Ways for preventing headaches

Ways for preventing headaches

1. Reduce emotional stress.Take time to relax before and after you do something that has caused a headache in the past. Try relaxation techniques such as meditation or progressive muscle relaxation.

2. Reduce physical stress.When you sit at a desk, change positions often, and stretch for 30 secdonds each hour. Try to relax your jaw, neck, shoulder, and upper back muscles.

3. Check your neck and shoulder posture at work.

4. Exercise everyday.It can help reduce stress and muscle tension.

5. Get regular massages.Some people find this very helpful in relieving tension.

6. Limit caffreine to 1 or 2 drinks a day. People who drink a lot of caffeine often get a headache several hours after they have their last caffeine drink. Or they may wake with a headache that does not go away until they drink caffeine-withdrawal headaches.

Tracking your headaches

If you have headaches often, keep a record of your symptoms.This record will help your doctor if you need to be checked or treated.It may also help you take control of your headaches.especially if they are migraines.

Write down :

1. The date and time each headache starts and stops.

2. Anything that could have triggered the headache.This might be food, smoke, bright light, stress or activity.

3. Where the pain is.Is it in one spot or all over your head ?

4. What kind of pain you have.Is it throbbing,aching, stabbing or dull ?

5. How bad the pain is.Rate it from 1 to 10 ( 10 is the worst )

6. Any other symptoms you have, such as nausea, vomiting vision changes or sensitivity to light or noise.

7. ( For women only ) Any link between your headaches and your menstrual cycle, birth control pills or hormone therapy