A tension headache can be described as a feeling of tightness and dull aches around the head or behind the eyes. During a tension headache, people often experience aching head pain, tenderness on the scalp and neck, and pressure across the forehead or on the sides and back of the head. These kinds of headaches are more common with women than men, and usually occur when spinal bones in the neck do not support the head properly.
Tension-type headaches and migraines are similar, but also differ in a few ways. Tension headaches are caused by muscle contractions in the head and neck and, are usually brought on by stress, anxiety or exhaustion. They cause the muscles of your scalp, neck, and jaw to tease up, which then leads to pain. It is common for some people to develop tension headaches after looking at a computer for an extended period of time, or after driving for awhile.
Studies show that migraines are the result of pain-producing inflammatory substances in the brain, which affect the way nerves and blood vessels communicate. There are many triggers that can cause migraines, including hormonal changes especially in women during menstruation, and emotional triggers like stress, depression, and anxiety. Dehydration has also been known to cause migraines as well as low blood sugar and jet lag. Migraines typically last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours, however the intensity and symptoms can be different for each person.
Chiropractic Care for Headaches
Chiropractic care has been shown to be an effective treatment for both tension headaches and migraines by helping to removes stress from the spine by reducing muscle tension and restoring normal spinal motion. A 2014 report in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that chiropractic care improves acute and chronic neck pain and helps alleviate migraines and cervicogenic headaches. Migraine headaches have been studied in several clinical trials and research shows that people who receive chiropractic care for migraines once or twice a week for approximately eight weeks saw a decrease in migraine symptoms.
Today, we engage in more sedentary activities than in the past – more hours are spent in one fixed position – often sitting in front of a computer. Consequently, muscles in your neck, upper back and scalp are more likely to become tense, causing your head to ache. Whether you’ve had headaches for years or have had a recent onset, your chiropractor can perform adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system. The adjustments will affect the frequency and intensity of migraine headaches because stretching and adjusting the joints and body tissues can impact the way blood vessels function.
During your visit with Dr. Joseph R. Merckling at Merckling Family Chiropractic, patients will receive heat and ice treatments, massage, and strengthening and stretching exercises to help reduce tension headaches and migraines. In addition to spinal adjustments, Dr. Merckling will also recommend at-home exercises you can do to work on tension and discomfort in your neck and spine.
