Alleviating A Tension Headache: Effective Remedies for Relief

Tension Headache Exercises: Toronto Downtown Chiropractor


Struggling with a tension headache that wraps around your forehead or the back of your head like a tight band? If poor posture or stress seems to worsen it, you’re likely dealing with tension headaches. This edition of Bodi Empowerment offers practical advice and 4 tension headache exercises to provide relief.

Understanding Tension Headaches

Tension headaches manifest as muscle tightness in the back, side, or forehead. Often linked to poor posture and stress, these are frequent complaints among patients at our downtown Toronto sports medicine clinic.

Hydration and Exercise: Tension Headache

Intense exercise or insufficient hydration can trigger tension headaches. Simple solutions include hydrating with water or opting for Gatorade for a quick fix. For a natural alternative, coconut water offers a slower blood sugar rise without the harsh effects of too much caffeine. However, moderation is key due to its high potassium content, which in excess, could lead to heart irregularities.

Managing Caffeine Intake and Sleep

Caffeine is a double-edged sword; too much or too little can lead to headaches. Dependence on caffeine, indicated by a need for your morning coffee or afternoon tea, might culminate in withdrawal headaches resembling tension headaches if skipped. Gradually reducing caffeine intake over months, transitioning from coffee to tea, then none can help mitigate these headaches.

Remember, caffeine can linger in your system for over 12 hours, potentially disrupting sleep. Avoid caffeine at least 12 hours before bedtime to ensure it doesn’t affect your sleep quality.

Exercises and Remedies for Tension Headache Relief

In addition to hydration and caffeine management, specific exercises can significantly alleviate tension headache symptoms. For more detailed guidance on exercises and natural remedies for headache relief, check out “5 Remedies For Headache Pains” and “5 Best Exercises For Your Stiff Neck“.

Address The Root Cause of Tension Headaches

Embrace these strategies to manage and reduce your tension headaches effectively. By addressing the root causes such as hydration, caffeine intake, and poor posture, and incorporating targeted exercises, you can enjoy greater comfort and fewer headaches.

Exercises For Tension Headaches

#1 Flexion For Tension Headaches

Flexion Exercises For the Tension Headaches: Toronto Downtown Chiropractor
  • Clasp both hands behind your head as in the picture above.
  • Let the weight of your arms pull your neck down – feel the stretch. For some people, you can pull but for most people just let the weight of your arms pull your neck forward until you feel a good stretch.
  • Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Do it 3 times in one go.
  • You should do the exercise several times a day.
  • This exercise alone helps with tension headaches.

#2 Trap stretch For Tension Headaches

Headache Pain Exercise #5 Trapezius Stretch

That’s one of the muscles that raises your shoulder. To stretch this muscle follow these steps.

  • Let one shoulder relax and drop.
  • Bend your neck sideways away from the relaxed shoulder.
  • Put your left hand (for this picture) on your head and let the weight of your arm pull your head down.
  • You should hold for 30 seconds or more for 3 sets. Do this exercise several times a day.
  • Very useful when your tension headache is to one side.

#3 Levator Stretch For Tension Headaches

  • Do the trapezius stretch.
  • Gradually turn your chin toward the opposite shoulder while holding that stretched feeling.
  • You should feel it on the same side you felt the trapezius stretch, but more in the neck area.
  • Do 3 sets for 30 seconds on both sides.

#4 Neck Rotation For Tension Headaches

Cervical Spine Pain Exercise:Rotation -Toronto Downtown Chiropractor
  • Turn your head as far right as you can go. Now turn your head as far left as you can go
  • If you get pain continue on the side of pain. Yes, rotate your head into the pain. Not hard. Just a little bit into the pain
  • This decreases the tension in your neck to help your tension headache.
  • If the pain increases switch sides and continue only on that side.

Tell us what you think in the comments below and like us on Facebook. This Toronto Downtown Chiropractor will answer all questions in the comments section.

Leave a Reply

  • Hello Dr.Ken,
    I have a severe headache that comes once in 1&1/2 ~ 2 month, its source is at the base of my neck, closer to my left shoulder, there is a stiff part there. And whenever the headache starts it goes from this point all the way up to the left side of my brain just above my ear. A physiotherapist has told me that the headache is due to the stiffness in my neck and when not enough oxygen reaches my brain. He recommended a basic stretch of hand (stretching my left hand straight to my right side & locking it with my right hand). What exercises do you recommend?
    Thank you!

    • Post
      Author

      Thanks for your question Abay. If the problem is coming from your neck the exercises here in the article may help. The comment about not enough oxygen to the brain would indicate a different problem. Usually not enough oxygen is related to heart, lung, blood clotting, bleeding, blood pressure problems. Lack of oxygen causing headaches and neck related headaches are usually very different and unrelated problems. Perhaps you misunderstood. You should definitely get a second opinion from your medical doctor. This is an opinion and not a recommendation.

      Hope that helps your tension headaches.

  • Hello Dr. Ken its me again, just want to tell you everything just for a reminder of what i am going through, because i know you deal with lots of cases and clients. Since September 2015 I’ve had neck stiffness/shoulder/upper back type of pain only on the left side and i also was feeling tightness around the left side of my head back of my ear and around my temples things just felt off, i didn’t feel none of this in my right side i felt really free on the right side. i thought i had a brain tumor but last month i went to see a nerve specialist and he didn’t think it was a brain tumor but instead it could be all caused by the jaw movement, as he was telling me to open and close he told me the left side is kind of locked up….and i saw the above reply you showed me, i did some of that an some other jaw exercises i found on youtube none of them are really consistent, well not for me. I just wanted to ask you do you think my jaw problem will ever go away? and another question i have for you is do you treat tmj? and if so is there any way i can book an appointment at your office… hope to hear back from you soon thank you sir.

    • Post
      Author

      Thanks for your question Alex. Here is the link if you need to make an appointment. http://www.bodiempowerment.com/contact/book-an-appointment/
      Jaw problems can be due to many causes. One of them is trauma, bruxing (grinding teeth) which many people do as a result of stress and bite problems, to name a few. Without knowing the cause to your problem I cannot tell you if your pain will ever go away. A proper diagnosis must be made first and the cause ascertained.

      Hope that helps your Jaw Problem.

  • Post
    Author

    Thanks for your question Alex. You can get an MRI or CT scan in Buffalo, USA if you pay for it. Having said that it sounds like the problem is either in your jaw or your neck and not a tumor in your brain. You should get your neck and or jaw treated conservatively. Having said that I haven’t examined you. From what you have told me though it doesn’t sound like a brain tumour. You don’t mention anything about headaches or throbbing. Sounds like typical jaw or neck pain. Is there anything your’re not telling me?

    Hope that helps your jaw pain and neck pain.

    • yeah thanks for your reply doctor Ken.. everyday i woke up I’ve been getting this kind of tension in the neck/jaw/head 24/7 for 3 months i can feel something is wrong. i don’t feel a headache like i never get symptoms like nausea or anything like that but i get this kinda numbness in the left side of my head. all of the jaw and neck stiffness and kinda head numbness are all on my left side of my head idk what it is…is there any other places i can go to get a scan? like hospital, neurologist, doctor, or do you know anybody in the Toronto area? and i also wanted to ask you can you figure out if somebody has a brain tumor through a blood test? because the medical clinic i attend tested me and i am fine except that i have high blood pressure….i asked them if i can get a reference to get a scan for my head and they were denying saying i didn’t need one i don’t know what to do doctor…

      • Post
        Author

        Thanks for your question Alex. It sounds like you really want a scan or imaging of some type. There are lots of MRI’s and CAT scans in Toronto but a medical doctor has to refer you. That is the only way in Canada. The only alternative is to pay for it in Buffalo. I cannot refer you for an MRI or CAT scan.

        It’s possible you actually need a scan but I haven’t examined you, and I couldn’t send you anyways.

        There is no blood test that will diagnose a brain tumour.

        Why don’t you go to another medical doctor as they are the only ones that can send you for an MRI.

        Hope that helps Alex.

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img 9195 4 depositphotos bgremover
Dr. Ken is an award-winning chiropractor in downtown Toronto, serving a diverse clientele. He is an avid athlete, representing Ontario in the Canadian Judo Championships, and has completed the Toronto Marathon twice. Dr. Ken specializes in in treating his patients using the C3 Program.