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The Way You Work Can Cause Headaches

June 10, 2005 -- According to the Cleveland Clinic, about 9 million Americans suffer from chronic tension headaches. The National Headache Foundation says up to 40 million Americans suffer from repeated tension headaches.



Paul Bacho, a certified athletic trainer in Streetsboro, Ohio, said most of these people suffer due to poor posture.



"The problem is that many people have jobs that put them in a lousy positioning all day," said Bacho, who has been an athletic trainer for over 27 years. "They don't realize that they have to take periodic breaks to take pressure off of their neck, shoulder and upper back muscles."



Bacho, who has developed a home-based treatment program for chronic tension headache sufferers, said the root of the problem is tight and spasmed muscles in the neck, shoulders and upper back.



This tightness and spasms associated with this tightness, he said, restrict blood flow to the back of the head and irritate nerve endings there, resulting in chronic tension headaches.



"The best medicine is prevention," he said. "It's important to take breaks to loosen up when you feel a headache coming on so you don't develop the muscle spasms in the first place."



To that end, he said, while people are at work - before a headache comes on - they should:



1. Sit up straight and stand up straight. In other words, assume the military position: shoulders back, head up, chest out, stomach tight.



2. If you sit all day, get a chair with good back support.



3. Bring your work surface closer to you. For example, if your job involves stooping down to your work station, elevate it on a platform so you don't have to bend down so low.



4. Take several breaks during the day to perform a series of stretching and isometric exercises. These can be done sitting or standing:



a. With your hands behind your back, gently pull your shoulders back and maintain this position for one to three minutes.



b. Turn your head halfway to the right (or left). Then drop your head forward until you feel slight tension. Let the weight of your head gently stretch the neck muscles. Go slowly - no pain! Hold this position for up to two minutes, then turn to the opposite side and repeat.



If you've already got a tension headache, Bacho recommends:



1. Performing the previously mentioned stretching exercise.



2. Applying moist heat on the neck and shoulders - a towel soaked in very warm water, for example. If moist heat is impractical or isn't available, use dry heat.



3. Getting someone to give your neck and shoulders a deep tissue massage.



For more information about chronic tension headaches and how to get rid of them, go to Bacho's web site at

http://www.tensionheadaches.com or e-mail him at e-mail protected from spam bots.

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