Updated April 20, 2024

Many people who suffer from headaches search for a way to prevent them, as well as, treat them in a way that involves less down time, less medication, and less expense. There is no doubt that there are some great medications out there for treating the different kinds of headaches.  Muscle tension headaches respond well to NSAIDS and muscle relaxants, migraines respond well to the triptan medications.  However, most medications do just that- treat the headache once it is there.  There are some medications that are preventative but require daily dosing which can be expensive and increase the possibility of side effects.

What types of integrative medicine therapies or complementary methods might there be to prevent headaches?  We cannot answer that question until we know what causes headache pain.

Integrative Medicine Looks at the Cause of Headache Pain

Common muscle tension or stress headache triggers

• Lack of sleep, poor sleep, poor sleep conditions
• Head or neck injury
• Repetitive stress such as sitting at the computer all day
• Emotional stress
• Tension or strain of neck, scalp, face, jaw
• Eye strain

What about Headaches and Diet?

Food and drink is another category that can contribute to headaches. Alcohol is an obvious beverage that can cause a headache when too much is consumed, but for some people even a small amount of red wine will trigger a headache. Too much caffeine or sugar can cause headaches. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, and now, even some water drinks. Many common over- the-counter medications contain caffeine and many are used to treat headaches! Prescription medications also may contain caffeine. If this is an issue for you, always check labels for o-t-c medications or talk to the pharmacist. Some sweeteners, such as aspartame, can cause headaches as can aged cheeses or yogurt, and foods or soups containing MSG, often used in Chinese food.  Keeping a list of foods that seem to trigger or exacerbate a headache is helpful.

How Can Headaches be Prevented?

• Get enough refreshing sleep – 7-8 hours minimum
  • Comfortable, supportive, clean sleep surface
  • Comfortable room temperature
  • No EMF’s- turn off the TV, Cell phone, wireless network, computer
  • No stimulants before bed, no caffeine or sugar
  • Minimize fluids depending on your own bladder habits
  • No showers- water hitting the skin is stimulating, take a warm bath instead
• Exercise daily and this means more than just walking the dog. Try to get out in the fresh air and walk briskly for 30 minutes. If you are unsure of how to exercise properly and safely ask a professional trainer.
• Three components are necessary for exercise: Flexibility- stretch,  Strength- resistance training (usually with weights), and Endurance – cardiovascular or aerobic
• Daily meditations or centering: Prayer, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga, Sitting Meditation, to find your calm
• Keep a food journal, especially during stressful times to see how food may be related to headaches

If you use the above techniques and still suffer regularly from muscle tension headaches you should have another work-up to rule out more serious problems.  If the work up has already shown nothing more, make an appointment to discuss a personalized integrative medicine approach to headache treatment and prevention.  The above lists are, by no means, comprehensive. The dietary influence was mentioned, but headaches may also be a symptom of food or chemical sensitivity or allergy.

As you see, there are many things that can cause headaches and a whole-body integrative medical approach can help you identify the triggers, get to the source of the issue and find good solutions.