Tension headaches
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 161
Tension headaches
Hey all...
This is the second morning this week I've woken up with a tension headache. I used to wear a mouth guard but they haven't happened in a long while.
I had a really rough day at work dealing with one of my staff who isn't happy with the job right now. I miss the good old days of project management sometimes - it was way easier then managing people.
Now I have to pop a pill (Ecedrin) and go to work because I've already called in sick twice this month for headaches.
Guess my body really is going back to normal now. I've had both migraine headaches and tension headaches since I was a kid. And stress usually ends up in my neck and shoulders then goes to my jaw then the headache.
Oh man... let the fun begin.
That's my vent for the morning. Oh - I'm on day 41 right now.
Cheers
This is the second morning this week I've woken up with a tension headache. I used to wear a mouth guard but they haven't happened in a long while.
I had a really rough day at work dealing with one of my staff who isn't happy with the job right now. I miss the good old days of project management sometimes - it was way easier then managing people.
Now I have to pop a pill (Ecedrin) and go to work because I've already called in sick twice this month for headaches.
Guess my body really is going back to normal now. I've had both migraine headaches and tension headaches since I was a kid. And stress usually ends up in my neck and shoulders then goes to my jaw then the headache.
Oh man... let the fun begin.
That's my vent for the morning. Oh - I'm on day 41 right now.
Cheers
Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: El Paso, Tx
Posts: 5,862
Congrats on day 41!
I get those all the time and find that a bit of light excercise in the early evening seems to help. I usually do a light 20 min jog or hit the treadmill for a bit.. I also try some of the various relaxation techniques available. Keep up the good work!
I get those all the time and find that a bit of light excercise in the early evening seems to help. I usually do a light 20 min jog or hit the treadmill for a bit.. I also try some of the various relaxation techniques available. Keep up the good work!
Illegitimi Non Carborundum
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Old Home Terra
Posts: 4,272
Something that may help is to find someone to massage your neck and shoulders for you, get the circulation going and work out the kinks. Finding a session with an LMT (licensed massage therapist -- not the "happy ending" kind) might do wonders.
I've historically had a lot of tension in my neck and shoulder areas. Not to the point of migraines, but pretty painful nonetheless. Sometimes when I twist my neck, it can sound like a bunch of chicken bones cracking.
Hangovers used to really make it bad. Sometimes I'd wake up and my neck felt practically "locked up". I'd have to spend some time rubbing it myself just to ease the pain and get some range of motion back.
I'm glad I don't have to deal with hangovers anymore, and as more sober time accumulates, it seems to be getting better overall. I know some of it is physical and some of it is stress related. These days I'm usually okay unless I've slept on it wrong.
But anyway... Here's something else you can try. Sit upright in a chair with your arms comfortably at your side. Breathe deeply and slowly. Close your eyes and focus your attention on the back of your neck where it meets your shoulders. Really pay attention to how your body feels physically at the spot and notice all the nervous tension.
Take a few more slow, deep breaths while staying focused on your neck and shoulders, and make a conscious effort to release the nervous tension that had accumulated there. Just let it all go and dissipate. Thinking "limp as a bunch of wet noodles" and focusing on your neck can help. Keep your spine straight.
Slowly let your head start to fall forward a few inches. As you feel the tendons and muscles pull, just pause and let them relax. Then let your head fall forward a few more inches. When your chin gets near your chest, slowly raise your head until your spine is straight again.
Do the same thing, letting your head fall to the side towards each shoulder in turn. Keep your breathing even and slow and just release all the nervous tension. Don't worry if something cracks, you won't paralyze yourself. Just relax as you feel the tendons pull and let them turn to water.
After you've done that a few times, then start on some slow neck rolls. Let your head tilt forward then slowly rotate it to the right, then back to the front, then to the left, then back to the front. You get the idea.
The main point is to loosen up the muscles and let all the nervous tension go. Simple little exercises, but a few minutes doing them in the morning can work wonders.
Hope this helps.
I've historically had a lot of tension in my neck and shoulder areas. Not to the point of migraines, but pretty painful nonetheless. Sometimes when I twist my neck, it can sound like a bunch of chicken bones cracking.
Hangovers used to really make it bad. Sometimes I'd wake up and my neck felt practically "locked up". I'd have to spend some time rubbing it myself just to ease the pain and get some range of motion back.
I'm glad I don't have to deal with hangovers anymore, and as more sober time accumulates, it seems to be getting better overall. I know some of it is physical and some of it is stress related. These days I'm usually okay unless I've slept on it wrong.
But anyway... Here's something else you can try. Sit upright in a chair with your arms comfortably at your side. Breathe deeply and slowly. Close your eyes and focus your attention on the back of your neck where it meets your shoulders. Really pay attention to how your body feels physically at the spot and notice all the nervous tension.
Take a few more slow, deep breaths while staying focused on your neck and shoulders, and make a conscious effort to release the nervous tension that had accumulated there. Just let it all go and dissipate. Thinking "limp as a bunch of wet noodles" and focusing on your neck can help. Keep your spine straight.
Slowly let your head start to fall forward a few inches. As you feel the tendons and muscles pull, just pause and let them relax. Then let your head fall forward a few more inches. When your chin gets near your chest, slowly raise your head until your spine is straight again.
Do the same thing, letting your head fall to the side towards each shoulder in turn. Keep your breathing even and slow and just release all the nervous tension. Don't worry if something cracks, you won't paralyze yourself. Just relax as you feel the tendons pull and let them turn to water.
After you've done that a few times, then start on some slow neck rolls. Let your head tilt forward then slowly rotate it to the right, then back to the front, then to the left, then back to the front. You get the idea.
The main point is to loosen up the muscles and let all the nervous tension go. Simple little exercises, but a few minutes doing them in the morning can work wonders.
Hope this helps.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 161
Thanks... I'm going to try it tonight!!! I just got home from the gym so that should help too.
I don't think it has to do with getting off alcohol - it's stress now. Big time stress.
I don't think it has to do with getting off alcohol - it's stress now. Big time stress.
Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: El Paso, Tx
Posts: 5,862
Don't let the stress eat at you. Stress can wait.. sort it out, make a list, define why you allow the stress to consume you and chip away at letting it go.. more often then not things are not as bad as they seem. It's the obsessiong over them that feeds the stress. Allow a few moments throughout your day to just be, be stress free, connect yourself with positive thoughts if only briefly, you'll be surprised at how well you'll see the benefits of ALLOWING yourself to be stress free. Your entitled.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: bristol
Posts: 15
believe it or not, i have suffered from migraine for most of my life and i still have no solution, however...
these sometimes work , for me at least:
close your eyes and go and sit in a dark room
or
close your eyes and concentrate on a log fire-really concentrate and eventually the fire will die down and go out altogether-wait a bit and open your eyes-migraine gone-works for me every time
dave
these sometimes work , for me at least:
close your eyes and go and sit in a dark room
or
close your eyes and concentrate on a log fire-really concentrate and eventually the fire will die down and go out altogether-wait a bit and open your eyes-migraine gone-works for me every time
dave
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