Combat Stress-Related Headaches With Physical Therapy

We’ve all done it: we get that familiar twinge of a headache and go for the Ibuprofen, Advil, or Tylenol. When it comes to stress headaches, though, a tablet isn’t always enough. A stress headache is characterized by a band of pressure around the head, as well as generalized aching and soreness.

Physical therapy treatments, on the other hand, can help you relax and straighten your posture, which will help you feel better. You’ll not only get rid of your current headache, but you’ll also have a lower chance of getting future stress headaches. Contact our office GoodLife Physical Therapy now to learn more about how our services can help you eliminate stress-related headaches.

Manual therapy: a hands-on approach to headaches:

There are a few headache prevention techniques that can be done at home. A physical therapist, on the other hand, can provide a much more specific approach to addressing headache problems. Altering between cold and heat therapy, for example, is a simple yet effective method. In addition to reducing muscle tightness, the customized compresses and soft electronic pulse wands provide relaxing comfort.

Because soft tissue mobilization relaxes stiff muscles, manual therapy often involves massage for stress-related headache treatment. Massage, as a result of this impact, can provide rapid pain relief and even help to avoid future headaches. In order to alleviate your discomfort, PT massage treatments help to relax the muscles in your jaw, temples, neck, and shoulders.

Patients with persistent tension headaches also report fewer instances of head discomfort when they receive massage therapy on a regular basis. Relaxing the muscles in and around the head aids in preventing painful contractions.

Emotional stress that causes tension in these trigger muscles can also be relieved with physical therapy massage. People who receive therapeutic massages on a regular basis report improved sleep, which leads to less stress throughout the day and, as a result, a lower risk of developing a stress-related headache.

Developing better posture:

It’s no secret that how we stand and sit has a big impact on how much pressure we exert on our muscles. Poor posture compresses muscles and nerves, and many people get a provoked tension headache as a result of these overworked muscles and nerves in the shoulder, chest, and neck area.

Your physical therapist can assess your posture and suggest areas for improvement. He or she will also show you how to move, sit, and stand properly to avoid unnecessary compression.

A physical therapist can recommend healthy lifestyle changes in addition to showing chest, back, and shoulder positions. Changes to specific areas of the home and office can have a significant impact on posture. A telephone headset, a raised computer monitor, a modified chair, or even a rubber pad to stand on while cooking or washing dishes are all examples of this.

Help your muscles get stronger:

Even when performing routine tasks, you do a lot of “heavy lifting” with your shoulders, back, and neck during the day. They can quickly become overworked if the muscles in those areas are too weak. Resistance training is used in physical therapy to strengthen the muscles in the neck and upper back.

For many people, stronger upper body muscles are linked to fewer – and less severe – stress-related headaches. Neck strengthening exercises might start with simple chin-to-chest nods and progress to more advanced exercises as your treatment progresses. Free weights and resistance bands can also be used to strengthen shoulder and back muscles.

Better flexibility:

As you go about your day, the more you can move your neck and shoulders, the less strain you place on the primary muscle groups in those areas. This could also help you get rid of some of your stress-related headache symptoms. You will learn particular techniques to extend your neck as well as loosen up your chest, shoulder muscle, and tendon groups by participating in physical therapy treatments. Regularly performing these exercises can help relieve persistent tension headaches.

Call us today for a free consultation

If you’re living with chronic headache pain, contact our office today to learn more about reducing the frequency and intensity of your chronic stress-related headaches.

We’ll schedule an assessment to look over and discuss your specific issues. Following that, one of our physical therapists will create a unique treatment plan tailored to your specific needs in order to help you relax your muscles, sleep better, and combat those painful stress headaches.

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Find Freedom From Stress-Related Headaches Through Physical Therapy

Regain control of your life: say goodbye to headache pain!

Did you know that there is more than one kind of headache? Various types of headaches affect millions of individuals. Sinus headaches, hormone headaches, and migraines are just a few examples!

Several sorts of stress can also cause headaches. Stress-related headaches are, in fact, one of the most common headaches that people suffer from.

It’s critical to grasp the differences between stress headaches and other sorts, as we andasons for these headaches and how a physical therapist may help.

Request an appointment with GoodLife Physical Therapy to learn more about how physical therapy can help relieve your headache pain, as well as stress management techniques to make your life easier!

What is a stress headache?

A stress-related headache is sometimes called a tension headache.

You might experience a dull, achy pain along your forehead or through the back of your head. The pain sometimes starts in the neck or shoulders and progresses through areas in the head.

Sometimes there may be aching or pain in the jaws and cheeks. During stressful situations, our bodies often go into fight or flight mode.

Certain chemicals in the brain can be released during this time that can cause various changes in the body that result in pain.

How can I know if I’m suffering from stress-related headaches?

Stress-related headaches vary widely in severity, although they’re rarely as debilitating as migraines. They tend to a generalized ache over a broad region of the head instead of attacking a specific area such as the eye (a trademark of another type of headache called a cluster headache).

There are several reasons that you may be suffering from a stress-related headache. Anxiety, fatigue, and general stress can all contribute to headaches.

Certain health-related conditions, including arthritis, can cause headaches. Even poor posture can contribute to stress-related headaches.

The tension that brings these kinds of headaches on may stem from emotional stress (if that emotional stress creates chronic neck tightness), but it may also be caused by:

  • Repetitive motion or overuse from work or sports activities
  • Secondary pain problems such as arthritis in the cervical spine
  • Weak neck muscles that become fatigued easily
  • “Text neck,” a strain disorder that occurs if you’re always drooping your head forward to look at your smartphone

Stress-related headaches that bother you for more than 15 days out of the month for three months or more are considered a chronic pain condition.

Experiencing increased amounts of stress can make muscles tense and cause your blood vessels to dilate. This can cause stress-related headaches and may make other types of headaches, such as migraines, even worse.

How does physical therapy help with headache pain?

Physical therapy might not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering treatment options for headaches.

However, it may be the ideal treatment if you’re experiencing tension or stress headaches.

A physical therapist at GoodLife Physical Therapy will conduct a review of your medical history and perform a thorough evaluation of your current physical abilities and limitations.

A specific treatment plan will then be created to address your individual condition. It will be aimed at helping you find relief from headaches without the use of potentially addictive medication!

There are several specific ways that physical therapy can help reduce stress-related headaches.

  • Stretching exercises. Stretching exercises can help loosen tight muscles and ligaments in your neck and back that are contributing to your headaches. Certain stretches may also strengthen muscles in your neck and back. You can reduce your neck and shoulders pressure as the muscles become stronger and more flexible.
  • Heat and ice compression. Alternating between heat and cold therapy can often reduce muscle tension and stress. It not only reduces muscle strain but can provide immediate soothing relief.
  • Lifestyle changes. A physical therapist can teach you new ways of sitting, standing, and even different ways to complete daily tasks to reduce the stress and tension that contributes to stress headaches. Over time, even improved posture may decrease the number of headaches you experience.
  • Soft tissue mobilization. Massage and other types of manual therapy can often provide immediate relief from the pain associated with stress headaches. A physical therapist using the correct massage techniques can help prevent contractions in the shoulders, neck, and head that cause headaches.

What to expect in physical therapy treatment

Over-the-counter pain medicines may temporarily relieve the symptoms of stress-related headaches, but they do nothing to address the pressures and strains that cause the headaches to repeat.

Physical therapy is a fantastic place to start if you want a more long-term treatment. Our physical therapist will evaluate to determine whether you have tension headaches or another sort of headache that necessitates the care of a professional.

In addition to the techniques mentioned above, physical therapy strategies for treating tension headaches include:

  • Exercises strengthen your neck muscles, allowing them to hold the weight of your head more evenly and with less strain.
  • Postural and ergonomic advice to help you get rid of any bad habits that might be causing “text neck.”
  • Flexibility exercises, manual therapy, heat therapy, and/or ice therapy.
  • Stress reduction measures such as yoga, lifestyle changes, and advice on reducing common stress triggers in your life.

Request an appointment with a specialist today

If you’re struggling with stress-related headaches, an individual physical therapy plan may be able to reduce or even eliminate your headache pain.

You’ll want to contact a physical therapist who can help alleviate your headaches and get you on the path to a pain-free life.

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Stress-Related Headaches Can be Difficult to Live With – Consult With a PT Today

Did You Know Physical Therapy Could Help You Combat Your Stress-Related Headaches?

Daily stresses in life can add up to the point where you feel physically ill. This is what happens when stress-related headaches occur – it’s your body’s way of demonstrating a physical reaction to overwhelming stress.

While pain-management drugs can help in the short term, they won’t fix the overall issue. The next time you have a stress-related headache, don’t reach for the aspirin.

Give us a call to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists to get rid of your pain.

How can I tell if my headache is stress-related?

One of the main causes of stress-related headaches is right there in the name: stress. The headache generally happens when the muscles in the neck or scalp become tense and contract.

A stress-related headache is often a result of the daily grind. It’s often the everyday irritants like sitting in traffic and tolerating with everyday annoyances at work that trigger this type of headache.

Stiffening your shoulders or tensing your muscles can make these types of headaches even worse.

Depression and anxiety are similar emotions to stress that can also lead to headaches. In addition, there may be a physical cause behind your stress-related headaches. An accident or injury to the neck or back can contribute to headaches. Poor posture and arthritis are two other potential causes.

The good news is you can stop relying on those over-the-counter meds to get rid of your stress-related headaches, and instead opt for physical therapy.

Why did my stress-related headaches develop?

Stress-related headaches can cause pressure, tightness and pain around the back of the head and neck and around the forehead. It may feel like a clamp squeezing your head. And there are two types of stress-related headaches.

The first type is known as episodic tension headaches. These types of headaches occur less than 15 days per month.

The second type is known as chronic tension headaches. These occur more than 15 days a month and can last from 30 minutes to several days.

Often, these types of headaches begin gradually and likely in the middle of the day. Pain may ease up or get stronger, but it’s always there. Up to 80 percent of Americans experience stress-related headaches from time to time.

How can physical therapy help me relieve my stress-related headaches?

Physical therapy is often the best treatment for stress-related headaches. Physical therapy focuses on promoting relaxation and prescribed exercises.

Your physical therapist can help you get to the bottom of your stress-related headache problem. Your physical therapy treatment plan will likely include a combination of treatment methods, including, but not limited to:

  • Exercises that strengthen and loosen your neck muscles can help to ease the stresses that set off your headaches.
  • Chiropractic adjustment can correct skeletal misalignment issues that place your neck muscles under unnatural strain. These adjustments can also help to reduce headache attacks.
  • Laser therapy and massage therapy can both relax tight neck tissues and speed recovery to injured muscles.
  • Corrective exercises and postural/ergonomic changes can help you steer clear of “text neck” and other occupational headache triggers.
  • If your headaches are the result of a recent concussion, a carefully-administered course of physical therapy can actually help you recuperate from that concussion more quickly.
  • Your physical therapist can help you identify other headache triggers and suggest strategies for avoiding them in your everyday life.

A physical therapist will address the pathophysiological aspects of the stress-related headache by implementing hands-on manual massage and soft tissue mobilization. Both increase the blood flow of tissue and reduce myofascial trigger points.

A physical therapist may also perform soft tissue mobilization and hands-on manual therapy to alleviate the pain from stress-related headaches.

In addition, a physical therapy treatment plan for a stress-related headache may include cold and heat therapy. The electronic pulse wands used for these ease muscle strain and provide a soothing relief.

Often, a physical therapist will evaluate your posture in order to lessen the stress on muscles. They may also recommend lifestyle changes, at-home exercises and modifications to workstations at work and home. The goal of physical therapy is to treat the root cause of your stress-related headache.

Get started with us today

Want to learn more about relieving the frequency and severity of your stress-related headache? Give Goodlife Physical Therapy a call today, and we’ll set up an evaluation.

Our physical therapist will also suggest a specific treatment plan to ward off those debilitating stress-headaches. Live a pain-free life with physical therapy.

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