If you suffer from occasional tension headaches, caused by tightened muscles in your scalp, jaw, shoulders and neck, taking an over-the-counter pain reliever will likely help. If you suffer chronic tension headaches, however, alternative remedies, such as acupuncture, may reduce their frequency. Riboflavin, also called vitamin B2, may help migraine but not tension headaches.
Symptoms and Causes
Chronic headaches affect about 45 million Americans, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, with tension headaches proving to be among the most common type. Tension headaches, sometimes caused by stress or triggered by foods such as chocolate and cheese, usually occur on both sides of your head, giving sufferers the sensation of their head being squeezed. If you sit a computer for long periods, get inadequate amounts of sleep or grind your teeth, you make yourself more susceptible to tension headaches.
Migraine-Tension Headaches
Some people get combination migraine-tension headaches. Riboflavin may help prevent migraine headaches, pain usually limited to one side of your head and accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. If you suffer from migraine-tension headaches, ask your doctor about taking riboflavin supplements. The dose to prevent migraines -- 400 mg daily, according to Medline Plus -- is 250 times higher than the recommended daily allowance of 1.1 mg to 1.6 mg. High doses of riboflavin may change the color of your urine and increase urine output as well as cause diarrhea and other side effects. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplements. Riboflavin will not relieve the symptoms of migraine or migraine-tension headaches.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture, rather than riboflavin, may help prevent tension headaches, according to a review of 11 studies involving more than 2,300 participants. K. Linde, a researcher at Germany's Cochrane Collaboration, led the review, published in January 2009. True acupuncture, which involves inserting thin metal needles in your skin, proved more effective in preventing tension headaches than sham acupuncture, which does not involve piercing your skin. Acupuncture presents few risks, but do your homework to find a qualified practitioner and make certain that the needles used meet Food and Drug Administration standards for sterilization.
Considerations
Women are more likely than men to experience tension headaches, and you're more likely to get tension headaches in your 40s, according to MayoClinic.com. Although over-the-counter pain remedies help treat symptoms of tension headaches, using them too often may make you more susceptible to future headaches. Some types of antidepressants and muscle relaxants may also help prevent tension headaches. In addition to preventing migraine headaches, riboflavin may help prevent cataracts, a condition that clouds the lens of one or both eyes.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Migraines
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Headaches
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Acupuncture Shows Possible Effect for Tension Headaches
- Medline Plus; Riboflavin (Vitamine B2);Nov. 19, 2010
- "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews"; Acupuncture For Tension-Type Headache; K.Linde; January 2009
- National Center For Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Acupuncture
