Tension headaches don't always start inside your head. Any strain on your neck muscles (like bad posture, staring down at a laptop, sleeping on a plane) can also turn into a headache. Remind your spouse about this the next time you ask for a massage. There are lots of other ways to help prevent a headache, too:
• Drink water. Dehydration can cause headaches, so be sure you get the recommended eight glasses of water a day. You may need even more if you exercise a lot or if it's hot outside.
• Sit up straight. Poor posture can strain your back and neck muscles and lead to a headache. (Looks like mom was right, after all.)
• Eat regularly. Skipping meals can be a cause of headaches, especially if you go without food for 5 waking hours or 13 nighttime hours.
Finding the cause is the first step to understand the treatment. In many diseases the cause is still not well understood, but we do have clues that are leading us to the new frontiers of treatment and remedies. Look around the site for everything from headache causes to medications to natural treatments to lifestyle changes that can minimize your pain.
How to relieve a headache
