Wednesday 15 June 2011

Headaches and Stress

Headaches and Stress

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The most important meeting of the week starts in fifteen minutes and you're trying to focus when starts a band-like pain and tightness around your forehead and gradually spreads to the back of your head and neck. Chances are that you are suffering from a stress headache. Here are ways to deal with them.

Tension headaches are getting most common because of our overworked, deadline-ridden lifestyle. "They are caused by tightened muscles in the back of the neck and scalp. This muscle tension is often the consequence of inadequate rest, anxiety, fatigue and even hunger," says neuro physician Dr BS Singhal of Bombay Hospital.
   
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http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oj39oFo5niQ/TITe-eF1xUI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/x40ozb206G0/s1600/Chef+Sanjeev+Kapoor+4.jpgTime management
Update your to-do list every day - both at work and at home. Tackle the rest, one task at a time.
Organize your day ahead of time. Try to keep your plan flexible, in case a headache strikes and you need to change course.

Relax
Set aside time for yourself every day, even if it's only a few minutes. When you feel your muscles begin to tense, breathe deeply. Focus on inhaling and exhaling deeply and slowly for at least 10 minutes. Practice breathing exercises for a few minutes daily.

Exercise
Exercise can prevent and sometimes treat headaches. But be careful to warm up slowly as sudden, intense exercise can cause headaches. Eat smart: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can give you more energy and keeps stress under control.

Laugh
Humor is a great way to relieve stress. Laughter releases endorphins, natural substances that help you feel better and maintain a positive attitude.


There are several types of headaches caused by stress.

Tension Type Headaches

Such are more than 90% of all headaches. Almost everybody knows them and has felt them even though we do not often realize their real name. It feels like a dull, non pulsing, bilateral pain, tightening and pressing the areas of the neck and the crown. The feeling of load in the head remains constant.
It is not disabling but is annoying. It is not associated with serious side effects such as vomiting and people are actually active and able to meet their daily responsibilities. Sometimes sitting in a dark calm room or just a short walk in the park are the perfect solutions.
Doctors distinguish between episodic and chronic tension headache. Episodic tension headaches last from 4 to 6 hours a day and do not happen for more than the half of the month.
Researches show that more than 3% of the population suffers from chronic tension type headaches. They can occur for more than half of the month and can last from minutes to days or even months or years. Usually the chronic tension type headaches are moderate and severe rather than mild and are experienced by elder people over the age of 50.
Most often tension type headaches are caused by emotional stress. Other causes of tension type headaches might be sleep deprivation, irregular meal time, eyestrain or hidden depression.

Chronic Headaches

4% to 5% of the population suffers chronic headaches. The primary chronic headache lasts from 15 or more days per month and does not come as a result of other illnesses. The secondary chronic headache emerges as a result of other brain problems such as vessels problems.

Post Traumatic Headache

Local or general pain and can remind the symptoms of migraine and tension type headache. Usually it happens daily and is very hard to be influenced by medication. The pain may come after relatively slight trauma and it is very difficult to determine the cause.

Psychic Headaches

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Almost daily headache lasting for months or even years with no interruption. The pain reduces during periods of relaxations, vacations and holidays.
Doctors usually recommend psychoanalysis, relaxation and avoiding any stressful situations.

How to Avoid and Deal with Stress Headaches?

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