10 Natural Remedies for Tension Headaches

You have a big meeting in two hours and your head is killing you.  There is no rubber exercise band squeezing your forehead, so it must be a tension headache. Most people suffer from the occasional or episodic headache with frequency of 1-2 times per month. However, up to 3% of the population has chronic headaches occuring as frequently as 15 days per month. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Women are twice as likely to suffer from tension-type headaches as men.”

Tension headaches usually bring with them mild to moderate pain in the head, behind the eyes and sometimes in the neck. A particularly intense tension headache might leave you unwilling to move or sensitive to light, but it will generally not induce the symptoms associated with a migraine headache such as nausea and vomiting or increased pressure and throbbing due to motion. Tension headaches can also leave you feeling irritable and quick to snap at family and coworkers.

What causes a tension headache and, more importantly, what can you do to get rid of the headache before that big meeting?

Tension headaches are triggered by internal and external pressures both known and unknown. In some people, a tight feeling starts in the neck and shoulders and creeps into the head, caused by poor posture, lack of sleep or emotional and mental stressors. Often it is hard to pinpoint the origin of the stress because a person might not even realize that a situation is stressful when they have been in it for some time. (Hint: 60-hour weeks at the office or with children and office combined just might cause some stress.)

Frequent headaches are no fun and interfere with both work and play. Eliminating any of the most frequent triggers might help get a handle on headaches. Some other triggers of tension headaches include:

• Sinus infection or pressure
• Smoking
• Exhaustion
• Eye strain/Staring at a Computer Screen too much
• Drinking Alcohol
• Changing jobs/Losing a Job
• Tight Deadlines
• Over-extended/Too many activities

Infrequent headaches can generally be managed with OTC (over the counter) pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®), ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), aspirin, or naproxen sodium (Aleve®). Taking these medications frequently, however, can lead to other physical issues such as stomach upset or even rebound headaches.

Instead of over-medicating, try any of these natural remedies for tension headaches:

Try yoga: Focus your mind and stretch your muscles. Stretching muscles relieves tension. Yoga for a few minutes a day might help keeps tension headaches away

Breathe Deeply: Getting enough oxygen flowing through your body relaxes muscles and alleviates tension.

Cayenne: Yes, the pepper. You may not crave spicy food when you have a tension headache, but Cayenne is widely known for its pain and inflammation fighting properties. It contains a chemical called capsaicin that effectively blocks a pain receptor in the body. It’s available in a Casaicin cream form at many health food stores.

Peppermint Oil: Rub a little at your forehead or temples. Sure, you might smell a bit like a candy cane for a while, but the cooling sensation will also relax muslces in your head and neck. Peppermint oil is available at health food stores.

Relax and Soothe Eyes: Moisten peppermint tea bags and place them over your closed eyes. Sit quietly for five minutes with your head leaned back while the peppermint tea soothes your eyes. If your job requires you to stare at the computer for long periods, take a 10 minute break every hour or so by looking away from the screen and focusing on something else.

Lower your shoulders: Hunched shoulders create tension at the base of the neck, resulting in pain and stiffness that can creep up to your head. Most people do not realize that they are hunching their shoulders during the day. Consciously lowering your shoulders will make you more aware of how you are carrying yourself and will stretch those shoulder and neck muscles.

Aromatherapy: There is wide anecdotal evidence that certain aromas can induce relaxation and/or a sort of euphoria. Lavendar, ginger and peppermint are reported to calm the mind and body. Many women also find that certain scents that remind them of their happy place can calm and thus reduce the frequency of tension headaches. Scented wax or oil warmers are a safe way to infuse your office with the essence of the beach, grandma’s house or the woods you played in as a child.

Hydrate: Sometimes dehydration or skipping meals can trigger a headache. Drink a glass of ice water, or try one the coconut waters that have become all the rage. If you don’t have time for regular meals at work, keep some nuts or protein bars at your desk.

Caffeine: Some OTC pain relievers contain small amounts of caffeine to “boost” the effectiveness of those remedies. If lack of your normal amount of caffeine has triggered your headache, a little shot of espresso just might do the trick.

Massage Therapy, Chiropractic & Acupuncture: When frequent headaches are interfering with your work and your life, these alternative treatments could offer some relief, although unless you are lucky enough to find someone to make an office call to you, they make for better long-term solutions. Massage therapy relaxes muscles and releases the tensions that caused headaches. Chiropractic treatments help some headache sufferers, although studies vary as to its efficacy.  Acupuncture has been used for centuries to treat a host of ailments. If any of these treatments provides you relief from your tension headaches, that may be all the proof you require.

Busy women might find it next to impossible to reduce or eliminate the stressors that trigger tension and tension headaches in their lives. Luckily, these ten tips could help eliminate the tension headache you have today. And on the bright side, a year from now you are unlikely to recall what stressed you today.