If you suffer from headaches, you are not alone.  Over 90 percent of Americans suffer from a headache at some point. 

Categories of Headaches

There are several types of headaches, but the most common headaches are tension-type and migraine headaches. 

Tension-type headaches are the most common form of headache and are experienced by about 78 percent of Americans.  The pain is pressing or tightening, mild to moderate in intensity, and occurs on both sides of the head.  The cause of this headache may be related to muscle tension in the back of the neck and/or scalp.

Migraine headaches are the second most common type of headache.  About 13 percent of Americans suffer from migraines.  The pain is a throbbing head pain, usually located on one side of the head.  The pain is often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.   Some sufferers may experience an “aura” prior to the head pain.  They may see light flashes, blind spots, zigzag lines, or shimmering lights. Migraines are often disabling and prevent sufferers from carrying on their daily activities.

Managing Your Headaches

Here are some tips from the National Headache Foundation (NHF) to help you manage your headaches.

• Keep a diary of your headaches. Track when they started, how often they occur, how long they last, intensity and location of the pain, and triggers, such as certain foods, physical activities, bright light, strong odors, change in temperature or altitude, noise, smoke, stress, or oversleeping.  This information will be very helpful when you work with your clinician to determine the type of headache you have and the treatment that is best for you.

• Maintain a Regular Sleep/Wake Cycle.  Plan to go to sleep at the same time every night and wake up the same time each morning, including on weekends. This maintains the body’s natural circadian rhythm.

• Eat a balanced diet and avoid foods that trigger your headaches.  Be your own expert and keep a log of the foods that trigger your headache attacks.  See if removing these foods from your diet reduces your headaches.  Remember not to skip or delay meals.

• Exercise regularly.  Exercise can reduce the frequency and severity of headaches.   According to an online survey of headache sufferers conducted by the NHF, 72 percent of the respondents considered exercise to be a part of their treatment program.

• Relax.  Practice deep breathing. Slowly inhale through your nose, filling your lungs with fresh air, and slowly exhale through your mouth.  Slow and steady breathing can promote overall relaxation.  Try biofeedback.  This therapy is often used in headache and pain treatment.  Biofeedback training uses special equipment that monitors physical responses to teach an individual how to control the physical processes that are related to stress. 

• Try massage.  Studies suggest that massage can decrease headache frequency and increase body awareness.  A massage is good for general relaxation as well as to relieve stress buildup in the muscle tissue.  Personal preference is the best way to choose what type of massage to use.

• Practice visualization/guided imagery.  This technique combines relaxation exercises with the creation of mental images. By learning the skill of detaching from stressful events that may occur in daily life, some people are able to interrupt headache pain during the early phases of an attack.

• Consider acupuncture and/or acupressure.  These ancient treatments for pain relief appear to work by stimulating the release of endorphins, the body's natural pain killing substance.  Relief from both pain and nausea, a decrease in the frequency of headache and a reduced need for treatment medication have been shown through these methods.

• Consider chiropractic care. Many people experience headaches as a result of disturbances in the joints and soft tissue of the neck and upper spine. Chiropractic care can help alleviate problems with headaches and migraines and reduce their frequency.

• Use Hot or Cold Packs.  Ice and heat can be used to lessen the pain of your headaches.  Place a heating pad on the base of your neck or a cold pack on your forehead.  A warm or cool shower may also be helpful. 

Practicing headache self-management and maintaining a partnership with your clinician will help ensure effective management of your headache.

For more information on headache causes and treatments, visit the National Headache Foundation website at www.headaches.org or call toll free 1-888-NHF-5552 (M-F. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST).

Source: National Headache Foundation.