Headaches ruin your day. The medical approach to headaches is mostly geared to stopping a headache once it has started. Over the counter pain remedies (Tylenol, Advil, Aspirin) are the usual standbys but the regimen gets extended when someone goes to the doctor. Pain medicines (codeine, etc) are not very effective and highly addictive. The popular class of "migraine" medicines (triptans) like Immitrex and a wide variety of others are the usual treatments from doctors but really don't work that much better than the over-the-counter remedies and often have side effects.
So, what to do?
Here are my 10 tips to preventing headaches which is better than having to "break" them with a pill. The first 4 tips all relate to relieving tension and muscular "knots" in the neck and upper back.
(1) Take up swimming or another activity which engages the the upper back, neck and shoulders. Other examples are: weightlifting, doing a daily routine of push-ups, pull-ups and dips, or rowing. Best done at least 2-3 times a week.
(2) Take frequent breaks (especially if you are on the computer all day) and squeeze your shoulder blades together for 5-10 seconds. Doing a few shoulder rolls with these helps even more. Sitting at a computer screen for long periods is the recipe for headaches so balancing this out with exercises which bring the shoulders back is a true antidote.
(3) Yoga or Awareness Through Movement (The Feldenkrais Method) Classes done regularly
(4) Getting a weekly massage or acupuncture treatment. This can always help and never hurts but definitely needs to be supplemented with activities you do for yourself.
The next 4 suggestions all relate to the fact that headaches are usually stress and emotion related. Finding ways to truly regain and hold one's peace and equanimity is key to general health and prevention of headaches.
(5) Talk it out. Expressing one's true thoughts and feelings is always helpful. This art can be difficult for some but learning the skill is critically important. If you can't talk to "the source" of the stress then talking to a friend or kind "ear" can still be therapeutic. Communicating feelings and negative emotions is, in my opinion, the #1 most important thing one can do to be healthy.
(6) Let go of "toxic"relationships and people who recurrently drain your energy.
(7) Getting out anger with physical release like rigorous exercise or punching and kicking a punching bag can work wonders. It probably is not the long term solution for pent-up anger but it does provide a temporary outlet.
(8) A good cry is the body's natural way to release sadness, anger and fear. Again, it may not be the long term solution but it can create a natural and very real release that relaxes the body and calms the mind.
(9) Meditation, prayer and related stillness and focusing techniques are very healthy practices that can bring peace and equanimity if practiced consistently. Ideally, utilizing these practices in combination with open expression of feelings and emotions leads to true health.
My last tip is related to food and nutrition.
(10) Leave the convenience foods (frozen, fast, fried and "junk" foods) and unnatural preservatives MSG -- monosodium glutamate) behind. This is a truly "loaded" topic that requires much time and space. The health benefits go far beyond headache prevention but it is amazing how many peoples' headaches get better when they adopt a healthy, natural diet along with regular movement. There are many articles and books about healthy nutrition and many great sources including Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. David Katz.
In conclusion, there is SO much you can do about headaches. They do NOT have to ruin your life. You can master this challenge and live a life without this giant nuisance. Good luck setting yourself free!
So, what to do?
Here are my 10 tips to preventing headaches which is better than having to "break" them with a pill. The first 4 tips all relate to relieving tension and muscular "knots" in the neck and upper back.
(1) Take up swimming or another activity which engages the the upper back, neck and shoulders. Other examples are: weightlifting, doing a daily routine of push-ups, pull-ups and dips, or rowing. Best done at least 2-3 times a week.
(2) Take frequent breaks (especially if you are on the computer all day) and squeeze your shoulder blades together for 5-10 seconds. Doing a few shoulder rolls with these helps even more. Sitting at a computer screen for long periods is the recipe for headaches so balancing this out with exercises which bring the shoulders back is a true antidote.
(3) Yoga or Awareness Through Movement (The Feldenkrais Method) Classes done regularly
(4) Getting a weekly massage or acupuncture treatment. This can always help and never hurts but definitely needs to be supplemented with activities you do for yourself.
The next 4 suggestions all relate to the fact that headaches are usually stress and emotion related. Finding ways to truly regain and hold one's peace and equanimity is key to general health and prevention of headaches.
(5) Talk it out. Expressing one's true thoughts and feelings is always helpful. This art can be difficult for some but learning the skill is critically important. If you can't talk to "the source" of the stress then talking to a friend or kind "ear" can still be therapeutic. Communicating feelings and negative emotions is, in my opinion, the #1 most important thing one can do to be healthy.
(6) Let go of "toxic"relationships and people who recurrently drain your energy.
(7) Getting out anger with physical release like rigorous exercise or punching and kicking a punching bag can work wonders. It probably is not the long term solution for pent-up anger but it does provide a temporary outlet.
(8) A good cry is the body's natural way to release sadness, anger and fear. Again, it may not be the long term solution but it can create a natural and very real release that relaxes the body and calms the mind.
(9) Meditation, prayer and related stillness and focusing techniques are very healthy practices that can bring peace and equanimity if practiced consistently. Ideally, utilizing these practices in combination with open expression of feelings and emotions leads to true health.
My last tip is related to food and nutrition.
(10) Leave the convenience foods (frozen, fast, fried and "junk" foods) and unnatural preservatives MSG -- monosodium glutamate) behind. This is a truly "loaded" topic that requires much time and space. The health benefits go far beyond headache prevention but it is amazing how many peoples' headaches get better when they adopt a healthy, natural diet along with regular movement. There are many articles and books about healthy nutrition and many great sources including Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. David Katz.
In conclusion, there is SO much you can do about headaches. They do NOT have to ruin your life. You can master this challenge and live a life without this giant nuisance. Good luck setting yourself free!
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