Most people suffer at least occasional headaches, and some of us are even more unlucky. If chronic tension headaches are plaguing you, we have a few strategies you can try to reduce their appearance and severity.

Is it a tension headache? First, you should differentiate tension headaches from other types. If the pain feels like a tight crown, encircling your entire head and squeezing, it is likely to be a tension headache. Other headaches, such as migraines, might originate from difference causes. If you feel certain that you’re experiencing tension headaches, be on guard for possible triggers.

What can cause a tension headache? They can be triggered by a variety of different factors, but the most common are:

  • Stress (from work, relationships, and so on)
  • Looking down at your cell phone for long periods of time
  • Playing video games for several hours
  • Driving for many hours without taking a break
  • Looking at a computer screen all day (particularly if the screen is set at the wrong height)
  • Clenching your jaw – you might do this in your sleep without realizing it
  • Sleeping on your stomach

You might have noticed that several of these triggers have something in common: Holding a particular posture for too long can overextend the muscles in the back of your neck, causing them to spasm. Often that pain translates to a headache.

Is the pain episodic or chronic? If the pain appeared alongside a stressful event, it will usually disappear once the stressor has been handled. On the other hand, chronic tension headaches are often caused by postural issues such as listed above. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine exactly what is causing the headaches, and you might need more help relaxing and soothing the muscles of your neck.

The most obvious solution to tension headaches is to alter your postures and activities to eliminate the source of the problem. However, headache pain can persist even without a clear cause, and you need to seek medical attention. Schedule an appointment with us for chiropractic care, and we can help you identify potential sources for your pain and offer treatments to help.