Headaches!

Because I am a massage therapist I work with a lot of people who experience a lot of medical problems. One of the most bothersome and painful problem is the headache. For the next few posts I will be sharing some vital information about headaches. Please link yourself to my blog and if you know of anyone who suffers from this disease, let them know where to find me.

Anatomy of a headache:

• physical stress in the form of muscular tension and skeletal misalignment
• eye strain
• poor posture
• diet and lifestyle factors: irregular eating, food allergies, alcohol consumption, withdrawal from excessive use of caffeine, nicotine, recreational drugs...
• liver toxicity or congestion
• sinus problems: sinusitis, allergic rhinitis
• ear problems
• dental problems: TMJ, misaligned teeth, neuralgia (nerve irritation)
• organic brain disease or cranial diseases

Muscular Tension:

This kind of tension comes from physical stress that causes tension headaches. It begins with tightness in shoulders, neck or upper back, moves to the back of the head (most often the base of the skull), behind the eyes, spreads out to the temples, and goes forward to the forehead. Chronic headaches usually occur around the same time everyday (mostly late afternoon). You must also keep in mind that tension headaches can trigger migraines.

The best way to cope with these type of headaches is to get yourself a massage once a month for prevention and maintenance. If you have serious problems and get headaches often or they are in the form of chronic headaches or migraines, you really want to see a massage therapist as often as you can afford it to get relief from the pain and prevent them from coming back. Also, proper posture and ergonomic furniture (office chairs) will be of great benefit in supporting the muscles and prevention of spasms and chronic pain. Stretching and simple exercises like shoulder shrugs, and shoulder circles will help loosen the muscles. If the cervical vertebrae are misaligned you will need to see a chiropractor for an adjustment.

For more information about headaches follow my posts, leave a comment, and don't hesitate to call:

Gabriela Serbu, LMT 602-330-7819

Melanie Dias-Zair, DC 623-572-4476