Consider alternative treatments for headaches
Stress for Success
September 18, 2007

If you experience frequent headaches and the medications you’re taking aren’t working effectively, why not consider natural treatments instead?

Since stress is a major cause of and contributor to headaches it makes sense that alternative treatments for them are familiar stress reduction recommendations: biofeedback and relaxation (well documented as effective headache treatments), acupuncture, massage, herbs, and diets (less well documented as effective).

Let’s start with biofeedback. Small metal sensors attached to your skin measure muscle tension, brain waves, skin temperature, and other vital signs. Stress, through the fight/flight response, reduces skin temperature by constricting blood vessels while relaxation dilates them warming the skin.

According to the Cleveland Clinic biofeedback trains you to send blood flow to your brain for headache management. Most studies show that it reduces the frequency and duration of headaches in children and adults and seems equivalent to many headache medications. And there are no side effects!

Next is acupuncture, the ancient Chinese technique that inserts small needles into specific body points. Acupuncturists believe that illness and pain develop when the natural flow of "chi", the energy that circulates through the body’s meridians, is disrupted, causing an energy imbalance. Acupuncture corrects this imbalance.

It appears that acupuncture may cause the release of pain reducing chemicals, such as endorphins. The World Health Organization recognizes more than 30 diseases or conditions, ranging from allergies to tennis elbow that can be helped by acupuncture. In 1997 the National Institute of Health stated that for headaches, low back pain, menstrual cramps and carpal tunnel syndrome, “acupuncture was useful as part of a comprehensive pain management program.”

Acupuncture’s effects may also be ongoing: in a recent study chronic pain in the neck and shoulders and subsequent headaches were reduced for months.

Another alternative treatment is massage, although clinical trials haven’t demonstrated its value in headache treatment. Since it reduces muscle tension in the back of the head, neck, and shoulders by increasing blood flow it may reduce muscle tension headaches.

Some people swear by the use of herbs for headache treatment and prevention. Feverfew is the most popular herbal remedy for migraines, with studies showing that it’s helpful and well-tolerated, with only mild side effects. However other evidence has found it no more effective than placebos.

Another headache treatment is aromatherapy. There’s some evidence that the use of lavender, ginger and peppermint oils may help relieve tension headaches.

Avoiding certain foods, such as chocolate, aged cheese, citrus fruits, red wine and others, may limit headaches for some if you know which food is causing your headaches. First you’d need to keep an accurate diary of headaches and eating habits. More research is needed to determine if making dietary changes actually reduces headaches. However, significant reduction in migraine headaches has been observed when:
· dietary fat consumption is reduced
· supplementing the diet with omega-3 fatty acids

Since stress strongly contributes to and causes many headaches consult with your physician to decide if a natural versus “medical” approach would be better for you.

Jacquelyn Ferguson, M. S., of InterAction Associates, is a trainer and a Stress Coach. E-mail her at www.jackieferguson.com with your questions or for information about her workshops on this and other topics and to invite her to speak to your organization.