• Tension-type headaches (TTH) typically cause pain that radiates in a band-like fashion bilaterally from the forehead to the occiput.  Pain often radiates to the neck muscles and is described as tightness, pressure, or dull ache.

• TTH have been experimentally induced by 30 minutes of teeth clenching, which resulted in facial tenderness.
Oct. 2002 American Journal of Public Health

• Clenching your teeth while asleep, or during the day, is a result of some of the strongest muscles in your body tensing—up to 10 times more intensely than non headache sufferers.

The Perpetuating Pain Cycle

Many people have chronic daily headaches that are produced by a perpetuating cycle: You’re under stress so you clench your teeth. This unknowingly produces pain which causes you to be stressed so that you clench even more. Because you have pain, even when you sleep you may unknowingly be clenching your teeth so that when you wake up your headache is no better and sometimes is worse than when you went to sleep! So you continue the cycle over and over. This is my personal definition of a chronic tension headache!

How did YOU get into this cycle and how can you get out? When muscles are stressed and taut they need assistance in relaxing. That’s where a professional massage therapist who specializes in head and neck work can get you started on the path to pain-free days. I work with my patients to recognize patterns that are unique to them, then help them to BREAK THE PAIN CYCLE! It CAN be done!

Call today to schedule an appointment to get you on the road to real relief: 319/841-2150 or 319/431-7186.

According to research, as many as 75–90% of people suffering from “sinus headaches” have been misdiagnosed.

Sinus Cavities

Sinus headaches should include:

• Pain behind the forehead, cheeks and eyes
• Fever
• Stuffy nose
• Feeling tired
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Green or yellow discharge from the nose

If you don’t have these symptoms, then your headache could be a tension headache.

Ask yourself a simple question: If you have a tension headache, what could be tense? The answer is MUSCLES!

Muscles of your face and jaw share the same areas as sinus headaches.

Face Muscles

We can tense these muscles unknowingly by clenching or grinding our teeth, scowling, smiling for long periods, or holding our tongues firmly against the roof of our mouths. If you do these things the muscles in your face wind up running a marathon without you even realizing it. No wonder you can get a headache!

At rest, your teeth should be a few millimeters apart, not together, and your tongue should be resting comfortably in the floor of your mouth.

Try running your thumb inside your cheek above your upper teeth and gently stretching your cheek between your finger and thumb at the attachment. Do you feel the areas that seem to be in pain? As you stretch the cheek gently can you feel the muscles relaxing? Do you feel any relief? Then you could have a tension headache. 

Massage your forehead and temples. If this brings some relief, then you could have a tension headache.

Easy treatments I recommend are self massage, stretching your face and neck, application of ice for 20 minutes, professional massage by someone qualified in head and face massage, and behavior modification, including learning to keep your tongue relaxed, your teeth apart and your posture erect.  

In addition, you may need to see a dentist to fabricate an appropriate mouth guard to balance your bite. If your teeth do not come together at the same time on the left and right sides, you may be “limping” in your bite. This could lead to headaches as one set of face muscles works harder than the other with each bite.

Many people have chronic daily headaches that are produced by a perpetuating cycle: You’re under stress, so you clench your teeth. This unknowingly produces pain, which causes you to be stressed so that you clench even more. Because you have pain, even when you sleep you may be unknowingly clenching your teeth, so that when you wake up, you headaches is no better, and sometimes is worse, than when you went to sleep! So you continue the cycle over and over.

Whether it’s your “limping bite” or a day or night habit clenching habit that is stressing the muscles of your face and neck, leading to chronic headaches, we can work together to find solutions that will BREAK THE CYCLE OF PAIN! You can have HOPE for a pain free future! 

Call for an appointment today and we can discuss your particular pain scenario, then work with you to find solutions to break your cycle of pain. My ambition, my goal, is to give you HOPE that you will not have to live with the daily headaches you’ve come to consider as ”normal.”

Call to make an appointment today: 319/841-2150 or 319/431-7186 !

• Manually separates muscle fibers
• Lengthens muscles
• Helps decrease muscle contraction
• Relieves muscular tension
• Relaxes muscles
• Reduces muscle soreness and fatigue
• Reduces trigger point formation
• Increases range of motion
• Increases flexibility
• Tones weak muscles
• Improves muscle nutrition

Contact Joan today to schedule an appointment for a massage: 319/841-2150

• Seek professional massage of the head and neck to relieve the muscles that produce headaches.
• Watch your posture—keep your head over your shoulders, not slouching forward when sitting or walking.
• Keep your teeth apart at rest—do not clench or grind your teeth.
• At rest your tongue should be relaxed in the bottom of your mouth, not against your palate.
• Treat your headache with 20 minutes of ice on your temples, forehead, neck, or other areas of pain.
• Stretch and massage your face and neck muscles often, especially after getting home from a hard day and before you go to sleep.
• See a dentist to be fitted for a professional brux guard to prevent grinding or clenching.

Contact Joan today to schedule an appointment for a massage: 319/841-2150 or 319/431-7186.