11 Tips to Help Alleviate Your Headaches & Neck Pain Naturally

If you are experiencing a headache with neck pain, then this could be an ongoing problem that puts a dark cloud over your day. A headache alone is enough to throw off your day, but when you add in the accompanying neck pain it can make it hard to work and function in your daily life. It makes a huge difference to your overall health if you are able to better understand what causes a headache and some tips to help you alleviate your headache with neck pain naturally.

The main headaches you can experience are stand-alone illnesses that can be directly attributed to issues and even overactivity with various structures of the head. There are many different parts of your anatomy involved like your muscles, blood vessels, and nerves in your head and neck. You must also take into account that headaches can be caused by changes in chemical activity in the brain.

The combination of a headache and neck pain might make it difficult to move the head or focus. Although tight and uncomfortable neck muscles might result from headaches, a neck issue like inflamed nerves can also result in headaches. Headache and neck discomfort are frequently seen in tandem with the following conditions: 

• Anxiety headache 
• Migraine
• Hypertension

Tips for Relieving Headaches and Neck Aches

 1) Ice Your Head and Neck

The use of cold therapy techniques helps to reduce the blood flow in your head, which acts to alleviate your headache. Using an ice pack on your head can also decrease your muscle spasms along with the inflammation you are experiencing. Start by holding the cold treatment to your temples and forehead.

2) Put Pressure on Your Problem Areas

Using your fingertips to apply pressure to certain areas of your head may provide some degree of pain relief you are feeling from tension headaches. Make sure to try putting pressure on your temples, forehead, and even the back of your neck.

3) Get Enough Rest

Making sure that you get enough rest can be a great way to combat your headache with neck pain. If you aren’t able to get a good night’s sleep and are running in a lethargic state, this can induce headaches with neck pain or exacerbate a headache you already have. It has also been shown that if you oversleep that you may experience tension headaches as well and worsen a headache you already have.

4) Find Your Perfect Pillow

Having the right pillow can make all the difference. Choosing the pillow that is best for you will enable you to sleep comfortably while supporting both the head and neck. This reduction in awkward sleeping positions will, ultimately, your headaches and ongoing neck pain. Be sure to talk to your doctor able their pillow recommendations or ask our team here.

A supportive cushion that fits your needs can support your neck’s natural curvature and lessen headache and neck discomfort. No one pillow is thought to be the greatest for everyone, despite the fact that they can differ widely in height, material, form, and hardness. Your personal tastes and head-neck alignment will determine which cushion is ideal for you. Try out a few different pillows to discover which one makes your neck feel the best when you wake up.

 5) Help Out by Improving Your Posture

Being as aware as you can of your posture can give you more energy throughout the day and keep your body healthy. You might not know it, but your posture affects many important muscle groups in your neck as well as your back and shoulders. Try to always stand as tall as you can with your shoulders back and your back straight. This will help your headache with neck pain and also decrease your back and shoulder problems down the road. 

The muscles and joints of the neck are put under additional strain while spending hours a day hunched over a desk or computer in a forward-facing posture. Instead, maintain a neutral head position with the ears directly above the shoulders and hips, which more naturally balances the head on the cervical spine. This will prevent neck discomfort and/or headaches from developing in the future. Attempt to take breaks from sitting and engage in frequent exercise as tolerated in addition to keeping excellent posture.

6) Try to Relax When You Can

Just relaxing can be a game-changer when it comes to both headaches and migraines. One great way to promote relaxation and reduce your stress and anxiety is through meditation. Even short breathing exercises have shown to be successful in reducing headache symptoms.

7) Heat Therapy Treatments

It is also very common for people to be experiencing headaches that may be caused by constricted blood vessels. This constriction can be relieved by placing a heating pad or heat pack on the back of your neck. Another technique is to take a hot shower and run the hot water on the back of the neck, shoulders, and back.

8) Be Aware of Your Foods and Food Additives

Triggers for headaches and even migraines can be found in certain foods and food additives. These can be snack foods and healthy foods as well. The most common foods and food additives that cause headaches are chocolates, monosodium glutamate, nitrites, nitrates, caffeine, and alcohol consumption. Also, be aware that even light, smell, and sounds can attribute to headaches and migraines.

9) Invest Your Time Into Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is a very beneficial alternative for better managing your headaches with targeted exercises and workouts for neck pain and back pain that lead to headaches. An experienced physical therapist can put together a comprehensive treatment plan to help strengthen the neck and back muscles which will alleviate those headaches you’ve been having.

10) Drink Water 

You can get a headache if you don’t drink enough water. 

In fact, research has shown that persistent dehydration is a typical contributor to tension headaches and migraines. Fortunately, it has been demonstrated that drinking water significantly reduces headache symptoms in most dehydrated people within 30 minutes to three hours. Dehydration can also make it difficult to concentrate and make you irritable, exacerbating your symptoms. Concentrate on consuming enough water throughout the day and eating meals high in water to help prevent headaches caused by dehydration.

11) Keep A Journal Every Day

Writing down your feelings in a private notebook has been linked to a reduction in stress, according to research. Over time, maintaining a journal can also help you figure out what activities or foods are causing your headaches and/or neck discomfort. Keep track of days where you feel both well and unwell, and make note of any foods that may have triggered discomfort. 

 Find a Physical Therapist and Get Back to Living Pain-Free

If you are looking to better manage the headaches with neck pain that you’re dealing with, please contact Mike King at Desert Edge Physical Therapy to help get you back to living a pain-free life. With customized treatment options and one-on-one patient sessions, it is our job to understand how to effectively treat the neck and back pain causing your headaches and migraines.

 

Schedule an appointment with our Desert Edge Physical Therapy team today and ask about our Free Discovery Session.

 

Don’t want to wait? Call us today!

623-334-8767