Headaches and Migraines: make them stop!

If you suffer from headaches, you’re not alone. One of the easiest ways to ruined a good day is to develop a headache or a migraine. Almost every person experiences them and every 1 in 20 people can have them nearly everyday. No matter the type of headache, suffering chronic headaches can be painful and disabling.

Headaches are one of the most common medical complaints. They can result from disorders, such as high blood pressure, or can be signs of stress, emotional distress, or anxiety. A headache can occur anywhere within the skull and is normally categorized by the area of the head that it strikes. For some they can strike the entire head and for some it is just in one single location.

Primary headaches are stand-alone illnesses caused directly by the pain-sensitive structures of the head.

• Migraines: a recurrent throbbing headache that typically affects one side of the head and is often accompanied by nausea and disturbed vision.
• Cluster Headaches: a type of severe headache that tends to recur over a period of several weeks and in which the pain is usually limited to one side of the head.
• Tension Headaches: A tension headache is generally a diffuse, mild to moderate pain in your head that's often described as feeling like a tight band around your head. A tension headache (tension-type headache) is the most common type of headache, and yet its causes aren't well-understood. 
•  Exertion Headaches: Exertion headaches are typically short-lasting, usually lasting a few minutes to a few hours. Exertion headaches occur quickly after periods of intense physical activity, such as running or weight lifting, when blood flow to the head is increased.

Secondary headaches occur in response to, or as a symptom of, another condition in the body.

• Hormonal Headaches: Menstrual or hormonal migraines are similar to a regular migraine and may or may not be preceded by an aura. The migraine is a throbbing pain that starts on one side of the head. It may also involve sensitivity to light and nausea or vomiting. Other symptoms of hormonal headaches include: loss of appetite.
• Allergy or Sinus Headaches: When sinuses get inflamed ,usually because of an allergic reaction or an infection, they swell, make more mucus, and the channels that drain them can get blocked. The build-up of pressure in your sinuses causes pain that feels like a headache
• Post-Traumatic Headaches: Post-traumatic headaches may develop after any type of head or neck injury in which the blood vessels and nerves have been compressed or damaged. These headaches can feel like migraines or tension headaches, and can last up to 6 to 12 months following the injury.
• Caffeine-Induced Headaches: Caffeine changes the brain’s chemistry by affecting blood flow to the brain. Quitting caffeine cold turkey or having too much can cause headaches.

Triggers are essentially environmental or lifestyle choices that can spur the onset of a headache. Common triggers include:

• Anxiety
• Hormones
• Poor posture
• Continuous noise
• Food sensitivities
• Prescription medication
• Eating and sleeping patterns
• Physical activity or lack thereof
• Glare from screens, sunlight, or overhead lights

Triggers can be difficult to identify on your own. Often, headache and migraine triggers can be so ingrained in our daily routines that we won't even notice them. Not to worry as we are here to help!

Headaches are one of the most popular reasons that adults seek pain relief. Once we can recognize what triggers your headaches we can then create a plan of action. Working with our providers, receiving treatment and making the necessary lifestyle changes, you will begin to see significant improvements in your headaches and migraines. 

With triggers recognized, we can decide what option is best for you...

• Physical Therapy
• Chiropractic Care 
• Massage Therapy
• Psychotherapy