9 out of 10 Americans suffer from headaches; and the change in weather brought on by the spring season actually increases the likelihood of experiencing them. Fortunately, certain forms of chiropractic therapy have been proven to effectively alleviate the pain associated with this common ailment.
Why Are Headaches More Common During Springtime?
As the snow clears and the temperatures rise, flowers and other forms of flora grow, and their pollen begins to spread. Around 1 out of 5 Americans has a pollen allergy, so this is the time of year when their symptoms start to show; and seasonal allergies are linked to an uptick in various types of headaches.
Different Types of Headaches
Although there are more than 150 different forms of headaches, we’re going to focus on the most commonly experienced types.
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are the most prevalent type of headache that people experience. This type of headache causes mild to moderate pain. Some people experience a tightness surrounding upper parts of the head comparable to the sensation felt when wearing a hat or headband too tightly. Tension headaches can be episodic, in which case they can last anywhere from half-an-hour to over seven days. Chronic tension headaches are experienced almost continuously during sporadic periods spanning three months or more.
Migraine Headaches
This more severe type of headache is usually associated with an intense, throbbing pain that can last hours or even days. In some cases, migraines may cause nausea and light sensitivity. In general, women are more likely to experience migraines than men. According to a National Health Interview Survey, 20% of women and 9.7% of men 18 years or older experience at least one severe headache or migraine within a three-month time span.
Cluster Headaches
A cluster headache, also known as Horton’s syndrome, is one of the most painful types of headaches. Cluster headaches are fairly uncommon and affect around 1 out of 1000 people; however, that statistic is irrelevant for those who experience their debilitating symptoms. The intense pain associated with cluster headaches is usually limited to one side of the head and surrounds the eye, forehead and temple.
Other Types of Headaches
- Sinus headaches
- Hormone headaches
- Thunderclap headaches
- Spinal headaches
- Cervicogenic headaches
- Mixed headaches
Headache Treatment
Many people who experience headaches opt to take over the counter drugs to help ease the pain. Others have found some relief by applying heating pads or cold packs to the affected area.
Alleviating Headaches With Chiropractic Therapy
Chiropractic therapy has been proven to effectively treat many types of headaches and their associated symptoms. When performed by a licensed chiropractor, spinal manipulation can be equally or more effective at treating headaches than many prescription medications. According to a study conducted by the Northwestern Health Sciences University, this is true for both tension-type headaches and migraines. Spinal manipulation has also been proven to effectively treat cervicogenic headaches. Pain associated with cervicogenic headaches develops in the neck and moves upwards to the head.
