Suffering from a dull, aching pain? Feel like you have a tight band around your head? This is the most common form of headache and can be caused by stress, fatigue, poor posture, eye strain, tobacco and alcohol use, and even hormonal changes in women before and after a menstrual period. Tension headaches although they can occur in people of all ages, they usually begin in early adulthood or later.
There are several underlying factors that contribute to tension headaches. The most common factors fit into three categories: physical, psychological, and environmental.
Physical Triggers:
Lack of sleep, hunger, poor posture, and eye strain can be tension headache triggers.
Poor Posture:
Correct your posture by sitting up straight with your feet flat on the floor. Don't sit too long in one position. Don't sleep in a crooked position as this can stiffen the head and neck muscles and cause them to contract.
Eye Strain:
Check your eye sight. Read with sufficient light. If you work at a computer, however, glare from overhead lights can contribute to eye fatigue. Angle your computer monitor away from the light or use a glare screen. Take short periods of rest to avoid eye strain.
Environmental Triggers:
Allergy or sensitivity to substances in our environment can cause tension headaches. Common foods that have been linked to headaches are matured cheese, chocolate, citrus, onions, chilli, cinnamon, and foods that are fried, fatty, pickled or processed. Alcohol in wine, champagne, beer and hard liquor can also trigger headaches.
Welcome relief
A powerful pain reliever that gets to work fast, Anadin Extra tablets contain an effective combination of pain relieving ingredients.
Your tension headache kit:
- Anadin Extra: two Anadin Extra tablets act fast on tension headaches.
- Water: Making sure you’re hydrated by drinking lots of water, ideally at room temperature, can help alleviate your headache.
- Music: Choose a calming playlist such as gentle piano or strings.
- Sunglasses or eye mask: Screening light can help rest your eyes.
- Oils: Lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine will all help you relax. Put 5 drops of essential oil in cold or warm water, submerge a soft cloth then put it on your head or neck.
Preventing tension headaches
Eat healthily
- Soups are a great way to add more veggies to your diet.
- Try to stick to healthier snacks – keep yourself stocked up with fresh fruit or pre-prepared vegetables for snack attacks.
Sleep well
- Get your body into a routine and stick to it – try to keep to the same times for going to bed and getting up, even at weekends.
- Create relaxing sleep triggers by doing the same thing every night before going to bed. Try reading, taking a warm bath or enjoying a chamomile tea for example.
- Make sure you’re comfortable – replace a lumpy mattress or invest in a mattress topper.
- Limit light and noise with earplugs and eye masks.
- Avoid stimulants when it’s close to bedtime. Not just coffee: this includes more surprising things like tea, fizzy drinks, chocolate, nicotine and alcohol.
Relax
- Don’t overdo it! If you’re feeling under the weather or tired, give your body a break.
- Experiment with relaxation techniques like meditation.
- Indulge in a massage to release tension.
- Take time out to enjoy yourself – whether it be listening to music, walking in the park or catching up with friends.
Big night out? Excessive alcohol consumption causes dehydration, which often leads to a headache.
Welcome relief
A powerful pain reliever that gets to work fast, Anadin Extra tablets contain an effective combination of pain relieving ingredients.
Your overindulgence headache kit:
- Anadin Extra: two Anadin Extra tablets act fast on overindulgence headaches.
- Water: Drink as much water as you can (ideally at room temperature) to help counteract the effects of the alcohol.
- Mild exercise: Helps rid the body of toxins and gets blood and oxygen to your brain.
- Green tea: To relax and refresh your body.
Avoid alcohol: Your body needs 24 hours to rehydrate
Preventing overindulgence headaches
Reduce your alcohol intake
Try not to exceed the NHS’s recommended daily guidelines for alcohol too often – that’s no more than 2 to 3 units for women and 3 to 4 units for men. A unit is one measure of spirits or about a third of a pint of beer.
Acute pain centred around one eye? The cluster headache is so called because it occurs in ‘clusters’, ranging from every other day to eight times a day. It may cause the eye to become red and watery.
Welcome relief
A powerful pain reliever that gets to work fast, Anadin Extra tablets contain an effective combination of pain relieving ingredients.
Your tension headache kit:
- Anadin Extra: two Anadin Extra tablets act fast on tension headaches.
- Water: Making sure you’re hydrated by drinking lots of water, ideally at room temperature, can help alleviate your headache.
- Music: Choose a calming playlist such as gentle piano or strings.
- Sunglasses or eye mask: Screening light can help rest your eyes.
- Oils: Lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine will all help you relax. Put 5 drops of essential oil in cold or warm water, submerge a soft cloth then put it on your head or neck.
Preventing cluster headaches
Eat healthily
- Soups are a great way to add more veggies to your diet.
- Try to stick to healthier snacks – keep yourself stocked up with fresh fruit or pre-prepared vegetables for snack attacks.
Sleep well
- Get your body into a routine and stick to it – try to keep to the same times for going to bed and getting up, even at weekends.
- Create relaxing sleep triggers by doing the same thing every night before going to bed. Try reading, taking a warm bath or enjoying a chamomile tea for example.
- Make sure you’re comfortable – replace a lumpy mattress or invest in a mattress topper.
- Limit light and noise with earplugs and eye masks.
- Avoid stimulants when it’s close to bedtime. Not just coffee: this includes more surprising things like tea, fizzy drinks, chocolate, nicotine and alcohol.
Relax
- Don’t overdo it! If you’re feeling under the weather or tired, give your body a break.
- Experiment with relaxation techniques like meditation.
- Indulge in a massage to release tension.
- Take time out to enjoy yourself – whether it be listening to music, walking in the park or catching up with friends.
Pain and redness on the sides of your nose and below your eyes? This is caused by pressure in the sinuses following a blockage of mucus, and can develop when the sinuses are inflamed after a cold or ‘flu (link to fly symptoms page). It may also be caused by an infection in the sinuses.
Welcome relief
A powerful pain reliever that gets to work fast, Anadin Extra tablets contain an effective combination of pain relieving ingredients.
