Headaches

Headaches

Headaches affect just about everyone at some point and can present themselves in many different ways. Headache pain may concentrate in one part of the head or behind the eyes, or it may become a pounding sensation inside the whole head; it may be accompanied by nausea, or it may not. The pain itself may be dull or sharp, and it may last anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. Fortunately, very few headaches have serious underlying causes, but those that do require urgent medical attention.

Although headaches can be due to a wide variety of causes such as drug reactions, TMJ dysfunction, tightness in the neck muscles, low blood sugar, high blood pressure, spinal misalignments, stress, fatigue, the majority of recurrent headaches are of two types; tension headaches (also called cervicogenic headaches) and migraine headaches. There is a third, less common, type of headache called a cluster headache that is similar to a migraine.

The chiropractic approach to headaches; first you evaluate the history of the headaches. What is the frequency? Duration? Intensity? What do you do at work? Secondly, we evaluate any potential misalignments or spinal dysfunction. We do this through joint motion, range of motion studies, and orthopedic testing. We can also evaluate diet. Is there something lacking in your diet? Or do you have an intake of a food or drink that is worsening the pain.

In our experience at Southport Chiropractic, we have seen great benefit from those who suffer from regular headaches. If you know of anyone who needlessly suffers from frequent headaches, please have them call us to answer any questions they may have.