing,” as a migraine trigger, often focusing on weekend headache attacks.
Professor Dawn Buse of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York says that “about 20% of people who suffer from episodic migraine (14 or fewer days per month) are depressed, and this percentage increases with the number of days of attacks per month. A comorbid anxiety disorder occurs in 20% of people with episodic migraine and 30-50% of people with chronic headache (more than 15 attack days per month).”[3]
The role of stress in migraine is multifaceted: stress can contribute to the onset of migraine, act as a trigger for headache attacks, increase their intensity and duration, and can also be a risk factor for transition to chronic migraine[4].
Particular attention should be paid to the consequences of reducing stress as a migraine-provoking factor. This type of migraine is called a “weekend migraine” because it can occur on a Saturday or Sunday at home after a busy week[5]. For some people, stress is not the main migraine trigger; it can enhance the effects of other triggers, such as foods or odors.
Stress is not always the main migraine trigger; it can enhance the effects of other triggers, such as foods or odors.
Scientists around the world are arguing: does migraine provoke anxiety or anxiety causes migraine? This is not a simple question, and an exact answer to which has not yet been found. One thing is clear that in this way a vicious circle arises: stress-migraine-chronic form[4].
The mechanism of a migraine attack triggered by stress is not fully understood, but there are some hypotheses that explain this relationship. Brain cells that control mood, sleep and pain use a chemical called serotonin to regulate how they communicate with each other. When a migraine attack occurs, these cells become more active than normal, causing serotonin levels to change and causing anxiety[6]. Conversely, when stress occurs, a chain of reactions is activated that affects serotonin levels. A sudden decrease in serotonin levels in brain cells can cause headaches due to the release of neuropeptides or constriction of blood vessels.
To find out how much your migraine attacks are affected by stress, keep a migraine diary for several months. This can help you find headache patterns and pinpoint what types of stress may make you more likely to have a migraine attack.
Take a migraine test
Questionário ID-Migraine™ eo adequado diagnostico da migrânea
In addition to finding a doctor, keeping a headache diary, and finding effective therapy, one of the most important things you can do to combat migraines is to relieve stress, which sounds easy, right? Wrong. In our busy lives, how can we better manage the stress associated with migraines? Try to eat right, avoid fatty, salty, spicy foods. Get enough time to sleep. Use meditation techniques to relax. Add essential vitamins to your diet.
To combat migraines, use meditation techniques to relax.
Research conducted by the American Migraine Foundation in conjunction with the American Headache Association[7] has identified the most effective stress management steps for people with migraines:
- Determine your priorities.
Think about your priorities and write them down in two lists labeled “Life” and “Now.” What are the most important things on your list? What can you fix? Think about what really matters when you manage your time and prioritize. Being always on the go and focusing on tasks that don't make you happy is not the best way to live a low-stress life.
- Save your time.
Learn to plan for “you” in your life. Use your calendar to protect yourself and remember that your needs are important. Give yourself half an hour during the day and use it to get up and get your body moving. Sometimes the word “no” can be your best friend. Use it to turn down offers that only add chaos to your life.
- Make time for relationships and personal growth.
Research shows that being with other people relieves stress. Schedule “together time” with your loved ones, and be intentional about getting off the couch and doing something fun. By improving your relationships and prioritizing what makes you happy, stress will instantly be minimized.
- Learn to be assertive and communicate.
If you tend to communicate passively, chances are you're not letting people know what you want in life. Strong communication skills can help you gain self-confidence, understand your feelings, communicate without anger, and reduce stress.
- Get enough sleep.
In a recent survey of more than two hundred people living with migraine, more than 85% reported clinically significant poor sleep quality, which was associated with headache frequency, depression and anxiety. In their article entitled “Sleep, Insomnia, and Migraine,” Drs. Hulker, Vargas, and Dodik present a simple plan for improving your sleep. Good sleep includes exercising every day, not eating or caffeine before bed, going to bed at the same time, and not using mobile devices or other devices for half an hour to an hour before bed.
Sleep is one of the best methods to combat migraines.
We cannot influence external factors beyond our control, but we can control our emotions. Coping with the stress of a migraine will significantly improve your well-being and help reduce other migraine symptoms. Start taking steps in the right direction today.
- Kelman, L. The triggers or precipitants of the acute migraine attack. 2007; 27(5), 394-402.
- Stress and psychological factors before a migraine attack: A time-based analysis Masahiro Hashizume,corresponding author1,1 Ui Yamada,1 Asako Sato,1 Karin Hayashi,1 Yuichi Amano,1 Mariko Makino,1 Kazuhiro Yoshiuchi,2 and Koji Tsuboi1 Biopsychosoc Med . 2008; 2: 14. Published online 2008 Sep 18. doi: 10.1186/1751-0759-2-14
- The Link Between Migraine, Depression and Anxiety American Migraine Foundation
- The Stress and Migraine Interaction Khara M Sauro 1, Werner J Becker Headache 2009 Oct;49(9):1378-86. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01486.x.
- Reduction in perceived stress as a migraine trigger Testing the “let-down headache” hypothesis Richard B. Lipton, MD Dawn C. Buse, PhD Charles B. Hall, PhD Howard Tennen, PhD Tiffani A. DeFreitas, MS Thomas M. Borkowski, PhD Brian M. Grosberg, MD Sheryl R. Haut, MD 2014 American Academy of Neurology
- Why are migraineurs more depressed? A review of the factors contributing to the comorbidity of migraine and depression Daniel Baksa1,2, Xenia Gonda2,3,4, Gabriella Juhasz Neuropsychopharmacol Hung 2017; 19(1): 37–44)
- Stress and Migraine American Mugraine Foundation
What to do to relieve headaches
A warm shower, gentle massage of the neck and head, or applying an ice pack to the face can help in this case. You can also use other methods, such as exercise or relaxation practices. Try to stay calm at home. You can simply take your mind off things by watching a movie or taking time to read good literature. Spending time with family and friends will help you cope with stress and its symptoms. And one more suggestion. There is some evidence that sex helps with headaches. One scientific study demonstrated that more than half of migraine sufferers who made love during an attack experienced symptom relief.
Relief from headaches with Nurofen®
In addition to the above methods, painkillers such as Nurofen can help bring about real improvement. Ibuprofen is the main active ingredient in its composition. Nurofen is available without a doctor's prescription.
It is worth noting that, according to scientific evidence, ibuprofen in Nurofen Express Forte acts quickly (within 15 minutes), blocking the formation of prostaglandins, which can be produced in large quantities during muscle spasms, including those caused by stress.
If stress-related headaches become a real problem, we recommend that you seek the help of a doctor to find the appropriate treatment. If your headache is the result of recent head injuries and concussions, if the pain becomes more severe and you begin to experience vision problems, nausea, fever and speech problems, be sure to seek help from a specialist.
Symptoms of tension headaches include:
- a feeling of tightness in the head area (it may feel like a tight ring is encircling the head);
- pressure in the head;
- shooting pains in the head, eyes, facial area;
- strange sensations of “frozenness” of the head and its numbness;
- feeling of bloating (as if it's about to burst).
In addition to pain directly in the head, tension pain usually affects the back of the neck and shoulders, down to the area between the shoulder blades. Both the neck and shoulders also become tense. Sometimes it seems that the neck is taking some unnatural position, for example, the head seems to be pushed forward or, conversely, tilted back.
In addition, discomfort may occur in the scalp. Sometimes such sensations are perceived as pain, sometimes as a burning sensation.
Pain and a feeling of tension can cover the entire head, neck and shoulders. And they can be localized only in one area. Moreover, this localization can be either stable or constantly shifting.
All of these symptoms can appear simultaneously, or they can come one at a time.
Tension headaches can occur in the context of an obvious stressful event and anxiety. Or it may come out of nowhere.
The intensity of pain varies from barely noticeable to extremely severe.
Pain may occur only occasionally. Or they can visit regularly and even be virtually constant.
Quite often, tension headaches occur simultaneously with migraines. In this case, additional symptoms appear. Namely:
- throbbing pain in the head;
- pain in only one side of the head;
- nausea to the point of vomiting;
- hypersensitivity to light and sounds;
- visual impairment.
Pain Treatment Methods
To correct headaches due to neuroses, you can use medications from different groups:
- Sedatives. Helps with irritability and tension. Use light herbal remedies as prescribed by the doctor: tincture of valerian or motherwort, Novo-Passit.
- Antispasmodics. They help get rid of acute headaches due to neurosis: “Spazmolgon”, “Drotaverin”, “Novigan”. They act on spasms of blood vessels and muscles.
- Vitamins. Under the influence of chronic stress, a person suffers from exhaustion. Complexes with an increased dosage of vitamin C, iron, and magnesium will help get rid of it.
- Remedies for anxiety. These medications improve sleep and activate brain activity: “Glycine”, “Pantogam”, “Glycised”.
Some patients successfully use drugs from the NSAID group - they relieve acute attacks well.
Headache: when to worry and what to do
Almost all of us have experienced headaches, and most of us have had them many times. A minor headache is nothing more than a nuisance that can be relieved with an over-the-counter pain reliever, food or coffee, or a short rest. But if the headache is severe or unusual, there is reason to worry about a stroke, tumor or blood clot.
Fortunately, such problems are rare. However, it is important to know when a headache needs immediate attention and how to control the vast majority of headaches that are not life-threatening.
What causes headaches?
Doctors do not fully understand the cause of most types of headaches. They know that the brain tissue and skull have nothing to do with it, since there are no nerves in the brain or skull that recognize pain.
But blood vessels in the head and neck, as well as tissues surrounding the brain and some large nerves that exit the brain, can signal pain. The scalp, sinuses, teeth, muscles and joints of the neck can also cause headaches.
There are more than 300 types of headaches, but the cause of only about 10% of them is known. The rest are called primary headaches.
When a headache is a cause for concern
Many types of headaches can be managed on your own. Your doctor may prescribe medication to control most more severe headaches. However, some types of headaches require immediate medical attention, and here are the signs that you should see a doctor :
- Headaches that first develop after age 50
- Serious change in headache patterns
- Unusually severe headache
- Headache that gets worse with coughing or movement
- Headaches that get worse all the time
- Changes in personality or mental function
- Headaches that are accompanied by fever, neck stiffness, confusion, decreased alertness or memory, or neurological symptoms (blurred vision, slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or seizures)
- Headaches that are accompanied by painful redness of the eyes
- Headaches that are accompanied by pain and tenderness in the temporal region
- Headaches after a blow to the head
- Headaches that interfere with normal daily activities
- Headaches that come on suddenly, especially if they interfere with sleep
- Headaches in patients with cancer or immune system disorders
Let's talk briefly about some of the main primary headaches.
Tension headache
Occurring in approximately 75% of adults, tension headaches are the most common of all headaches. A typical tension headache is characterized by a dull, squeezing pain on both sides of the head.
When a tension headache is severe, a person may feel as if their head is being squeezed in a vice. Your shoulders and neck may also hurt. Some tension headaches are caused by fatigue, emotional stress, or problems related to the muscles or joints of the neck or jaw.
Most last between 20 minutes and two hours.
Occasional tension headaches can be managed on your own.
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, other brands) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, naproxen (Aleve, other brands) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, other brands) often help.
However, follow the directions on the label and never take more than you should. A heating pad or warm shower will also help; some people feel better after taking a nap or eating a snack.
Migraine
Migraines occur less frequently than tension headaches, but they tend to be much more severe. They are 2-3 times more common in women than in men (6-8% of men experience migraines).
A Harvard study of 20,084 men aged 40 to 84 found that having migraines increased the risk of heart attacks by 42%, so men with migraines should be mindful of their headaches.
70% of migraine sufferers have at least one close relative experiencing the same problem.
Typically, people with migraines are sensitive to the same triggers. These include changes in weather, sleep patterns, fatigue, stress, bright lights, loud noises, and eating disorders.
Migraines often begin in the evening or during sleep. For some people, attacks are preceded by several hours of fatigue, depression, lethargy, or irritability and anxiety. Because migraine symptoms vary widely, at least half of all migraine sufferers think they suffer from sinus pain or tension headaches rather than migraines.
About 20% of migraines begin with one or more neurological symptoms called aura. Vision complaints are the most common. Some patients develop aura symptoms without headache; they often think they are having a stroke rather than a migraine.
In typical cases, the pain is concentrated on one side of the head, often starting around the eye and temple, spreading to the back of the head. The pain is often severe and described as throbbing. A common symptom is nausea. Without effective treatment, migraine attacks usually last between 4 and 24 hours.
If a patient notices a migraine in its earliest stages, it can be controlled with over-the-counter pain medications. Acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and a combination of pain medications and caffeine are effective. The anti-nausea drug metoclopramide (Reglan) may increase the activity of NSAIDs.
When prescription medications are needed, most doctors prescribe triptans, which are available as tablets, nasal sprays, or shots that patients can learn to administer themselves.
Talk to your doctor to find the best migraine treatment for you.
Remember that abuse can lead to rebound headaches and drug dependence.
Cluster pain
Cluster headaches are rare but very severe. Although cluster headaches can affect anyone, they usually affect middle-aged men who smoke.
The problem gets its name because the headaches tend to occur in clusters of one to eight headaches per day for 1 to 3 months every year or two, often at the same time of year. The pain is always concentrated on one side of the head and is very severe.
The eye on the affected side becomes red and watery, the eyelid may droop, and the nose may run or be stuffy. The attack begins abruptly and lasts from 30 to 60 minutes. Most sufferers become restless and agitated during an attack; Unable to sit still, they walk, run, or bang their heads against the wall.
The pain may be accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
High flow oxygenation soon after the onset of a headache often helps stop the attack. often effective for cluster headaches, especially when given by injection. Other triptans may also help. Some patients prefer lidocaine nasal drops, dihydroergotamine injections, or other treatments.
Therapeutic procedures for nervous headaches
After the patient has been diagnosed, the doctor will select the appropriate treatment for headaches caused by nerves. Let's consider the most effective ways to eliminate pathological symptoms.
Treatment with medication
There is no universal cure for nerves and stress. Depending on the individual characteristics of the course of the disease, the patient is prescribed:
- Psychotropic drugs - Melipramine, Reboxetine, Pirlindol, Imipramine.
- Sedatives - Persen, Nevrohel, Nervoflux, Dormiplant.
- Analgesics - Askofen, Anopyrin, Phenacetin, Methindol.
Important! Any medications can only be taken if prescribed by a doctor.
Treatment with exercises
Stress can be not only psychological. Lack of physical activity or lack of it is also a stressful load for the body. Therefore, daily exercise will help stabilize the psycho-emotional background and improve well-being.
Gymnastics for the face
The following movements performed using facial muscles will help reduce pain from the nerves:
- slowly raising and lowering the eyebrows for five minutes;
- imitating a scream, for this you will need to open your mouth wide and freeze in this position for a few seconds;
- alternately moving the chin forward and returning to its normal position.
Exercises must be performed in combination daily.
Gymnastics for the neck
Neck exercises will help relieve pain after nervous stress:
- tilting the head towards the chest as much as possible;
- rotation of the head first clockwise, then counterclockwise;
- smooth rotation of the head left and right.
All movements must be repeated at least ten times.
Folk remedies
We list the most effective folk remedies for headaches caused by nerves:
- herbal medicine, herbal decoctions, infusions, tinctures help well;
- compresses, depending on the diagnosis, warm or cold compresses are used, as well as from natural ingredients, such as lilac or cabbage;
- relaxing salt baths;
- juice therapy, cabbage, beet, tomato, potato juices are most suitable.
Preventive actions
In order not to encounter a condition where your head hurts from your nerves, you must follow the following preventive recommendations:
- Do not perform excessive loads, rest and relax more.
- Stop drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking tobacco.
- Once every six months, undergo a relaxing massage course.
- Increase the duration of night sleep to eight hours.
- Eat easily digestible natural foods, drink at least two liters of clean water per day.
- Take a daily walk lasting from forty minutes to an hour.
The main recommendation when you have a headache from nerves is to consult a healthcare professional. A specialist will help eliminate pain and avoid adverse health consequences.
Therapy methods
Nervous headaches can be relieved by taking medications, relaxation exercises, acupuncture and manual therapy sessions. To quickly bring your health back to normal, therapy is supplemented with the use of traditional recipes.
Drug treatment
Physical activity helps relieve stress and headaches
If you have an occasional headache after stress, analgesics are prescribed: aspirin, ibuprofen. In the chronic form, tablets from the group of antidepressants and muscle relaxants are taken. The dosage and duration of administration are prescribed by the doctor. Uncontrolled use of painkillers negatively affects the liver and leads to a lack of effect.
Postisometric relaxation
Includes physical therapy, manual therapy and physical therapy. During sessions, muscle tension is relieved using massage and manual techniques. This is a gentle procedure for stretching muscles. A set of exercises is also selected to help eliminate muscle spasms.
Acupuncture
In advanced cases, it is necessary to contact a psychotherapist for auto-training
Acupuncture is a painless and effective procedure that relieves anxiety, depression and their consequences. It involves inserting thin needles into biologically active points on the patient’s body. Acupuncture sessions improve blood circulation, the functioning of internal organs, and provide relaxation of the nervous system.
Breathing and relaxation training
The method is aimed at independently relieving emotional stress. It includes a set of exercises for muscle relaxation and calming breathing. The training takes place in comfortable conditions, preferably with musical accompaniment. You should take a relaxed position lying on the floor or sitting in a chair. The session takes 15-20 minutes.
Autogenic training
Therapy is carried out individually or in a group. Its goal is to achieve psychorelaxation. The main technique is repeated repetition of formulations describing a state of peace and relaxation. Exercises are selected according to the nature of the clinical manifestations. They help get rid of emotional tension.
Folk remedies
At home, when you have a headache from stress, you need to get rid of noise sources, lie down and relax. You can place a cold compress on your forehead. It is useful to drink a glass of green tea with sugar and lemon.
Peppermint oil is applied to the temple area to relieve fatigue
To help get rid of pain:
- Infusion of lemon balm - take 400 ml of boiling water for 30 g of herb, infuse the composition for 30 minutes in a thermos or wrapped in a cloth. Taken 5 times a day.
- Thyme infusion - the herb has an antispasmodic and analgesic effect. It will take 1 tsp. for 500 ml of water, the composition is brewed in a teapot, infused for 10 minutes.
- Peppermint essential oil – a few drops applied to the temples and forehead, the remedy is indicated for depression and stress.
- Lavender infusion – recommended for relieving anxiety. Can be taken instead of tea 2-3 times a day. Prepared from 1 tsp. flowers per 150 ml of hot water. Leave for 10 minutes.
Massage can help relieve stress headaches. It is performed with your fingertips, movements should be soft. The face, back of the head, neck, and scalp are massaged.
If the symptoms of tension-type headache are not relieved by taking analgesics, and are additionally accompanied by fever, heart pain, double vision, numbness of the limbs and vomiting, you should urgently seek medical help.
How does the pathological condition develop?
Severe stress triggers the mechanism for the development of headaches from nervous tension. For example, a quarrel with a loved one, dismissal, passing an exam. It is worth noting that the headache also begins to hurt after pleasant shocks, for example, on a wedding day.
With prolonged stress, nerve cells transmit a signal about interruptions in the coordinated work of internal organs to the central nervous system using long processes - axons. The impulse reaches its target in a matter of moments, therefore, as a response, a nervous headache occurs.
How to Reduce Stress-Induced Headaches
Let's list a few effective actions that will help when your nerves greatly worsen your well-being:
- Peace. The patient will need to lie down in a dark, quiet room and relax.
- A cup of green tea. The drink will help you calm down and come to your senses.
- If a nerve is pinched, you will need to do a light self-massage of the cervical area.
- Aromatherapy. Inhaling the vapors of the following essential oils helps a lot: tangerine, rosemary, clove, lavender.
- Deep sleep. After two to three hours of sleep in a calm environment, your health will improve.