Headache is known to be very common with anxiety. There are many types of headaches reported among anxiety sufferers. Migraine headache, tension headache, sinus type headache, pressured headache.
I myself experienced all kinds of headaches in my anxiety days. Needless to say, with anxiety sufferers, it’s not just about the headache. The fearful thoughts that come with headaches that are the real issue.
I remember having so much headache I thought I had a brain tumor and ended up getting so many tests including MRIs. Of course, the result is a healthy brain. I later blamed it on my blood pressure. Maybe because it’s too high, maybe because it’s too low. The more I researched, the more serious concerns I found about my headache. It was fear then stress then more fear which leads to more headaches. I was obsessed with my blood pressure monitor. I would panic if I couldn’t find my monitor.
There were times when it wasn’t the pain that bothered me, but rather the pressure I felt in my head. The pressure could be from inside my skull like a balloon is being over inflated. Or it could be from the top down like someone putting a set of weight on top of my head. Other times it felt like both my temples were being squeezed by a set of metal clamps. I would walk around consumed in the fear that my head would give out and exploded.
Whenever I have a shooting pain in my head, I would think it’s a stroke and panic. I started going in front of the mirror to check if my face was drooping or if one side of my body is heavier or weaker than the other. Well, at least that was what Dr. Google told me to do.
Later on, I realized the cause of my headaches came from many factors.
First is muscle tension. Muscles tension is the main cause of 90% of anxiety symptoms. Stress causes your muscles to tighten up. With anxiety and panic attacks sufferers, stress hormone flows through our body 24/7, and at a very high level. Our muscles constantly tensing up and once they’re overworked, they will cause pain. The group of muscles behind the neck and upper shoulders are the ones that get the most tension. These muscles are directly the blame for our headaches. On top of that, our scalp muscles, jaw muscles, muscles behind our eyes all are under tension leading to more headache.
Lack of sleep, which is common with anxiety, is also a well-known cause for headache. Loss of appetite would also lead to not having enough nutrient which can cause headache.
People who are under constant stress tend to clench their teeth. Once those jaw muscles are overworked, they can cause headache on one or both side of your head.
Everyone experiences headache from time to time. But with anxiety sufferers, our nerves are extremely sensitized so a good old headache can be intensified into something unbearable. And if you add fear into the equation, it doesn’t take long for panic to kick in. And panic causes more anxiety, and more headaches will sure follow.
I remember my headaches was becoming less frequent and less in intensity as my anxiety got better. I still had headache from time to time. But with acceptance and not adding secondary fear into the mix. I’m able to get back to normal life without
Long term treatment:
Short Term Treatment:
Using a massage pillow was a life saver for me. It loosens up the tightness on my upper back and neck area and ultimately relieve my headache.