Headaches hurt! Here’s how to stop the pain

THEY'RE ANNOYING. They’re painful. They’re used as an excuse for countless missed dinner parties. But people with chronic headaches know they’re nothing to joke about. They’re distracting at best and debilitating at worst. Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent and treat headaches.

What’s Your Type?

Before you can treat a headache, you must first understand its cause. There are two common types of headache: tension and migraine.

Tension headaches make up the majority of headaches and are often triggered by stress, anger, fatigue and eyestrain. Symptoms of tension headaches include steady pain on both sides of the head or neck, pressure around the head, and clenching of head and neck muscles.

Migraine headaches are less common than tension headaches but tend to be more problematic. Researchers aren’t exactly sure what causes them, but they seem to be associated with inflammation of nerves and blood vessels in the brain. Between 70 and 80 percent of sufferers have a family history of migraines, and women are affected three times more than men. Migraine symptoms can last four to 72 hours and consist of throbbing head pain (usually on one side), which may be accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.

Massage the Pain Away

If you’re one of the 45 million Americans who experiences chronic headaches, you may be relieved to hear that one way to prevent and treat them is with massage therapy. Regular massage reduces the frequency of headaches by helping maintain optimal levels of relaxation and by relaxing muscle spasms. Massage therapy also can help ease the pain and discomfort of both migraine and tension headaches. At Massage Envy, walk-ins are always welcome and same-day appointments are available, so we can help you when you need it most.

Pain, Pain, Go Away

Other prevention and treatment methods include:

• Eating a healthy diet
• Being active for 30 minutes a day
• Engaging in relaxation exercises
• Getting adequate amounts of sleep

If these techniques don’t work, talk to your doctor about other ways to control your headaches, including over-the-counter and prescription medications. - By Shelley Flannery