Where Does All Your Pain Come From and Why?

As in any proper "relief zone", the first step is awareness...

Headaches

The most universal complaint of pain is headache pain...and the most common type of headache is the tension headache, followed by migraines and cluster headaches, respectively. Headache symptoms can vary from a dull, annoying ache, to an acute, throbbing pain - whether around your eyes, across your head or at the base of your neck. But while stress and tension may help to trigger a headache, the word "tension" in "tension headache" does not refer to an emotional condition, but rather to the muscle-contraction, or spasm, of muscle.

What does a Tension Headache feel like?

• "It feels like a band around my head."
• "My entire face hurts."
• "It feels like my head is caught in a vice."
• "My head is paining all over."
• "It starts without any warning."
• "One side of my head is hurting."
• "It feels like I'm wearing a very tight hat."
• "My neck and jaws are aching."
• "It's a endless, dull, throbbing ache."

Sound familiar?

One thing I want to make clear right away. For over 99% of the population (and the type of pains discussed here) headache pain does not come from your brain. Even cutting the brain would not produce pain because it is completely insensitive.

Pain originates from the tissues lying between your skull and scalp. Specifically, the muscles and blood vessels of the face, scalp and neck. Essentially, there are three main muscle structures or layers surrounding your head:

What is also of interest are the Temporal and Occipital arteries or blood vessels.

The Temporal artery rises up on both sides of the head from the neck, goes below and in front of the ears, upward directly in the front of the ears, and then slants forward and upward to the upper temple area. From the temple area, the artery divides widely over the forehead. A large percentage of headaches occur because of the temporal artery.

The Occipital artery arises from beneath and behind the ears (on each side of the head) and separates inward from each side across the lower region of the skull and upper neck.

The Source of Pain

Okay now, still with me? This is where it all comes together. The actual source of the "ache" comes from the pain nerve endings which terminate in the three muscle structures. This is a very fortunate fact because if the pain arose from within the brain or skull it would be near impossible to reach, let alone treat. But because the region where the pain comes from is literally within reach and touch, you are in a better position to do something about it.

Simple, isn't it?

Migraines (Vascular Headaches) & Cluster Headaches

"Migraine" originates from Greek roots meaning "half head". This is because, usually (but not always), this type of headache starts on one side of the head and may expand to encompass the whole head. Cluster headaches are so named because they occur in batches or "clusters" and then disappear for weeks or months at a time. Often described as "feeling like a red-hot poker being slid into your eye socket", cluster headaches are perhaps the most debilitating type of  headache and in chronic cases can occur almost daily.

Although why migraines and cluster headaches start in the first place is still unclear, the final manifestation is, nonetheless, a physical one and originates from between the skull and scalp: abnormal blood circulation agitating nerve endings which produce agonizing distress and helplessness.

Eyestrain, Computer Eyestrain

It is inevitable that you have suffered from eyestrain at one point or another. Eyestrain is perhaps the most common affliction that the information age has brought us and there are absolutely no signs of it ever decreasing. Many times, however, you may not even be aware of it.

Unsuspected eyestrain can be associated with twitching of the eyelids and face. It can be responsible for nausea and vomiting, bad nutrition and loss of appetite, headaches, and many other similar conditions. Have you ever experienced blurred or double vision? Perhaps flickering or flashing sensations? Your eyes are trying to tell you something.

Eyestrain inevitably develops after lengthy use of the eyes as in sitting in front of a computer, writing, reading or other detailed work. Poor lighting conditions also cause stress in the eye muscles as they strain to focus properly and present clear images to the brain.

Prolonged use of the eyes - as well as the stress and tension of day-to-day living - cause a tightening of the delicate eye muscles and also the facial muscles around the nose, cheeks and temples. I can easily demonstrate this to you right now: For a moment, direct you attention to your face and try to relax your facial muscles. Go on, give it a try. You may be quite surprised at how much they were clenched up.

This facial tightness leads to reduced blood circulation and thus compounds the agonizing effects of eye fatigue. The resultant eyestrain eventually manifests itself in everything from burning eyes and blurred vision, to headaches, migraines and may even trigger cluster headache attacks.

Neck Pain, Stiff Neck & Upper Neck Pain

The pain mechanisms of neck pain are similar to headaches and eyestrain as described above - diminished blood circulation caused by tensed muscles that irritate nerve endings.

Your neck balances the most important thing you have - your head - and is very susceptible to tightening of the muscles even if you are a little tense. This coupled with awkward and incorrect postures (usually while sitting in front of the computer) only aggravates this dilemma for most people.

Neck pain symptoms can vary from a dull, annoying ache, to an acute, merciless throbbing pain that ends up expanding to your shoulders and lower head and may eventually end up causing dizziness and loss of concentration.

Sinus Headaches & Sinus Eyestrain

Sinus headaches (or sinus eyestrain) are very rare and it is very unlikely that you've ever suffered from them. That may sound strange considering the magnitude of sinus medications sold, but it is true. Even people with chronic sinus problem rarely suffer headaches from the actual sinus inflammation. Though sinus problems can lead to headaches, this is not very common in the general population. This have been proved repeatedly in clinical studies.

So what is the "sinus pain" that you've undoubtedly encountered on occasion? Fortunately for you, as with headaches, most sinus pain is compounded by muscle tension. Tension that generally comes from inactivity as a result of the original (small) discomfort of sinus congestion. Hence, a solution to sinus pain would be similar or the same as for any other tension headache, eyestrain or neck pain.

In summary:

Everything is proportional and interconnected. The muscles of your face, head and neck are smaller and more delicate than the muscles of your arms and legs for example. Consequently, the level of strain that causes these muscles to tense up can be so little that you don't consciously feel like you are over exerting them until it is too late and you begin feeling the symptoms. In addition, a tiny bit of tension in one area can cause greater pain symptoms in another area.

Virtually all head, neck, eyes and sinus pains originate from
lack of blood circulation caused by constricted muscles.

Now let's look at some of the treatments you have used in the past for pain relief...