Most people at one time or another get a headache. For some, simply taking a couple of pain relievers, such as aspirin, will knock the headache down and let you continue on with your day. That is fine for an occasional headache; however, if you have repeated headaches you should get checked by a physician or a chiropractor to determine the cause and a treatment plan to correct the underlying problem.
There are several different types of common headaches (that I will cover here) : tension headaches, sinus headaches and migraines.
A tension headache is a headache caused from the sustained contraction of muscles of the head and/or neck. Typically it is a stress induced headache; however, sleeping wrong and/or working in one position for a longtime (i.e. at the computer) can also cause this type of headache since the muscles become imbalanced. Another name can be a “cervicogenic” headache meaning it originates from the muscles in the neck. See the Muscles of the Upper Cervical article on the inside.
Getting up and moving around every half hour when you are on the computer, as well as stretches, doing pure ranges of motion, and some simple shoulder exercises will help relieve this type of headache. Additionally, a massage or a hot shower will help relax the muscles of the head and neck. Chiropractic treatments can also help re-align your neck vertebrae so that your muscles are in better balance with each side; and therefore, are not constantly contracting, thus relieving the headache.
Sinus headaches are from your sinuses being blocked and causing pressure or pain. You can typically feel these types of headaches, just above your eyebrows, behind your eyes, and around you nose and cheekbones. The key here is to be able to open up your sinuses and let them start draining. There are some massage techniques that you can do on your face that will help open your sinuses. A hot shower will also help open your sinuses. When taking the shower, you should blow your nose several times in the shower after about 5 minutes. If your sinuses stay plugged, you run the risk of ending up with a sinus infection. Chiropractic treatment to the neck (especially at atlas and axis) can also help relieve some sinus pressure and help the sinuses drain.
Migraines can be very debilitating for patients. Migraines can last from 4 hours to several days. They can be classic migraines where there is an aura (some painless signs before the actual headache starts), light and sound sensitivity, nausea and/or vomiting all with one-sided intense head pain. There are also common migraines with or without some of above mentioned symptoms and signs. Migraines can be triggered by certain foods such as red wine, chocolate, caffeine and hard cheeses. Many migraine sufferers seek chiropractic care and get relief and prevention of their migraines through regular chiropractic adjustments to the cervical (neck) spine, especially atlas and axis.