Having a headache is quite common for a lot of individuals. In fact, according to studies, 1 out of 4 households have a member who experiences a migraine.
However, what you have to understand is that headaches differ. The region where the pain originates tends to give us an idea of what type of a headache it is you are dealing with. One of the most common headaches that you may have experienced in your life are frontal headaches. As the name suggests, the pain is located in the forehead and in the temples with intensity ranging from mild to moderate pain most of the time.
What Causes Frontal Headaches?
There are a lot of incidences wherein people experience frontal headaches. It is a common symptom that a lot of people forget to address. Typically, it is coming from stress. However, if it is a chronic
problem, it is best if you talk to a medical practitioner in order to determine the triggers and to give you a long-term solution.
According to medical practitioners, in order for it to be considered a chronic condition, it should have episodes of at least 14 times in a month. Though 90% of frontal headaches are considered benign, there could be an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. It could only be a symptom of a far greater problem ranging from insomnia to jaw and neck pain.
What makes this pain different is that it is not affected by odor, noise, or even light. It is also not affected mostly by physical activities and it doesn’t cause nausea.
Understanding Frontal Headaches
Two of the most common types of headaches are a tension headache or a migraine headache. A tension headache is characterized mainly by the tightening feeling on both sides of the head. It is described typically by people as if there is a band that is tied on his or her head. There are instances wherein it starts from the forehead and then radiates to the side of the head.
However, what makes a sudden headache a bit different from a tension headache is its severity. There are instances wherein a migraine usually stops a person from going to work and doing any activity throughout the day. However, what makes a frontal or tension headache different is the fact that there is no sign of vomiting for those who are affected by a frontal headache.
What Are The Causes?
One of the most common problems that may lead to frontal headaches is stress. A lot of people today work more than 40 hours per week, not to mention the duties that they have to do at home and their families. It is also important to note that there are some frontal headaches that may come from a more complicated case. There are instances wherein it is actually caused by tension from the neck and back muscles. It is also possible that tension on a person’s jaw makes it possible for someone to actually have a tension headache.
However, it is usual that these are only temporary. Rest is usually the best answer to this scenario. However, if you are dealing with another problem such as an impacted tooth, this should be addressed first.
Type of Pain
The pain associated with frontal headaches is not completely debilitating, unlike that of a migraine. They are less severe compared to a migraine in the pain scale. This means that though there is discomfort, it is still possible that you still function on a day to day basis. However, when it comes to its relief, different scenarios will have different cases. There are instances wherein the pain goes away instantly. On the other hand, there are scenarios wherein the pain gradually goes away.
Location of Pain
The location of the pain is also important. There are instances wherein frontal headaches come from the forehead and then radiate into the temples. However, there are also instances where it comes from the sinuses. This is especially true in scenarios wherein the person has a cold. This means that the common areas where the tension is coming from include the cheek area, the bridge of the nose, and even on part of the eyebrows. It is also common that the pain is worsened whenever you bend over.
Proper Approach
In order to distinguish the proper approach that should be done on frontal headaches, it is imperative to know other signs that go hand in hand with the discomfort.
For instance, if you are dealing with frontal headaches that are caused by an impacted tooth, it usually goes with pain in your gums. On the other hand, if you are dealing with an allergic reaction, you will most likely have clogged sinuses.
Prevention
There are different ways to solve frontal headaches. There are pharmaceutical methods and there are non-pharmaceutical methods. But of course, it is also important to prevent them. Prevention will help save the person the trouble of feeling uncomfortable.
In order to avoid these, it is crucial for the person to know the triggers. If they are usually triggered by an allergic reaction, it is best to stay away from the source of allergy. It is also possible to be desensitized from the allergen in order to not worry about your sinus every time that you are going to get exposed to allergies.
However, if you are allergic to dust, the least that you can do is to clean the house. You can also invest in vacuum cleaners that have HEPA filters in order to get rid of dirt that could irritate the lungs. It may also be a good idea to talk to a medical practitioner in order to know your irritants. A simple skin test can give you an idea on what you should avoid.
In addition to this, a frontal headache can be caused by stress. There are instances when people don’t have enough sleep. Sleeping can help the body recover and prevent frontal headaches from happening. There are instances wherein the origin of the headache is coming from the neck and upper back. In this scenario, you can do exercises to strengthen the muscles in order to not pull on the sternocleidomastoid muscle.
Treatment
The treatment for frontal headaches is varied. It depends on the origin of the problem. For instance, if you are dealing with an allergic reaction that has clogged your sinuses and started the headache, it is best to address the allergy by taking anti-histamines or decongestants if you are suffering from a cold.
The reality is that there are different types of treatments that can be done. There are pharmacologic and more natural approaches, depending on the situation.
Natural Remedies
One of the more common treatments for a tension headache is by taking a towel and dipping it in warm water. After which, you will apply it in your forehead. Typically, this will cause vasodilation to the blood vessels which can provide some sort of relief for your headache.
Another treatment that can both be pleasing and effective is by having a massage. Massage can do wonders when it comes to tension in frontal headaches because it also helps loosen up the tense muscles and increases the blood flow to certain areas of the body. When it comes to getting a massage, the therapist typically focuses on tight areas that are near the head. Typically, it is the shoulders and upper back that are also affected. In most occasions, this can offer instant relief to your shoulders.
Personal Wellbeing
Sleep can also go a long way. It is a physiological need that shouldn’t be taken for granted. If you are not getting 8 hours of sleep, and you have a headache, you might want to simply rest and give your body time to recover.
Drinking water is also a good way to stop headaches. There are instances wherein people experience headaches because they are dehydrated. If you are not drinking at least eight glasses of water in a day, it might be a good thing to reevaluate your habits. Start drinking at least 8 glasses of water in a day especially when you start to feel the tension headache. In addition to this, you should also stop skipping meals. Not only is skipping meals bad for your body, hypoglycaemia is a primary cause of headaches.
Posture
Also, if you are working in an office job and you are always slouching, it is important to stretch at least every two hours. Since a tension headache can come from your shoulders and neck, it is important to have an ergonomic chair or at least constantly stretch every few minutes in order to avoid your muscles from becoming too tight, causing a headache.
Supplements
There is also a possibility that your body is lacking in magnesium. According to health experts, it is important to have around 400mg of daily magnesium. But of course, it is important to talk to your doctor if you plan on taking magnesium. There is always the possibility that magnesium is harmful to your kidneys.
Seafood, cheese, and sesame seeds are just some of the most common sources of magnesium that can be associated in your diet. This means that you have to also take into account the food that you eat before you ask for an additional dose.
Rehabilitation
If you have been suffering from frontal headaches for quite some time, it is imperative to know the cause of the problem. There is a chance that it is required for the person to take a closer look at his diet in order to determine that it is actually not the lack of magnesium in the diet that has been causing the headache.
It is also important to take a closer look at the habits of the person. If the person suffering from frontal headaches is not eating on time, it is also important to have a schedule when to eat and what to eat.
For a lot of people, spending forty hours every week sitting on a chair is the cause of the problem. In this scenario, it is imperative to know how to stretch and even request for an ergonomic chair that can 
help support the back and the neck.
In addition to this, strength and conditioning training is also important in order to prevent headaches. This can help stabilize the muscles that are usually tight.
It is usually a sign that the muscle is not strong enough to support the body. The good news is that this is also beneficial to your overall health. There are many strength and conditioning trainers that can assess your overall fitness and provide a workout that suits your situation. This can help prevent injuries and help solve headaches. Among the most common workouts that you can do include shoulder presses, pull-ups, and shrugs. In fact, if you don’t want to pay for a gym membership, there are workouts that you can do at home.
Rest
In some occasions, rest is the only thing that the body needs in order to stop the headache from bothering him or her. If you are not getting 8 hours of sleep every day, it might be the time that you give rest a chance. You might even want to consider getting a vacation from work. This way, you can de-stress and just find some time to relax.
The thing with rehabilitation is that there are many approaches that you may want to take. This is especially true for people who are already dealing with long-term frontal headaches.
Conclusion
Frontal headaches can be tricky, especially if you are looking at different possible causes. The good news is that they can be easy to cure and prevent. It is also not as debilitating as a migraine. A lot of people who are experiencing this type of headache are still working and doing the usual activities that they do.
In addition to this, getting rid of this pain can be as easy as fixing your diet and changing your sleeping habits. However, it is important to take note that frontal headaches can also be a bit complicated especially if it the problem is musculoskeletal in nature.
If it is a musculoskeletal problem, it is best that you talk to experts. You may want to have it checked by a licensed physiotherapist or a chiropractor. There are also instances wherein a strength and conditioning are things that are needed in order to learn how to get rid of the headache.
