Stress Headache
Among the many types of headaches the most common are stress headaches. Stress headaches are also sometimes called tension headaches, daily headaches, chronic non-progressive headaches or muscle contraction headaches. Facts reveal that over 50% of adults experience stress headaches, which are more common among women. Most stress headaches develop gradually and take place during the middle of the day. Stress headaches can be mild (or episodic) and occur less than fifteen days a month. Some stressful situation is responsible for such headaches. Stress can give you a constant pain that may last from an hour to the entire day.
Other people experience extreme (or chronic) stress headaches, which may occur daily or more than fifteen days a month. Common symptoms of both mild and extreme stress headaches include irritability, frequent dizziness, fatigue, changes in sleeping patterns, muscle aches, disturbed concentration, sensitivity to noise or light and headaches early in the morning.
The exact cause of stress headaches is difficult to identify, because it is not an inherited trait, besides each person may have an individual cause. Stress headaches can be triggered by anything casing a person stress, including work, friends, school, family and other external factors.
How to Treat Stress Headaches
Stress headaches are part of growing up - by the time you reach adolescence you start experiencing stress headaches more or less frequently. One indicating symptom is sudden tightening of your neck muscles - this could mean you are experiencing a stress headache.
Stress headaches being triggered by a variety of reasons, should be treated by a physician, who will make a treatment plan based on your description of the pain you experience. For an extremely painful headache, your physician could make you take x-ray examinations, blood tests, brain scans and other tests to determine how to treat your stress
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headache. However, if your stress headaches are rare, you can deal with them by taking over-the-counter pain relievers. Just remember, that even drugs without prescription can be potentially dangerous if taken wrongly, and cause stomach bleeding, ulcer or other side effects.
While most pain relievers do combat stress headaches effectively, there are several things you can do to avoid headaches and medications - respectively. Lifestyle changes such as a proper diet and regular exercise are known to prevent stress headaches.
Studies have shown that smokers are more likely to experience extreme stress headaches compared to non-smokers. So, if you are a smoker and a frequent sufferer, you should quit your bad habit for your own good before your condition becomes chronic.
Constant tiredness, lack of quality sleep, suppressed anger or irritation, and abnormal tension about little things will eventually lead to stress headaches. Learn how to relax and chop all stressful thoughts. Stress headaches are common, but they can be prevented by getting plenty of rest, exercising, following a proper diet, drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep.
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