’m naturally quite a headachy person and so is Mr Smaggle. In fact Mr Smaggle is basically a walking headache and I’m not far behind him. I’ve spent lots of time at the doctor trying to figure it out but doctors can be a bit slack. If you go in with headaches, they do a few a tests and as long as you don’t have some kind of terminal illness they stop caring and they’re like ‘You’re not dying so thanks bye!’ and I’m left there being all ‘Yeah but I still have my headaches…’. and they’re basically pushing me out the door and telling me I don’t have a brain tumour so I’m fine. Super unhelpful.
So I’ve been doing some research on headaches in the last few years and I’ve discovered that most of them are caused by muscle tension, particularly in your neck and shoulders. Which is why when you’ve slept all twisty like a pretzel, you’ll wake up in the morning feeling like a bear did a giant poo on your brain. Most headaches are caused by neck and shoulder tension so that’s what you need to try to fix. If your head is feeling a bit thumpy, here are 3 ways to ditch a persistent headache. NOTE: If you’re hungover, none of these will work. Get yourself a banana and some Gatorade. Stat.
1. Book yourself in for a sports massage
It has to be a proper sports massage because sports therapists know what they’re doing and know how to not do further damage. They can gently work out the kinks in your neck that’s causing your headache and the can also figure out what other areas are being affected by your rogue muscles. I once had a sports massage therapist massage the back of my arm for 20 minutes and it not only fixed my headache it also reduced some lower back pain that I was experiencing. Tip: if you have a massage school in your city they often have trainee sports therapists that need people to practice on so you can often get half priced massages. Bargain.
2. Make sure you’re sitting correctly
I often write from my couch at home (like I’m doing right now) and I sit sideways and write with my laptop resting on the arm of the couch. Very naughty. I have about a one hour window where I can do this before my head starts thumping. You need to sit up straight, with your back well supported and if you use a computer you need make sure that your arms are in the correct position with your chair at the right level. If you work in an office there should be an OH&S officer than can help with this otherwise here’s a handy guide. I can also highly recommend investing in a very fancy chair. Mr Smaggle and I both have Herman Millers – I got mine second hand for an absolute steal at $400. I know that some people will balk at $400 for a desk chair but it has made such a difference to my comfort while I’m working and has caused a major reduction in my end-of-the-day headaches from sitting in a stupid position all day. Best money I ever spent.
3. Get a backpack
Handbags are rubbish for your neck and shoulders and since I switched to a back pack last year, I feel so much better. Back packs don’t have to be daggy – I have this one from Cote et Ciel. It’s beautifully designed, non-offensive and I don’t look like too big a dork carrying it around. I cannot stress how terrible it is for your neck and shoulders to be carry around heavy stuff in a shoulder bag. It’s ALL about the backpack. Even weight distribution will totally minimise the strain on your neck and will decrease headaches caused by tension.
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Do you get headaches? How do you keep them under control?
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31 Comments
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We should start a club – I suspect it would be a very large membership. All my life with the headaches. Cyclical migraine every month, which thankfully have stopped since my cycle stopped (yay). All the other headaches I think, as you have discovered, are related to tension in the neck and shoulders. Since I’ve been seeing a massage therapist regularly, my headaches have reduced significantly. It’s expensive, I know, but it does help and it’s not an indulgence, it’s a treatment! X
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I’m currently trying to bully Mr Smaggle into booking in for a massage. We can’t really afford ATM but it’s SO WORTH IT!
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Poor darlin’ I completely understand. A dumpsters worth of pillows, gut rotting amounts of ibuprofen and mattress replacements that nearly sent me broke!
I changed my office chair…hallelujah!… I’m cured x-
My office chair has been brilliant for that and so has my standing desk!
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headaches are the pits smags! … you are doing things that help!
hormonal migraines is what I had, throughout my life, until menopause … all gone! … relief!
I was tested for everything and sent away!
i prefer natural remedies! … these things definitely helped me with all kinds of headaches! … dot points!
* keep hands and feet very warm! … gloves and socks, even a hottie … water bottle that is!
* keep forehead as cool as possible i used herbs wintergreen, don’t wipe into eyes!!!
or peppermint on my forehead and neck! … a cold pack helps too! … and always lavender! … calming!
i’ve used these tablets … feverfew and gingko biloba and others forgotten now!
good luck hun! love m:)X-
I buy these little heat pad things from Daiso and I love them – I’m totally addicted!
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Oh god. Im a headache queen too!!
One Dr put me on to codis (A mix of Codeine + Asprin available over the counter at chemists).
You take 3 of them and its like magic. But PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS unless a dr has told you to!!! It will thin out your blood enough to release tension in your head, and the codeine helps with the pain.
I also take either sandomigrain, or topomax depending on the season.
I also have put in a standing desk at my work and have massages regularly which helps massively!
Headaches are a total bitch. They can just go bite my arse……-
Oh man I need to get my doctor to tell me to do that. It sounds amazing. I wish I could just take sudafed everyday. That shit is the bomb! I can totally understand people who get addicted to prescription meds.
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Can I please join The Headache Club?! Mine are super regular thanks to scoliosis/back surgery. I combat them by seeing my physio once a month, having a remedial massage once a month (by a sports massage therapist), drinking oodles of water daily and making sure I get fresh air, sunshine and some exercise. x
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Oh of course! They would be! I slam water every day and I really noticed when I don’t have enough!
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Switched to using mouse with left hand (am natural right hander)
Yoga poses that open shoulders.
AccupuntureUsed to get sports massages years ago for headaches – should look into that again – thanks!
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Whoa! How does the mouse thing work out? I’m not sure I could do that!
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Another member of the headache club here. I swear by sitting properly, I don’t have a fancy office chair but I do make sure I sit up and sit at the table. If I feel a headache coming on, I sometimes put a warm wheatie bag on my neck and that can do the trick. Oh, and I also am a champion teeth grinder. Since I’ve been fitted out with a mouthguard (oh, so sexy!) I’ve had a lot less neck pain and a lot less headaches. I didn’t even know I was grinding until one day I woke my partner up with my gnashing! No wonder I had so many headaches. I might also have to give a backpack a go, or at least carry a lot less in my handbag!
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I’ve got a mate who is a teeth grinder and her mouth guard has made such a difference to her sleep. I need to go to the doctor and sort myself out. I’ve been a low energy these past few weeks. Although I do have very high standards for my own health!
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Perfect timing on this post, I have had a persistent headache all day!! Maybe a glass of wine will help..
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Wine ALWAYS helps! That’s a lie… it helps immediately and then it makes it worse but then you just drink more wine and everything is fine!
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I will join the club also. I suffer form frequent neck pain which leads to headaches. I am also a migraine sufferer. V x
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Mr Smaggle gets migraines too they’re the worst! He has a whole weird condition though – he needs to get surgery next year on his nose!
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You are so right about the handbag. I am quite sure that I walk lopsided permanently now due to years of carrying a huge handbag on my shoulder (or a heavy baby). I found I would get non stop headaches for about 3 days around that time of the month too so no doubt a hormonal issue going on there. I am all for a head/neck/shoulder/massage to relieve tension – bring it on 🙂
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I carry my backpack everywhere and you’d be surprised how many people tease me about it! I’m all whatever! I’m the only one of my mates that doesn’t have chronic back pain. Backpacks forever!!!
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Count me in, headaches that turn into migranes. I’ve learnt not to ignore the initial headache, heat packs, sports massage, sitting somewhere quiet with eyes closed (not easy to do at work), reduced coffee ???? and bodybalance class (great for realigning everything). A backpack for work would be great, but it would have to be an awesome one that I can also carry toddler supplies.
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That’s a huge one not ignoring the initial headache. It works the same way with colds – I woke up yesterday feeling like shit and even though I had a ton of stuff to do I laid on the couch all day and slept. I always power through and it’s such a big mistake. I feel better today but only because I was so strict on myself yesterday.
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So glad you listened to your body and are feeling better today. Its too easy just to power through then fall in a heap. x
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I actually have suffer from migraines since I was nine and have to take prescribed medication for them. But I definitely get what you mean about getting regular headaches from back and neck muscle tension – I think this is a problem of the technology generation! We all sit too much and are constantly staring at screens (I think eye strain is another cause of headaches). Sports masseurs are worth their weight in gold! I try to make going to them a regular thing so it’s not just ‘fix me’ but also maintenance.
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That’s why I’m so in love with my Fitbit. It’s made such a huge difference to my wellbeing – I just wish it would tell me during the day if I need to move. The apple watch will do that! Can’t wait!
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I quite often get headaches at the end of the working week and you are correct they are from my poor posture! I have a tendency to slouch and sometimes I’m super naughty and tuck one of my legs up (sitting on my foot)….. I do spend a bit of time at the Chiropractor as a result so I’m slowing working on correcting my bad habits! xo
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End of the week headaches are were it’s at! It’s not until you go on holiday that you realise that it’s not normal to have a headache all the time!
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I agree with others – I think there would be quite a club there! I find mine are also related to a lot of stress held around my neck / jaw, etc, and so as well as a mouth split to limit grinding my teeth at night, there have been some great exercises I learned through physios and osteopaths – Including isolating some of the key ligaments in my jaw /within my mouth /back of the neck. Pressing on the right points can give amazing relief -particularly when you’ve been shown how to do them to yourself!
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Ah! Totally! I’m not a teeth grinder (that I know of?) but I know I clench my jaw sometimes while sleeping and that will add to my headaches the next day. I wish I was one of those magical headache free people!
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How did I miss this? I had childhood migraines for years. I remember my Mother getting really angry at me when I left the doctor for the hundredth time with no answer and saying “I think I’d be happier at this point if they’d told me I had a brain tumor”. I think I was 10 or 11.
Thankfully the migraines are pretty rare now and mostly hormonal (they were 3 or 4 times a week as a kid), but I get very regular stress and sinus headaches. I know I rely too heavily on ibuprofen because if I have a headache, I find I’m too distracted by the pain and fuzz to be fully productive. But I also like to squeeze the tendon between the thumb and the index finger for a little natural relief.
The one good thing about responding to this post 4 weeks late is I get a bunch of great advice in the comment section as well.
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Was Super curious to your thoughts here; I totally agree. I seriously hampered my holiday earlier this year after traipsing through airports with an old, heavy laptop in my shoulder handbag. Of course I then needed to see a massage person stat and have several sessions afterwards. It really made me sit up and pay attention. Also: exercising in the wrong way, anyone?! My mission is to build strength slowly – I noticed after a weights sesh or even using my own body weight, neck and shoulders couldn’t handle it and led to headaches & other injury.
If I’m heading to migraine land, a shot of espresso or coke. Alcohol never works for me 🙁
The final thing I’ve noticed related to muscle tension – compression when you’re upset or stressed. There’s times when it doesn’t feel socially appropriate to cry so putting aside time to let out or pay attention to emotions = super important, holding it in = headache.
Was great reading these comments – great to have an arsenal of strategies.
