All of us experience headache pain from time to time, but for some, the severity of the pain, and/or the frequency of headaches and migraines can become debilitating. The World Health Organization published a fact sheet in April 2016 that stated:
- Headache problems are among the most common nervous system disorders
- Recurrent headache disorders are associated with damage to quality of life and financial implications
- A minority of those suffering from a headache disorder get an accurate diagnosis (and, by implication, correct treatment for their problem)
At Chiropractic and Allied Health, our holistic, natural approach to treating the root cause of headache pain is entirely drug-free. If headaches are a problem for you, please call your local Chiropractic and Allied Health Centre today to book an assessment appointment.
What Causes Headaches?
For most of us, the most common causes of headache pain result from joint strain and stiffness and tight, tense muscles in the neck and upper back gradually getting worse over time, often caused by stress.
Other causes include dehydration, problems with teeth or jaw, high or low blood sugar, high blood pressure, poor posture and dietary deficiencies, allergies and food intolerances, viral infections, injury or trauma and, for women, in particular, hormone imbalances.
The Most Common Types of Headache
- Tension headaches affect 70% of men and 80% of women. The symptoms can include nausea, poor concentration and mood swings and feelings of tightness or pressure, and feel like a band surrounding the head. Long-term chronic stress and postural problems, often caused by poor workplace ergonomics are leading causes of this type of headache.
- Cervicogenic headaches often affect only one side of the head and may affect the area behind one eye. This type of headache originates from the neck and/or shoulders and made worse, by moving the head and neck. Like migraines, nausea or vomiting may be experienced but unlike a migraine, there are no visual or neurological problems associated.
- Cluster headaches affect one side of the head and produce a burning or stabbing pain of short duration. These are often associated with nasal or sinus congestion and watering eyes.
- Jaw problems, affecting the Temporomandibular joint can be associated with stress and tension causing tooth clenching or grinding during sleep although it can also be a result of a facial injury or the jaw not being correctly aligned.
- Migraines can be debilitating with excruciating, throbbing pain, light and sound sensitivity and visual disturbances.
- Medication overuse headache (MOH) is the most common secondary headache disorder with patients experiencing painful headaches on most days that are often worse on waking.
How Can Chiropractic and Allied Health Help?
In order to begin the right treatment plan or refer the patient to an appropriate healthcare provider if chiropractic or osteopathy is not suitable in their case, it is vital to identify the cause of headache pain. This is our aim at the initial appointment when we will take a thorough patient history and perform a non-invasive physical examination to identify which structures, joints or muscles may be misaligned, out of balance, or otherwise affected.
- We can help by reducing the impact of trigger points that can cause referred pain in the head, releasing tight joints and muscles, relieving nerve irritation and compression and reducing inflammation in surrounding tissues.
- Particularly in the case of tension headaches, we can reduce stiffness and tension in the upper back and neck that can result from long hours sitting at a desk, workstation or computer screen, poor posture and the effects of stress.
- We can prescribe stretches and exercises to do at home to minimise the likelihood of a recurrence.
- Our treatments are all, entirely drug-free, avoiding any of the potentially harmful side effects of medications or the risk of MOH.
There are more than 120 types of headache and you will be glad to know that almost all are either neurological or biomechanical in origin and will respond well to our holistic and natural approach, combining Chiropractic, Osteopathy, soft tissue therapy, massage and other techniques that are effective in treating many of the common causes of headaches.
Move Well, Eat Well, Think Well. The three most important things we need to be healthy.
Book Online or Call your local Chiropractic & Allied Health Clinic to make your appointment today!