What is Causing my Headaches?

What is Causing my Headaches?
Low back pain and Headaches are the top reasons people end up in a chiropractors office. While there are many causes of headaches, most can be helped by a chiropractor. The most common types of headaches include; tension, migraine, and sinus.

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache that chiropractors see. The reason we see so many tension headaches is because they start in the neck. Loss of cervical lordosis can cause increased tension in the cervical spine. This increases the strain on the neck muscles including the sub occipital muscles. The sub occipital muscles attach to the spine and the back of the skull. There is a nerve that runs through an area of the sub-occipitals called the sub-occipital triangle. These muscles when inflamed and hypertonic can irate the nerve that goes to the top and forehead. This is why a lot of these headaches feel like they start in the neck.

Migraine headaches are a little bit more of a mystery. There are stages to a migraine that may or may not include an aura. An aura is a set of symptoms that are a precursor to a migraine. These include numbness in the limbs, seeing spots or other visual disturbances, and difficulty hearing. When migraines hit they are typically on one side of the head. The migraine can cause light sensitivity and even lead to nausea and vomiting. There are many causes of migraines that include hormonal changes, food and drink intolerance and allergy, or sleep changes. Chiropractors cannot help with all types of migraines, but we can help limit the neck and muscle factors that can lead to migraines.

Sinus headaches are another common headache seen in our office. While we don’t treat sinus infections, we do try to help with some of the symptoms. The main tool used to treat sinus headaches is acupuncture. The acupuncture helps decrease the pressure in the sinuses and allows you to breath easier. Adjustments to the neck and muscles can help relieve the pressure also.

At Sports and Family Chiropractic we try to improve the motion and muscle balance of the neck and upper back. Adjustments help increase the motion and decrease the pressure in the neck. The lack of motion can cause the neck muscle to tighten up. When this happens headaches follow. After improving the motion, we work to improve the muscle balance. The improved balance reduces trigger points and nerve pressure.