Tension Relief Techniques

Migraines can last up to seventy two hours and are more common in women than men and if preventative steps are not taken than time away from work and family will be the consequence on top of the obvious pain. Men and women who suffer from moderate to intense migraine pain need to take a few practical steps to help reduce their migraine occurrences. By simply making a few changes to their normal routine, men and women will notice fewer migraine attacks during a single month. Some simple steps to reducing migraine headaches are:

• A set scheduled time for going to bed  and waking each morning.
• Having a daily exercise regime –  exercise has proven to help improve quality of life for individuals suffering from various conditions from diabetes to migraine headaches.      Individuals who are not physically fit are more prone to migraine attacks.
• Avoid skipping meals and long bouts of  fasting.
• Avoid stress (if possible) – exercise  can help release negative endorphins and research has proven that daily  exercise can help improve mood and improve clarity of thought.
• Refrain from overuse of caffeine do  not consume more than two caffeinated beverages in a given day.
• Bright and flashing lights are often associated with migraines therefore keep protective eyewear on hand and avoid  places with flashing lights.

Biofeedback

The stressors of fibromyalgia pain can be eased using biofeedback. Biofeedback is a mind and body relaxation technique that helps fibromyalgia sufferers learn about their body’s natural internal process to control relaxation. Biofeedback uses an electronic device to measure stress-related responses in the body. After much research biofeedback is able to help relieve many types of chronic pain, including fibromyalgia.

The electronic device is connected so that it can inform the fibromyalgia patient and the therapist when the patient is physically relaxing his or her body. Sensors are able to report muscle tension, heart rate, breathing patter, the amount sweat produced and body temperature. Some therapists are able to use a single one of these sensors, although it may be helpful to use all, to see if a fibromyalgia patient is learning to relax.

The design of biofeedback is to first teach the body how to react to stressors in a controlled environment. Once the fibromyalgia patient is able to react properly inside of a controlled environment, then he or she should be able to start reacting properly in daily life.

There are many different types of biofeedback devices: Elecromyograph, Peripheral Skin Temperature, and Elecroderm Response will be discussed below.

• EMG (Electromyograph) – The most common biofeedback therapy is the EMG. Because the EMG is used to help correct muscle pain and stiffness it can be the most useful for fibromyalgia patients. The device that is used is called an electromyograph which is able to measure the electricity given off by the patient’s muscles.

• PST (Peripheral Skin Temperature) – A less common form of biofeedback is the PST. The PST is able to measure electrical impulses given off by the flow of a patient’s blood. By doing so, it is able to give information about skin temperature.

• EDR (Elecroderm Response) – An EDR is considered sweating biofeedback. It is able to monitor electricity produced by a patient’s sweating reflexes. This form is usually used to help with anxiety and depression. While some therapists just use one devise and type of biofeedback devices, it is most common for them to use a combination of biofeedback devices.

Symptom Diagnosis

Migraines are not an exact science, research evolving around the topic of migraines is constantly being unveiled and new information is then tested to see if accurate. The diagnosis of migraines is often done by the symptoms of a migraine; when migraine symptoms are felt often enough to warrant concern or remark. Another clue as to whether or not the pain being felt in your head has to do with a migraine is if you fall into any of the common risk factors for migraines such as your gender, age and family history.

Headaches and migraines tend to follow a pattern so if you are or have experienced symptoms not common to headaches or migraines such as a loss of hearing, vision or any other sensory issue seek medical attention to insure that nothing more complex is going on in your nervous system.

Tags: Biofeedback, headaches, Migraines, supplements, tension migraines, tension relief, treating migraines