Headaches

---

Headaches can have many different causes and triggers. Some headaches are considered primary, meaning the headache is caused by a headache condition; while others are considered secondary, meaning they are the result of other conditions. Different types of headaches present with different symptoms but all respond well to Chiropractic care. A complete exam is important to determine how to treat your headaches. The most common types of headache are:

• Tension
• Migraine
• Cluster
• Cervicogenic

Tension headaches are usually described as dull, aching pressure on both sides of your head, kind of like a band squeezing the temples. These are primary headaches that can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several days. Pain is mild to moderate. 

These types of headaches are common after prolonged screen use. They can be caused by poor posture, stress, anxiety, eye strain, fatigue, dehydration, or hunger. 

Migraines are a neurological condition that can cause multiple symptoms. They are frequently characterized by intense, debilitating headaches. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, difficulty speaking, numbness or tingling, and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines often run in families and affect all ages. Migraine triggers can be unique to each person. Migraines typically occur in 3 stages: prodrome, attack, and postdrome.

The prodrome stage usually starts 1-2 days before the actual migraine. Symptoms during this stage can include:

• food cravings
• depression
• fatigue or low energy
• frequent yawning
• hyperactivity
• irritability
• neck stiffness

In migraine with aura, the aura occurs after the prodrome stage. During an aura, you may have problems with your vision, sensation, movement, and speech. The next phase is known as the attack phase. This is the most acute or severe of the phases when the actual migraine pain occurs. In some people, this can overlap or occur during an aura. Attack phase symptoms can last anywhere from hours to days. Symptoms of a migraine can vary from person to person. Some symptoms may include:

• increased sensitivity to light and sound
• nausea
• dizziness or feeling faint
• pain on one side of your head, either on the left side, right side, front, or back, or in your temples
• pulsing and throbbing head pain
• vomiting

After the attack phase, a person will often experience the postdrome phase. During this phase, there are usually changes in mood and feelings. These can range from feeling euphoric and extremely happy, to feeling very fatigued and apathetic. A mild, dull headache may persist.

Cluster headaches are a series of relatively short but very painful headaches on one side of the face every day for weeks or months at a time. You tend to get them at the same time each year, such as in the spring or fall. Because of this, people often mistake cluster headaches for symptoms of allergies or work stress. A nerve in your face is involved which creates intense pain around one of your eyes. Cluster headaches can be more severe than a migraine, but they usually don't last as long.

Cervicogenic headaches are secondary headaches that are caused by neck pain. Neck pain could be caused by poor posture, soft tissue injury, or joint irritation. People with cervicogenic headaches often have a reduced range of motion of their neck and worsening of their headache with certain movements of their neck or pressure applied to certain spots on their neck. The headaches are often side-locked (on one side only), and the pain may radiate from the neck/back of the head up to the front of the head or behind the eye. These types of headaches are resolved when neck pain is resolved.