What kind of headache do you have?
Did you know we can help?
At Back to Motion, many of the people that come through our clinic doors suffer from one form of headaches or another. Headaches can come in many different forms and often have triggers that can vary from environment, food, stress, and dehydration to name a handful. What people often don’t know is that headaches can be caused by something in the nerves, joints, muscles, or ligaments.
What are some of the types of headaches?
Migraine – the cause is still unknown. Migraines are commonly associated with triggers such as: hormones, foods, stress, sleep or lack of sleep, physical manifestation, sensory factors, changes in the environment and certain medications.
Cervicogenic – the cause stems from the neck structures. Pain can be triggered or worsened by neck movements or motion.
Tension-type – the cause is tension in the muscles of the neck, head or face that produce pain. Factors associated can include stress, anxiety, eye health, posture, and musculoskeletal injuries among others.
Cluster – the cause of cluster headaches is also unknown. Potential factors may include temperature, blood pressure, hormones, sleep, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
What are some of the symptoms of these headaches?
Migraine –throbbing or pulsing sensation, one-sided or both-sided, often accompanied by triggers like light, sound, or smells. Another distinct feature of a migraine can be an “aura” that can present as a flash of light, blind spots, or tingling.
Cervicogenic – one-sided pain that can start at the base of the skull and spread to the front of the head.
Tension-type – constant pain and pressure that is dull and achy. The pain is often described as bandlike around the head, often crossing the forehead, temples and back of the head.
Cluster – one-sided severe, stabbing, penetrating, burning or explosive recurring pain that has a rapid onset and can frequently present in patterns or “clusters” over a certain period. A common spot is “behind” the eye and can cause redness or watering of the eye. Additionally, the patient may have a stuffy or runny nose, droopy eyelid, facial swelling or flushing and sensitivity to light and noise.
How can we help with your headaches?
At Back to Motion our chiropractors can assess, diagnose, and manage headaches. Our physiotherapists, massage therapists, and acupuncturists are also trained in treating headaches. In some cases, a referral and co-management may be the most appropriate course of treatment.
The treatment options may include:
