Headaches are as familiar as the common cold. Many people deal with even pounding, distracting headaches and think nothing of it, as if that’s just the way things are. But small, easily overlooked problems can accumulate and become disease. The National Headache Foun-dation reports that over 45 million Americans suffer from recurring headaches. They estimate that industry loses 50 billion dollars each year due to medical expenses paid for and absenteeism caused by headaches. Almost 80 percent of all headaches are classified as tension induced. The causes of these types of headaches are stress, poor posture, depression or other emotional problems, overwork, and inadequate sleep. More incredibly, 12.6 percent of the US population (28 million Americans) suffer from migraine headaches. In excess of 4 billion dollars is spent annually on over-the-counter pain relievers for headaches. If such medications are taken over the long term, secretion of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that blocks pain signals in the brain, is gradually reduced. So, overusing pain medications impairs your body’s ability to manage pain.
While taking medication may cause a headache to disappear temporarily, this pattern can lead to chronic headaches. As we become more sensitive in our neurological reactions to headaches, the effectiveness of medication is decreased, and our headaches recur. For all these reasons we should guard against misuse of pain-relieving medications.
Poor Posture Causes Headaches
Overlooked despite its importance, stiffness in the muscles of the back of the neck, shoulders, and upper back is prime cause of tension headaches. Stiffness in this region, due to long stretches spent hunched over a desk without moving, actually induces tension headaches.
In this posture, the back of the neck extends forward past the centerline of the shoulders, the upper back hunches over, and the lower back bends inward. Sitting in this pose constricts these areas and disrupts the circulation of blood and Ki energy to the brain, causing headaches.
The basics of good sitting posture are to keep the spine straight with the head and tailbone aligned. Move your buttocks as far back as possible and rest your upper torso against the back of the chair. Try to keep your upper body erect, tuck in your chin slightly, and open your chest. People who use a computer for extended periods should adjust monitor height so that it is neither higher nor lower than eye level. When driving, adjust the angle of your seat to 100 to 110 degrees, and hold your buttocks all the way back against the seat.
Cool Head, Warm Abdomen
Dahnhak and Brain Respiration explain headaches as cause by reversal of the normal flow of energy called “Su Seung Hwa Gang,” in which water energy moves upward and fire energy moves downward. In our bodies, the warm energy of fire, Hwa Ki, and the cool energy of water, Su Ki, circulate together. Our kidneys generate water energy, while our heart produces fire energy. When energy circulation in the body is vigorous, water energy from the kidneys rises along the spine to the head, making it clear and refreshed. Meanwhile, fire energy from the heart sinks along the chest to the lower abdomen, warming the internal organs.
In the condition opposite of Su Seung Hwa Gang, with fire energy rising upward and water energy collecting in the lower back, the head becomes hot and the abdomen cool. In this state, the mouth feels dry, the neck becomes stiff, and the head throbs with pain. With cold energy invading the internal organs, digestion is hindered, frequently resulting in constipation or diarrhea.
There are two main reasons one would have problems achieving Su Seung Hwa Gang, the healthy state in which water energy rises and fire energy sinks. One reason would be that the body’s energy center, the Dahnjon, is not strong enough to accumulate and hold the fire energy in the lower abdomen. Another element inhibiting this state is stress. If we suffer from stress and emotional problems, the body’s energy meridians become blocked and the normal flow of Ki is reversed, causing fire energy to rise.
To relieve headaches, you should do a lot of lower body exercises along with exercises for strengthening the Dahnjon, all of which force Ki that has risen toward the head to sink toward the feet. Exercises and massage for relaxing tension in the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and upper back also help. When accompanied by slow, deep breathing and meditation, the effects of these techniques are magnified. Once you’ve slowed down your breathing, it will be easier for you to locate the tension in your neck and shoulders. Also, you shouldn’t overlook reinforcing awareness of your body to correct the poor posture causing your headaches.
Of course, you should be sure to see a doctor if you suffer from severe headaches, and not common tension headaches. Regular Dahnhak and Brain Respiration practice two or three times per week helps considerably to prevent and cure headaches by relieving muscle tension.
Standing Swings
1. Stand tall, with your feet a little more than hip width apart and your arms hanging at your sides. Slowly pivot your torso from side to side, gently swinging your arms. Look in the direction your hands are moving, and as you do so, lift the opposite heel.
2. First swing your arms at waist height, then at chest height, and then at head height. Next, gradually lower your arms, swinging them again at chest height, and then at waist height. Imagine that your arms are empty coat sleeves, flapping loosely away from your body.
3. Do this for one to two minutes, slowing your swinging until you are standing with your arms at your sides. Pause and notice how you feel.
Toe Tapping
1. You can perform this exercise either lying down or sitting up. If lying down, place your hands on your abdomen (Dahnjon). Flex your feet and keep your heels together.
2. Rotating at the ankles, tap your feet together so that your big toes touch, and then, still keeping the heels together, move the balls of your feet apart so that your little toes tap the floor. Repeat this as rapidly as you can. Start with 100 repetitions and increase this number with practice.
Neck Massage
1. Rub your palms together to create heat. Massage the back of your neck.
2. Relaxing your neck let your head roll around very slowly in a circle, first clockwise to the right and then counterclockwise to the left.
3. Massage your trapezius muscle and arm on one side and then repeat this with the trapezius muscle and arm on your other side.
Head Massage
1. Place your thumbs together on the central hairline. Move along the circumference of your hairline down towards the back of your neck.
2. Massage the back of your neck with your thumbs, running them from the hairline at the base of your skull up towards the top of your head. Continue moving your thumbs until they reach the central hairline, the starting position of step 1. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
3. Lightly tap your entire head with your fingertips.
4. Lightly run your 10 fingers from the front to the back of your head as if combing your hair.
Stretching Toward Heaven
1. Place your feet shoulder width apart. Make fists with your hands and bend your arms as shown in the picture.
2. Inhale. Bend your knees. Stretch both arms above your head.
3. Straighten your spine and stretch your hands towards the sky. Follow your fingertips with your eyes. Exhale. Repeat twice from step 1.
Pain Relief Meditation
1. Find a quiet, clean place. Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair with your lower back straight. Place your hands naturally on your thighs with your palms facing up. You may lie down, if sitting is uncomfortable. When lying on the floor, spread your feet about shoulder width apart and move your arms out to about 45 degrees from your body with your palms facing up.
2. Concentrate on your breathing. Feel the breath quietly entering and leaving your body. Say “In” or “One” as you inhale and “Out” or “Two” as you exhale. Do this slowly. If you exhale deeply enough as you do this, your breathing will also become deeper as you inhale—so concentrate on breathing out. Imagine the pain in your head leaving your body with your breath as you exhale.
3. When your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath. You may find that your mind wanders 100 times in five minutes. Just gently bring your attention back to your breath. At first, start with about five minutes of breathing, then increase this to about 20 minutes as you become more comfortable with it.
I love it how we don’t have to rely on medicine for every little ailment we have!
What a comprehensive post on headaches. I have had too many in my life, not always from the same causes. This post is something I want to save and use. Thanks!
because of water up,fire down
Thank you for very helpful info.