Although very common, affecting most people at some stage in their life, headaches can range from occasional to frequent, and from mild to debilitating, while some can lead to nausea, dizziness, and even weakness.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEADACHES
Not all headaches are the same. In order to enable your chiropractor to treat your condition appropriately, it helps to know which type you suffer from. So, let’s take a look at a few of the most common types of headaches…
Some underlying health conditions can also cause headaches, like high blood pressure.
Migraines are intense throbbing in nature and can be associated with or without an aura, vomiting or nausea, and sensitivity to light and sounds. Triggers include stress, hormone fluctuations, dietary triggers, and lack of sleep.
Treatment: Usual treatment for migraines includes pain management medication. Chiropractic treatment includes neck manipulation, which increases the blood flow to the brain and can reduce migraine headaches' intensity and frequency.
Tension headaches are headaches that are caused by tense and sore muscles in the neck and shoulder region. best describes as a headband that is on too tight, or squeezing and vice-like pain around the head.
Treatment: Tension headaches can be treated with pain medication combined with muscle relaxants. Chiropractic treatment includes treating of the involved muscles and manipulating the involved segments of the neck.
Headaches are caused by irritation in the neck, often associated with restricted cervical movement. Common complaints include neck soreness/tightness usually just below the skull, coming over the back of the head to the forehead, and sometimes can go behind the eye. Can be unilateral or bilateral.
Treatment: Chiropractic treatment includes loosening of the involved musculature, through massage or dry needling, and manipulation of the affected cervical segments. correct treatment can result in the complete demise of these headaches, for this to happen some lifestyle changes needs to be made to eliminate the factors causing irritation to the neck.
Cluster headaches occur periodically and can be associated with pain behind one eye, usually affecting one side. Symptoms include pain behind the eye, nasal stuffiness sweating, and feeling flushed. m
These headaches can last for days up to weeks at a time and can disappear for months before returning. There are no definitive causes that have been established.
Treatment: Traditionally pain medication is prescribed to reduce the intensity of the headaches.
Chiropractic treatment includes manipulation of the upper neck, this removes irritation to nerves and increases blood flow to the brain, which can reduce the intensity, duration, and frequency of the headaches.
Headache prevention:
Chiropractic treatment for headaches is an excellent way to, not only get to the root of the reason for the headaches but also to reduce the frequency and in some instances completely take them away.
Your chiropractor will adjust your treatment to the specific nature of your headache!
While most commonly headaches can be treated naturally by your chiropractor some headaches cannot as they can be caused by dehydration, high blood pressure, or other serious conditions that need other forms of intervention.