Tension Headache

For the past 3 weeks I've been getting daily headaches with tightness and congestion it varies throughout the day in pain and pressure

I spoke to my doctor who said I'm having tension headaches.

I have alot of muscle tightness in my neck, shoulders as well which could be a factor. The same with not sleeping properly and not drinking enough water can contribute as well.

The weird thing is I can't pinpoint why or what started them and I dont even know why I'm do stressed and tense.

Although i did have them for a week straight in 2021 but it went away.

I also talked to my younger brother and he said he'd been having them for 4+months daily which does worry me.

 

There was also an recent, excellent news article of how media, both major media and “creator” created media (social media, podcasts, YouTube) are using fear and stress as ways to control their audience, it how it is effecting people. I stopped watching tv and most movies years ago because they have almost all been only about worst case scinareos. .

 

As someone well familiar with both tension headaches and muscle tightness, I have no doubts that all the symptoms you are experiencing result from anxiety and stress. The best way to reduce anxiety and stress is to meditate regularly. I would also take the advice from @Cactusflower and @JanAtheCPA and disconnect from the external stresses as much as possible.

 

I can say i hurt my neck in 2019. Lot of factors but i think there is no doubt stress anger and anxiety aggravated it and made it worse.
My tension headaches especially. I was particularly stressed at work when my neck injury went down hill bad. Inwas having headaches 3-4 days a week. Got it down to every ither week or so unkess i strain/aggravte my neck

 

What's weird as well is I've had a tension headache for a full week before years ago and it went away but for some reason this has stuck around for a month.

I think maybe I've had 2 days where I felt like it was gone.

I've had tension I'm my neck and shoulders for awhile now but i guess it's gotten to the point where it could be causing this now.

All I know is my body is trying to tell me something and I need to try my best to reduce my stress, eat healthier, sleep better.

My work has been very busy and stressful but even on my days off I feel like I haven't really relaxed much at all.

I'm just having the worst case scenario thoughts about it but I know I need to stop thinking and worrying about it.

 

Of course you can't . That is how TMS works...and when they went away in '21? Same thing was operative.

I started getting a tension headache with a neck cramp yesterday. I was 'blaming it' on my new contacts, working on a hillside and operating a 3000psi pressure sprayer...but I do those all of the time???? SO before that became a conditioned response I also knew I have been under a ton of pressure economically/baseball-ically/socially and familialy....probably TMS trying to sneak in!

Right then Some Wealthy Old man pulled up in an expensive car and asked me to move my truck off his 'lawn'. My first 'pasted on smile-nice guy' response was 'Oh...yes sir...right away'..and then I realized ....Wait...THIS guy can make my Headache go away!

so, to myself I forcefully begin to think:

"That dude needs to DIE...he's old, useless, is using way too much resource AND he thinks the shoulder of the road (where everybody parks in Nashville) is his 'Lawn'... I ought to go and dump Roundup on his lawn in the shape of a swastika just to freak him out. (I am 1/2 Jewish btw)
Logan's Run was a pretty good idea...maybe we should get rid of everybody over 60 (I am 58)"
.....and on and on and on...

I really get into these sort of 'Brainstorms' because after doing this for a long time, I know the nastier thought that I allow myself to think and do it with Chutzpah, the faster the symptom goes away....and it did. By the time I got home, I remembered "Oh yeah..I was feeling like crap a few hours ago...I was probably just scared like I always am whenever I start a new job"

You don't need to BE a dick, but thinking dickish thoughts with FORCE is always a good way to banish TMS.

 

I have gone 0 for 6 in my first two games...so I am struggling 'baseballically'...Yes, I am so childish that not excelling in a game can trigger symptoms if I am not aware of how angry it makes me.

I cannot reason it away. I am 30 years older than the other guys...There is zero pressure on me because I am a 'token'...etc None of those Obvious details can deter my monstrous ego... When I am there and in the game, I get just as frustrated (or exhilarated) as I did when I was 8.

 

I've definitely been dealing with alot of things at once for way too long and I guess this is its way of distracting

Before I've been dealing with tmj for years another tms thing long story short I told all of my tension in my jaw, neck, shoulders

So why is it causing me headaches now ? It doesn't make sense other then the fact that I have alot I'm dealing worh in my life right now and this is making all of that stress and anxiety worse.

Most likely I have a upcoming dental procedure (gum graft) is what's stressing me out also I would get gum pain from stress to the point I thought I had cavities which i do get because I breathe through my mouth alot thanks to my messed up nose which surgery didn't really help years ago.

 

From my observations, there are three general directions that people take in their TMS healing:
1. Classic Sarno. Find the smoking gun, understand it, pain goes away.
2. Power through. Ignore the pain, move on with your life, eventually pain somehow goes away.
3. De-sensitize your nervous system by meditation and therapy.

I tried #1 and #2. They did not work. I never found a smoking gun neither in my past or present life, I could not ignore the pain.
But #3 worked, albeit very slowly.

You need to spend some time to figure out which one of the three, or any combination of those would work for you. It is very individual.

 

#2 has what has worked for me typically but I sometimes get into this panic/doom mode initially it's only been a month of these daily headaches but I've had I rhink two days where they didn't happen and I need to just relax and let it go

I keep thinking it's pshyical because my neck abd shoulder muscles are very tight and I have alot of knotting in them but I know deep down that's likely not the cause because I've always had that for as long as I can remember when I get stressed/anxiety

 

Remember, your tight muscles are result of stress and anxiety. Mechanism of this is well described by the fight or flight concept. Read more about it.

 

This is helpful to see this described in this way.
I think I've seen folks on this forum, especially recently, move down this list from #1 to #3.
There's the #1 relief some folks get just by reading a book by Dr. Sarno--and maybe trying a few of the practices. That connection to a potential solution after so much struggle with symptoms can be huge. But, the progress can be temporary. I experienced my own version of this.

There's the #2 attempt when the pain returns after a while and sometimes returns in another area of the body. That feeling that reading the book should be enough shows up. Maybe some other practices are attempted, including talking to your brain/reminding yourself that no pain distraction is necessary, thank you very much!

There's the #3 solution that Dr. Sarno often wrote about--folks who need deeper work, including therapy to remain symptom-free.
I think there are more variations here, more ways to find solutions, including programs, journaling, mindfulness, etc. etc.
I also think it can be easy enough for symptoms to return and that going back to #1 or #2 might be part of the process for some people. When new stresses emerge, or old hang-ups return, or the world around us goes crazy, it's easy to fall back.

 

As I'm in the UK there's a paywall on Telegraph newspaper articles. I can only see the first line of the first paragraph, but you've piqued my interest and I'm wondering what they're recommending to do about every day micro stressors and the build up of them - journal? Thanks!

 

Many thanks, @JanAtheCPA. I do appreciate the main point you were making but just wondered if the article was suggesting anything new with regard to recognising and tackling micro-stressors. I shall take a look at those links.

 

Hi all,

Here's an attached pdf copy of that article. And, the book review that Jan posted might state it even better.
This tendency to ignore micro-stresses reminds me of the learned tendency I have to repress emotions. And, we know what happens when we have these unacceptable emotions that get buried and then something triggers them in our day-to-day lives (maybe even a series of micro-stresses that I think I should be able to handle).

It was so helpful for me to read that today. I need to check out that book!
Cheers--have a good Sunday!

 

Hi @Bonnard,

Searching around this subject, I came across another more recent book (published a year ago) about micro-stresses called 'The Microstress Effect: How Little Things Pile Up and Create Big Problems--and What to Do about It' by Bob Cross and Karen Dillon, which also looks interesting https://www.amazon.co.uk/Microstress-Effect-Little-Things-Problems/dp/1647823978/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3T0WEI0YXVLEF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2O3f857A_GUin0LCHuLU6ONNTkoemYiz8cWdAg2Rea_s8Z21trATNrslpMyGH9ZK.qbG2Tn2Dak-vtN8HhlzmMcicgggOdCXCJNBUr2Tb0VE&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+microstress+effect&qid=1714331098&sprefix=the+microstress+effect%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-1 (Amazon.co.uk)

... and this is a short article about the book https://fortune.com/well/2023/04/18/microstress-harms-health-happiness-what-can-help/ (Tiny stressors, major impact: how to keep 'microstress' from wrecking your health and happiness)

 

Thank you I really appreciate all of the suggestions and advice in this thread

I've been trying my best to just relax abd stay offline because I unfortunately was doom scrolling (which I haven't done in a very long time)

And came across something called new daily persistent headaches and I got immediately anxious and terrified.

Granted it's only been a month since these started out of nowhere and I can't think like that.

Ugh! Why did I have to read that.