Wicked Bad Headaches
We have all had headaches, but there are some that are off the charts as far as the pain level goes. You know the kind - it feels like a stabbing pain somewhere on your skull. I call them "skull crushers". They are the worst kind of headache and the most difficult to get rid of. Any headache can`t go away too soon and no headache is a good headache in my opinion. There are alot of causes and types of headaches and that will determine what will be your strategy for getting rid of them.
There`s the most typical kind, the stress and sinus headache variety. When we are under stress, our neck and shoulder muscles tend to get real tight and that can certainly contribute to to the onset of any headache. Many people sit at a desk all day with their heads tilted foward. A noted physical therapist and kinesiologist told me that for every inch foward you lean your head, it`s as if your neck has to support 10 more pounds of weight from your head. The average head weighs 9 to 10 pounds as it is. So if your head is leaning foward, let`s say, 3 inches, your neck has to work to support an extra 30 pounds of weight. Is it any wonder that our necks get so stiff and painful? That pain very often translates into a headache at the base of the skull. So posture is very important to keep those neck muscles relaxed and not over strained.
A good idea for desk workers is to get up every 20 minutes or so, move around, and slowly tilt your head from side to side, then foward and backward. Try to touch your chin to your chest. Finish by doing a few neck rolls. This should limber up the neck muscles. You want to avoid your neck muscles from getting "locked" into the same position for an extended period of time. Also, it`s best to move computers and reading materials as close to eye level as possible. Should your company be in the process or is willing to replace desk chairs, ergonomic office furniture is readily available.
Another way not to stress out your neck muscles and avoid tension headaches is to keep your phone off your shoulder. If you spend a good deal of time on the phone, physical therapists recommend using headsets. If you are at work or are traveling, a cold compress or flexible ice pack can quickly relieve sinus and caffeine headaches. The coolness on your forehead helps to stop muscles from contracting even more.
There are many ways besides ibuprofen to reduce headache pain, but the best way is knowing how to avoid the types of headaches that you usually get. Then you can avoid the things that tend to trigger them in the first place. As someone who has had to deal with escalating pain from sinus headaches, I started a forum to help others who also suffer from headaches. I researched and consulted with specialists about the different types of headaches, how to deal with them,and how to not get them as often.
There`s the most typical kind, the stress and sinus headache variety. When we are under stress, our neck and shoulder muscles tend to get real tight and that can certainly contribute to to the onset of any headache. Many people sit at a desk all day with their heads tilted foward. A noted physical therapist and kinesiologist told me that for every inch foward you lean your head, it`s as if your neck has to support 10 more pounds of weight from your head. The average head weighs 9 to 10 pounds as it is. So if your head is leaning foward, let`s say, 3 inches, your neck has to work to support an extra 30 pounds of weight. Is it any wonder that our necks get so stiff and painful? That pain very often translates into a headache at the base of the skull. So posture is very important to keep those neck muscles relaxed and not over strained.
A good idea for desk workers is to get up every 20 minutes or so, move around, and slowly tilt your head from side to side, then foward and backward. Try to touch your chin to your chest. Finish by doing a few neck rolls. This should limber up the neck muscles. You want to avoid your neck muscles from getting "locked" into the same position for an extended period of time. Also, it`s best to move computers and reading materials as close to eye level as possible. Should your company be in the process or is willing to replace desk chairs, ergonomic office furniture is readily available.
Another way not to stress out your neck muscles and avoid tension headaches is to keep your phone off your shoulder. If you spend a good deal of time on the phone, physical therapists recommend using headsets. If you are at work or are traveling, a cold compress or flexible ice pack can quickly relieve sinus and caffeine headaches. The coolness on your forehead helps to stop muscles from contracting even more.
There are many ways besides ibuprofen to reduce headache pain, but the best way is knowing how to avoid the types of headaches that you usually get. Then you can avoid the things that tend to trigger them in the first place. As someone who has had to deal with escalating pain from sinus headaches, I started a forum to help others who also suffer from headaches. I researched and consulted with specialists about the different types of headaches, how to deal with them,and how to not get them as often.
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