At some stage of your life you've probably a headache, or maybe two. Suffering from Headaches can be extremely common, with most people experiencing them at some stage in their life. Now, infrequent headaches may just be considered a mild annoyance, However when they become too frequent, headaches can be debilitating and begin to affect our activities of daily living. So here's you guide to help you deal with them when they come on, and what might be happening.
So to begin with, not all headaches are created equal. Whilst it has been suggested that there are over 300 different types of headaches, not all have a known cause. Because you don't have time to go through all 300, we'll give you highlights of the top 3 main offenders, and what you should know about these different types of headaches.
Cervicogenic Headaches
Cervicogenic headaches generally originate due to stiffness and tightness that has developed in the vertebrae or muscles in your neck. Often the pain will start at the base of your neck, and can have the potential to radiate to the front. Associated symptoms can include pain in the neck, around the eyes and other parts of the face. Generally there will also be reduced mobility in the neck.
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are the most common. They usually feel like a dull band like pain that radiates across the front of the forehead. Generally these headaches come on due to stress, whether that be physical or emotional, and will often have some similar musculoskeletal symptoms as cervicogenic headaches.
Migraines
Migraines can be painful and disorienting, and are another common type of headache. Patients will often experience throbbing pain, and can have any combination of associated symptoms from vision loss vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or dizziness. Migraines can also be further categorised into Migraines with or without Aura.
So now that a you know a few of the most common types of headaches, let us tell you why your head is hurting, and what you can do to treat your headache.
There can be a range reasons that headaches are triggered, along with multiple reasons you can be more susceptible to developing a headache. Whilst some factors can be linked underlying health conditions or genetics, lifestyle choices and current health status can have a lot to do with your predisposition to developing headaches. It has even been suggested that up to 95% of headaches are not caused by underlying health conditions. So, what are some better lifestyle choices you can make to avoid headaches.
Decreasing Stress
Nutritious Diet; with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, whilst avoiding processed sugars
Appropriate hydration levels
Regular Exercise
Reducing excess body fat
Appropriate amounts of sleep
Avoiding sitting in on position for extended periods of time
Now that you armed with some lifestyle factors that can reduce headaches, there are some other triggers for headaches to be aware of. These are potential triggers for developing a headache.
Bright lights
High Intensity Exercise
Low blood sugar levels
Loud Noises
Pillow usage when sleeping
Too much alcohol
Our team is trained to help you identify any of the above factors that might be causing or increasing your risk of developing frequent headaches. But what other treatments for headaches do we offer?
Chiropractic Adjustments / spinal manipulation
Chiropractic Adjustments are the main therapy provided by our Chiropractors to treat headaches. Many studies have suggested that this treatment is an effective solution for treating multiple types of headaches, including migraines. Chiropractic adjustments aim to restore movement to the vertebrae in your spine, which may have become stiff and not be moving effectively. Most common types of headaches can result in restriction of the vertebrae in your neck, and increase muscle tension in both the neck and your shoulders. For this reason our Chiropractors will often combine Chiropractic Adjustments with Soft Tissue Therapies such as Dry Needling, Trigger Point Therapy or Percussive Therapy (Theragun).
Exercises and Stretches
Another effective treatment for headaches can be exercise and stretching. Whether it be specific exercises for headaches or general exercise, both will have a hypoalgesic effect. Our Chiropractors can offer you a range of stretch and exercise options to help relieve your headaches.
Do you want more information about headaches from the best your best "chiro near me". Well look out for our blog on quick tips to help relieve headaches.