Stress Headache

Stress headaches are very common in adults, so much so that over 50% of US population over the age of 18 suffer from an occasional or even chronic stress headache condition.

Stress Headache Causes

There are many possible causes for a stress related headache, but the more prominent among them are:

  • Anxiety
  • Difficulty to concentrate
  • Depression and acute sadness
  • Emotional stress – Social relationships with friends, colleagues or family can add to the amount of emotional stress, resulting in more than one physical manifestation
  • Mental stress – Could be a result of school or work pressure

Stress Headache Symptoms

There are many possible symptoms, but most will be able to tell that they are stressed and that alone can indicate a connection between the headache and body stress levels. Symptoms include:

  • Easily irritated
  • General and specific muscle ache in the shoulder area
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Sensitivity to noises (expecially with normal levels of noise which everyone experience from time to time)

Ways to Relieve a Stress Headache

Once the headache starts, the way to treat it is with pain killers, an intensive temple massage or simply wait for it to pass. As soon as it goes away, it’s time to take actions that prevent it from coming back. There are many stress relieving techniques that can help, but the easiest ones are always a good place to start:

  • Aromatherapy – Lavender, rosemary, jasmine or ylang-ylang – the key here is to choose a scent that you like. You can take a hot bath with aromatic oils, mix with a base oil (like almond or grape seed oil) and massage your skin, burn incense, or simply put in a bowl of water on top of a burner and let the aroma spread. To enhance the effectiveness of such a treatment, it is recommended to try and do something relaxing like lying down and rocking yourself, or listening to calming music.
  • Big toe reflexology – Reflexology looks at the foot as a map of the body, and accordingly, the toes are connected the upper part of your body. A self massage where you focus on your big toe, making circles and applying pressure, can help your stress headaches.
  • Guided relaxation – You can practice yourself or with a group. The idea is to listen to your inner self. If you will not repress the reason you are suffering from a stress headache, you are more than likely to be able to get rid of it altogether, and guided relaxation