You’ve desperately resorted to age-old remedies—pressing crushed lilac leaves to your forehead, shutting yourself in a dark room—maybe it’s time to look at why you got the headache in the first place, suggests Dr. Stuart Black, chief of neurology at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.
While some headache triggers are nonmodifiable (such as genetics or head trauma), a growing trend—mind-body medicine—may help to avert headaches without medication. Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), also known as tension myoneural syndrome is a name coined by Dr. John E. Sarno (author of The Divided Mind) for tension-related illnesses, which include headaches. Sarno’s prescription? Toss the aspirin and get out your No. 2 pencil, start jotting down your stressors.
If you’re ready to forego the aspirin, Black offers some practical advice. Start by getting a full night’s sleep or try relaxation therapy, and watch for triggers (such as food or scent triggers) and avoid them. Also, for many migraine sufferers, skipping just one meal may bring on an attack, so Black also advises eating on a regular schedule. And last, but not least, avoid stress. “By identifying and avoiding specific triggers,” says Black, “the “migraineur” can often influence the frequency and severity of their headaches.”
Now where’s that pencil …
