Medication is not the only answer to all medical problems. Often times, simple lifestyle changes can be implemented to reduce pain and other symptoms associated with a health concern. Patients are encouraged to try some of these treatments at home. If your condition worsens or is unchanged with some of these treatments, schedule an appointment at Southwest Spine and Pain Center for help.
At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, our providers are committed to determining a correct diagnosis and designing treatment plans that are effective. If you suffer from unrelenting headaches, trust the medical professionals at Southwest Spine and Pain Center for the best care. With four locations across Utah, Southwest Spine and Pain Center is the leading pain practice in the southwest United States.
Consider these simple and affordable techniques to reduce your headache pain:
- Reduce emotional stress. If you crumble in stressful situations, consider taking yourself out of them for a period of time. Focus on your breathing and relax your muscles. Taking a short walk outside is often useful in lowering your heart rate and relieving stressful thoughts.
- Reduce physical stress. Ensure that you are getting enough and adequate sleep each night. Relax your neck and shoulders when lying down.
- Exercise regularly. Most physicians would agree that physical fitness is a great outlet to reduce headache pain. Twenty minutes of exercise at least three time a week can alleviate stress and reduce the severity (and frequency) of your headaches.
- Keep a regular schedule. Sometimes, being unprepared and having a hectic schedule can promote headaches. Create a well-balanced diet, get between six and eight hours of sleep each night, and take short breaks throughout your days to relax.
Many times, it is our lifestyles that causes headaches. Alcohol and cigarette smoke increases headache pain. April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and Southwest Spine and Pain Center encourages patients to take control of their lives by reducing alcohol intake and quitting cigarettes. Alcohol increased blood flow to the brain, which in turn increases headache pain. Smoking, even secondhand smoking, can trigger headaches. Nicotine stimulates vascular activity and the ganglion nerves, which both contribute to headache pain.
Quitting cigarettes and alcohol can reduce headaches by 50 percent! Talk to your Southwest Spine and Pain doctor if you suffer from headaches that are promoted through alcohol and cigarette usage. For more information on headache treatment and ways Southwest Spine and Pain can help manage your chronic pain condition, schedule an appointment today.
If chronic pain is impacting your life, don't wait to schedule an appointment at Southwest Spine and Pain Center. With three locations and growing, the pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center are dedicated to helping those who suffer from chronic pain live the life they want to! To schedule an appointment, visit our locations tab!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
©Southwest Spine and Pain Center, 2014
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