Stress Headache

Stress is a very common trigger for headaches and migraines and one method of relieving stress is relaxation.  You need to think in terms of  extreme relaxation. When it comes to a stress headache or migraine, simply relaxing in a recliner isn’t enough to deal with associated stress.  

There are three major types of relaxation techniques:

·         Autogenic training - utilizes visual imaging and bodily awareness to advance the patient into a state of deep relaxation. The patient imagines a tranquil location and then begins to focus on physical sensations that gradually move upward from the feet toward the head.

·         Progressive muscle relaxation - involves the slow tensing and then releasing each muscle group individually, beginning with the muscles in the toes and finishing with the head.

·         Meditation - uses either Transcendental Meditation involving the repetition of a mantra. Mindfulness meditation in which patients focus their attention on their momentary thoughts and sensations.

Research has shown that in many cases meditation improves one’s quality of life, while reducing stress.  Studies also reveal that relaxation techniques assist in the reduction of the perception of pain with a stress headache.   

One study using patients undergoing colorectal surgery concluded that patients who listened to guided-imagery tapes before, during, and after the operation had less pain and needed fewer pain medications than those who did not.  

Meditation is also used extensively in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition, relaxation techniques have been found useful in strengthening the skills needed to cope with frequent migraine pain.

Relaxation techniques associated with a stress headache 

Fortunately, relaxation techniques can be done just about anywhere at any time. These techniques include:

·         Deep breathing - 

·         Active relaxation - 

·         Stretching exercises - 

·         Visualization - 

·         Passive relaxation -  

Deep breathing - simply breathe in deeply through the nose, letting your stomach expand as much as possible. It may be helpful to place your hands firmly and comfortably on your stomach during the exercise. Once you’ve breathed in as much as possible, hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this for 3 or 4 breaths several times a day.

Active relaxation - first tense, and then relax each muscle in the body. Start with the muscles in the head and gradually move down to the muscles in the feet.

Stretching exercises - simple and easy and can be done literally anywhere.  It’s a wonderful way to loosen up tight muscles and combat stress. Muscle tension is an automatic physical response to stress and the benefit of simple stretching exercises is often overlooked as a relaxation technique.

Visualization - another relaxation technique that can help to reduce stress is clearing the mind or visualization. Visualization is a type of directed meditation that involves using the mind’s eye to clear away mental clutter or to actually visualize how a stressful situation can be handled successfully.

Picturing the stressful situation in your mind such as a business presentation or an athletic performance and then visually rehearsing the outcome does this. Visualization techniques may also be used to imagine a peaceful scene such as ocean waves lapping on the beach. 

Meditation and self-hypnosis are passive techniques that can be used to create relaxation. Four elements are used in meditation:  

Meditation once or twice a day for 10-20 minutes each time can bring rapid relief from chronic stress & also increase a person’s ability to tolerate stress.

Ways to relax with a stress headache: 

Learning ways to relax can have many benefits, perhaps the most important of which is developing a feeling of confidence about facing the everyday challenges of life, including helping to:

·         Increase resistance to illness and disease

·         Reduce your heart rate

·         Reduce unhealthy stress and anxiety

·         Cope with medical problems, such as chronic pain or diabetes

·         Cope with extremely stressful or painful situations, such as childbirth.

·         Lower blood pressure

·         Relieve muscle tension

·         Prevent, manage and cope with migraine headaches

Relaxation techniques are also considered very safe with a delightful lack of side affects, although there have been very rare and unusual cases where people have actually raised their levels of anxiety rather than lowered them after using the techniques because of a heightened awareness of body sensations. 

Even rarer are the reports of pain, heart palpitations, muscle twitching, and crying spells.

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