You’ve felt the thumping inside your temples, the low ache behind your eyes. Pressure headaches may not be as debilitating as migraines, but when they are persistent, they can substantially lower your quality of life. According to the National Institutes of Health, “Tension headaches are one of the most common kinds of headaches. They may occur at any age, but are most frequent in adults and teenagers.” They also say that pressure headaches happen when “neck and scalp muscles become tense, or contract. The muscle contractions can be a response to stress, depression, a head trauma, or anxiety.”

Relieve your tension headaches


Too much of a good thing


You can take over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen to treat the signs of your pressure headache, but the National Institutes of Health warn, “After a while, [these painkillers] do not work as well or they do not alleviate headaches for as long.” The headaches that result from this overuse are classified as “rebound” headaches.


Bite on a pencil


The good news is, you may not necessarily have to reach for the medicine whenever you feel a pressure headache coming on. Instead, one Yahoo.com health expert suggests, reach for a pencil. She says whenever you feel your jaw start to clench, you need to “put a pencil between your teeth (don’t bite down) and hold it there. This simple strategy will cause your jaw to relax, easing pressure, forestalling the headache, and easing the pain.” You can also try employing relaxation techniques like meditation to help forestall the symptoms of tension. Or you can always ask a friend for a neck rub.


Sources


Yahoo Health

Medline Plus