Triggers and Causes of Temple Headaches
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Defined Tag: Temple Headache.

What Causes my Temple Headaches?

Temple headache is most often felt as a dull throbbing in one or both temples. It can also take the form of a tight band of pain. Its intensity varies greatly from person to person, and it can last for minutes as well as hours.

Often brushed off as migraine pain, temple pain is in fact very different from migraine headache. Most of the time, it is not accompanied by migraine symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, or sensitivity to light and sound. Other than the actual feeling of pain, nothing else connects temple headache to other types of headaches.

One suggested explanation for temple headache concerns trigger points. These are found in the muscles of the neck, jaw, and upper back. Nerves along these areas are connected to the forehead and temples, and consequently, a contraction or pressure on these nerves triggers a pain response in the temples and forehead.

The trapezius trigger point is reported to be the main cause of temple headache. Located along the side of the neck, along the collarbone, and where the shoulder meets the neck, a motion from this area may trigger a headache. For example, women who carry their purses or handbags have the straps lying on this area. Weight added here can thus trigger this point. Improper posture of the shoulders can also be responsible, for example, by keeping the shoulders up.

The actual trigger point in this area is reported to be in the angle of the neck, in a tight band of muscles having a thickness of an inch. Relief can be achieved by massaging this point using the opposite hand, by kneading this cluster using the thumb and forefinger. A treatment consists of six to twelve strokes. This massage movement can be repeated throughout the day, providing significant immediate relief.

Temple headache can also be ‘activated’ by chemical activation of latent trigger points. These can result from a viral infection, a hangover, overexertion, analgesic rebound, and too much sugar in the body. Movements such as a bad cough can also physically activate these trigger points. Other elements which can set off headache triggers are allergic reactions, chemical withdrawal, physical trauma, and emotional tension.

Quote: “If the headache would only precede the intoxication, alcoholism would be a virtue” – Samuel Butler

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