Headaches can be a serious health problem. Some people suffer from headaches that are severe or frequent enough to be incapacitating. Certainly, there are times when a headache signals a serious condition. In the great majority of cases, however, the pain of a headache is best seen as a message that your stress level has risen too high. The headache serves as a warning that you need a changeóperhaps to rest, deal with an emotional conflict, change your diet, or correct a problem in your personal environment at home or work.

Modern medicine classifies headaches according to the immediate cause of painful stimulation of nerve endings. The types of headaches include muscle-contraction headaches, vascular headaches, and headaches caused by inflammation or structural conditions.

Muscle-Contraction Headaches
Nearly everyone has had a muscle-contraction headache, more commonly but less precisely referred to as a ìtension headache.î Most people assume that the term ìtensionî refers to emotional stress, and in fact, many times this type of headache is brought on by stress on the job, being stuck in a traffic jam, or other such situations. But the pain of a muscle contraction headache arises from tightening of the muscles of the upper back, neck, and scalp, and this may result from any type of stress, whether physical or emotional. Extremes of heat or cold, hunger, loss of sleep, a tiring drive, and improper posture are all examples of physical stresses that can lead to muscle contraction headaches.

That the body responds to stress by increasing muscle tone makes senseóitís preparing for a ìfight or flightî response. Unfortunately, physical action isnít socially appropriate in many stressful situations, so the muscle tension just builds up. Once it reaches a certain threshold, you get a headache. The pain arises partly because the muscle is simply sore from being overworked, and partly because the tension constricts blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the tiring muscles. It is now thought that in many or most muscle contraction headaches, the physiological changes that account for vascular headaches also contribute to the pain (see the next section in this chapter). The pain of a muscle contraction headache is typically a dull, steady ache felt across the forehead, at the temples, or at the base of the head and neck. A sensation of tightness, as if a constricting band were wrapped around the head, may be felt. The scalp and neck are often tender to touch.

General Home Care
Muscle-contraction headaches are generally easy to treat at home: Simply take a break from the stress that lead to the headache, get some rest. and perhaps massage the sore neck muscles. If the headache doesnít respond to these simple measures in a short time, try a homeopathic medicine from the list in this chapter. By helping the body restore order and balance, the correct homeopathic medicine speeds relaxation of the muscle contraction and relief from the pain, without any of the side effects associated with standard painkillers.

Steps you can take to prevent recurrent muscle contraction headaches include:
Learn to recognize and avoid simple physical causes of muscle tension like poor posture, uncomfortable clothing, or unpleasant environmental conditions (an overly chilly room, irritating noise, and so on). Notice whether any of your habits are awkward or cause tension and straining, such as the way you sit at your desk, hold the telephone, or clench your jaw.