HEADACHES & MIGRAINE… so who suffers regularly? And do you know which sort of headache you are afflicted with? Did you even know there were categories? What can we do to avoid them?
Sadly, we just don’t know why many people suffer, often no physical or underlying neurological cause can be found, they just happen. Regular sufferers often know the triggers such as dehydration, food sensitivity, stress and lack of sleep but while we can’t cure it, we can try to help. Obviously looking after your basic health is key, but we cannot avoid all stressful situations etc so we need to know what works, even a little.
Even for severe migraine I find massage and #acupuncture can help the symptoms and shorten the attack, there are also some very effective new medications available, however overuse of medication can cause rebound-pain!
For persistent #TMJ issues we need to investigate possible tooth-grinding and perhaps a night shield can help. For everything else, hydration and massage techniques can be very effective. At home, applying heat to tense muscles can soothe and relieve pressure as well as. In treatment, neck mobilisation and traction is my first technique starting to release the feeling of pressure. Don’t forget the SCM muscles at the sides of the neck attach into fascia which arcs around the entire back of the skull, so softening this tissue manually can create great relief all thought the head and neck. If this is a regular problem, it’s probable that improving muscle strength and general posture will be a great help.
Not forgetting that, as with all pain, touch itself in analgesic. Getting yourself some regular treatment for self care can drastically reduce the frequency of headaches as it can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones.
