Stress And Headaches - Are They Connected?

It is widely believed thatone in sevenpeople in the United States gets a headacheevery dayof their life! Now, most of these that are experienced are not migraines but can be many other types of headaches including "stress headaches". But is stress actually responsible for these headaches and how are they connected?

Well, medically there is no exact definition for this type of headache but it is known to be caused by tension in the muscles of the forehead, neck, and face that can be caused by stress. So, essentially, stress has a connection to headaches because it induces the tension and muscle contraction that is the root of the pain you feel. Naturally, if you can reduce your stress you will be able to reduce this tension in the muscles and often times can prevent headaches from occurring.

Science has in recent years developed very effective treatments and medicines for migraine headache sufferers but little has been designed to handle "stress headaches". The common thread between migraines and tension headaches is that both cause inflammation which is related to the nervous system which controls our adrenaline. Adrenaline created energy within our muscles and nerves which triggers other chemical responses leading to excess inflammation and ultimately pain.

Tension or stress can lead to habits such as teeth grinding, frowning, squinting and other things caused by negative emotions. These behaviors lead to further pain and can make the headache worse. So, if this sounds like something you do, you should definitely look intostress managementand relaxation techniques.

Try to relax your face, jaw, and eyes as well as your shoulders and neck muscles. Massage can be very effective in relaxing these muscles and can go a long way in preventing or at the very least lessening the severity of your headaches. If you suffer from frequent "stress headaches" the good news is that you can naturally heal yourself without relying on medications or expensive treatments by simply learning how to reduce and handle your stress levels.