by Buck Tilton

Long a medical mystery (and still to some degree today), headaches have been blamed on such things as wimpishness, psychological disorders, repressed emotions, demons, mother-in-laws, red wine, old cheese and bad karma. Some of that blame may be valid. More than two dozen types of headaches have been identified by experts including pain related to diet, stress, heredity and personality traits.

For you and me, most headaches are a familiar companion: a dull ache in the forehead or sides of the head, often associated with muscular tightness the back of the neck. It may feel as if your hat's too small when you aren't wearing one. An over-the-counter aspirin or another painkiller, a long drink from the water bottle, maybe a short nap, and the pain takes a hike. Beginning treatment as soon as you feel the headache developing, in most cases, keeps the discomfort on the low end of the pain range.

These episodes are called tension (or muscular contraction) headaches, probably the most common source of pain in the head for all people and usually the result of emotional and physical stress and exhaustion. Muscles in your head, and muscles in your neck and shoulders that attach to those reaching up over your head, squeeze down tight putting grief on nerves and blood vessels. These muscles often feel like someone tied them into a bowline-on-a-coil, and massaging the muscles provides some relief.

Tension headaches are nothing more than a nuisance. The chance of one can be reduced by maintaining a fair to middling level of physical fitness, making sure your pack fits well and rides comfortably, and talking a companion into carrying the heaviest gear. Since you'll sometimes wake up with a tension headache when you sleep uncomfortably, adequate sleeping pads and a flat tent site can be of benefit in prevention. It should be needless to say, but here it is anyway: choosing hiking partners that you really enjoy being with will greatly reduce your stress.

© 1998 Buck Tilton