Stress Headache

Certainly headaches can manifest themselves in many ways and in varying degrees of intensity. So you may have a slight pressure on your head or a real migraine. There are different causes for headaches. The causes can range from purely physical, such as the allergy that causes sinusitis, to psychological, such as worry. Psychic causes, especially Stress Headache, are usually much more frequent than we might think of the origin of headaches.

Headaches and Stress

There are many reasons why you may experience stress, and this often results in headaches, either mildly or more intensely. You may, for example, have accepted an overload of work and are worried about how much is left to finish. And you may be worried about a problem that you can't find a solution for. Worries are often the source of our stress. There's a big difference between thinking and worrying. When you think, you are also looking for a solution to a specific problem. But when you worry, you get stuck in the same pattern of reasoning, and this can exhaust your mind and give you headaches.

Stress is one of the most common psychosomatic diseases today. Among the most annoying symptoms are back pain and muscle tension. All of these are the result of excessive worry, mental exhaustion and the accumulation of emotional tension. But stress headache is an even more common and annoying symptom.

According to a study conducted at Bucheon University and Hospital, located in South Korea, stress is the most common trigger of migraines.

While it's true that some people suffer from a mild headache, which disappears as soon as they calm down, in other cases the discomfort is not so easily controlled.

Symptoms can also vary from person to person. In addition to the headache, some experience insomnia and fatigue. However, depending on the frequency of the pain, it may be necessary to implement certain measures or other alternatives to avoid it. In this sense, the treatment of a sporadic headache will not be the same as one that occurs for several days in a row due to chronic stress.

Stress headache may occur in conjunction with other symptoms: chest tightness, blurred vision or blackhead vision in movement, sweating, insomnia, irritability, etc.

The causes of a headache can range from those associated with a cold, tiredness or sleep, to allergies that cause sinusitis, to those of a psychological nature, such as those caused by classic worry. Undoubtedly, stress is one of the most frequent psychic causes of headaches.

On a psychological level it is essential to learn how to manage the factors that trigger stress headaches. It is necessary to take into account that these conditions allow us to mobilize the chemistry of our brain and change the balance of the muscles, vertebrae and nerves of the skull.

When the stress is mild or temporary, this does not cause any harm. But when it is prolonged for a long time, the body remains in a state of alert that produces a weakening of the body's defenses, according to this study conducted by the Centre Hospitalier Rouffach (France).

Symptoms of Stress Headache

A low intensity, unpleasant and continuous headache. Can be isolated or repeated daily

- Widespread and more severe pain in the temple, scalp, and back of the neck

- Fatigue

- Difficulty in sleeping

- Muscle aches (shoulders and upper back)

- Sensitive to climate change, noise and light

If the pain is mild, it can be controlled with home remedies. But if the pain is severe and persistent, you should see a doctor.

What should I do to combat stress?

If you add other symptoms to your stress headache, such as muscle tension or tooth grinding, you may end up with severe pain that affects your quality of life very seriously as a result.

Therefore, it is necessary to be able to control the situations of our daily life which negatively affect our mood. An example of this is..:

- Enjoy fun activities such as listening to music, reading, playing sports, dancing or playing with your pet

- Take a moment to do a relaxation exercise, using techniques that include breathing, deep breathing, yoga and meditation.

- Make your life easier: select the activities you need to do and manage your time efficiently.

- Seek support. Talking to family or friends helps you to overcome problems and manage stress.

- Get rid of negative thoughts. This will help you cope with stressful environments.

- Staying in a good mood is a way to neutralize stress, as stated in this study from the University of Barcelona. In this sense, we release endorphins that contribute to a positive attitude.

- Exercise prevents and fights stress.

- Massage yourself. In a couple or with a professional you feel comfortable with.

- When pain is caused by cold, stay warm.

- Change your position when you sleep. Also, adopt good posture during reading, work, or exercise. Sleep and rest properly.

- Do neck and shoulder exercises often.

Stress headaches cause many people to live with stress. We will learn to manage it so that we can live better with it.

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