To prevent tension headaches while you’re at work,
you need frequent breaks. This is especially true If
you sit at a desk or computer.

Sitting there for several hours without breaks will
inevitably cause you to develop strained back and
neck muscles.

Every 15-20 minutes or so, all you need to do is take your hands
away from your desk, lean back in your chair and do a behind-the back
stretch.

Just put your arms around the back of your chair and try and squeeze
your shoulder blades together so that you stretch out your chest
muscles. At the same time, keep your
head back so that you stretch out the front of your body.

Whenever you do this (or any) stretch, try to hold it for three minutes.

Obviously, this will cut into your work production time. Your work
load may prevent you from holding this stretch that long. If that’s the
case, hold it for 40 seconds or so. While not the optimum time frame,
even that will take a tremendous amount of pressure off of your back.

Without exception, all the patients I’ve introduced this stretch to
have been amazed at how much better it makes them feel. So, do this
stretch every 15 or 20 minutes. Then, maybe once an hour, you
should get up and walk to the water cooler and back, or to an elevator
(remember, head up and shoulders back!) or to another floor.

This will help restore circulation to the upper and lower body.
Just remember, muscles that are tight from having been in one
position too long will cut off circulation to themselves.

t’s like stepping on a garden hose. Muscles
fatigue faster if blood flow to them is restricted.

There may be times where your neck muscles begin to tighten
back up after a break or quick stretch. If this happens, you have
three options.

The first is to find a coworker and instruct him on the art of
acupressure. Have him push into the knots, or trigger points, in your
neck with his thumbs. Make sure he pushes all the way down until
you can actually feel that muscle pop - where it releases and the
tension inside the muscle goes away.

The second is to have somebody massage your neck and shoulders.
This needs to be done vigorously.

Your third option, especially if your headache gets really bad,
where the muscles in your neck actually begin to burn, is to apply a
gel pack that you can heat up in a microwave oven.

These make effective hot packs and will provide quick relief (most
offices have microwaves these days). A good strategy is to buy
one of these gel packs (they’re available in drug stores) and keep
it in your desk.

Whenever you need to relax stiff neck muscles, simply heat one up in
a microwave. This only takes about 45 seconds; some of the better
gel packs will stay warm for up to 45 minutes.

Remember, heat will flush the affected area with blood and improve
circulation there, so you want to use gel packs if you’re headache gets
really bad.

Paul Bacho is a certified athletic trainer in Cleveland, Ohio with over 28 years experience
treating patients with chronic pain. He specializes in helping people who suffer from chronic tension headaches.

He’s also co-author of “How to Get Permanent Relief From Chronic Tension
Headaches,” a holistic program that he’s used to help people from all over the world get
rid of their tension headaches.

For more information, go to tensionheadaches.org tensionheadaches.org

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