Our Spinecare chiropractors find that many of our new patients to our practices are headache suffers or have experienced headaches in the past. Headaches also have a tendency to run in your family and we often find an inherited family headache pattern. With the ever increasing pace and stress of life, combined with desk and computer based jobs, headaches are becoming increasingly common!
Are there different types of headaches?
The answer to that question is definitely yes! Headaches generally fall into two broad categories: primary and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are often the result of problems within the neck (cervico-genic) or problems with the blood supply too or within the head (vascular). Secondary headaches are usually due to more manageable conditions such as eye strain, ear problems or teeth/dental problems. Secondary headaches on rare occasions can also be from serious or underlying conditions such as brain tumors or stroke.There is a myriad of different types of primary headaches. The names of some of these primary headaches include; migraine, tension, cluster, hormonal, whiplash, familial, basilar, hemiplegic, chronic, rebound, weekend, stress, menstrual, sinus, thunderclap, ice cream and exercise.
What causes headaches?
In many cases the cause of your headaches is in fact your neck! When restriction or mechanical jamming of vertebrae in your neck occurs, it can affect the structures of the neck such as the joints, ligaments, discs, nerves, muscles and blood vessels. When this dysfunction is left uncorrected, irritation can cause pain to be referred into the head. It’s this pain referral that leaves us with a stinking headache! Our Spinecare Adelaide chiropractors often find this hidden underlying cause, irritated by everyday triggers, is ultimately responsible for your headache.
Headaches are often triggered or increased in severity by common everyday factors. Environmental factors like weather, lighting, smells, noise and pollution can all contribute. Additionally, common dietary triggers such as coffee, MSG, nitrates, tea, medications, wine, soft drinks and chocolate are known to trigger headaches. In regards to women’s health, monthly hormonal changes can aggravate headaches for many female headache sufferers. The above factors are what we know as triggers or stressors and are not the direct cause of headaches. If chocolate and coffee were the causes then why don’t we all get headaches?It’s vitally important if you are experiencing headaches to have the cause properly diagnosed. Spinecare chiropractors are all primary contact practitioners and university qualified to provide you with a thorough examination and potential solution to your headaches!
How can Spinecare Chiropractic help with headaches?
Many people take pain killers or anti-inflammatories on a daily basis to mask the pain of headaches and get through the day. If you are this type of person, then help from our Spinecare chiropractors may be your solution.Headaches are the third most common reason people seek help from our clinics and in our chiropractor’s opinion, one of the conditions that respond’s best to chiropractic care. Although pain medication may give some relief, it should always be considered a temporary measure as it fails to address the cause of the headaches. If pain persists or returns then a thorough search for the underlying cause should start at your closest Adelaide Spinecare Chiropractic clinic during Your Initial Consultation.
After determining the cause of the problem, the appropriate type and course of care can be recommended in Your Report of Findings.Your course of care may also be able to address the triggers of headaches, so that moving forward they are less likely to affect you in the future. Spinecare Chiropractic prides itself on providing safe and professional chiropractic care for the relief of headaches.