Most of us have experienced a headache that seems like it will last forever. One that makes your head pound and puts you in a generally bad mood. While there are a lot of different kinds of headaches, most of us have experienced what is known as a tension headache. This type of headache is the most common and over half of all adults experienced one this last year. They affect as many as 80% of U.S. adults at some point in their lives, according to WebMD. Read on if you suffer from these headaches and are wondering how to get rid of a tension headache.

How to get rid of a tension headache, the basics 

According to the International Headache Society, tension headaches are generally a short-lived, infrequent incident. These types of headaches are known as episodic tension headaches and can last from anywhere between 30 minutes and seven days.

For those who develop frequent tension headaches, the episodes may bring more severe pain than those who experience them only occasionally. Some people—around 3% of the U.S. population—develop chronic tension headaches. The main difference between the two is that chronic headaches are recurring and happen more than 15 days out of a month for three or more months. The pain and severity of this kind of headache also tends to wax and wane rather than being at a constant level.

Both episodic tension headaches and chronic cases occur more frequently in women than in men. Learn more about tension headaches in the video.

Tension headache symptoms

Tension headaches can feel like a band is squeezing the head, or bring sensations of tightness or pressure around the forehead or back of the neck and head. Other tension headache symptoms include:

• Aching pain in the head, but not localized
• Tenderness or pain in the scalp, neck, and shoulders
• A constant vice-like feeling of pressure acrossthe face or sides of the head

Tension headaches, even at their most severe, are often not incapacitating. However, there are certain signs that, if detected, should be warning signs that medical help is advisable. Seek help immediately if your headache:

• Is sudden and painful
• Coincides with a fever, numbness, vision issues, or speaking difficulties
• Happens after a head injury

Sometimes tension headaches can be confused with migraines, however, tension headaches do not cause visual disturbances, nausea, or vomiting and very rarely do they cause sensitivity to light or sound.

Why do tension headaches develop?

Knowing the causes of these headaches can often be the first step for how to get rid of a tension headache.

The exact cause of tension headaches remains a mystery. Experts have brought forth many theories, although none have been proven. The most common belief today is that these headaches stem from a heightened pain and stress response.

Just as the name implies, tension headaches often develop when excess tension, in the form of tight muscles, develops in the back of the neck or scalp. This muscle tightness may result from:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Exhaustion
• Inadequate sleep
• Poor posture
• Depression
• Alcohol
• Smoking
• Overexertion
• Keeping your head in one position for a long period of time

Stress

Stress is one of the top causes of tension headaches. Problems at home, school, or work, life changes like starting or losing a job, or even personal issues like being a perfectionist or feeling lonely can weigh you down and create the muscle tension that contributes to tension headaches.

One-off headaches may result from short-term periods of stress, but longer, unabated times of stress could also cause chronic tension headaches.

Weak muscles 

Although stress plays a large role in the development of these headaches, new research has revealed that weak neck and shoulder muscles may also play a role.

Danish researchers compared healthy adults to those with tension headaches and found the headache-prone group’s neck and shoulder muscles were 26% weaker than the pain-free study subjects.

The headache patients also experienced muscle imbalances in those muscles responsible for keeping the head straight. Researchers said fully understanding tension headaches, along with any underlying skeletal imbalances that fuel the episodes, is essential for successfully treating the headaches without prescription drugs.

People with headaches were also more likely to have muscle imbalances that made their heads more likely to lean forward. Study author Bjarne K. Madsen tells Reuters:

“The use of computers, laptops, and tablets have increased in recent years and this may increase the time sitting with a protruded head posture.”

Looking more closely at the data, researchers said people who report tension headaches often work in occupations requiring them to lean forward, such as dental hygienists or construction workers.

Tension headache patients often report neck tenderness, which has in the past mystified researchers. Emerging studies, however, show an increasingly strong link connecting muscle strength, skeletal health, and tension headaches, which could explain the tenderness, doctors say. Dr. Merle Diamond tells Reuters:

“If you do a repetitive motion or you’re lifting things, you’re going to build certain muscles and not others.”

How to get rid of a tension headache: Prevention and treatment

The goal in treating tension headaches is to eliminate the symptoms immediately and to prevent headaches from occurring again in the future. Tension headaches are never a fun experience, but luckily, there are some easy lifestyle changes and simple treatments you can use to reduce pain and limit future episodes.

1. Heat and cold therapy

This treatment depends on the person, so use whichever works best for you. For heat, try a hot shower or use a heating pad on the back of your neck to loosen your muscles. You can also use a warm towel or water bottle in a pinch. For cold therapy, use a cold compress or wrap some ice in a towel. Apply directly to the aching area, such as your neck or forehead.

2. Relaxation techniques

Try some quick breathing and mental imagery exercises to help lower your stress level and relax your muscles. Take a few deep breaths and try to reset your neck and shoulders to a neutral position. Picturing a calm landscape or your favorite place can also help.

3. Massage

It is believed that tension headaches come from clenched muscles in the scalp, neck, and shoulders. Massage is one of the most enjoyable ways for how to get rid of a tension headache. It can help relieve tension and reduce overall pain. Try having someone gently rub these areas or do it yourself. Make sure not to be too rough with the massage and rest and repeat as needed.

4. Stretches

Holding your head in one position, like using a computer, can cause a lot of tension to build up. A great way to relieve this pain is to exercise neck and shoulder muscles. Chin retraction is a quick exercise you can do anywhere that will help loosen your neck. Extend your neck and head away from your body keeping your chin parallel with the floor. Then move your head and neck back to a neutral position with your spine.

5. Eat and drink

Sometimes headaches can be caused by dehydration or lack of food. Try drinking some water and a eating a healthy snack as this may help. Make sure to avoid alcohol and caffeine when your headache strikes, as these will only dehydrate you more.

6. Self-tracking

One of the most powerful tools in your arsenal for how to get rid of a tension headache should be a journal chronicling your days. Recording daily activities can help you identify patterns and triggers that you were previously unaware of. In this way, you can then make other lifestyle changes to avoid triggers and greatly reduce the number of headaches that you get.

7. Physical therapy 

To remedy any muscle imbalance, as discussed previously, one option is to strengthen the core muscles that support the entire body. Adding that core strength can be “trendy,” but it works. Diamond, the scientist mentioned in the previous article, recommends working with a physical therapist who will evaluate any existing muscle imbalances and recommend specific, customized exercises to fix them.

8. DIY strength training exercises

Experimenting with strength training or changing lifestyle factors that cause stress and tight muscles can help patients limit the amount of medications they need to stop their pain. Strength training can:

• Loosen tense muscles
• Increase muscle strength
• Improve blood flow

Results should take about a month to become apparent. Researchers said patients not experiencing any benefit after four weeks probably aren’t good candidates for the treatment. To improve core strength yourself, you can try these exercises to prevent future tension headache episodes.

Plank pose

A good overall core building exercise that improves posture is plank pose, which resembles the top of a push-up. Support the body firmly with wrists under the shoulders, fingers spread wide, and weight evenly distributed throughout the hand, careful to avoid dumping weight into the wrists. Toes are tucked under and the body slants down in one straight, long line, with the abdomen and upper back muscles engaged. Hold for 30 seconds before resting for a few seconds. Repeat three times.

Resistance band workouts 

Danish researchers have found that strength training with resistance bands is also helpful for reducing tension headaches. Just two minutes a day was found to provide a benefit after about a month of training, reports ScienceNordic. Slightly better results were found for patients exercising with the bands 12 minutes each day.

One exercise to try with resistance bands is to stand in the middle of the band while holding one end in each hand. Lift the arms up parallel to the ground and then slowly return the arms to the side. Repeat five to ten times, making sure the band is short enough to provide resistance.

Another exercise involves holding an end in each hand, but wrapping the band around the handles to shorten it. Join the hands together at the center of the chest and then open the arms outward as if preparing to give a hug. Bring the hands back to center and repeat five to ten times.

9. Posture ergonomics

To improve overall posture, try to keep any electronic devices like phones or tablets at eye level so the back and neck stay at a healthy, natural position. Computer monitors should also be kept at eye level. Try to take regular breaks and stretch the neck and shoulders to break up any accumulating muscle tension.

10. Medication

Over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen can be a very effective and simple route for how to get rid of a tension headache. As long as taken as directed, it can be a fantastic tool when used in combination with other techniques. Although, it should be noted, that using this kind of medication more than three days a week can cause what is known as a rebound headache.

It is a good idea to consult with your doctor if you are constantly needing to manage your condition with OTC medications. Overuse can lead to liver damage and other complications. A medical professional can also provide you with other medications such as muscle relaxants and narcotic pain relievers if your condition is severe or if you develop chronic tension headaches.

11. Interventional treatments

If these other options haven’t worked to help relieve your tension headaches, it may be time to talk to a pain doctor who is specialized in treating this condition. Most doctors will encourage you to look towards natural or at-home treatment options for reducing tension headache pain. For more chronic tension headaches that haven’t responded to other treatments, however, your pain pain doctor may recommend nerve blocks, which are injections that deaden painful nerve impulses. They also may recommend other options depending on the source and intensity of your pain.

If you’re stuck wondering how to get rid of a tension headache that just won’t go away, it may be time to talk to a pain doctor. They can talk about interventional or more advanced treatment options that could help in your case.

Contact one of our offices today for more information about treatment options for chronic or severe tension headache pain.

If you’ve ever had a migraine, you know how crippling the pain can be. This type of headache is usually described as a throbbing pain in the temples, as well as the front and base of the head. It can be very intense, which makes a migraine in pregnancy especially hard to cope with. While expectant mothers are often limited in their treatment options, there are ways to reduce the intensity or frequency of a migraine during pregnancy. This post will cover some of the best methods of migraine treatment during pregnancy.

What is a migraine?

A migraine is one of the most severe types of head pain. Symptoms can build up gradually, but last anywhere from hours to days.

Most often, throbbing occurs on one or both sides of the head. Some patients describe the pain as a pulsing sensation. It can often come along with nausea or vomiting. For many people, aura also occurs before or during a migraine. Aura is a sensation that involves various visual disturbances, such as seeing spots, bright lights, and shapes.

Other examples of migraine symptoms include:

• Tingling in the arms or legs
• Vision loss
• Numbness in the face or one side of the body
• Difficulty speaking

Patients who suffer from chronic migraines often report certain symptoms one or two days before the onset of their migraine. Doctors refer to this as the prodrome period. Subtle changes that can warn of an upcoming attack may include:

• Stiffness in the neck
• Constipation
• Increased thirst and urination
• Cravings
• Mood changes

Can pregnancy cause migraines?

Researchers continue to study the cause of migraines, but genetics, hormones, and environmental factors all likely play a role. Whatever the cause, constricted blood vessels often lead to migraine headaches. These can result from low serotonin, a pain management chemical in the body. Estrogen has also been found to trigger migraines and increase pain.

During pregnancy, your hormones shift as the days, months, and trimesters go on. These hormonal shifts are a key reason why experiencing a migraine during pregnancy is relatively common.

Whether you’ll experience this type of headache during pregnancy is difficult to predict. And, if you already had migraines, studies actually show a potentially beneficial effect of pregnancy on migraine frequency, mainly during the second and third trimester. Many women with menstrual migraines also find their condition improves when they are pregnant, but every case is different.

For some women, though, pregnancy will be the first time they experience a migraine headache.

What are safe migraine treatments during pregnancy?

Pregnancy comes with enough aches and pains. You shouldn’t have to suffer from migraines on a routine basis. Here’s a look at safer and effective methods of migraine treatments during pregnancy.

As always, talk to your doctor about the right option for your specific situation. Always defer to their recommendations for your unique case.

1. Migraine medications for pregnancy

Most people can take over-the-counter medications without any cause for concern. When you’re expecting, that all changes. There are many medications and even supplements that aren’t safe for your growing baby.

One type of drug that is generally considered safe for pregnant women is acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol. Most doctors will approve of the occasional use of Tylenol throughout all three trimesters of pregnancy.

On the other hand, you should avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. The brand names you may know these drugs as include Advil, Motrin, and Aleve. These drugs are generally unsafe for pregnant women as they could lead to birth defects.

Discuss your migraines with your doctor to learn more about safe medications that could help.

2. A good night’s sleep

Sleep is hard to come by during pregnancy, especially during your third trimester, but it’s very important. Aim for eight hours in bed to ensure at least seven hours of sleep per night. This gives you plenty of time to unwind and relax in order to fall asleep.

Try out a pregnancy pillow to relieve pain and get in a comfortable position. These can be found in various shapes and sizes, depending on your preferences. Doctors also recommend sleeping on your left side to ensure proper blood flow to your heart and growing baby. This may be very difficult for women who slept on their backs or stomachs before pregnancy. A pregnancy pillow can help you get into a comfortable position.

If other symptoms or issues are getting in the way of your sleep routine, talk to your doctor. Many women suffer from extreme cases of heartburn and indigestion that worsens while lying down. Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter medication to treat your symptoms so you can get a better night’s rest.

3. Lifestyle changes

Hormones have an effect on whether you’ll experience a migraine in pregnancy, but there are other contributing external factors. By avoiding possible migraine triggers, you may be able to reduce the frequency or intensity of your migraine headaches.

Some of the most common triggers include:

• Coffee
• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Aged cheeses
• Intense physical activity
• Stress
• Abrupt weather changes
• Sensory stimuli
• Sleep changes
• Hunger or dehydration

With these common migraine triggers in mind, consider lifestyle changes during pregnancy. Be sure to take care of your body and avoid things that could prompt a migraine headache. If you do get a migraine, track what triggers may have led to it during your day. You may be able to figure out patterns to reduce those triggers in the future.

4. Prenatal yoga

Yoga provides health benefits for people of all ages, and pregnant women are no exception. This form of exercise can boost circulation and loosen your muscles. Some poses can help you prevent headaches, while others may be used at the first sign of a migraine.

In addition to the physical benefits, yoga is a unique form of meditation that can help calm your mind. Stress can be a major contributor to migraine in pregnancy. Practicing yoga can help you take control of anxiety, depression, and stress, all of which could trigger migraines.

Look for a studio that has prenatal yoga classes created with pregnant women in mind. These unique classes and specialized teachers will ensure that you’re practicing yoga safely. If you can’t find prenatal yoga classes near you, take a gentle yoga class. Talk with the instructor before class begins. Let them know you’re pregnant and ask for pose modifications when necessary.

5. Meditation

As previously mentioned, stress is a common migraine trigger. Women juggling work, family life, and the anticipation of a new baby may experience higher levels of stress and anxiety.

While it’s easier said than done, keeping stress to a minimum is essential during these 40 weeks. Meditation is one way to focus your mind on positive things that will keep you feeling healthy. Yoga and other activities that promote mindfulness may reduce feelings of depression during and after pregnancy. Just 30 minutes per day can do the trick.

Not sure where to start? Direct your gaze at a point directly in front of you (or simply close your eyes). Slowly breathe, focusing on each inhale and exhale with intention. Stay in the moment and continue to focus on your breath even if your mind begins to wander. You may do this in complete silence or with soothing sounds, a guided program, or music.

6. Temperature therapy

Hot and cold therapy is an easy and often effective way to treat various forms of pain. From sore muscles to swelling, temperature therapy can calm sources pain, migraines included.

For a migraine in pregnancy, an ice pack or cold compress is typically the best way to find relief. The simple numbing effect of a cold pack can help some patients feel more at ease.

While cold therapy is typically recommended for a migraine, others may find relief from hot therapy. This can be in the form of a hot pack, heating pad, or a warm bath/shower. In general, this is a better remedy for tension headaches because the warmth allows your muscles to loosen up.

Talk to your doctor about this type of treatment to decide whether hot or cold therapy is best for your head pain.

7. Massage

Migraines and other form of head pain are often a result of tension in the neck, back, and shoulders. When you’re pregnant, there is even more stress put on the body due to your growing belly.

Prenatal massage is a form of complementary care that can work wonders for aches and pains, as well as migraine headaches. Massaging trigger points around the head, neck, and shoulders can relax muscle spasms and tension. It can even improve blood flow and reduce swelling.

There are many spas and massage centers that offer prenatal massages tailored to pregnant women. Many of them even have special pillows, wedges, and massage tables. These are designed to get you into the best position for where you are in your pregnancy.

8. Chiropractic care

A chiropractor can help with a range of pregnancy-related issues. They most often make adjustments to help with pain in the back, pelvis, and hips, but alignment can have an effect on other parts of the body, too.

Through various massage techniques focused on trigger points within the back, neck, shoulders, and head, many patients report finding head pain relief from chiropractic care. In addition, a gentle adjustment can help relax tense muscles that may eventually lead to a migraine in pregnancy.

Look for a chiropractor with experience performing prenatal adjustments. As always, consult with your OB/GYN before seeking any type of migraine treatment during pregnancy.

9. Acupuncture

While you’re probably tired of the poking that comes along with pregnancy appointments, you may also consider acupuncture for migraine relief. This form of treatment involves a practitioner inserting thin needles into specific points to correct imbalances in the body.

Acupuncture points generally correspond to nerves that may be activated by the needle prick. This prompts your brain to release endorphins, which lessens pain signals. In the case of a migraine during pregnancy, this can be a particularly noninvasive form of treatment.

Acupuncture is often credited with helping women with many other common pregnancy issues. This includes morning sickness, depression, lower back pain, pelvic pain, hip pain, and insomnia.

Though this type of treatment is generally considered safe for pregnant women, talk with your doctor before making an appointment. As always, do extensive research before choosing an acupuncture specialist. Search for someone who has experience working with pregnant patients.

When should I see my doctor for a migraine in pregnancy?

It’s important to be open with your doctor about how you’re feeling throughout your pregnancy. Symptoms that seem minor could be a sign of something serious. Be open and honest about how you’re feeling during every appointment with your OB/GYN.

Some cases may warrant an immediate call to your doctor, though. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms with your migraine, seek medical attention right away:

• A fever
• Dizziness, blurred vision, or blind spots
• Severe pain that persists for several hours and/or is recurring

While it is normal for some women to experience their first migraine during pregnancy, also consider your medical history. If you’ve never been one to get headaches, but are dealing with chronic migraines and pregnancy, talk with your doctor. In rare, but serious cases, a migraine during pregnancy can be a symptom of bigger complications.

Get help with chronic migraines during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time of excitement and anticipation. Don’t let pain rob you of your joy during these special months. Talk with your doctor about how you’re feeling throughout your pregnancy, especially if you’re suffering from migraines. Once your doctor rules out serious underlying causes, discuss the option of visiting a pain specialist.

At Arizona Pain, your safety and comfort is important to us. We have pain doctors and chiropractors that will work together as a team to develop a comprehensive approach to manage your pain.

At Arizona Pain, we can work through different types of migraine treatments to find an option that is both safe and effective for you. If you’re in Arizona, get in touch with us today.

We don’t often associate June with pain. June signals the end of school days and the official start of summer. But for some people, head pain doesn’t care about the weather or the month. June is Migraine and Headache Awareness Month, bringing awareness to the economic and societal impact of migraine and headaches. This year, the National Headache Foundation is driving these efforts to shed light on these invisible illnesses with their “You Are Not Alone” campaign.

Why is Migraine And Headache Awareness Month important?

Because so many people suffer from migraines (42 million in the U.S. alone), this is an issue that will likely affect most people during their lifetime, either as a sufferer or as a family member or friend. Migraine and Headache Awareness Month also seeks to eliminate common barriers to treatment, one of which is lack of knowledge among healthcare professionals and the general public.

As the World Health Organization reports:

“Worldwide, on average, only 4 hours of undergraduate medical education are dedicated to instruction on headache disorders. A large number of people with headache disorders are not diagnosed and treated: worldwide only 40% of those with migraine or TTH are professionally diagnosed, and only 10% of those with medication-overuse headache (MOH).”

In addition to the pain, the impact of migraines may be more widespread than previously thought. From higher rates of suicide and depression among migraine sufferers to an estimated financial impact of $5.6 billion to $17.2 billion per year due to lost productivity and days off. Migraines are the third most prevalent illness in the world. Over 12% of the world population, including children, suffers from migraines. Clearly, migraine pain has consequences that are widespread and serious.

Spreading headache and migraine awareness

Everyone is familiar with a headache. The classic throbbing head is hard to ignore, especially when you are trying to concentrate or sleep. But, did you know that there are actually numerous different kinds of headaches, all with their own symptoms and causes? Here is the low-down on the most common migraine conditions you’ve probably never heard of.

Hemiplegic migraine

This type of migraine is a subgroup of what is known as migraine with aura. This kind of migraine is very rare, but is one of the most dangerous forms. It can cause paralysis, body weakness, confusion, or visual disturbances, and can mimic symptoms similar to a stroke.

When this migraines strikes, it generally only lasts up to an hour. However, the visual disturbances can sometimes last for days to weeks.

Ocular migraine

This condition is similar to migraine with aura, but the symptoms such a visual disturbances only occur in one eye rather than both. This condition is not inherently deadly, but can be potentially limiting. It can even be dangerous as it can interfere with activities like driving.

This condition has the classic head pain on one side of the head. It can also produce nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound.

Abdominal migraines

This condition is odd as it is not associated with the throbbing in the head as other types of migraines are. Instead, this condition often causes chronic abdominal pain, cramping, vomiting, pallor, and the inability to eat. These pain events can last anywhere from one hour to as long as three days.

Silent migraines

Silent migraines are accompanied by many symptoms of migraine, but without the pain and with distinct visual symptoms. Patients may suffer from extreme visual symptoms, such as floating lines, flashing lights, tunnel vision, and hallucinations. They may also lose their speech and have a distorted sense of smell or taste. A silent migraine is a severe sensory condition that can be enough to limit a person’s ability to function.

These are just a few types of migraines that make up a much larger category of migraines. For more information on specific headaches and migraines, check out the International Headache Society’s website and classification system.

Ways to fight back against head pain

If you are ready to find lifestyle habits to reduce your head pain as much as possible, aim to:

• Drinking more water as dehydration is one of the most common migraine triggers.
• Eat good fats like omega-3s that can be found in fish such as mackerel, tuna, and salmon. Research has shown that they can help reduce the frequency, pain level, and duration of migraines.
• Add magnesium as it is a great nutrient that helps prevent migraines. It can also help with increasing energy, calming anxiety, and relieving digestive issues.
• Eat more riboflavin (better known as vitamin B2). It has been shown to decrease the chance of migraines!
• Know your personal trigger foods and make sure you avoid them.

How to get involved during Migraine and Headache Awareness Month

The National Headache Foundation has launched their “You Are Not Alone” campaign that encourages head pain sufferers to share their story. The Foundation explains that:

“Anyone who suffers from headache or migraine is invited to share their story at headachestory.com, either through words or video. Each entry will be on display for others to read and share in a concerted effort to end the cycle of silence. These stories will remain live after June, serving as an ongoing source of comfort and community. With more than 42 million Americans haunted by headache and migraine, it’s time to shed light on the invisible disease. Through sharing stories, the hope is to raise awareness, further the advancement of research and discover new and better treatment options.”

How else can you get involved? Join in their recognition days, for disorders like cluster or pediatric headaches. Finally, jump onto social media to share your experiences with head pain (use #MHAM), to spread awareness among family and friends.

How has head pain affected your life? How will you use Migraine and Headache Awareness Month to spread awareness about this debilitating set of conditions?

With a more than a 3,000 year history, acupuncture is a low-risk method that helps many with pain relief. It was first introduced in China and spread throughout Asia before making its way westward to Europe and the United States. Partly due to its ancient history and efficacy, acupuncture has been acknowledged by both the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization as an effective alternative treatment for a variety of chronic pain conditions. We’ll talk about more of the history of acupuncture later in this post, but first let’s look at how acupuncture for headaches could help.

Why acupuncture for headaches? 

For people dealing with the effects of chronic head pain, such as migraines, acupuncture can be an excellent alternative to medications or invasive treatments. It may also work in conjunction to traditional medicine.

Research in the early part of the new century indicated that head pain was extremely susceptive to the relief provided by acupuncture. The results showed that patients who were given acupuncture treatments:

• Had fewer days of head pain
• Used less medication
• Required fewer visits to their doctors

Based on this evidence, the consensus of the medical community is that acupuncture treatments won’t hurt in addition to traditional care and may, in fact, enhance the overall experience and relieve more pain than would be eliminated by medical methods. You may not be able to stop taking prescribed medications, but you could cut back which would always be considered desirable.

How long does acupuncture for headaches take?

For head pain most treatment plans will be about six to 12 sessions. You can talk with your doctor and practitioner to develop the best treatment options for your specific needs.

There are a variety of conditions that cause head pain. They include:

• Migraine headaches
• Tension headaches
• Chronic headaches
• Cluster headaches

Having the proper medical diagnosis and treatment plan in place before pursuing alternative treatments is essential. Head pain can be a symptom of a more critical problem. If head pain occurs in conjunction with vomiting, dizziness, fever, extreme neck pain, or hypertension seek medical advice immediately.

How to find someone who offers acupuncture for headaches?

The most important first step when getting acupuncture for headaches is to find a licensed and reliable practitioner. The licensing requirements do vary from state to state, so look into what is required where you live.

You may also want to work with someone who has been certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. You should always discuss alternative treatments like acupuncture with your doctor or specialist. They may even be able to provide you with a referral.

Now that you have some idea of why acupuncture for headaches may be useful to reduce your pain, let’s look more into this fascinating treatment approach.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture centers on the idea of channeling the body’s natural energy, known as qi. This energy flows through 12 meridians of the body, which acupuncturists are trained to map and understand. These channels are divided along a line that represents masculine and feminine energy, known as the yin and yang. Three yang meridians are in the upper extremities and three are in the lower extremities. There is an equal balance of yin in these areas of the body as well.

In addition, there are eight non-designated meridians in the body. When there is disease, pain, or distress in the body the flow of energy is blocked or imbalanced. Acupuncturists will insert fine needles at very specific points along these energy channels to help the correct flow of energy resume.

Ultimately, we don’t really know exactly how acupuncture works, although we are gaining new insight every year. It appears that acupuncture sends signals physiologically through the body’s neurotransmitters which then restore the natural balance. Without the presence of a specific condition in need of treatment, or energy realignment, the practice does not work.

There are very few risks reported with acupuncture and many of them date back to a time before single-use, sterilized needles. Since sterile practices were adopted universally, the risks dropped dramatically. What risks that remain are usually caused by individuals who are not trained properly. Before seeking acupuncture treatment, thoroughly research the clinic and practitioner.

Acupuncture benefits 

A NIH Consensus Conference on acupuncture in 1997 concluded:

“There is sufficient evidence of acupuncture’s value to expand its use into conventional medicine and encourage further studies of its physiology and clinical value.”

The mechanism of action for acupuncture has been studied, leading to the current theories of how acupuncture is actually affecting the body regarding pain control. Current research suggests acupuncture can affect neurotransmitters, resulting in an increase of endogenous opiates, which influence pain sensitivity.

There are three types of endogenous opiates: beta endorphins, enkephalins, and dynorphin. Beta endorphins are found primarily in the pituitary gland, and enkephalins and dynorphin are both distributed throughout the nervous system. With electroacupuncture frequencies, the electrical current can be altered to release more dynorphins or beta endorphins.

New research shows adenosine plays a large role in the pain relieving benefits of acupuncture. Adenosine, a molecule that influences inflammation and sleep, also acts as an endogenous opiate. Using mice with injured paws, scientists first demonstrated adenosine was released during acupuncture. In mice that didn’t have adenosine receptors, there was no relief from pain. A group of mice was given an approved leukemia drug that lengthens the amount of time that adenosine stays in the body. With the drug, the animals experienced relief for three times as long: some three hours instead of just one.

A 2006 Mayo Clinic study for fibromyalgia also found that acupuncture significantly improved symptoms of fibromyalgia. Symptomatic improvement was not restricted to pain relief and was most significant for fatigue and anxiety.

What should I expect during an acupuncture procedure? 

Acupuncture is an elegant medical art. Practitioners use sterilized disposable needles on the body to help rebalance this flow of qi. The needles are very thin and solid which allows them to slide into the skin easily. The insertion of the needle is not typically considered painful and most patients say they never feel the tiny needles as they are tapped into their skin. In fact, most people consider the treatments relaxing while others feel the energy stimulation.

Some acupuncturists are also trained in a practice called moxibustion where the needles are warmed with incense before placed on the body. There is also a form of acupuncture where electrical stimulation is used on the needles. This practice has been performed since the 1930s.

The patient is asked to lie on a treatment table, usually fully clothed. Thin needles are inserted in key locations designed to treat the specific pain pattern of each patient. Once the needles are inserted, the patient relaxes. Many patients fall into a peaceful sleep. After the appropriate amount of time, the needles are removed and the patient is free to go. The practitioner will work with their patients to determine where to focus the acupuncture for the best pain relief specific to the patient’s needs. A typical treatment will last for 20 to 30 minutes.

Does acupuncture hurt? 

Most patients report acupuncture is painless. However, there is sometimes a brief instant of discomfort at insertion.

Once in place, however, there is no feeling elicited from the needles. Most patients would be unable to close their eyes and tell the practitioner where the needles have been placed; they simply fade into the background while the patient relaxes.

Are there any risks? 

With further research, we better understand how acupuncture works. And yet, there is much unknown. Acupuncture seems to be giving the body a physiological message utilizing neurotransmitters to help restore normal function. If there’s no need for a particular condition, acupuncture isn’t going to help.

The adverse effects from acupuncture have been documented, and most of them predate the current use of single, sterilized, disposable needles. When sterile technique is adhered, there are few adverse effects. There are also a few cases of needles being used by those who have been improperly trained, resulting in inappropriate needle depth. The risks of acupuncture are rare when performed by someone with proper training.

There are two groups who practice acupuncture. One set of practitioners have the initials LAC, a licensed acupuncturist. LAC practitioners have graduated from an accredited acupuncture college, and have taken and passed a national board exam. The other group consists of medical professionals; MD, Do, DC, or NP who have taken a special courses and are certified in acupuncture. Always look for certified practitioners to avoid any risks.

What is the history of acupuncture? 

Acupuncture history is fascinating. Acupuncture has been used as a treatment modality for more than 3,000 years in China. This treatment modality was first in the spotlight of the U.S. public in 1971.

In the United States, acupuncture was first described by James Reston, a New York Times reporter, in 1971. While on an assignment in China he became ill with appendicitis. While his surgical treatment was conventional and his appendix was removed, his post-operative care was augmented with acupuncture to help ease the pain. In July of that year he wrote an article that detailed the experience and introduced the Western world to this Eastern medicine.

While acupuncture does indeed have an ancient history in Eastern medicine, it has become both accepted and prescribed as an effective treatment for many painful conditions in Western medicine too. Both the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the World Health organization have acknowledged acupuncture as an effective treatment modality for conditions involving pain and nausea.

Get acupuncture for headaches

If you seek out acupuncture for headaches and find it successful, share your experience with others. Acupuncture is widely accepted in the United States but it still has an air of mystery. Shedding a light on the practice, what to expect, and the results are an important part of furthering a better understanding of this and other alternative medical treatments.

Have you tried acupuncture for headaches? How did it help you? 

Everyone will experience a headache at some point in their life. For those who suffer from migraines, however, the pain can be debilitating. For the 36 million people in the U.S. who suffer from migraines, relief can be hard to come by. Traditional pain relievers typically offer no relief and more potent medications, like opioids, are also powerless against the brutal headaches. Fortunately, researchers have made much headway recently finding new treatment options for migraine patients. Here, we talk about one patient’s journey and then discuss five more potential new migraine treatments on the horizon.

Arizona patient talks about how new migraine treatments helped 

For Elizabeth Arant, her migraine pain was constant and had a debilitating impact on her life.

“I’ve had migraines since I was about seven years old. Even as a small child, I would miss school because of the migraines, or from being sick because of the migraines. As an adult, I was worried about work. I would have to excuse myself multiple times a day because I was ill from the constant migraine pain.”

In the beginning, Ms. Arant was treated conservatively with over-the-counter medications, and then eventually, prescription migraine pills and injections.

“I tried all of the migraine medications on the market, and they’d work for a little while, but then they wouldn’t be effective any more. After about ten years, I had tried every migraine medication available.”

When the medications became ineffective, Ms. Arant utilized other new migraine treatments and complementary therapies.

“I tried acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, physical therapy – you name it, I tried it. These treatments would work for a little while, but then the pain would come back.”

Patient turns to interventional pain management options

A diagnostic procedure known as a medial branch block can also be initially tried to see if any relief is achieved. If successful, relief is rapid, and the individual should be able to return to their normal daily activities. While a medial branch block is not intended to cause long-lasting relief, should temporary relief occur from the block, a more permanent form of new migraine treatments called radiofrequency ablation may be recommended by a pain physician.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses a specialized device to disrupt the nerve that sends pain signals to the brain. By causing nerve destruction through heat, RFA disrupts the perception of pain, effectively causing a decrease in chronic headache pain. More specifically, the sphenopalatine ganglion is a bundle of nerves in the face and head region, and studies have shown success regarding blocks or ablations of those specific nerves.

Ms. Arant tried nerve blocks which, again, helped temporarily, but she was quickly beginning to feel like there was no hope. In Ms. Arant’s case, since conservative treatment was providing only temporary relief, her neurologist referred her to Arizona Pain, where he said a new treatment may be available to her. If conservative treatment such as medication, chiropractic care or non-invasive procedures offer no relief, a device called occipital nerve stimulation (ONS) may prove effective for chronic migraine patients.

Patient tries occipital nerve stimulation

A new use of established technology, ONS works much like a spinal cord stimulator (SCS), commonly known as a “pacemaker for pain.” By utilizing low-level electrical impulses, the ONS replaces pain with a tingling sensation and blocks pain perception from the nerve to the brain.

“Within a few days, I was at Arizona Pain and was being educated by the nurse practitioner and doctor regarding ONS. At that point, I was willing to try anything. I trusted Arizona Pain right away and felt like I really had to try this. Every day, I basically went to work, came home and lay down in a darkened room with ice on my head until I fell asleep. I couldn’t make plans for the future; my quality of life was deteriorating.”

Ms. Arant had the trial stimulator placed, and was surprised at the results.

“In the recovery area at Arizona Pain, I just kept telling everyone that this was the first time in years that I didn’t have a migraine. It was amazing. I was able to read a book, watch TV, and start to get my life back. I knew I wanted to have the permanent device. And, I wanted to keep living without a constant migraine.”

After the initial trial period, Ms. Arant was scheduled to have a permanent ONS implanted.

Patient finds new life 

“It did take time to get the settings adjusted,” Ms. Arant says. “But after the settings were adjusted for me, I haven’t had a migraine since. Instead, I have a tingling feeling that is actually pleasant, and not painful at all.”

One word of advice Ms. Arant offers to anyone who suffers from chronic migraines is this:

“If you’ve tried everything else and it’s failed, and your pain doctor is recommending ONS, give it a try.”

The best part is that Ms. Arant is able to do things she hasn’t been able to do in years.

“Now that I have ONS, my life has completely changed. I’m able to travel, make plans, and I’m reading like a maniac. I’m even planning on going to grad school to become a nurse practitioner in neurology to help others that are in constant pain just like I was.”

5 more new migraine treatments

Beyond occipital nerve stimulation, here are five innovative and new migraine treatments available that could help treat your pain.

1. Radiology treatment

A special treatment called intranasal sphenopalatine ganglion is effective enough to reduce the amount of medication migraine patients need to find pain relief, according to research from the Society of Interventional Radiology.

Patients in the study reported a 36% reduction in pain. 88% of study participants said they needed less medication or none at all after receiving the investigational treatment.

The procedure involves administering lidocaine through the nasal passage to the sphenopalatine ganglion. This is a bundle of nerves linked to migraines. Needles do not actually touch the patient during the procedure, making it minimally invasive. Lead researcher Dr. Kenneth Mandato says:

“Administration of lidocaine to the sphenopalatine ganglion acts as a ‘reset button’ for the brain’s migraine circuitry.”

Although the lidocaine ultimately wears off, the procedure seems to deactivate, or at least dampen, the neurological trigger that causes migraines. The procedure is relatively new and untested. However, researchers are hopeful that patients can receive the treatment repeatedly because it’s so minimally invasive.

The treatment isn’t a cure, scientists say, but one more tool in the arsenal against migraine pain. More studies are planned to further quantify the benefits and analyze the long-term benefits of these new migraine treatments.

2. Cosmetic surgery techniques

A technique used in cosmetic eye surgery holds promise for helping migraine sufferers find relief, according to research completed at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

The technique, which involves using an endoscope to travel from the scalp to the eyelid, involves decompressing nerves implicated in triggering migraines. The study found more than 90% of patients felt relief from pain, and slightly more than half of all patients said their migraines completely disappeared. An additional 20% saw an 80% reduction in pain, making this study a huge success story in migraine treatment news.

Not all patients are eligible for the procedure. Factors that would inhibit a patient’s eligibility include individual anatomy, but some doctors aren’t experienced enough with endoscopes to successfully complete the procedure. Study surgeon Dr. Oren Tessler says:

“Although larger studies are needed, we have shown that we can restore these patients to full and productive lives.”

3. Magnet technology

The idea that magnets could potentially be used to treat migraines has been around for decades, but until now, researchers haven’t been able to identify a treatment method using magnetic principles.

In April 2015, Baltimore-based eNerua Inc., announced an infusion of $15 million in capital to release to market a device that soothes migraines by sending magnetic pulses into the brain, reports the Baltimore Sun.

The device, called SpringTMS, works through a coil placed on the scalp from which magnetic waves emanate, similar to a MRI machine. The idea is that the magnetic waves penetrate the skull and travel into the brain where they interfere with electrical impulses contributing to the development of migraines.

The device is convenient in that it can be used at home. To use, patients turn it on with a simple button and place the machine against the backs of their heads when they feel a migraine developing. The treatment lasts less than a minute and offers rapid relief.

The device has already received Food and Drug Administration approval, however it’s only available right now through clinical trials. Monthly treatments cost around $250. The recent influx of capital will pay for additional testing to determine whether the device can prevent headaches instead of just stopping existing ones.

The money will also pay for the product launch, reports the Baltimore Sun. SpringTMS will first be targeted to patients for whom other treatments haven’t worked or who can’t take medication, in case of pregnancy, for example.

4. Social media therapy

It may sound far-fetched, but researchers have found patients experiencing migraines who tweet their feelings experience reduced pain.

University of Michigan researchers analyzed 21,751 tweets from people suffering from a migraine attack and found venting on the social media platform helped them feel better. Researchers say the parts of the brain related to emotion and thinking are also involved in pain perception, which contributed to the decreased feelings of pain.

It may not work, but new migraine treatments are focused on finding any way to prevent or relieve pain.

5. Talk therapy

Talk therapy, also known as cognitive behavioral therapy, is mostly known for its ability to help people resolve emotional pain. It’s not a new practice, but it is one of the most exciting new migraine treatments.

Recent research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that it may also be effective for reducing the frequency of chronic migraine episodes in children and adolescents.

The news gave patients hope because there aren’t any approved medications for young people with chronic migraines, limiting treatment options. Patients are considered to have chronic migraines when they have 15 or more migraine episodes each month.

Study participants were divided into two groups. One group received therapy, learning ways to cope with pain in addition to learning biofeedback techniques. The second group participated in a headache education session.

After a year, 86% of patients receiving therapy said the number of migraine days they experienced was cut by at least half. Researchers said the strong data was encouraging, and recommended that cognitive behavioral therapy be offered to young people with chronic migraines as a front-line therapy to complement medicine.

Other research conducted at Ohio University has found that therapy increases the confidence of adult migraine sufferers as they work to self-manage pain. The effect was most dramatic for those who enter therapy without much confidence. This makes therapy an effective way to reach the people who need it most. Science Daily reports:

“Behavioral management also increased participants’ belief that migraines can be influenced by one’s own behavior and decreased the belief that migraines are primarily influenced by chance or fate.”

What new migraine treatments have you found most effective for treating your migraines? Ready to talk to a pain specialist to see how new migraine treatments could help you? Click here to get started. 

Migraine infographic

Want even more? Check out our infographic that covers the top ten facts about migraines.

Everybody experiences stress—it’s a natural physical reaction and can sometimes be beneficial—but long-term, chronic stress significantly impacts a person’s health and can lead to serious health consequences. Can stress cause headaches then? Absolutely.

How can stress cause headaches? 

Stress is a fight-or-flight reaction triggered by situations the mind considers threatening or beyond its control. Instinctually, stress came in handy when humans lived in caves and killed bears for dinner. The physical effects of the reaction helped a person gather energy and run to safety.

Today, however, most people don’t encounter existential threats on a regular basis. Instead of killing wild animals for dinner, we buy food from the grocery store. Stress triggers have evolved from our hunting and gathering days, and now consist of things like chronic health concerns, family conflicts, and office politics.

The difference between historic stressors and these new ones is that while the bear eventually disappeared, work, family, and health concerns don’t. Because of this, many people live their entire lives while inundated with chronic stress. This can lead to significant health problems.

Stress affects the body on a biological level

When we think of how can stress cause headaches, we have to first look at the body on a biological level. On the most basic level, the stress response begins in the brain, which triggers the release of an adrenaline hormone known as epinephrine, which increases heartbeat, pulse, and blood pressure.

Over time, chronic stress may result in high blood pressure, and mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Some people may also develop addictions to drugs or alcohol in an effort to cope with stress, according to Harvard Health. People may turn to food to cope with the tension, stop exercising, or have difficulty sleeping. These side issues may lead to obesity or other health problems.

Stress and pain are intricately linked

The increased levels of adrenaline stress brings may seem on a cursory level to help a person feel less pain, but research conducted by the American Friends of Tel Aviv University found that all types of stress—acute and chronic—actually intensified feelings of pain.

Scientists studied 29 males and found a link between stronger reactions to stress and greater suffering from pain. Chronic stress has an even greater impact on physical health than acute stress, researchers said, but the study proves that any kind of stress has an impact on pain. Study author Ruth Defrin says:

“While there is no way to predict the type of stress we will feel under different circumstances, it is advisable to do everything in our power—adopt relaxation and stress reduction techniques as well as therapy—to reduce the amount of stress in our lives.”

Can stress cause headaches?

Stress is one of the top triggers for headaches, with even short periods of tension potentially causing your head to pound. Long-term stress sometimes leads to more serious concerns, such as chronic headaches, cluster headaches, or migraines.

Headaches may feel like your brain is literally pounding, but the brain doesn’t have any pain receptors, which means the pain comes from some other place. Those places include blood vessels, nerves, sinuses, or subcutaneous tissue that sustain damage or become inflamed. The brain processes signals from nerves sending messages of damage or inflammation, and the brain believes the damage is coming from inside itself, leading to the sensation of pain.

The stress response and the natural chemicals it releases such as cortisol result in tensed muscles and inflammation, which in turn can cause a headache. Different people experience different types of headaches, but establishing effective ways of managing stress is an effective way to limit their occurrence, no matter which type you suffer from.

Can stress cause migraines? 

Migraines are a particularly vicious type of headache that is unfortunately common, affecting more than 10% of the U.S. population, including adults and children, according to the Migraine Research Foundation.

Migraines often run in families, and children of migraine sufferers face a 40% chance of developing the attacks. This may be because of a genetic link, but it could also have something to do with learned behaviors. Anxiety, which is closely linked to stress, is contagious and easily passed from parents to children in learned behaviors, according to research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry. The journal’s editor, Professor Robert Freedman, says the anxiety was passed on purely through behavior and not due to genetics.

This means that parents who respond to uncertainty with stress teach their children to respond in similar ways. Fortunately, these ways of thinking are changed through treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy or practices like meditation.

Other health effects of stress

When we ask, can stress cause headaches, we typically look at only the direct correlation between the two. However, since stress impacts other parts of the body, this damage or inflammation can in turn create unhealthier patterns or behaviors, which can again, cause headaches. As all pain doctors know, the body and mind are connected in complex ways. We’ll look at just a few other ways stress can affect the body and then, most importantly, ways to reduce stress to reduce pain.

Chronic stress hurts the cardiovascular system

By now, it’s well known that stress impacts heart health. The tension can lead to strokes and heart attacks, and researchers are diving into the mechanisms underlying this connection.

Scientists believe stress increases the risk of these health concerns because of the inflammation-causing chemicals released during the fight-or-flight response, according to research published in Biological Psychiatry. To investigate how this happens in the body, scientists studied the brain activity of adults while the subjects were shown unpleasant pictures.

Researchers found that adults whose brains were more actively working to counteract the effects of stress were also more likely to have increased blood levels of inflammatory chemicals. Learning to regulate the stress response could help keep the heart healthy and reduce inflammation. Biological Psychiatry editor Dr. John Krystal says:

“As we identify the key mechanisms linking brain and body, we may be able to also break the cycle through which stress and depression impair physical health.”

Chronic stress could affect your diet

Stress may even amplify the risks of eating foods high in fat and sugar, according to research conducted at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Researchers found that stressed people with unhealthy diets are more likely to develop health problems than non-stressed people who eat the same diet. Lead study author Kirstin Aschbacher says:

“Many people think a calorie is a calorie, but this study suggests that two women who eat the same thing could have different metabolic responses based on their level of stress.”

Chronic stress, the UCSF research says, increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, which refers to a slew of factors including high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, in addition to excess stomach fat. Metabolic syndrome is related to obesity and increases the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.

The study suggests that chronic stress may have an even greater impact on health than diet alone. Many headache conditions, such as migraine, are tied to food triggers. These changes could have a direct effect on the amount, duration, and severity of your headaches.

Stress less, live longer

Chronic stress may even decrease a person’s longevity, according to Oregon State University research that compared the impacts of stress from daily annoyances like traffic and work to serious life events, like losing a loved one. The study focused on older men. Researchers found that either type of stress could shorten a man’s life, but more important than the type of stress experienced was how a person reacted to it. Researcher Carolyn Aldwin says:

“It’s not the number of hassles that does you in, it’s the perception of them being a big deal that causes problems…Taking things in stride may protect you.”

Chronic stress impacts other emotions

Have you ever arrived home after spending an hour in traffic only to have a minor annoyance at home set you off? That’s because stress makes people grouchy, and a study published in Nature Communications has learned why.

Chronic stress eats away at a brain mechanism important for social skills and healthy cognition. It does this by affecting pathways in the hippocampus, a portion of the brain involved in memory, learning, and emotion, literally interfering with healthy responses. Interestingly, these affected pathways are the same ones involved in neurodegenerative diseases like epilepsy. Researchers plan to explore stress’ potential impact on those diseases as well.

Try these stress-reduction techniques, depending on your headache type 

Can stress cause headaches? Absolutely. But more importantly, are there things you can do right now to reduce headache pain? Also, yes. Reducing stress to stop pain from developing in the first place is often an effective form of treatment for people suffering from head pain. Targeting specific stress-reduction techniques based on your type of headache is an even more powerful approach.

1. Tension headaches

Tensed muscles may result in a common type of headache known as a tension headache or informally as stress headaches. These headaches are characterized by a feeling of pressure surrounding the head, and they may last anywhere from less than an hour to several days. And while many people may experience an occasional tension headache, prolonged stress can result in chronic tension headaches, which are defined as those occurring for more than 15 days on any given month.

To reduce tension headaches, try to reduce stress through methods such as meditation, exercise, and a good sleep routine. If your schedule feels overwhelming, look it over and consider prioritizing items, leaving some things undone, delegating, or simply telling someone, “I’m sorry, but I don’t have the time to help you.”

Tension headaches are often caused by environmental stress, like excessive work demands, and reducing this stress could require changes in how you handle work. If you’re having difficulty identifying ways to reduce stress, consider counseling sessions to help you better manage time, prevent overload, and manage others’ expectations.

2. Chronic progressive headaches

This type of headache is not very common, accounting for fewer than 5% of all adult headaches, but for those who experience the pain, it greatly impacts life. Just as the name implies, these headaches are chronic, which means they occur frequently, but they’re also progressive, which means the pain worsens over time.

These headaches are linked to inflammation, according to WebMD, which is exacerbated or caused by stress. Limiting stress could help reduce the progression of chronic progressive headaches.

Simple, daily practices like meditating in the morning, exercising, and establishing regular sleep cycles can be effective for managing this type of chronic headache.

3. Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches develop in groups, one right after the other within the span of a day. They’re also closely linked to the seasons, with people typically experiencing them for one season of the year, with the specific season different for everybody. Cluster headache patients then live free from headaches during the rest of the year.

Cluster headaches are little understood, but stress is believed to play a role. The condition is also likely related to changes in the body’s natural clock, the circadian rhythm. Stress-reduction techniques such as establishing a regular sleeping schedule are helpful for reducing pain from cluster headaches.

4. Migraines

Through mindfulness or changing thought patterns, people of any age can learn to approach situations with a calm mind and the idea that they are capable of handling whatever comes their way. This approach reduces stress, which could in turn reduce migraines and other headaches.

And while tension headaches are often related to environmental stress, emotional stress is a common trigger for migraines, according to the Cleveland Clinic. People with migraines are frequently more emotionally reactive than the general population and more vulnerable to experiencing stress from life events.

Another difference between migraines and tension headaches when it comes to stress is that while tension headaches may develop during or immediately after a stressful event, the onset of a migraine is a little more delayed, researchers at Montefiore Medical Center have found. Stress experienced one day increased subjects’ likelihood of developing a migraine the following day. It’s as if subjects’ bodies and minds were geared to make it through the time of stress, but then their bodies reacted during the stress let-down and a migraine developed.

Researchers encouraged migraine sufferers to regularly participate in stress-reduction activities like exercising, taking a yoga class, or simply focusing on the breath for a few moments. These practices limit the effect of cortisol, the stress hormone released by the fight-or-flight response that also results in inflammation and muscle tension.

Study co-author Dr. Dawn Buse says:

“It is important for people to be aware of rising stress levels and attempt to relax during periods of stress rather than allowing a major build-up to occur.”

To learn more about preventing migraine pain, check out the video below..

Living with headaches

Can stress cause headaches? Yes. And you also have some power to change that. By incorporating these stress-reduction techniques into your life, you can reduce the amount, severity, and duration of headaches.

However, if headaches continue to impact your quality of life even after incorporating these techniques, it may be time to talk to a pain doctor. They can help you diagnose the cause of your headaches and suggest other therapies that can help you reduce pain. Find a pain doctor in your area today by clicking here.

Headaches are perhaps one of the more ubiquitous health problems, with as many as 90% of U.S. adults suffering through the pain of a pounding head at some point in their lives, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

Headaches may be common, but that makes them no less disruptive to a person’s ability to engage in life, work, school, or play. Because headaches affect so many people, researchers continue to investigate causes of headaches and possible ways of treating them. While common types like tension headaches are relatively well understood, more severe types like migraines continue to hold secrets researchers are working to unravel.

Most of the time, headaches do not indicate a more serious medical condition, according to MedlinePlus. In fact, most headaches can be alleviated by managing stress, drinking more water, or improving posture to reduce strain on the muscles that support the head and neck.

Only very rarely are headaches symptoms of more serious conditions, like brain tumors. Despite this, brain scans are relatively common and a controversy has arisen debating their use.

Brain scans: Life-saving or unnecessary cost?

Brain scans are a tremendously expensive enterprise, with about $1 billion in tests conducted each year, reports Health Day. Although federal guidelines don’t call for special brain scans to investigate ordinary headaches, doctors are increasingly calling for the tests.

From 1995 to 2010, the number of patients who underwent scans after visiting a doctor jumped from 5% to 15%. Dr. Brian Callaghan, an assistant neurobiology professor in the University of Michigan Health System, tells Health Day:

“Most people with headaches don’t need any testing.”

Only 1 to 3% of people who undergo brain scans are found to have a more serious health problem, like a brain tumor or malfunctioning blood vessel. Meanwhile, the expense and test anxiety can have a detrimental impact on patients.

Not all doctors agree, and other neurobiologists worry that skipping brain scans could leave some people with undiagnosed brain tumors, according to an article in Neurosurgery.

Nationally, the medical community including groups like the American College of Radiology has worked to raise awareness, urging people to skip brain scans for headaches that don’t include any abnormal symptoms like exceptionally bad pain, slurred speech, changes in vision, or difficulties in moving the arms or legs. In Neurosurgery, authors write:

“Although the intentions are laudable…these guidelines [for reduced testing] are inconsistent with the neurosurgeon’s experience with patients with brain tumor.”

Some patients, the authors write, have more benign-seeming headaches without additional, worrisome symptoms. Doctors warn that identifying brain tumors early increases the likelihood for successful treatment, and add that efforts to save money could cost patient lives.

Helping to add context to this debate, another study published in Neurosurgery found that 75% of neurologists practice defensive medicine, “performing additional tests and procedures out of fear of malpractice lawsuits.” This type of defensive medicine isn’t based on patient need or risk, but on doctors protecting themselves from legal action.

Rethinking pain medicine

Frequent headache sufferers may live on a steady diet of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that can cause ulcers and other gastrointestinal disturbances when taken regularly. A pharmaceutical startup has crafted an ingenious solution to help people avoid that problem: a topical gel.

This new medicine, called Topofen, allows the skin to absorb pain-relieving medication. Because this absorption process skips the GI tract, it saves patients related irritation. The company says this treatment is also targeted. Those experiencing a migraine, for instance, could place the gel directly on the face and neck to send pain-fighting compounds directly into the areas needing it most.

Research has found 77% of study participants experienced pain relief from taking Topofen, reports MedCity News. Although early study results are promising, the drug still needs to clear additional clinical research phases before it’s released to the public. Continue watching this blog for updates about the release.

Medication or meditation?

Researchers continue to probe into the profound benefits of meditation, and research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has identified ways meditation can help headache sufferers reduce pain. Dr. Rebecca Erwin Wills says:

“We’re coming to recognize that meditation changes people’s brains…And we’re just beginning to gain understanding of what those changes mean.”

Meditation prevents atrophy in the hippocampus, researchers say, which is a portion of the brain involved in processing pain and implicated in headache development. Research published in Brain Structure and Function has found stress-related changes in the hippocampus exacerbate migraines, which in turn causes additional damage to this important brain region. If meditation helps to protect the hippocampus, researchers are hopeful this could provide protection against more severe types of headaches.

Erwin Wells’ research found people who meditated for eight weeks experienced shorter and less severe migraines than those who didn’t meditate. Scientists want to continue studying the effect in a greater number of patients and also explore the mechanisms behind meditation’s ability to lessen the impact of migraines.

What really causes headaches?

While a broad array of factors including stress and food may trigger headaches, many causes of headaches are still unknown. Why can some people experience stress or eat certain foods and not experience the painful price of a headache or migraine?

Research from the American Pain Society has linked frequent or severe headaches to mood disorders, especially related to depression or anxiety. Having one of these disorders increases the risk of developing chronic or especially painful headaches by 40%, researchers said. The risk was especially pronounced for people who were diagnosed with the mental health condition before the age of 21.

Meanwhile, having bad headaches or migraines can also impact mental health. People suffering from migraines are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of American. Living in daily pain makes it more likely a person will feel depressed or anxious, but fortunately, help in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy or antidepressants may help.

What do you think about researchers’ new ways of treating and looking at headaches?

Image by Matt Brown via Flickr

For many people, summertime elicits fun images of swimming and barbecues, but those suffering from cluster headaches may find the change in season triggers the attacks, turning one of the year’s most anticipated seasons into a time of dread and pain.

Cluster headaches are the most rare form of headaches, according to Web MD, but they cause a great amount of pain and life disruption for the approximately one in 1,000 people who experience them. An expert at the Montefiore Headache Center calls them “suicide headaches” because they’re so painful and disruptive.

About 80% of people experience cluster headaches during a specific season, followed by a headache-free rest of the year. Meanwhile, about 20% of people suffer from the headaches all year, with as few as 14 headache-free days per year, according to WebMD.

What are cluster headaches?

Cluster headaches are headaches that develop one after another, usually one to three per day. They generally cause excruciating pain in the eye area, along with associated symptoms like eye watering, drooping eyelids, or swelling. Nasal congestion may also develop. Each cluster headache typically lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours.

The pain is usually one-sided and can be so severe that patients pace during an attack because they’re unable to sit still.

Cluster headaches are typically tied to seasons, with people developing the attacks for anywhere from two weeks to three months each year. And while migraines are more common in women, cluster headaches more commonly affect men.

Researchers aren’t sure what causes the headaches, but they’re linked to activity in a major nerve pathway known as the trigeminal-autonomic reflex pathway. This activity is triggered by the hypothalamus, an area of the brain important for hormone production. The hypothalamus also regulates the body’s circadian rhythm, the natural clock that tells us when it’s time to sleep and rise.

Cluster headaches’ link to the hypothalamus and the body’s natural clock may explain why patients often experience sudden, severe attacks at night. The headaches can cause more pain than migraines, but have a much shorter intensity. According to Mayo Clinic:

“The pain of a cluster headache is often described as sharp, penetrating, or burning. People with this condition say that the pain feels like a hot poker being stuck in the eye or that the eye is being pushed out of its socket.”

Because cluster headaches are so closely linked to seasons, they’re sometimes misdiagnosed as sinus headaches, according to Montefiore Headache Center, especially because similar symptoms like sinus congestion may be present. Proper diagnosing is essential to receive the proper treatment.

Summer may trigger cluster headaches

Several things happen during summer that contribute to cluster headaches.

At the most basic level, summer happens because of the Earth’s continued rotation around the sun. As the season transitions and the Earth turns, subsequent changes in gravity affect humans’ biological rhythms, which could trigger cluster headaches, according to NY Daily News.

Meanwhile, summer’s higher temperatures and changes in barometric pressure could also cause a cluster headache or other type of severe head pain, according to researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Scientists evaluated more than 7,000 headache sufferers and found high temperatures were a significant trigger for severe headaches. The study found that each increase of 9 degrees Fahrenheit was linked to a 7.5% increased risk for developing a severe headache. Low barometric pressure was also linked to an elevated headache risk, although not as extreme as high temperatures.

Longer daylight hours may also alter the circadian rhythm and trigger headaches, according to Everyday Health. Dr. MaryAnn Mays tells the website:

“It is probably the change in sleep cycles that sets off some seasonal headaches…Some people with cluster headaches are so sensitive to changes in daylight that they can predict the onset of their headaches almost to the exact day.”

How can cluster headaches be managed?

Although cluster headaches are linked to complicated nerves located deep within the brain, they’re influenced by lifestyle factors. That means patients are able to reduce the likelihood of an attack through specific behavior modifications.

Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption have been linked to cluster headaches. Knocking back a six-pack at the family picnic may seem like a fun idea, but reducing alcohol intake could help prevent a cluster headache from developing.

While overall high alcohol consumption may predispose a person to developing cluster headaches, even a small amount of liquor during the headache season could trigger the episodes, according to WebMD. This effect disappears during periods of remission, with alcohol not increasing the risk of a headache.

Drinking plenty of water and wearing high SPF while spending time in the sun can also help reduce cluster headache attacks, according to Shape magazine. Because the headaches are so closely tied to circadian rhythms, maintaining a regular sleeping and waking cycle, even though days are longer, may also help to keep a person headache free.

To help with sleep, some patients might take melatonin, a hormone available in pill form that helps people sleep. Although melatonin is widely available in drug stores without a prescription, talk with your doctor before taking any new supplements to make sure they don’t affect medications you’re taking or influence any other health concerns you may have.

Other headache triggers may include stress or specific foods. Keeping a headache diary, complete with foods eaten and stresses during the day can help a person identify individual triggers, Montefiore Headache Center recommends.

Another remedy that might be useful in the throes of a cluster headache is breathing in pure oxygen for 10 or 15 minutes. Research has also revealed that Botox injections may help patients find relief from pain, reports NY Daily News. The popular anti-wrinkle treatment freezes nerve activity, stopping cluster headaches at the source.

Finally, taking special medications known as calcium-channel blockers, often used to treat high-blood pressure, may also stop the cluster headaches from occurring.

Do you experience cluster headaches during the summer?

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Migraines, the debilitating headaches that affect as much as 15% of the general population, do more than cause excruciating pain—they’ve also been linked to a slew of other health issues.

Migraine sufferers who experience auras, visual disturbances that sometimes signal an impending attack, are especially predisposed to these related conditions, according to Prevention magazine. Part of the risk may be related to the way migraines change the brain. The painful headache attacks kill brain cells and tissues, similar to what happens during old age, reports Prevention.

More migraines means more significant changes in brain structure and a correspondingly higher risk of developing another, related disease. Dr. Deborah Yurgelun-Todd tells Prevention:

“Individuals who have migraines are experiencing a neurobiological change that causes cells to die.”

Doctors attribute the loss in tissue to decreased blood flow to certain areas of the brain and emphasize the importance of tracking triggers like foods and stress to reduce migraine frequency.

Although migraine sufferers may at times feel powerless over reducing these painful attacks, the condition is often manageable through modifying lifestyle behaviors related to food and other triggers, and also reducing stress.

Stress reduction is a process and not an event, says WebMD, and everyday choices like learning how to relax, having realistic expectations, and engaging in problem solving can help reduce tension and the frequency of migraines.

Here are five health conditions that may develop as a result of migraines.

1. TMJ

TMJ is shorthand for the temporo mandibular joint, which is the joint linking the jaw and the skull. The official name for disorders involving this joint is temporo mandibular disorders (TMD), but most people refer to it as TMJ, reports WebMD.

TMJ is a painful condition often recognized by a clicking or popping sound when the jaw opens and closes. Symptoms of this condition include pain in the jaw area, but also potentially the neck and shoulders when you open your mouth, chew, or even speak. The jaw, because it doesn’t hinge properly, may also get stuck.

TMJ may trigger migraines because it overwhelms the trigeminal nerve system. This nerve system scans incoming sensations and decides how threatening they are to the body, responding in kind depending on severity. A taco chip rubbing against the roof of the mouth is different than a dentist’s tool, explains Migraine.com.

With TMJ, a person’s trigeminal nerve system becomes overwhelmed and tired, and it stops working properly. When tired, the nerve system overreacts, activating the migraine response through secreting natural chemicals that cause swelling and pain.

2. Carpal tunnel syndrome

This painful condition results when the median nerve, which runs through the carpal tunnel into the palm of the hand from the forearm, is squeezed or experiences ongoing pressure.

Common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include a burning or tingling pain, numbness, or weakness in the wrist or hand. Sometimes the pain or discomfort also radiates up the arm.

Causes of this pressure that results in pain include injury to the wrist, work stress, or rheumatoid arthritis, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

A strong link between migraines and carpal tunnel also exists, according to research from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Researchers said the study results add credence to the benefit of nerve decompression surgery for migraines, which is a topic of medical debate.

People with carpal tunnel syndrome face double the risk of developing migraines, and people with migraines are more likely than the general population to develop carpal tunnel. Researchers aren’t sure why the link exists, but believe patients may have some common risk factor, either in the workings of the brain or the rest of the body. Shared risk factors for the two conditions include being female, obese, and a smoker.

3. Parkinson’s disease

This neurological disease is known for its telltale tremors, but the condition results from disturbances in the nervous system. The condition is progressive, which means it worsens with time.

Migraine patients may have an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s, according to research from the Maryland-based Uniformed Services University. The risk is especially dangerous for those patients experiencing migraines during middle age. Nearly 20% of migraine patients with auras were found to have Parkinson’s symptoms compared to 7.5% of those without headaches. Meanwhile, about 13% of migraine sufferers without auras were discovered to have symptoms of Parkinson’s.

While the disease cannot be cured, it’s not considered fatal. However, advanced stages can render patients unable to walk and care for themselves, according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. There are medications available to manage symptoms.

4. Heart disease and stroke

Migraine patients, particularly those with auras, face an elevated risk of a cardiovascular event like heart disease or stroke, according to Prevention magazine. Migraines with auras carry up to a 400% increased risk of stroke, although this risk is general and not only present during a migraine attack, according to The Migraine Trust.

Some people worry that migraines are symptoms of strokes, but strokes are usually signified by face drooping, disturbances in speech, and arm weakness.

The surge in risk is connected to disruptions in blood flow. A stroke happens when part of the brain is cut off from its blood supply, and migraines also involve changes in blood flow to the brain. Using oral birth control and smoking further heighten the risk of stroke, and women who suffer from migraines with auras are advised against taking oral contraception.

Researchers aren’t sure why the two conditions are connected, but some experts believe people who see auras prior to migraines may also have problems with their cardiovascular systems, particularly related to blood clotting.

5. Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia and migraines have a few things in common: researchers aren’t 100% sure what causes either conditions and both disproportionately affect women. Research has also uncovered yet another link between the two: fibromyalgia, the disease of widespread pain, is more likely to develop in people with migraines, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Although fibromyalgia is a little-understood disease, researchers attribute the link to disruptions in neurotransmitters like serotonin and adrenaline. Another culprit may be low magnesium levels.

Do you have any of these conditions in addition to migraines?

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“Pain is a disease,” says pediatrician and anesthesiologist Elliot Krane, who works at Stanford University’s Packard Children’s Hospital. Krane’s take is different from the prevailing mindset that pain is instead a symptom of another underlying condition.

In fact, about 10% of patients with serious conditions, such as cancer, infections, or problems requiring operations, experience persistent pain even after the condition subsides, Krane says during a TED talk explaining his philosophy. TED is a non-profit that hosts discussions and disseminates videos designed to engage discussion and spread interesting ideas.

The pain that’s independent of a causing disorder can last for years, and at that point, Krane says, it takes on a new identity as a separate disease.

Chronic pain can take on a life of its own, independent from any primary condition, expert says. This influences how we develop pain treatments. 

Consider the case of Chandler, a 16-year-old fledgling ballerina who sprained her wrist during practice. Instead of healing as usual sprains do, Chandler developed a condition called allodynia. Her nerves stopped working properly so that every touch to the arm, even the lightest sensation, resulted in “excruciating, burning pain,” Krane recalls.

Chandler’s arm developed an abnormal look to it, as well. The arm was cold and purple, and its muscles were frozen.

Allodynia is frequently linked to headache sufferers, with up to 80% of people with migraines experiencing the condition during an attack, according to the American Headache Society. The painful condition may also accompany fibromyalgia, according to Everyday Health.

In patients with allodynia, the nervous system’s wiring goes very wrong.

Krane draws an analogy between the nervous system and a building’s electrical wiring. Just as flipping a light switch in a home sends signals firing through wires in the wall, ultimately producing light, nerves in the body communicate through the brain’s neurotransmitters and adjacent cells to process sensory signals and, if directed, produce pain sensations.

Krane says:

“It’s almost as if somebody came into your home and rewired your walls so that the next time you turned on the light switch, the toilet flushed three doors down, or your dishwasher went on, or your computer monitor turned off. That’s crazy, but that’s in fact, what happens with chronic pain.”

The complexity of the misfiring is what leads to the development of chronic pain, Krane adds. “The nervous system has plasticity. It changes, and it morphs in response to stimuli,” he says.

In chronic pain, the very foundations of the nervous system go awry, making it difficult to create pain treatments that work against the root cause.

Pain treatments for chronic conditions currently feature a mix of painkillers—essentially dulling the nervous system so it’s not quite so active—however, a regimen of pills isn’t very effective for disorders like allodynia, Krane says.

Physical and occupational therapy can help work at the level of the nerves in the body, retraining them so they don’t overreact and cause unnecessary pain, and a robust psychotherapy program helps to mitigate the emotional side effects of living with chronic pain—namely depression, stress, and feelings of hopelessness.

Krane says that future medications to heal chronic pain will work at a more fundamental level, fixing the nervous system instead of merely subduing it. Rewiring the house instead of tripping the circuit breakers. One target of future drugs could be the glial cells, which Krane says hold much blame for causing pain.

Glial cells are found in the brain, where they comprise about 90% of the structure, and also the spinal cord. These cells were once thought to operate as a kind of glue, keeping important biological components together. However, scientists now understand that glial cells play a key role in pain perception and can distort incoming sensory experiences.

When a person perceives pain, the glial cells activate, making proteins that signal neighboring nerves to release neurotransmitters, which then enliven more glial cells, creating what Krane calls a “positive feedback loop.”

Future pain treatments will be able to target renegade glial cells or the proteins gone wild to stop the cells’ over-firing, bring sensory perception back to normal, and alleviate chronic pain at its source.

Future chronic pain treatments could work at the cellular level to stop pain before it starts. 

Allodynia isn’t the only condition that could be helped by pain treatments of the future. Israeli researchers discovered a drug that works to stop the body from spreading pain signals related to neuropathic pain.

Neuropathy may result from conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and lupus, but it is difficult to treat with traditional pain medications. The drug, BL-7050, quieted extreme activity of neurons by using cells’ potassium pathways, which are implicated in neuropathic pain. The medication is still in the research phase and is not yet available in the U.S.

The development of future medications relies on a deepening understanding of cellular pathways and learning how biological components, such as glial cells and potassium pathways, contribute to chronic pain.

Researchers also must work to understand how the brain responds to pain, according to research from the University of Adelaide. Just as the nervous system is able to change its functioning with allodynia, the brain also has the ability to change in structure and function. Brain changes are known as neuroplasticity, and the phenomenon is critical to humans’ ability to learn new things and remember events.

Researchers hope that understanding changes in brain structure could lead to new pain treatments to reverse the changes.

Researchers found people with chronic pain had brains less able to change than those without chronic pain. In other words, they had less neuroplasticity. Understanding more about why this happens could lead to new clues in the search for more effective chronic pain medications, scientists say.

Researcher Dr. Ann-Maree Vallence says patients living with chronic pain find it difficult to carry on with normal activities. She adds:

“It is therefore imperative that we understand the causes of chronic pain, not just attempt to treat the symptoms with medication.”

Insights from the study could eventually be used in research to uncover targeted, truly effective chronic pain treatments, including chronic tension headaches, says Vallence.

Want to learn more? Watch Elliot Krane’s eight-minute “The Mystery of Chronic Pain” TED talk now! 

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