"exercising Your Way Through A Headache"
If you suffer from headaches, the last thing you usually want to do is go to the gym and workout
. With the tension in your head, usually all you want to do is climb into bed and go to sleep.
However, exercising may be exactly what you need to overcome that headache. If you suffer from migraines, daily physical activity for at least twenty minutes a day can help to prevent migraines in the future.
However, if you try to exercise with a migraine, you will quickly learn that this only makes things worse. If this is not the case, and if you only have tension headaches, going out for a brisk walk or hopping on an elliptical machine could help to increase the circulation to your brain and heart, and relieve that pain that won't go away.
For some people, it is hard to tell exactly what kind of headache you have, and this is an important distinction. A migraine is a form of vascular headache.
Migraine headaches are caused by a combination of enlargement of blood vessels, and the release of chemicals from nerve fibers that coil around the blood vessels. During a migraine attack, the temporal artery enlarges-the temporal artery is an artery that lies on the outside of the skull just under the skin of the temple.
Enlargement of the temporal artery stretches the nerves that coil around the artery and cause the nerves to release chemicals. The chemicals cause inflammation, pain, and further enlargement of the artery; the increasing enlargement of the artery magnifies the pain.
If you feel like you have a throbbing or pulsating on the side of your head which worsens with movement, nauseating, vomiting, or sensitivity to light, noise, and smell, chances are you suffer from migraines. Seek treatment from a neurologist to learn how to control this pain.
On the other hand, tension headaches account for nearly ninety percent of all headaches, and are probably experienced by most people at some time during their lifetime. They are frequently associated with fatigue and stress, and generally respond to simple measures such as rest or over-the-counter pain medicine.
Pain usually occurs on both sides of head and consists of a dull, steady ache. If you feel frequent mild to moderate headaches, a tightness or squeezing in your head, insomnia, stress, muscular stiffness or pain, and difficulty concentrating, you probably have a tension headache.
If you do, this article is for you. If you have tried medication such as Advil or Aleve and your tension headache is not going away, try an elliptical machine.
It may be hard to convince yourself to get on, but doctors have proven that it truly does help to melt away tension and relieve head pain. This is not the kind of workout that will make you sweat, or get your heart pounding.
This is the kind of exertion that will get your blood pumping a little faster, and will release calming hormones such as serotonin. When you step on your machine, start by turning down the resistance level to a level one.
Start with a slow, fluid movement, concentrating on keeping your shoulders, neck, and back relaxed. Listen to calming music if you can, which is quiet and gentle.
Don't go too fast, just keep a moderate pace. Make sure that there is plenty of ventilation, and you are taking deep breathes which fill your lungs completely.
Continue this as much as you can for at least twenty minutes, continuing to focus on breathing and relaxation. You should be able to feel the tension begin to release in your head.
Once you have finished your workout, be sure to completely stretch all the muscles in your back, neck and shoulders. Gently bend your head forward while bringing your chin toward your chest.
Stop when a stretch is felt in the back of the neck, and hold the position for twenty seconds. Return to the starting position, and try this a couple more times.
Continue with stretches like this, focusing on ones that really lengthen your muscles in a gentle way. Over stretching can be just as bad as not stretching at all.
Tension headaches don't have to change your daily activities and quality of life. Try an elliptical machine as soon as you feel one, and you can be back to feeling great in twenty minutes.
by: Jack Landry
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