The Top 5 Mistakes People Make When Managing Headaches

The 5 top mistakes managing headaches that we commonly see in clinic:

 

Mistake Number 1 - Reaching for the pill

Taking pain killers for a headache is like putting a band-aid on a wound, or, like putting tape over a warning light on your car’s dashboard. Short term it may get you to where you need to go but unless you address the reason why the headache is actually there, you're ignoring the warning signs. While you’re masking symptoms, the underlying cause is festering away underneath and often comes back bigger and stronger next time.

Solution - Listen to the warning signs and what your body really needs and make changes early to avoid the headache progressing and recurring.

 

Mistake Number 2 - Poor posture

This is such a common cause of headaches and posture and movement is something we guide our patients on every day. Making changes here often helps to minimise or eliminate their headaches. Poor posture can happen at the desk, watching TV, working in the garden, sitting at dinner talking to friends or sleeping in unconventional positions like on the couch or on a pillow that's not suitable. This can put more strain on muscles and other structures than they are designed to take, overusing them, reducing blood flow and causing pain.

Solution - Maintaining good, neutral posture is critical for prevention of headaches, neck and shoulder pain. For help at your desk, check out our article and video 5 Ways To Adjust Your Desk To Reduce Pain

 

Mistake number 3 - Not drinking enough water or eating enough food

Lack of appropriate food and water are also common contributors to headaches. Imagine this...You got up in the morning and and went and exercised. Then you rushed off to work. You skip a meal and forget to drink any water…You could certainly end up with a headache in that situation.

Solution - If you get a headache, ask yourself if your food and water intake has been appropriate, given factors like your activities so far that day and the weather conditions.  Listen to what your body needs and rectify that first.

 

Mistake Number 4 - Not moving enough

Sitting at a desk, freeway driving or long stints bingeing on the latest Netflix series can all stiffen up the body, including the neck, causing restrictions in blood flow, poor health of the tissues and ultimately result in neck pain and headaches.

Solution - Regular movement is your friend, this can be an exercise session or as simple as a quick neck stretch or mobilisation exercise, taking a break from your desk or pulling the car over to have a walk around.

 

Mistake Number 5 - Not seeking support from a health professional early

Delaying seeking help leaves you in pain for longer and can sometimes mean it takes longer to resolve.

Solution - Seek support from your health practitioner, Osteopaths and other allied health professionals are well placed to provide effective treatment and management strategies for headaches and migraines. If this is something you are interested in, then give us a call today or book in here.

 

Got a Headache?

So next time you get a headache, consider the points I've shared with you here.

• What does your body really need? Does it really need a pill, or rather, a change in posture or position?
• Have you eaten enough or had enough to drink that day?
• Do you need to get up and move or do you need to get treatment to get you back on track again?

Remember, headaches aren't a Nurofen deficiency! Taking the time to consider what your body needs can be a starting point to reducing your headaches, both how often they occur or how intense or long they persist.

 

Next Step

If you can relate to any of these or if you have any further questions on how to manage your headaches then send us a message today so we can help you reduce or even eliminate those pesky headaches.