Headaches: What Causes Them?

Just about everyone has had at least one headache in their lifetime. In fact, about 25 million of people in the United States experience migraines on a regular basis. Headaches are caused by a number of factors, including tight muscles, stress, fatigue, low blood sugar, lack of sleep, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), drug reactions, high blood pressure and whiplash from an auto accident injury.

The most common type of headache is the tension headache, affecting about 75 percent of headache sufferers. A tension headache can feel like a dull ache behind the eyes or pain on one or both sides of the head. Some individuals say that it feels like a tight band is around their head when they have a tension headache.

A migraine headache is characterized by intense throbbing, sensitivity to light and sound and, at times, nausea and vomiting. It may be preceded by a migraine aura, which is a temporary visual disturbance. Migraines are often triggered by certain foods and beverages, lack of sleep, flickering lights, changes in weather and odors.

A cluster headache is less common and short in duration. This type of headache is typically located on side of the head and behind the eyes. While migraines are more common in women, a cluster headache is more common in men.

Headache Relief from Chiropractic Care

A rich body of evidence now indicates that adjustments from a chiropractor are very effective for headache pain and associated neck pain. Our Lake Worth chiropractic care concentrates on misalignments in the spinal column that require alignment. Our low-force techniques and therapy provide pain relief and restore proper joint alignment. Depending on the individual, massage therapy and stretching exercises are introduced to relieve pain.

More specifically, our Lake Worth chiropractor, Dr. Jack J. Cacic, helps provide significant improvement in headache and neck pain through manipulation of the upper two cervical vertebrae in addition to adjustments applied to the cervical and thoracic spine junction. He may also use trigger point therapy in conjunction with massage on certain muscles to reduce your headache pain.

What are your migraine triggers? How do you prevent headaches?