Anxiety headaches

[Matt3013]

Why does anxiety give me headaches, stiff neck and muscle tightness. It is such a hard thing to just ignore

[Miss-P74]

Hey Matt!

I have a headache too. Head feels like inside is vibrating and my eyes flicker when closed also quite a numb feeling on top of head. Horrible.

I guess the mind is tired from the thoughts and feelings running through our body. x

[Matt3013 in reply to Miss-P74]

Just so strange how you can go times without any stmptoms and then they come and affect your day. I constant wanna crack my neck and just feel tense. Do you have any little tricks to get rid of yours? X

[Miss-P74 in reply to Matt3013]

I just try and go with it. I take the usual. Some anti inflammatory tablets and paracetamol. Or I have a nap. It does help sometimes not all the time. Anxiety headaches don’t just go. Sometimes I have it for days on end and have to just let it pass by itself.

Sleep is the best or hot bath.

Hope you fell better soon. x

[Kaaayla in reply to Matt3013]

This is exactly the same as me! I’m suffering from my third day now of a headache! All down my neck and behind my eyes Iv clicked my neck and feels like it relived the pain abit but probs makes it worse! I’m worrying because it’s my third day now! Hope ur ok

[Agora1]

Hi Matt, I hear you regarding anxiety causing headaches, stiff neck and muscle tightness.

But let me ask you if something traumatic came before all that? Many years ago, I was in

a severe car accident. As the passenger, I had a side whiplash to my neck as my head repeatedly bounced off the side window of the car.

The repercussions of that accident hit me years later when anxiety came into my life.

I believe that I was venerable because of the accident. With anxiety, we tend to keep

our head jutted forward, our shoulders tense and held high to our ears as our position

is always in a fight or flight mode. (putting a lot of strain and tension on the upper body

muscles)

There was a time that the muscle contraction headaches were daily. I lost many years

in living with headaches. With the headaches came the trigger points in my neck, shoulder as well as base of the skull. Many of the headaches were due to referred pain from those

trigger points.

What helped was using different methods to release those tight spasms. Acupuncture,

Biofeedback, Self Hypnosis, Relaxation Techniques, Physical Therapy, Water Exercise as

well as daily Meditation and Diaphragmatic Breathing.

During the days of my headaches, I used OTC medications sparingly as well as heat packs.

For me, heat helped relax the muscles as well as promote better circulation.

The headaches disappeared on their own 7 years ago. Using the tools I have adapted over the years helps reduce the tightness in my neck and upper shoulders. I found that the key to pain is avoiding it in the first place. It was a long hard road Matt, but I never let it stop me from going forward with my life. I'm here for you xx

[Matt3013]

Thank you for your support. I am determined to get my life back on track, I have worked really hard to try and do that. Despite losing my marriage I have worked really hard to get back into a place where I can function 70% of the time, I have been offered a job in a primary school safeguarding, which I wanna do ( so I am around people more ) I just wanna try and rid these headaches ones and for all. It’s really hard to explain to people who haven’t had them how debilitating they can be. Agora how would you describe your? We’re they always the same? X

[Hidden]

I can relate. Stress causes so many weird feelings to the body. Never knew how strong it is! With stiffness I usually like taking an espom salt bath, that’s always helped me relax my muscles but as for headaches try taking a tylenol or some advil? Sorry you’re feeling this way. Hope things get better for you soon. Keep us updated

[Laurennnnnnn]

I have this problem too!! I already get migraines but anxiety makes them so much worse

What’s helped me a lot and I’d highly recommend is looking at “headache hats” on amazon. They look dumb lol but they’re basically super soft ice packs that wrap around your head (some even smell like lavender but you can put your own oils on if you want). It helps my head feel sooo much better and makes me less anxious.

No matter how bad I feel, I put it on and am asleep before I know it

[Sunshine0307]

It sure is. I also get muscular aches around front of chest and shoulders. The tension headaches believe it or not (don’t laugh) when home I stick a kool & soothe migraine relief on my forehead or neck. That works for me. Or the white tiger balm on my temples. It’s agony all this pain with tension. Completely can relate x