Outfox Tension Headaches With Chiropractic
By Sandy Schroeder
If tension headaches are becoming a daily problem in your world, you know the headaches may begin in the afternoon with a dull tightness or pressure. As the day rumbles ahead, your shoulder, neck and scalp muscles may tighten and be followed by a tension headache. As we juggle tasks at home, work, and in the community, stress may create one tension headache after another.
If you can relate, chiropractic may have the answers that you need. The Joint Chiropractic clinic near you provides licensed chiropractors who are equipped to help.
How Your Chiropractor Helps
When you come in, your chiropractor will want to hear about your tension headaches, daily routine, and health history. You will learn how your spinal health may be the needed answer. When the spine is healthy everything else improves too.
Gentle targeted spinal adjustments can realign the spine to relieve pain and stress throughout your body. Aligning the spine on a regular basis can keep the stress and the headaches from returning.
You may find weekly 15-minute spinal adjustments keep you at your peak.
At the same time you may want to use some more strategies to stay headache-free. Harvard Health suggests these.
Pay attention to your diet - Eat regular meals and skip the junk food. The less salt and fat the better.
Get enough rest - Do the homework to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. When you do, your days may be more relaxed and focused with less headaches. Keep the same bedtime hours every night and eliminate alcohol, spicy foods, and electronics right before bedtime.
Use heat to help - Warm showers and heating pads can help to relax your neck and shoulders and stop the tension before it starts.
Use gentle stretches - Gradually stretching and strengthening your muscles will reduce tension too. Do stretch breaks throughout the day and before bedtime.
Rethink your schedule - To get ahead of the tension consider starting earlier or putting the toughest tasks first while you are still fresh. When the day flows better you may shed some of the tension.
Add a little meditation - Simple 10-minute meditations first thing in the morning and later in the day may serve as outlets for tension to intercept them before they become full-blown headaches.
Breathe in and breathe out - When you can feel your scalp tightening, step away and find a quiet spot to just sit and let your breath ease the tension. When you return to your post, everything may seem a little less tense.
Whatever you do to reduce the stress will help eliminate the headaches.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Mesa, Ariz.