Tension Headaches

Whether headaches are a frequent visitor at your house or a once in a while acquaintance, they are no fun!  I have to say, I am not one of those people that get migraines on a daily or weekly basis, and I am so thankful for that.  I do get plagued with tension headaches quite often, which I know don't compare to migraines, but are no fun either.

Some facts/symptoms of tension headaches:

• Tension headaches affect women slightly more often than men.

• Tension headaches typically begin during the adolescent years and peak in the 30's.

•  By far the most common type of headache is a tension headache, which is caused by tension occurring somewhere within the musculoskeletal system and/or the muscles of the face, head, or neck.

• Symptoms of tension headaches usually begin in the back of the head or neck, and then spread upward and forward to encompass more of the head and face.

• The pain tends to be dull but persistent, as if a tight band was wrapped around the skull.

Headaches are so hard to deal with.  They can literally ruin your day.  These are some things that do wonders with tension headaches...

• Massage Therapy - is a wonderful way to relieve tension and stress.  It is something I would do on a weekly basis if time and money would allow.
• Healthy Diet - I have found that the healthier I eat, (more whole foods, fruits and veggies) the less tension headaches I get.  If I get a lot of tension headaches in a short period of time, I usually try a whole foods cleanse.
  
• Yoga & Meditation - stretches and calms the muscles that are causing pain. 
• Essential oils - chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, marjoram, peppermint, and rosemary are the ones that seem to work best.  They should be applied to the head, face and neck, according to where the pain is coming from.
•  Raw Garlic - improve blood flow (I swear by garlic. It is such an easy and powerful natural curing option). Click here for the explanation of how garlic works.  
• Ginkgo Biloba - can be found at your local health foods store.  It is an extract of the ginkgo tree and  improves blood flow.
  
•  Ginger - raw (chop up and swallow whole) or in capsules, found at the local health foods store.  It helps stop the progression of headaches when taken at the first sign of headache symptoms.
• Drink lot's and lot's of water.

I hope that some or all of these options can help you like they have helped me.  Always remember a calm and collective attitude when trying new things.  No use in stressing and making the problem you're having get worse.