Headaches can be very debilitating, and really ruin your day. There are many causes of headaches, and each cause will have a different solution to help you. Instead of taking some pain medication each time you get a headache, I encourage you to find the right doctor to evaluate you, and help get you on the road to living a headache free life.
The causes of headaches are numerous and can stem from eye problems, sinus problems, jaw problems, head trauma, and chronic tension of the muscles of the neck; to name a few. Many headaches suffers are given medication to help with the pain; and while that may provide temporary symptom relief, rarely does the medication get rid of headaches permanently. Chronic severe headaches sufferers may even get an MRI of their head in attempt to find the cause of the symptoms; and the majority of time there are no significant findings.
In over 20% of all headaches, there is cervical spine is involvement as the cause. Cervical dysfunction of the joints and/or musculature are causes of such headaches. Far too often, the neck is forgotten about as one of the most common causes for headaches. Tight muscles in the neck and around the head can restrict blood flow and result in headaches. Trauma, and repetitive stressors (poor postures) are also common causes of such headaches. Such cervico-genic headaches can also mimic migraine headache symptoms, thus leading to an incorrect diagnosis.
If you notice that your headaches commonly occur while you are at work; you should consider re- organizing your work station to make it more ergonomically friendly. This would include adjusting the height of your chair (or computer screen), using a headset while talking on the phone, checking the distance from your chair to computer screen, as well making sure that the computer screen is directly in front of your chair. Taking breaks every hour to rest your eyes is also recommended.
If you find the tension in your neck and upper back only gets temporary relief from massage, stretching and muscle relaxers, then you should consider getting assessed by someone that specializes in such issues. Finding the cause of the pain and muscle tightness will save you a lot of wasted time stretching or massaging and taking medication to help with the muscle spasms.
Muscle tightness and pain is usually a symptom of problems elsewhere. Muscles will tighten in attempt to create stability due to a problem elsewhere. For example, some people have very tight upper traps because their mid and lower traps are not functioning properly. Another common finding is tight neck extensor muscles due to poorly functioning neck flexors.
If you suffer from headaches, and are tired of taking medication for the pain, you owe it to yourself to find a doctor that will evaluate your headaches properly, and get to the cause of your pain.
Dr. Brian Strump is a chiropractor and owner of Live Active Charlotte, a CrossFit/functional fitness gym located in the Steele Creek area of Charlotte.
If you’re interested in making a change in your health or simply have questions, you can learn more about Brian and his staff by visiting: liveactiveclt.com
