Various types of headaches affect millions of people. Sinus headaches, hormone headaches, and migraines are just a few examples.
Headaches can also be caused by different types of stress. Stress-related headaches are, in fact, one of the most common headaches that people suffer from.
It’s critical to understand the differences between stress headaches and other types, as well as the causes of these headaches and how a physical therapist can help.
If you’re struggling with chronic headache pain, know that there is help available to you at our clinic. Call us today to schedule an appointment and begin feeling your best!
What is a stress-related 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 a variety of changes in the body that result in pain.
Reasons for stress-related headaches
You could be suffering from a stress-related headache for a variety of reasons. Headaches can be caused by a variety of factors, including anxiety, fatigue, and general stress.
Headaches can be caused by a variety of medical conditions, including arthritis. Stress-related headaches can be exacerbated by poor posture.
The stress that an individual is under can cause muscles to tense and blood vessels to dilate.
This can aggravate stress-related headaches and make other headaches worse, such as migraines.
How to know if you’re struggling with stress-related headaches
Stress-related headaches can range in severity from mild to severe, but they’re rarely as incapacitating as migraines. They usually cause a generalized ache over a large area of the head, rather than targeting a specific area such as the eye (a trademark of another type of headache called a cluster headache).
The tension that causes them may be the result of emotional stress (if that emotional stress causes chronic neck tightness), but it could also be the result of:
- “Text neck,” a strain disorder that occurs if you’re always drooping your head forward to look at your smartphone
- Weak neck muscles that become fatigued easily
- Repetitive motion or overuse from work or sports activities
- Secondary pain problems such as arthritis in the cervical spine
Stress-related headaches that bother you for more than 15 days out of the month for 3 months or more are considered a chronic pain condition.
How physical therapy can provide headache relief
When it comes to headache treatment, physical therapy may not be the first thing that comes to mind, however, it is one of the best and safest ways to treat your pain!
If you’re suffering from tension or stress headaches, physical therapy may be the best option.
A physical therapist would probably conduct a review of your medical history and conduct a thorough evaluation of your current physical abilities and limitations.
A specific treatment plan could then be created that would address your individual condition.
There are several specific ways that physical therapy can help reduce stress-related headaches.
- Soft tissue mobilization. Massage and other forms of manual therapy can often relieve the pain associated with stress headaches right away. A physical therapist who uses the right massage techniques can help prevent headaches by preventing contractions in the shoulders, neck, and head.
- Stretching exercises. Stretching exercises can help loosen up tight muscles and ligaments in your neck and back, which can cause headaches. Stretching can also help to strengthen the muscles in your neck and back. As your muscles become stronger and more flexible, you’ll be able to relieve pressure in your neck and shoulders.
- Heat and/or ice compression. Switching between heat and cold therapy can help to relieve muscle tension and stress. It not only relieves muscle tension, but it can also provide immediate relief.
- Lifestyle changes. A physical therapist can teach you new ways of sitting, standing, and even different ways to complete daily tasks that can reduce the stress and tension that contributes to stress headaches. Over time, even improved posture may be able to decrease the number of headaches you experience.
What to expect from physical therapy treatment
Over-the-counter pain relievers may temporarily relieve the symptoms of stress-related headaches, but they do nothing to address the stresses and strains that cause the headaches to recur.
Physical therapy is a good place to start if you want a more long-term solution. Our physical therapist will conduct an examination to determine whether you have tension headaches or another type of headache that necessitates the attention of a specialist.
In addition to the aforementioned techniques, physical therapy strategies for treating tension headaches include:
- Stress reduction measures such as yoga, lifestyle changes, and advice on how to reduce common stress triggers in your life.
- Postural and ergonomic advice to help you get rid of any bad habits that might be causing “text neck”
- Exercises to strengthen your neck muscles, allowing them to hold the weight of your head more evenly and with less strain
- Flexibility exercises, manual therapy, heat therapy and/or ice therapy
Consult with a physical therapist 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.
