South Pointe Healthcare

Headache Relief Experts

Headaches are one of the most common pain symptoms in the world, with more than 75% of adults experiencing them yearly. Do you suffer from headaches? Our physical rehab experts have helped thousands of patients manage pain from headaches.

Headache Relief Experts

Headaches are one of the most common pain symptoms in the world, with more than 75% of adults experiencing them yearly. Do you suffer from headaches? Our physical rehab experts have helped thousands of patients manage pain from headaches.

Headache Overview

Headaches are the result of pain in the face, head or neck. Frequent headaches often effect personal relationships and employment. 

Headaches are one of the most common pain symptoms, 9/10 Americans suffer from headaches that often range in frequency and intensity, some can even cause debilitating pain and nausea. 

What Causes Headaches?

The causes of headaches are widespread and often involve a “trigger”. These triggers can be a result of environmental stimuli (noise, light, stress), behavior (sleep habits, exercise, blood sugar changes), and foods. Of all headaches, only 5% can be traced to physical problems, with the remaining 95% categorized as primary headaches that are commonly identified as tension, migraine or cluster headaches.

According to the International Headache Society, other common causes of headaches are:

  • Dental issues
  • Sinus problems
  • Dehydration
  • Fatigue
  • Viral Infections
  • Head Injury
  • Common Cold
  • Recreational Drugs
  • Medication overuse headaches
  • Sleep Deprivation
  • Fatigue

A vast majority of these primary headaches can be traced to muscle tension in the neck. Especially with current social conditions, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than ever before, which leads to increased joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, back and upper scalp leading to headaches.

These tension headaches affect 1.6 billion people globally, followed closely by migraine headaches which affect around 848 million people. 

If you are experiencing headaches, you are not alone, each year about 47% of the population experience headaches.

What Happens During A Headache?

The pain that is associated with a headache is caused by pain signals that interact through the brain, its blood vessels and the surrounding nerves. When people experience a headache, the nerves are affected as well as the surrounding muscles and blood vessels, resulting in pain signals being sent to the brain. 

Types Of Headaches

Data from Harvard Health suggests that there are over 300 different types of headaches. Unfortunately, only around 10% have a known cause, these are called primary headaches. 

In contrast to primary headaches, secondary headaches are caused because of an underlying issue in the head or neck. Headaches associated with substance abuse such as hangovers and medication overuse headaches fall into this category as well.

What Are The Most Common Primary Headaches?

Even though over 300 types of headaches exist, according to WebMD, the vast majority of headaches that people experience fit into a few categories. Read about the most common types of primary headaches below.

Migraine

A migraine headache has symptoms that include throbbing and pulsating pain, often occurring on one side of the head but may switch areas during symptoms. 

Some of the tell-tale symptoms of a migraine include:

  • Sensitivity to light
  • Sensitivity to sound
  • Disturbances of the senses (changes is vision called “aura”)
  • Nausea and vomiting

This type of headache is the second most common in the world and depending on the severity they can significantly impact quality of life.

Depending on the individual and the circumstances surrounding the migraine, they can last from a few hours all the way up to multiple days. Migraines can occur anywhere from once per week to a yearly basis. 

Tension Headaches

Mayo Clinic data shows that tension headaches are the most common type of headache, although its specific causes are not fully understood. They are often described as a mild to moderate pain that takes form of a tight band around the head.

Fortunately, alternative care therapies such as chiropractic have been shown to be a highly effective tool in the treatment and prevention of tension headaches. South Pointe Healthcare is an integrated medical clinic with a team of chiropractic professionals who have helped many patients overcome tension headaches. 

Chronic Daily Headaches

Headaches are classified as “chronic” when they occur for longer than 3 months, or more than 15 days in a single month.

Chronic headaches are most commonly one of the following types of headaches:

  • Sinus Headaches
  • Chronic Migraine
  • Persistent Headache
  • Chronic Tension Headache

Our chiropractic and physical rehab teams has successfully improved quality of life of patients with chronic headaches, this is usually achieved with consistent visits to find and treat the root causes of the problem. 

Sinus Headaches

Sinus headaches (hemicrania continua) occur when the sinus cavities in the head become inflamed, often accompanies by other sinus symptoms such as fullness in the ears, runny nose, fever and facial swelling. The felling associated with a sinus headache is a consistent deep pain in the forehead, cheekbones or bridge of the nose. 

According to WebMD, his type of headache is a common result of a sinus infection, with the tell-tale sign being mucus that comes out of the nose being yellow or green. This is contrary to the clear discharge found in migraines or cluster headaches. 

Some of the common effects of sinus headaches include:

  • Red / teary eyes
  • Droopy eyelid(s)
  • Pain with varying severity
  • Worse pain with drinking alcohol or physical activity
  • Contracted iris
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Sensitivity to light and sound

Rebound Headaches

These are the side effects of individuals who have problems with medication or substance abuse. They will typically occur in the early morning and may be called “medication overuse headaches”.

Post Traumatic Headaches

This type of headache is common to occur 2-3 days after a traumatic head injury. They may last for a few days, but if it does not get better after a couple of weeks, it is recommended to contact your doctor to make sure that it is not a symptom of a life-threatening injury. 

Typically, individuals will feel:

  • Vertigo
  • Lightheadedness
  • Memory Problems
  • Dull Aching
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue / Easily Tired

Ice Pick Headaches

Short, stabbing and intense headaches that will typically last only a few seconds are called “Ice Pick Headaches”. They may occur a few times per day. These headaches are rare in occurrence, and if you experience these symptoms it is important to contact a doctor to make sure it is not a symptom of a larger issue.

Exercise Headaches

When participating in physical activity, the muscles located in the neck, head and scalp need more blood to function properly. In order to supply the extra blood, the head, the blood vessels swell, which can result in a pulsing feeling on both sides of the head, lasting from 5 minutes up to 48 hours. They occur most often during or immediately after physical exercise, including sex.

Getting A Diagnosis

The first step towards improving quality of life when dealing with frequent headaches is to talk with your doctor. They will do a preliminary physical examination and ask for descriptions of symptoms including frequency and severity. It is a good idea to prepare for your visit with a list of things that you believe cause headaches, things that make them feel worse, and things that make them feel better. 

Fortunately, spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function have been shown to reduce pain and stress throughout your body. Depending on the individual case, nutritional advice such as a change in diet or advice on posture and relaxation techniques can also help relieve recurring irritation.

At South Pointe Healthcare, we have a dedicated team of chiropractic and physical therapy specialists that can help you find the root cause of your pain symptoms and improve your quality of life. 

FAQ's

Secondary headaches are often experienced as a side effect of an underlying illness or injury.

People with headaches should get medical attention when headaches are associated with a fever, neck stiffness, or neck weakness, changes in vision, vomiting, or change in physical sensation on one side of the body.

Very common!

In fact, headaches are one of the most common pain symptoms across the world. It is reported that 75% of all adults have had a headache within the past year. 

Primary headaches are one of the largest contributors to absenteeism from school and work. Chronic headaches often take a toll on individuals’ family and social life, resulting in increased risk for anxiety and depression.

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