Featured Treatment - Stress causing Tension Headaches

The majority of clients visiting the clinic with headaches are due to tension headaches, a muscle contraction type headache. Emotional stress can be a secondary predisposing factor for a person to experience a headache, which can create trigger points in the head, neck or spine.  Trigger points are small sensitive nodules within a taut band of muscle, commonly known as a 'knot'.  They are characterized by a dull ache which can be localized to the area or a referred pain. Other causes of tension headaches include postural imbalances or sleep disturbances.

Studies show that people who are prone to the effects of stress as well as anxiety and depression are more likely to suffer from frequent headaches. Anxiety can make tension headaches worse by:

• Increasing muscle tension
• Flooding the body with stress chemicals, such as adrenaline
• Reducing the amount of 'relaxation' chemicals in the body, such as endorphins
• Reducing emotional tolerance to stressors and strains
• Reducing the pain threshold
• Counteracting the effects of pain-killing medication.

Remedial massage and other soft tissue techniques can help in reducing the tension in the contracted muscles and increasing the circulation and range of motion within the affected joints.  This is a natural way to achieve pain relief, release stored emotional and postural tension and look at ways to prevent it reoccurring.