Hey you!
Yes YOU!
How are you holding up?
Thought I’d share this OLD picture of me from around 40 B.C. (Before Corona)
This is me on my little toy tractor that I loved to ride until…the day I rode it down the stairs!
Yes that’s right, down the stairs. Smashed my head, neck etc.
Don’t blame my parents for not being vigilant & having a gate up at all times. After all this was the during the 70’s and things were different back then. My parents were great but you can’t stop a stubborn kid from getting into trouble!
If you’re wondering why I am sharing this story it’s because this incident and several others (a forceps birth) messed up my neck I believe causing me to start getting headaches and migraines at the very young age of 7.
I suffered with neck pain/tightness, headaches and migraines till my 20’s, and when I started getting adjusted they slowly dissipated and I no longer get them.
I noticed for me through those years that the headaches seemed to be brought on by stress – be it studying in school, learning a new job or getting fatigued.
I’m sure some of you can relate right now – you may be under a lot more stress than usual and if you get headaches/migraines they may be worse or you may be getting them for the first time in a long time or ever.
So if you aren’t coming into the office right now because we are only seeing emergency patients, what can you do at home?
One thing that I’ve found helpful is ten minutes of deep slow breathing. This can often relax the muscles in the neck and head so there is less tension.
Headaches usually start small and then build in intensity. When you are first starting to feel your neck and head tighten THAT’s THE TIME to stop and do the 10 minutes of deep slow breathing!
If you notice your headache when is is already pretty bad, try lying on your back with a cooled compress (small flexible ice pack cooled in fridge, not frozen and hard) placed under the base of your skull. You can also try taking a nap. If your headache is really going strong you won’t feel perfect but hopefully with these measures after a good night’s sleep you’ll get relief the next day.
**Note if you are getting new/unusual/ severe headaches consult your healthcare provider for a professional opinion.**
Hope this helps!
Dr. Pete
P.S. If you really want to get advanced with all this – try to notice, what you were thinking prior to the start of the headache? Bet you’ll find they were negative stressful thoughts! This can be worked on too…
