The Cause of Chronic Tension Headaches

Poor posture is at the root of chronic tension headaches.

An article written by holistic care author Doug Fogel explains how having a tight neck, shoulders, and upper back contribute to chronic tension headaches. He says the tension is caused by poor posture and/or accident-related trauma. Conventional treatments like pain medication have little effect on long term relief. The only way to relieve symptoms is to treat the cause of the tension and address instances of poor posture.

Tension headaches become chronic when a person is hunched over at work and continues to strain the muscles in the neck, shoulders, and upper back at home. As time passes, these muscles are trained to adapt to abnormal positioning and the tightness causes muscle spasms. These spasms reduce blood flow to the neck and back of the head and can also irritate nerve endings. Chronic tension headaches are the result of excess stress on the muscles and the loss of blood flow to the head.

With continued strain on the neck, shoulder, and upper back, muscles knot up to prevent tearing.. Nonetheless,, injury occurs within the muscle fibers at a microscopic level. The torn muscle fibers leave scar tissue that locks muscle spasms in place. Engaging in physical activity and actively addressing postural problems at work, home, and during sleep can effectively address the source of tension headaches.