Headaches
It Affects 50% -75% of the global population. Making them extremely common and a huge burden on society.
There are correlations with chronic Headache disorders and the prevelence of other illnesses, such as anxiety and depression.
It is one of the most common diseases of the nervous system, worldwide.
Headache disorders, which are characterized by recurrent headache, are associated with personal and societal burdens of pain, disability, damaged quality of life, and financial cost.
Worldwide, a minority of people with headache disorders are diagnosed appropriately by a health-care provider.
Headache has been underestimated, under-recognized and under-treated throughout the world.
Causes
Headaches can be primary or secondary
Primary Headaches are migraines, tension type and cluster Headaches
Migraines: It is caused by the activation of a mechanism deep in the brain that leads to release of pain-producing inflammatory substances around the nerves and blood vessels of the head
TTH: Its mechanism may be stress-related or associated with musculoskeletal problems in the neck.
cluster : uncommon, can be episodic or chronic, cause unknown
Secondary headaches: brought on by something else
Common secondary HA can be medication induced (overuse)
Cervicogenic: caused by changes in the cervical spine
Hormonal
Trigger point
Treatment
Headaches have many causes, or “triggers.” These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems. The remaining 95 percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease; the headache itself is the primary concern.
The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck. Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than in the past, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture (such as sitting in front of a computer). This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.
What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?
Your doctor of chiropractic may do one or more of the following if you suffer from a primary headache:
Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.
Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex vitamins.
Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques. This advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.
Doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive training to help their patients in many ways beyond just treatment for low-back pain. They know how tension in the spine relates to problems in other parts of the body, and they can take steps to relieve those problems.