Headaches
It is estimated
that 90% of men of men and 95% of women had at least one headache last
year. Studies have also suggested that despite this large number of
headaches, about half of the sufferers fail to seek treatment.
Unfortunately, this means that a large portion of those with headaches are
either suffering needlessly or they are self-treating with medications; neither
of these "solutions" addresses the cause(s) of the headaches and
therefore, there is no prevention of future pain. This is not
control. To take control of your headaches, seek care from your Doctor of
Chiropractic.
True control will require your active participation in
three easy steps.
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
The Diagnosis
Diagnosis in your chiropractor's
office will began with a thorough physical and spinal examinations, and if
clinically necessary, diagnostic tests (which may include X-rays, and the
ordering or neurological, orthopedic, blood, and/or urine laboratory tests).
In addition be prepared for in depth discussion and questioning about your diet,
health history, headache frequency and severity, accident history, habits and
activities, and other factors that play a role in causing you headaches.
The first determination will be weather your headache
is secondary or primary. Secondary headaches
are those caused by another condition, and these are the ones that people worry
about with a severe headache. Fortunately, these account for less that 10%
of all headaches. That said, however, if your headache comes on suddenly,
accompanies by numbness, confusion, slurred speech, or other severe or unusual
symptom(s). SEEK EMERGENCY CARE
Primary headaches
include tension-type, migraine. and cervicogenic Headaches.
Tension-type headaches, sometimes
called muscle contraction, are by far the
most common, accounting for an estimated 85%
of all headache pain. Men and women suffer from tension headaches at equal
rates. Pain is generally mild to moderate, can last for a few hours to a
full day, and is usually felt in the back of the neck and on the scalp.
They may be cause by stress and can become chronic, with some people suffering
daily headaches.
Migraine headaches
are notorious for their severity and potential for unusual symptoms. Women
are more likely to suffer from migraines then men, although before puberty and
after menopause, males and females suffer at approximately equal
rates. Migraines may run in families and can, therefore, affect
children. The American Council for Headache Education (ACHE) believes that
"if one parent has migraines, the child has a 50 percent chance of having a
migraine. If both parents have them, there is a 75 percent chance that the
child will have them, too."
Migraine pain is often severe and disabling, affecting work,
family and social lives. There are two types of migraine; those with aura
and those without. Both types are characterized by throbbing pain,
typically one side of the head (pain may alternate sides); nausea and vomiting
and light and sound sensitivity. Migraine with aura includes visual
disturbances (the "aura") such as jagged lines or flashing lights in
the visual field, blind spots, or even visual or auditory hallucinations.
Disruptions in smell, taste, and touch may also be experienced.
Cervicogenic headaches are those
cause3d by aberrations in the structures of the neck, including the joints,
ligaments, muscles, or cervical spinal disks. In fact, cervicogenic means
originating from the neck. Symptoms of cervicogenic headache can mimic
both tension and migraine headache.
Fortunately, your Doctor of Chiropractic can differentiate between the types of headache and their cause. Research has shown that chiropractic management of these types of headache is effective and safe. Some research suggests that not seeking treatment for chronic headaches can lead to psychiatric disorders, such as depression. For this reason it is important to go beyond diagnosis and follow up with the appropriate treatment.
The Treatment
Only after the diagnosis of your headache type and the determination of its causes will chiropractic treatment begin; if it is determined that chiropractic is the form of care most appropriate for you case. If it is found that another type of treatment would be beneficial, you will be referred to the most suitable health care provider.
If chiropractic care will best meet your needs, treatment will begin after it is first outlines and explained to you. Chiropractic is a form of care that uses several means of treatment to reach the desired result. Treatment may include spinal adjustment (also called manipulation) to improve spinal alignment; physical modalities such as application of heat or ice, electric muscle stimulation, ultra sound, massage, or others may be used; and specific recommendations to improve you diet, exercise, posture, or sleeping habits will be discussed as they affect your headache frequency. Relaxation techniques may also be discussed.
The Prevention
Once your Doctor of Chiropractic has
determined the cause(s) of your headaches, you will know how to avoid them in
the future. For example, if it is found that your headaches tend to occur
following a late lunch, future care to eat at regular intervals will prevent at
least some of your headaches.
Follow all recommended changes to your lifestyle (such
as improvements in diet, nutrition, exercise, and posture) and keep all health
care appointments. The bottom line is that they are your headaches;
you can be the one that controls them.
The list of possible headache triggers is extensive. Some of the more common culprits are:
Chocolate
Caffeine
Food additives, such as monosodium
glutamate
(MSG) or Nitrates
Alcohol
Stress or anxiety
Hormonal changes associated with
puberty,
menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause
Changes in altitude, time zone, meal
times,
or sleep