Your office work can make you prone to daily stress. Even if your workday is almost over, you may still have endless tasks to do and you continue to think about them even when you are at home. Unfortunately, letting daily stress take a hold of your health can lead to many health complications with headaches being the most common. Stress-related headaches are not a joke and turning to pain medications does not eliminate the stress that causes the headache. Thankfully, wisconsin physical therapy can help you minimize the severity of stress-related headaches and the frequency of their occurrence.
How Stress-Related Headaches Develop
A combination of hormonal surge and physical body tension, usually the neck and shoulders, causes stress-related headaches. Sitting in an uncomfortable desk chair, a cramped commute on public transit, or being glued to your desk all day long can contribute to body tension. And this tension can manifest itself as debilitating and painful stress-related headaches.
Relieving Headaches with Physical Therapy
Regardless of your age and shape, dealing with headaches all day long can be quite frustrating and can quickly become debilitating. Waking up with the pain in your head that may grow more intense throughout the day can ruin your plan for the day. Physical therapy can help you with stress-related headaches through:
- Muscle relaxation. By working with a physical therapist, you can understand muscle relaxation techniques that can help you while in a stressful situation. Proper muscle relaxation promotes airflow through the body, encouraging you to stay calm while face stress. This can also help reduce tension headaches.
- Reduction of neck and back tension. To alleviate some of the tension held in the back neck, or shoulders, a physical therapist will initiate a targeted stretching routine. Usually, such stretches can be repeated at home.
- Jaw tension reduction. A physical therapist can use targeted massage and other techniques to minimize tension in the jaw, reducing headaches.
The more you can move your neck and shoulders through your day, the less pressure you put on the major muscles in these areas. Also, this may alleviate stress-related headaches. By taking part in physical therapy treatments, you will learn how to properly stretch your necks, as well as loosen up your chest, tendon groups, and shoulder muscles. When done regularly, these exercises can help relieve chronic stress-related headaches.
If you are suffering from recurring headaches, regular physical therapy may offer fast and effective pain relief. Contact an experienced physical therapist as soon as possible to stop your pain.
