Getting Rid of Tension Headaches With Simple Remedies

Q: I am a 35 year old male. I started having some new daily headaches about 12 weeks ago. I went to my internal medicine doctor. He ordered a brain CT non-contrast to be safe. I have had headaches in the past but not daily. The study was compared to another brain CT that I had a little over a year ago. Both scans were normal and there were no changes from the old scan; everything appeared the same.

My symptom seems to be a headache that starts later in the day in the neck or bottom of skull and moves up. I also have tenderness above eyes, temple regions, back of head and upper neck. Doctor says this sounds like tension related.

My doctor just started me on Elavil and Naproxen. Does this sound like a good plan? I also read Baclofen is good for this. Should I ask him for that med?
-By Tim Coleman

Reply:

The condition does look like a tension headache.

Your doctor has prescribed you an antidepressant (Elavil ) and a pain reliever (Naproxen). These are usually given as the first line of treatment.

Baclofen (GABA derivative) acts against spasticity of contracted muscles. It essentially acts as a muscle relaxant. Many patients with headaches feel better on taking it. You can surely talk to your doctor about it.

If not baclofen, any other muscle- relaxant may be added to the prescription. This may add to relieving your symptoms.

What Causes Tension Headaches?

It is important to understand the reasons behind the occurrence of such headaches. As the name suggest, tension is the main cause behind these headaches.

Tension may come from:

• Stress at workplace
• Tension to meet deadlines
• Too much of work load
• Problems with relationships at home
• Loneliness
• Having nobody close to share thoughts with
• Emotional stress
• Poor diet
• Inadequate sleep
• Lack of relaxing activities in the daily schedule
• Incorrect postures while working

If you workout at your daily routine carefully, perhaps you may be able to pinpoint the factors causing headaches in your case. The cause of headache can then be dealt with.

Initially, the headache is episodic. It last for a while till the cause persist. But with recurrence, such headaches have a tendency to become chronic. They stay almost all the time, some times mild and other times severe.

Corrective Self Care Tips for Relief

• Take out time to find out factors in your life which are disturbing you.
• Add some relaxing activities in your life. They may include anything from pursuing some hobby, meeting friends or some sport.
• Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
• Assure a good sleep everyday.
• It would be a good idea to practice some relaxation technique as yoga or meditation of some form. They would help you take control over your thoughts and emotions.

Take Care,

Buddy M.D.