3 easy exercises to relieve headaches – that you can do in the car on the way to work

Waking up with a headache is the worst. The day has just started and we cannot wait to go back to bed already. It’s incredible how many people suffer silently from headaches: everything seems normal but inside the head there’s that constant, background ache that so easily decrease concentration and makes us just a touch grumpier.

If you suffer from headaches, follow your doctor’s instructions about the right medication for you but also talk to your physiotherapist or acupuncturist: they can help you build strategies to detect and avoid triggers and identify the most effective solutions for you.

We’ll talk soon about common triggers and strategies in another blog post, but for now here are three videos showing really easy exercises you can do for yourself on your way to work, safely as you drive your kids to school or head into the office.

1. Tuck your chin in

This exercise will allow the muscles deep inside your neck to activate, while relaxing and extending the back of your neck; in fact one of the triggers of headaches can be our neck, so reduce its stress and tension might help improve the pain. Pull your chin towards your throat, while looking straight ahead and keeping your spine and head nice and tall. You might feel a stretch and the back of your neck or the headache reduce momentarily. Keep the position for four or five seconds, but don’t make it too uncomfortable. You can push yourself to do 10 repetitions up to 10 seconds.

2. Massage this spot on your hand (LI4 point)

One of the most well known Acupoints: Large Intestine 4 (Hegu in Chinese, meaning 'Joining valley') is for anything related to the head and face, including headaches . It is also used for any pain in general and helps move qi and blood in the body.
Next time you have pain, try massaging this point (which may be tender) for a good 30 seconds. If you usually suffer of headaches, massage it 3 times per day as a preventive method.

3. Squeeze the side of your neck

Apart from the muscles at the back of your neck, even the ones on the side are often involved in incorrect head posture and pain that shoots up from the neck to the head.
Slightly tilt and lower your head to one side and you'll easily find a juicy strip of flesh running from your collar bone up to near your ear. Grab as much as you can of it and squeeze it (gently, please!) or also pull it downwards: it might feel sore and you might feel weird pains on your head too. This is the sign that this muscle might have been contributing to your headaches. Do it until you feel it loosen up.

Don’t forget, we’re here to help you

If you still feel like this is helping just a little bit, it might be time to book yourself in for an assessment and treatment to figure out what can work best for you with one of our physiotherapists.

Have a look at our previous blog posts too here, you might find something useful! Or see our full ‘exercises to relieve headaches’ playlist on YouTube.