Nobody likes feeling pain, especially when it’s severe. And migraine sufferers know as well as anyone that there’s nothing like a severe migraine headache. Severe pounding in the temples is not the only pain migraines produce. Migraine attacks can be accompanied by a varied assortment of pain and neurological disorders including nausea, vomiting, neck pain, problems with muscle coordination, light sensitivity, auditory hallucinations, visual disturbances, increased sensitivity to smells, abnormal tastes, vertigo, dizziness, numbness and tingling in the extremities or face, diarrhea, loss of facial color, cold hands or feet, speech disturbances, and other unpleasant sensations.

So what can be done to eliminate this often unbearable pain? How can you get the migraine headache relief you so desperately want? Fortunately, there are many good natural solutions available that are often more effective for treating headaches than prescription or over-the-counter medications. One of the best solutions is stress reduction.

Stress is caused by any change in your environment that requires you to respond or adjust to the situation and is one of the most common triggers of migraines. It is also one of the major contributing factors to many other diseases and disorders. This makes eliminating mental pressure a vital component of relieving pain. It is generally accepted that migraine sufferers do not cope as well as others when confronted with stressful circumstances.

Everyone encounters tension or dangerous situations at some point in their life and our bodies have a natural reaction in these situations. When confronted with a stressful event our bodies instantly produce chemicals that prepare us for fighting or running away. This is called the “fight or flight” response. This response can produce blood vessel changes that cause migraine headaches. Mental strain can build up over time or come on suddenly. Chronic headaches, if stress related, are usually caused by daily influences such as job pressure, job loss, marriage problems, health concerns, pregnancy, heavy traffic, confrontations, accidents, or money problems.

There are many methods for treating tension including stress management techniques, biofeedback therapy, medications, and others. Medications are typically for short term relief while stress management techniques can often be more effective over the long term. Realizing that mental pressure is a major contributing factor of headaches, the next question becomes “how can I reduce my stress?”

People getting too little sleep are more susceptible to stress, and therefore an important step in lessening mental tension is getting the proper amount of rest. Other ways to reduce stress and achieve migraine headache relief include taking a warm bath or shower, taking a nap, or getting regular exercise. Taking a bath or a nap can help relieve pain while you’re currently suffering from migraine pain, but to benefit from exercise you must do it on a regular basis. Exercising during a migraine episode can actually exacerbate the symptoms.

Another stress reduction method is massage and can be performed either by you or someone else. With a steady rotating pressure, gently rub the painful area of your head with your fingers. Rubbing your neck and upper back can also help relieve muscle tension. Applying ice to the base of the neck is another good way to reduce the pressure in your head because it lessens the blood flow. Be aware that you should never place ice directly on your head or neck. There should be a thin barrier placed between the ice and your body. The barrier will usually be a damp cloth (thin towel, t-shirt, etc.) or paper towels.

There are many ways to cope with stress, and it’s usually imperative that you change a few things in your life if you want to enjoy relief from migraine headaches. Lessening tension can be achieved in many ways. These include asking others for help in tough situations, maintaining emotionally supporting family relationships, changing or distancing yourself from the source of your stress, maintaining your composure during emotional situations, eating healthy meals, eliminating bad habits such as smoking, drinking, or taking drugs, and exercising regularly.

Your self-esteem also plays a vital role in the amount of pressure you feel. People that like themselves generally feel less mental pressure. Reading self-help or self-esteem-building books can boost your sense of self-worth which can lessen your anxieties. Lowering your stress is more a process than a single event. Eliminating bad habits, exercising regularly, getting the proper amount of sleep, and eating healthily are all processes that should be constants in your life, not periodic events. If achieving migraine headache relief is important to you, start thinking about ways to reduce your stress. By changing just a few bad habits it may be possible to change your entire life.