People are always self-diagnosing themselves as being “migraine’ sufferers, but there are several different types of debilitating headaches that have similar presentations and require very different courses of action in order to correct them.
First and foremost, the #1 preventable cause of the vast majority of all headaches is dehydration. The brain is comprised of nearly 80% water, so it stands to reason that not being properly hydrated is going to cause some issues with the circuitry. This is just one of the countless reasons why it is absolutely critical for people to drink 1/2 of their body weight in ounces of water (200lbs = 100 oz of H20).
The most common type of headache is a Tension headache. These feel like a band across the forehead, tenderness at the base of the skull and trapezius muscles. They are often triggered by emotional stress and/or tight shoulder and upper back muscles. Where do you carry most of your stress? Also, too much screen time is becoming a major cause as well.
Cluster headaches are another miserable experience that people have to endure. They are characterized by sharp, excruciating pain behind one eye watering eye, and a runny nose. These are often brought on by nitrates found in bacon or wine, smoking, altitude changes, and heat.
Medication Over-Use or Rebound Headaches are caused by regular, long-term medication use to treat headaches, particularly migraines. The body becomes so accustomed to being medicated that it becomes almost an addiction, and the taking of any type of pain medication (Rx or OTC) can act as a trigger.
Sinus headaches are usually on both sides of the face, with pain and pressure above and below the eyes. They are made worse by bending forward and typically present with a runny nose. Very often they are a trigger for a migraine.
And guess who is great at getting rid of all types of headaches? You guessed it, we are. Chiropractors have been to end-all-be-all for headache relief since DD Palmer figured out that the neck bone is connected to the head bone! Adjusting the spine allows for the sinuses to drain properly, decreases the need to take pain medication, promotes good posture, and relaxes tense muscles! So the next time you’re staring at your phone, slouching in your chair, doing your taxes, while chugging a glass of wine and eating a hotdog, think to yourself… why do I keep getting these headaches?
Need help?
Consult our professional migraine chiropractor in Pittsburgh, PA.