Stress is a very common issue in life and everyone suffers from stress, some more and some less. It can be very debilitating and it can be a catalyst to many numbers of conditions such as tension headaches, muscular stress and general tiredness. In order to get rid of the headaches which are produced by stress, it is important to understand what it is and how to avoid it.

Description

Tension headaches are the most common type of headaches that people suffer from. They can appear daily, 1-2 a month or anywhere in between. Most individuals experience these headaches as short-lived and mild, but they can on occasions last for days. The pain itself appears to affect the sides, top and front of the head and the pain is throbbing. The pain can extend to the muscles between the shoulder blades and the back of the neck as well. Such headaches don’t affect a person’s balance, vision and strength. People are able to do their normal chores during the day. The most effective way to make the tension headaches to go away is to relive tension and stress.

Types of stress

There are actually 3 different types of stress: Eustress, Neustress and Distress. Each type affects a person in a different way.

Eustress is stress which is actually beneficial for a person. It gives inspiration and motivation for people and can arise from any situation. For example, winning a new and better job or getting a promotion gives people some stress because they have to create new working relationships, adjust to new working conditions and deal with performance expectations.

Distress is the second type of stress and it is the opposite of eustress, when taking into account the effect on a person. Distress causes ill effects to an individual, such as muscular stress and people generally refer to this when talking about stress. If stress is mentioned then nearly always it has to do with negative distress not positive eustress.

Neustress is the third type which is basically neutral. This type of stress does not give you motivating or positive emotions but it also do not cause any grief or harm like distress.

Symptoms

There are lots of more noticeable and also more subtle symptoms of stress. One of the symptoms is doing lots of meaningless activities such as playing video games or watching TV programs you are not interested in for hours. 

The more obvious symptom is the consumption of alcohol, drugs, tranquilizers and cigarettes that leads to physical symptoms. The effect that this has on reducing stress is temporary and because of the physical after-effects, a person is less equipped to manage stress.

Often the individuals who suffer from stress are cynical and impatient. It might be increasingly more difficult to handle small things that you did not care about before. People also experience restlessness which shows up in nervous habits like nail-biting, moving the legs up and down or pacing.

More well-known symptoms are also isolation and the inability to carry out tasks. A person might incline to stay at home rather than socialize or a person might have difficulty in carrying out everyday tasks such as housework, shopping or washing dishes.

Treatments for tension headaches and muscular stress

There are many conventional treatments for tension headaches caused by distress and they involve pain relievers such as ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen and many combinations of drugs. The problem is that the overuse of these medications can make the condition worse and medication of any kind should only be taken when suggested by doctor.
One really excellent method of treating tension headaches is acupuncture. Acupuncture as shown to relieve muscular stress and tension, and also to decrease pain. Through acupuncture treatment, the hormone levels can be balanced and stress levels can be diminished noticeably.
Massage therapy is also very helpful, especially when dealing with muscular stress and headaches. Massage reduces tension in the upper back, shoulders and neck – areas that people often complain about when under stress. Massage has also shown to stimulating endorphins and making you feel more upbeat.

Diet when dealing with stress

There is no question that nutritional deficiencies make a person more vulnerable to stress, especially diets which are lacking in zinc, magnesium and vitamin D.

Zinc is a very important nutrient, not only because it counters stress, but because it is the component of insulin and many enzymes. Zinc is necessary for reproduction and sexual maturation, as well as maintaining immune function.

Vitamin D also helps to combat stress effectively, as well as being essential for bone density, for proper appetite, as well as for treating Alzheimer’s and some forms of cancer. Magnesium combats stress effectively as well and it also regulates enzymes which are crucial for nerve function

Remedies

There are many natural therapies that can help people suffering from stress, tension headaches and muscular stress. One of those remedies is yoga, which can help tone muscles and improve posture. Psychotherapy can also be beneficial because it can help you manage stress better and therefore reduce the symptoms. You can also try to take warm baths with Epsom salts, drink plenty of water and add fish oil supplements to your diet. If you suffer from headaches then you can find relief by relaxing and slowly massaging your temple areas for a few minutes.